Syria Snap Analysis: What the Prime Minister's Defection Might Say About State of the Conflict<http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/8/6/syria-snap-analysis-what-the-prime-ministers-defection-might.html>
inShare*0* [image: Date]Monday, August 6, 2012 at 13:36 Riyad HijabOne of the most striking claims over Prime Minister Riyad Hijab's defection is that the Assad regime not only picked Hijab to help lead it out of crisis but also threatened him with death. This may be an assertion to curry favour with the opposition, but if it is true, this means that President Assad really does not have anyone he can trust or turn to without fear of consequences. It could mean that the only reason there are not more defections is fear, but --- with the decision of Hijab and his brothers to leave Syria --- it is a fear that is slipping. A potentially more significant claim, one that will likely be verified soon, is that Hijab has been working all along with the Free Syrian Army. First, this could establish how the FSA has been so successful, perhaps even explaining the effectiveness of the bombing that killed several top security officials, alongside a major FSA offensive in Damascus. If Hijab's story is confirmed, it could add credence to claims that there are many working inside the regime to help the opposition. The greatest speculation may be about Hijab's role in a transitional government. Hijab is a civilian leader, so unlike defected General Manaf Tlass, he will have an easier time arguing that his hands are clean from the regime's worst acts. If the former Prime Minister has been working with the FSA all along, then he wlll have already built bridges with the military wing of the opposition, a critical step that others cannot claim. But these are all just possibilities with so little is confirmed at this hour. Any Hijab/FSA ties will likely be exposed in the coming days. We will also soon know how accepting the FSA, the protesters in the streets, and the expatriate leaders in Turkey will be of a man who has been a member of the Baath Party for so long. http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/8/6/syria-snap-analysis-what-the-prime-ministers-defection-might.html ---------------- also from Enduring America We begin with ripples in an Iranian outlet pointing to tensions within the regime on domestic and foreign issues. *Baztab*, which is reportedly linked to Mohsen Rezaei --- former head of the Revolutionary Guards, Secretary of the Expediency Council, and candidate for President in 2013 --- takes aim at Mehrdad Bazrpash<http://baztab.net/fa/news/12117/%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA-%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B2-%D9%88-%D8%B4%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D9%87-%DA%AF%D9%88%D8%B4-%D9%81%D9%84%DA%A9-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%DA%A9%D8%B1-%D9%85%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D9%86%D8%AF>, a close ally of President Ahmadinejad. The site claims Bazrpash, a former Vice President, became the Chief Executive Officer of Saipa, a major automobile manufacturer, without qualifications. *Baztab* then alleges that Bazrpash's *Vatan Emrooz* daily newspaper has been supported by Government funds, with pro-Ahmadinejad bloggers writing for the paper each day. *Baztab* also takes a different line from other Iranian outlets on Syria. Perhaps mischievously, it says that State broadcaster IRIB is "not guilty<http://baztab.net/fa/news/12334/%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%B4%D9%82-%D8%A2%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%8C-%D8%B5%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%B3%DB%8C%D9%85%D8%A7-%D9%87%D9%85-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%AE%D8%B7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%86-%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D9%85%D9%82%D8%B5%D8%B1-%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%B3%D8%AA!>" over the abduction of 48 Iranians near Damascus on Saturday. *Then --- in a sharp break from the Iranian leadership's defence of the Syrian regime --- it compares the behaviour of Presdent Assad's troops to that of Israelis in their recent wars in Lebanon and Gaza.* --------------- view all <http://english.al-akhbar.com/breaking> Syrian prime minister 'defects' after two months Published Monday, August 6, 2012 Syrian Prime Minister Riad Hijab defected to Jordan on Monday, only two months after being appointed to the job, an aide said. Spokesperson Mohammad Otri said Hijab had arrived in the Jordanian capital Amman along with ten families after the Free Syrian Army (FSA) facilitated their safe passage out of Damascus. In a statement broadcast on al-Jazeera, Otri said Hijab had been working with the FSA to plan the defection since becoming prime minister in June. "I announce today my defection from the killing and terrorist regime and I announce that I have joined the ranks of the freedom and dignity revolution," Hijab said in a statement read in his name by the spokesman. "I announce that I am from today a soldier in this blessed revolution," it added. Otri later told AFP Hijab would head to Qatar in the coming days. "Hijab will go to Doha, where international media are based. He will leave for Qatar tomorrow, the day after or after a few days," he said. However a Jordanian minister officially denied Hijab ever entered the country. Information Minister Samih Maaytah told the official Petra news agency: "Hijab has not entered Jordanian territories until now." Otri told al-Jazeera that Hijab had been supportive of the uprising since the beginning, but could not express his support after being appointed prime minister in June. "He has been on the side of this blessed revolution since its beginning but this criminal government granted Hijab the post of prime minister," he said. "At the time, Hijab had no choice but to accept the post," he added, without elaborating on Hijab's stance during the first 12 months of the uprising, when he was not prime minister. Syrian state TV said he had been sacked from his post with immediate effect. "Prime Minister Riad Hijab has been dismissed," the station reported. Gulf Arab states are said to be stepping up their campaign to bribe primarily Sunni Muslim elements of President Bashar al-Assad's regime in order to pressure Assad to resign. Hijab is the first cabinet minister to defect, but follows a series of senior defections from the regime in recent months. Last month, general and long-time friend of Assad, Manaf Tlass, defected and is currently in Saudi Arabia. At least three Syrian envoys have also abandoned their positions, with many heading to the Qatari capital Doha. Hijab was appointed to the role by President Bashar al-Assad, following a stint as the country's agriculture minister. He hails from the eastern city of Deir Ezzor, which has been one of the key flashpoints in the revolt against the Assad regime. State television announced that Omar al-Ghalawanji had been appointed to head the government temporarily. Ghalawanji was serving as deputy prime minister, having previously headed up the ministry for housing and construction. *(Al-Akhbar, AFP, Reuters, AP)* [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:laamn-unsubscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:laamn-subscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:laamn-dig...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:laamn-ow...@egroups.com?subject=laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:la...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/laamn@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! 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