(AP-Washington Post) Bolstered by infighting among Syrian opposition groups, U.S. officials say Syrian President Assad has a stronger grasp on power now than he did just months ago, when the U.S. and Russia called for a new round of talks to settle the Syrian civil war. How to persuade Assad to step down will be part of the focus Tuesday at a London meeting of 11 nations from the West and Mideast seeking a negotiated settlement to the war. A senior State Department official on Monday accused extremist groups, including the al-Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, of helping Assad by hobbling the moderate rebel groups and diverting aid and focus from the battle against his government.
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