400-plus-point gain was a blip or perhaps a building block. well, sadly, we got a decisive answer today, the dow industrial average plunged 520 points, 4.6% amid jitters about europe s debt crisis and growing resignation that the long-term prospects for growth here in the united states are bleak. alison kosik watched the massive selloff up close. john, we had yet another brutal session here on wall street today. you know, there s a lot of uncertainty about the economic outlook here in the u.s. and in europe as well. you know, there s worries about france being downgraded like the u.s. debt was downgraded. they really accelerated the losses in the final minutes of the trading day, and then, of course, there s a fear factor that s around here, you know, investors feel like they re flying blind. no one has any idea of what s coming next or where the economy is headed, and it s that certainty that s feeding this downward spiral, but i also want you to keep in mind, what s also
average plunged 520 points, 4.6% amid jitters about europe s debt crisis and growing resignation that the long-term prospects for growth here in the united states are bleak. alison kosik watched the massive selloff up close. john, we had yet another brutal session here on wall street today. you know, there s a lot of uncertainty about the economic outlook here in the u.s. and in europe as well. you know, there s worries about france being downgraded like the u.s. debt was downgraded. they really accelerated the losses in the final minutes of the trading day, and then, of course, there s a fear factor that s around here, you know, investors feel like they re flying blind. no one has any idea of what s coming next or where the economy is headed, and it s that certainty that s feeding this downward spiral, but i also want you to keep in mind, what s also fueling this volatility are the computer models that many institutional investers use to trach stocks, as the market falls,
the regime. human rights activists say at least 2,000 people have been killed in the regime s brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters over the past several months. as the crackdown has played out, the administration has gone from urging assad to stop the violence and implement reforms himself to of late saying the dictator has lost legitimacy, but until now the administration has stopped short from demanding he yield power. here s how the u.s. ambassador to the united nations described assad s behavior right here on this program last week as she promised to push for more aggressive international response it s horrific. it s appalling. he s massacring his own people who are coming out simply to express themselves peacefully. it s absolutely unacceptable, appalling behavior, and it deserves not only the condemnation but the full force of the international community. and today at the state department, this public hint, u.s. patience with assad had run out if you
killed in the regime s brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters over the past several months. as the crackdown has played out, the administration has gone from urging assad to stop the violence and implement reforms himself to of late saying the dictator has lost legitimacy, but until now the administration has stopped short from demanding he yield power. here s how the u.n. ambassador to the united nations described assad s behavior right here on this program last week as she promised to push for more aggressive international response it s horrific. it s appalling. he s massacring his own people who are coming out simply to express themselves peacefully. it s absolutely unacceptable, appalling behavior, and it deserves not only the condemnation but the full force of the international community. and today at the state department, this public hint, u.s. patience with assad had run out if you offer engagement and rather than taking up engagement your partner cho
war or peace in the mideast. we know he is hear from iran, hezbollah and hamas. it is crucial that he also hear directly from us. so that the potential consequences of his actions are clear. that s why we are sending an ambassador back to syria. reporter: the u.s. hasn t had an ambassador in syria since 2005. when the prime minister of neighboring lebanon was assassinated in a car bombing linked to hezbollah. he tried to press syria. reporter: republicans blocked president obama s nominee, career diplomat robert s. ford. but using his recess appointment powers, mr. obama is sending forward to damascus for a year. the question is whether this is a fight worth having so early in the year with republican controlled house and at a time when the president wants to pick and choose his fights very