Kofi Annan, Joint Special Envoy for the United Nations and the League of Arab States, drew up this six-point peace plan for Syria. It was submitted to the UN in March 2012 and on March 27 the Syrian government accepted the proposal. The ceasefire came in to effect on April 12, 2012 but as reported by the UN and other bodies, has not been honored.

Elliott Abrams says it is time for the United States to demonstrate leadership and provide concrete help to bring down the Assad regime.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney released this statement regarding development in Syria on May 27, 2012.

After a year of unrest and violence, Syria's political crisis is characterized by dilemmas and contradictions. Members of Congress continue to evaluate possible U.S. policy approaches towards the Syrian crisis, write Jeremy M. Sharp and Christopher M. Blanchard in this Congressional Research Service report.

A brutal crackdown continues, the opposition resists a political solution, and a divided international community offers no new alternatives, says expert Peter Harling.

A broad-sweeping look at international efforts to protect and promote human rights. This is part of the Global Governance Monitor, an interactive feature tracking multilateral approaches to several global challenges.

President Obama's move to strengthen efforts to prevent genocide and mass killings deserves credit, but must be given time to work properly, says CFR's Paul Stares.

The White House released this fact sheet on April 23, 2012, accompanying the signing of President Obama's executive order concerning sanctions against those involved in human rights abuses in Syria and Iran.

President Obama signed this exective order on April 23, 2012. The White House states that it "establishes financial and travel sanctions against those who perpetrate or facilitate 'Grave Human Rights Abuses Via Information Technology' in Syria and Iran".

UN Security Council Resolution 2043 regarding Syria was adopted on April 21, 2012.

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta gave these remarks on Syria on April 19, 2012 before the House Armed Services Committee.

NATO talks a big game when it comes to global security, but its ability to affect war and peace outside of Europe is limited, writes Joshua Foust for Need to Know on PBS.

Mona Yacoubian leads a conversation on the situation in Syria, including analysis of the religious divide, the role the United States and other international actors should play, and recommendations for U.S. policy.

Leslie H. Gelb says military confrontations loom for President Obama in Iran, Syria, and North Korea, and he can't head them off with the usual duet of threats and talks.

Elliott Abrams criticizes the Obama administration for continuing to politicize intelligence leaks on Syria and Iran.

Syria is trapped on a crumbling precipice, and however it might fall will entail significant risks for the United States and for the Syrian people, says this memo written by experts on Middle East at Brookings.

A deadline for cease-fire in Syria is set, but the international community remains divided on ways forward. CFR's Ed Husain says many questions remain about opposition unity, leadership transition, and whether it will be possible to keep the peace.

Stephen Zunes, Professor of Politics and Chair of Mid-Eastern Studies at the University of San Francisco, says rather than military intervention, nonviolent resistance combined with targeted international sanctions will force the Syrian government to negotiate with the opposition for a transfer of power to a democratic majority.

There are no good solutions to the mess in Syria, says James Traub, a fellow of the Center on International Cooperation.