Jordan’s King Calls on Syria’s Assad to Step Down

Jordan’s king has become the first Arab leader to openly say Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should stand down.

King Abdullah told the BBC that if he were in Assad’s position, he would make sure “whoever comes behind me has the ability to change the status quo”.

He urged President Assad to launch dialogue with the opposition to effect an orderly transition.

Arab leaders have increasingly criticized the crackdown in Syria after months of violence.

Marco Werman speaks with Joshua Landis, Director of the Center For Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma in Norman.