After Assad's speech blames "saboteurs" for violence.
Remy de la Mauviniere / AP Photo
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad addressed the nation Monday for just the third time since the unrest began, and took a hard line on recent violence. He blamed the unrest on “saboteurs” and “radical and blasphemous intellectuals” who have "perpetrated these heinous massacres we have seen on television." He also said, however, that he is considering an amnesty offer. Assad's speech did not go over well internationally or home, and U.S. President Obama said Monday he wanted "action, not words" from Assad. The White House said Monday night that Obama would be meeting with Turkish Prime Minister to discuss ending the violence in Syria.
