State Department to Walid al Muallem: 'You are a "shameless tool & a mouthpiece!"'

"WASHINGTON - The Obama administration on Wednesday forcefully defended its decision to slap sanctions on Syria's top diplomat, ridiculing him as a "shameless tool and a mouthpiece" of President Bashar al-Assad and declaring him personally responsible for crimes committed during the Syrian government's five-month crackdown on popular dissent.
Using uncharacteristically undiplomatic language, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem "remains unapologetic" even as he has played a key role in trying to hide his regime's "murder and torture" of Syrian citizens. She said he also had been instrumental in securing the assistance of Syria's ally Iran in the repression..."