(Image Source: Al Jazeera)

BY GARY COTTON

ANCHOR ALEX HOLLEY

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As violence escalates in Syria over anti-government protests, the United States is hardening its tone.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney announced Monday the Obama administration is exploring the idea of increased sanctions against Syria.

“We’re pursuing a variety of options including targeted sanction. What we’ve seen is that sanctions can put pressure on governments and regimes to change their behavior and I think that that would obviously would be a goal of this.” (ITN)

But opponents -- like former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton -- say sanctions wouldn’t be strong enough.

"I don’t think they will work. There purely for political rhetorical purposes, I don’t think we’ll they’ll slow the Assad regime down at all. What we ought to do is derecognize the regime not just pull the ambassador, but say ‘we don’t recognize this regime for Syria as a whole."

Some in favor of stronger U.S. action say taking down President Bashar al-Assad’s regime would be a plus for the U.S. because of its close relationship with Iran. A blogger for The Washington Post lays out the possible advantages.

“Hezbollah-occupied Lebanon would lose a patron and supply route, the mullahs in Iran would suffer a blow to their regional aspirations, and freedom and democracy in the Muslim world would get a tremendous boost. Aside from regime change in Iran, I am hard-pressed to think of a more positive development than regime change in Syria.”

Others argue, these close ties are exactly why harsh action shouldn’t be taken. One writer for CNN describes Syria as quote- “the key piece in a regional Rubik’s cube.”

“What happens in Syria sends waves, not ripples, far beyond its borders. And what Syria lacks in population and economic clout it more than makes up for as a regional crossroads -- bordering Lebanon, Israel, Iraq, Jordan and Turkey.”

AFP reports Assad’s regime has rolled out tanks and snipers against demonstrators, killing at least 25 people in a key city.

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