Obama Closer to Calling for Syria's Assad to Go

WASHINGTON — The U.S. is edging closer to calling for an end to the long rule of the Assad family in Syria.

Obama administration officials say the first step would be to declare for the first time that President Bashar Assad has forfeited his legitimacy to rule.

That would be a shift from U.S. statements demanding that Assad stop a brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters. Those stopped short of saying he had to go.

Assad retains considerable international support, and it is not clear how much backing the U.S. would have in suggesting regime change. It's also unclear how far the U.S. would be willing to back up its words with action.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss highly sensitive internal planning