Bashar Al Assad: “This is against our principle and my principle. And I would never do such a thing in my life.”

The State Department has called on Assad to end his assault against the Syrian people, singling out Matar as a champion of peace, committed to confronting the regime's, quote, "despicable violence."

He's also using the same -- literally, the same false rhetoric that was used by Mubarak, that's been used by Gadhafi, blaming satellite news channels, blaming foreigners, blaming unnamed conspiracies.

I have ordered my troops to increase their readiness. I condemn what I call the flagrant aggression of Israel's bombardment of Southern Lebanon.

Bashar Al-Assad has lost control over these monsters.