The United States urged Arab leaders Tuesday to \"send a forceful message\" to Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad ahead of their meeting at which the Arab League\'s suspension of Damascus takes effect. \"We look for the Arab League tomorrow to again send a forceful message to Assad that he needs to allow for a democratic transition to take place and to end the violence against his people,\" State Department spokesman Mark Toner said, noting the growing \"drumbeat of international pressure\" on the regime.