Stating that the Syrian president's fall was "inevitable", the White House urged countries to consider carefully their stance on Syria, as a draft resolution was debated at the UN Security Council.

The White House's spokesperson, Jay Carney, speaking Monday, said,

"We believe that the Security Council must not permit the Assad regime to assault the Syrian people, while it rejects the Arab League's proposal to a political solution. We do support the Arab League's role in this process. Governments that act to prop up Assad's regime will find themselves in a small minority and criticised for abetting further human rights violations."

"It is important to look at where this process is heading."

"Assad's fall is inevitable, and so as governments make decisions about where they stand on this issue and what further steps need to be taken, with regard to the brutality of the Assad regime, it is important to calculate into your considerations, the fact that, he will go."

"The regime has lost control of the country, and will eventually fall. We are discussing with the Russians and other partners how best to use all the levers at the command of the international community and the United Nations, to press the Syrian government to stop its appalling, and ultimately ineffective and harmful repression."

"We're working with all our partners and we believe that it's important that the Security Council take action."