Jordan’s King Abdullah on Monday called for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, the first Arab leader to do so after his regime said it will not budge despite mounting international pressure. “I believe, if I were in his shoes, I would step down,” said King Abdullah. “I would step down and make sure whoever comes behind me has the ability to change the status quo that we’re seeing.” His remarks were aired on the BBC after Assad’s foreign minister, Walid Muallem, said the Syrian government would not budge despite being suspended from the Arab League.
