AFP, Tel Aviv, 3 Oct 2011 – It is ‘a matter of time’ before the Syrian regime headed by President Bashar al-Assad is ousted from power by a popular uprising, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said on Monday.
Speaking in Tel Aviv after meeting his Israeli counterpart, Panetta said Washington and other foreign capitals had ‘made clear Assad should step down.’
‘While he continues to resist, I think it’s very clear that it’s a matter of time before that (exit) in fact happens. When it does, we don’t know,’ he said.