BAD TIMING

State Dept. Knew of Syria Photos

In November.

While much of the world has been shocked by a trove of photographs purported to document torture and executions by the Syrian government, a new report suggests President Obama and the State Department knew about the documentation back in November. While the administration confirms that it believes the photos are genuine, and has since heightened its rhetoric about President Bashar al-Assad, the photos do not seem to have altered the administration's policies and actions toward the Syrian regime. Essentially, the documentation, which press secretary Jay Carney describes as suggesting “ widespread and apparently systematic violations of international human law,” will not push the U.S. to switch from pushing for political settlement rather than military action.