Syrian diplomat in California defects from Assad regime - latimes.com
Please don’t panic, the regime just might pull through this one intact: Hazem Chehabi, (Hikmat Chehabi’s son) Syria’s honorary consul-general ( i.e. a volunteer who occasionally notarizes documents) for the West Coast has resigned. Media are describing it as one of Syria’s “highest ranking” diplomatic defections, presumably since the defections of honorary consular receptionists and office temps. Indeed, I am sure Chehabi’s move will trigger mass defections in the top military brass:
“Charles Ries, director of Rand Corp.’s Center for Middle East Public Policy, said the diplomatic expulsions could force Syrian officials, military officers and foreign envoys to reconsider their relationship with the Assad regime and set off embarrassing defections that the Syrian president has so far been spared.”
