Statement by Governor Pawlenty on Syria

"Instead of offering principled leadership in the Middle East, President Obama has once again offered inaction. Democratic Syrian activists are getting mowed down by Bashar al-Assad's murderous regime. Inaction is more of the same from our do-nothing President who has failed to offer a budget plan, a social security plan or a jobs plan, let alone show leadership on Syria and the Arab Spring. President Obama himself needs to say clearly that Assad must and will go, immediately recall the U.S. Ambassador to Syria and move to invoke additional economic sanctions. I called for these actions over four months ago; I call for them again today. This brutal regime does not deserve diplomatic recognition from the United States."