John Kerry Says He Will Try to Get Assad to Relinquish Power

Ambitious goal for the new secretary of state

Incoming US Secretary of State John Kerry made his feelings on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad plain on Feb 13th, entreating the Syrian leader that he "must end this killing."

Kerry is currently at work on new diplomatic proposals aimed at unseating Assad — who he knew well before the war broke out, according to the Washington Post — although he notes that such measures may still arrive too late to quell the bloodshed.