U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced plans to launch a new initiative to remove Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power. The Secretary of State has recently emphasized that direct engagement of Assad and his regime by Syrian rebels, coupled with assurances regarding the security of the Iran-backed president and Syria’s Alawite minority, could change the regime’s decision calculus. Kerry made his statements during a Wednesday appearance with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh. The occasion will be read as a signal from Washington that U.S. diplomats appreciate the instability being introduced into Jordan by the Syrian conflict. Jordan is providing assistance to upwards of 300,000 Syrian refugees.