During the White House press briefing Tuesday, CNN's Jim Acosta posed the question if Assad were to die would that be a "welcomed outcome at this White House?" In response, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said President Obama is not considering a forceful overthrow of current Syrian leadership among its options to respond to the recent chemical attacks the government believes Syrian President Bashar al-Assad waged against his own people.
JIM ACOSTA: And as the president weighs his options, does he want to take out Assad, and would his death be a welcomed outcome at this White House?
JAY CARNEY: I appreciate the question. I want to make clear that the options that we are considering are not about regime change. They are about responding to clear violation of an international standard that prohibits the use of chemical weapons. We are also very much engaged in an effort to support the opposition in its struggle with the Assad regime as the Assad regime continues to try to massacre its own people in an effort to maintain power. And it is our firm conviction that Syria's future cannot include Assad in power, but this deliberation and the actions that we are contemplating are not about regime change. We believe, as I said earlier in answer to Mark's question, that resolution of this conflict has to come through political negotiation and settlement.