U.S. confirms it is mulling Syria sanctions following brutal crackdown

             The Obama administration is considering sanctions against senior officials in the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad in a bid to ratchet up pressure for an end to a violent crackdown on protesters, a U.S. official said on Monday. The measures, which could include a freeze on assets and a ban on U.S. business dealings, would likely come in the form of an executive order signed by U.S. President Barack Obama, the official said. But a final decision has yet to be made on the exact timing of such a move, and there was no immediate word whether Assad might be among those targeted for sanctions, as human rights groups have urged. Sanctions would mark an escalation of the U.S. response to Assad's efforts to crush a month-long uprising against his autocratic 11-year rule. Obama's response so far has been limited to tough words but little concrete action against the Syrian government, in contrast to Washington's role in a NATO-led air campaign against Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi. Washington is mindful of its limited ability to influence Damascus, which is closely allied with U.S. foe Iran, and is cautious about any further military entanglement in the Muslim world where it is already involved in long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite that, U.S. officials were looking for new pressure points with Assad's government as Syrian troops and tanks poured into Daraa on Monday where anti-government activists said at least five people were killed. Obama, in a statement on Friday, told Syria that its bloody crackdown on protesters "must come to an end now" and accused Damascus of seeking Iranian help to repress its people. "The brutal violence used by the government of Syria against its people is completely deplorable," White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said on Monday. "The United States is pursuing a range of possible policy options, including targeted sanctions, to respond to the crackdown and make clear that this behavior is unacceptable," he said. "The Syrian people's call for freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly, and the ability to freely choose their leaders must be heard." (23,00)