Image uploaded from a quicklink (Image by Unknown Owner) Details DMCA | In his first year in office, U.S. President Barack Obama sent a letter to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad seeking a new start to a long-strained relationship. In his third year, Obama demanded that Assad step down. The White House has crafted a presidential directive, called a "finding," that would authorize greater covert assistance for the rebels, while still stopping short of arming them. |