The Obama administration is ratcheting up the heat on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, issuing a written statement demanding that the embattled leader step down. The Syrian strongman has been leading a brutal crackdown on protesters, and is "imprisoning, torturing and slaughtering his own people," according to Obama's statement. The U.S. also announced new sanctions against the country. In tandem, British, French, and German leaders announced a simliar stance. An estimated 1,800 protesters are believed to have died during the crackdown.
