President Barack Obama signed an order today to impose strict sanctions on Syria, according to CNN. The network's website reports the move is an effort to force Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other Syrian officials to halt violent crackdowns on peaceful protesters. The United Nations has reported roughly 850 Syrians have died because of these crackdowns.
Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen said in a Treasury Department statement:
According to CBS News, President Assad has attributed the violence to mistakes make by his security forces, and police who were poorly trained. Still, international news station France 24 posted video a few hours ago of tanks rolling into the southern part of Syria:
http://youtu.be/jk6NYE4m5pE
