A Texan elected by opposition as interim PM

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ghassan Hitto 2

Syria’s main opposition group elected a naturalized Texan Tuesday as the first prime minister of its planned interim government, hoping to establish administrative authority in areas of northern Syria that have been secured by insurgents fighting President Bashar al-Assad.

After a prolonged day of maneuvering and voting on Monday that lasted into the early-morning hours, representatives of the opposition coalition, meeting in Istanbul, chose Ghassan Hitto, 50, who emigrated from Syria many years ago and until recently had lived in Wayne , Texas.

In voting televised live by al-Jazeera, Mr. Hitto won 35 votes, three more than his closest competitor, Asaad Mustafa, a former Syrian agriculture minister.

According to his biography, Damascus, Syria-born Hitto received B.S. degrees in computer science and mathematics from Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis in 1989; he received an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University in 1994.

For 11 years, Hitto worked with Inovar, an electronics firm, which he left in 2012 to move to Turkey to join the opposition to Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime.

Hitto is married to Suzanne Hitto, a schoolteacher; they have four children.

“I give great thanks to the heroes and revolutionaries of the Syrian people,” Hitto said after the results were announced. “We are with you.”

Hitto sounds like a real community leader, too. He spent more than a decade helping to run a small school for Islamic students, founded the Shaam Relief fund for Syrian refugees in 2011 and worked as a senior executive for a local technology communications firm in Wayne, Texas.

Hitto’s spent the last two years starting up relief organizations and raising money for the opposition. His football star son Obaida even left Texas to go and fight on the front lines and was injured by a bomb in the fighting. And inevitably, support for Hitto at the Istanbul meeting was strong to say the least, according to observers.

It ought to be noted that Hitto won support not only from the Islamist factions of the Syrian opposition but from the liberals too. And as for that ex-pat bit, Hitto played down the relevance in a YouTube video. “A lot of the sons of this country had to leave for various reasons,” he said. “But Syrian people must carry their homeland in their heart wherever they go.”

Hitto is expected to select other ministers in coming days for a government that is not yet physically in place in northern Syria. It was unclear whether all the rebel fighters united in their desire to oust Mr. Assad would recognize the interim government as a legitimate authority.

The concept of a rival government run by the opposition inside Syrian territory has faced a mixed reaction in the United States, which has long demanded that Mr. Assad resign and that an independent transitional government acceptable to all sides replace him, as agreed to in a major conference on Syria in Geneva nine months ago.

While the United States is not yet willing to provide weapons to the insurgency, as France and Britain have said they are prepared to do, Secretary of State John Kerry reiterated on Monday in Washington the Obama administration’s position that “that the United States does not stand in the way of other countries that have made a decision to provide arms, whether it’s France or Britain or others.”

The announcement that Mr. Hitto had won came hours after Syrian warplanes attacked targets inside eastern Lebanon, the first time since the Syria conflict began that the military had used its air force to strike at suspected rebel hide-outs across the Lebanon border. The aerial assault was the third serious border episode tied to the Syria conflict in the past two weeks and underscored the threat to the country’s neighbors.

Agencies

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32 responses to “A Texan elected by opposition as interim PM”

  1. Hariri Assaoudi Avatar
    Hariri Assaoudi

    is he elected as PM for the syrians in texas? would he establish his office in texas?

  2. Hariri Assaoudi Avatar
    Hariri Assaoudi

    is he elected as PM for the syrians in texas? would he establish his office in texas?

  3. Hariri Assaoudi Avatar
    Hariri Assaoudi

    BREAKING NEWS: Bad news to patience2 and FSA and annusra salafi supporters. the news just broke this early morning to my correspondent in israel; assad will be meeting obama secretly in israel during his visit to israel

    1. Hariri Assaoudi Avatar
      Hariri Assaoudi

      informed sources close to obama but insisting to stay anonymous, just confirmed that mr obama will meet the the syrian president in israel soon; no further information available; sources close to president assad refused to comment on the news; the whole world is awaiting impatiently patience2 and other yalibnan reporters news to get the truth

    2. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Safe enough spot to meet .. and comfortable most of the time. 😉

      1. Hariri Assaoudi Avatar
        Hariri Assaoudi

        what about suicidal attacks; or are you saying the israeli democratic shabiha will shoot any single person or even couple, of arabic facies, if they get close to a drawn red line; the probability of having a triple suicidal bombing simultaneously is epsiulon

        1. 5thDrawer Avatar
          5thDrawer

          I think I said ‘most of the time’ … didn’t I? 😉

  4. Hariri Assaoudi Avatar
    Hariri Assaoudi

    BREAKING NEWS: Bad news to patience2 and FSA and annusra salafi supporters. the news just broke this early morning to my correspondent in israel; assad will be meeting obama secretly in israel during his visit to israel

    1. Hariri Assaoudi Avatar
      Hariri Assaoudi

      informed sources close to obama but insisting to stay anonymous, just confirmed that mr obama will meet the the syrian president in israel soon; no further information available; sources close to president assad refused to comment on the news; the whole world is awaiting impatiently patience2 and other yalibnan reporters news to get the truth

    2. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Safe enough spot to meet .. and comfortable most of the time. 😉

      1. Hariri Assaoudi Avatar
        Hariri Assaoudi

        what about suicidal attacks; or are you saying the israeli democratic shabiha will shoot any single person or even couple, of arabic facies, if they get close to a drawn red line; the probability of having a triple suicidal bombing simultaneously is epsiulon

        1. 5thDrawer Avatar
          5thDrawer

          I think I said ‘most of the time’ … didn’t I? 😉

  5. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    The eyes of Texas are upon you.
    Well, there had to be someone half-way popular who feels it necessary to say “you must carry the homeland in a heart wherever you go…”. And maybe in a briefcase too .. along with sons of the sons of the sons … ad infinitum. At least this guy actually worked for a living at one point … is not just a ghost of university halls.

    1. Hariri Assaoudi Avatar
      Hariri Assaoudi

      this is not what immigration teaches ur; in australia, one of the pioneers if not THE par excellence state of immigration, they say we sometimes accept rubbish migrants, we know for sure they are rubbish and will remain bound to their country of origin, but we work on their children to become pure aussies; and i belierve they are right ecxcept in one case: sunnism; a sunna belongs, according to his erroneous belief, to the nation of islam, which is the universe….dsar al harb and dar al islam or assalam….will dwell on it later

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        So you want a quiet country? Try one of the Micro-nations … at least, the ones that have some land. For instance, Molossia:
        Molossia is probably one of the most well known Micronations, with just the right blend of tongue-in-cheek humor and seriousness be wonderful and awesome. Molossia is based on two properties in Nevada and Pennsylvania, stretching over 58,000 acres owned by President Kevin Baugh (dictatorial). He issues their own money, they recognise other micronations, and if you give him enough warning, he’ll even give you a tour in full uniform. Molossia has its own alphabet, flag, and has been at war with East Germany since 1983, despite only being founded in 1999. Plus, they just added their own words to the Albanian national anthem. A little bonkers, and a lot of fun, how could you dislike the Republic of Molossia?

  6. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    The eyes of Texas are upon you.
    Well, there had to be someone half-way popular who feels it necessary to say “you must carry the homeland in a heart wherever you go…”. And maybe in a briefcase too .. along with sons of the sons of the sons … ad infinitum. At least this guy actually worked for a living at one point … not just a ghost of university halls.

    1. Hariri Assaoudi Avatar
      Hariri Assaoudi

      this is not what immigration teaches ur; in australia, one of the pioneers if not THE par excellence state of immigration, they say we sometimes accept rubbish migrants, we know for sure they are rubbish and will remain bound to their country of origin, but we work on their children to become pure aussies; and i belierve they are right ecxcept in one case: sunnism; a sunna belongs, according to his erroneous belief, to the nation of islam, which is the universe….dsar al harb and dar al islam or assalam….will dwell on it later

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        So you want a quiet country? Try one of the Micro-nations … at least, the ones that have some land. For instance, Molossia:
        Molossia is probably one of the most well known Micronations, with just the right blend of tongue-in-cheek humor and seriousness be wonderful and awesome. Molossia is based on two properties in Nevada and Pennsylvania, stretching over 58,000 acres owned by President Kevin Baugh (dictatorial). He issues their own money, they recognise other micronations, and if you give him enough warning, he’ll even give you a tour in full uniform. Molossia has its own alphabet, flag, and has been at war with East Germany since 1983, despite only being founded in 1999. Plus, they just added their own words to the Albanian national anthem. A little bonkers, and a lot of fun, how could you dislike the Republic of Molossia?

  7. IraniAngel Avatar
    IraniAngel

    and yet people claim that the this downrising – as assaoudia puts it – is actually the will of the syrian people

  8. IraniAngel Avatar
    IraniAngel

    and yet people claim that the this downrising – as assaoudia puts it – is actually the will of the syrian people

  9. Prophettttt Avatar
    Prophettttt

    Another one getting ahead of himself.I bet the Syrian prime minster who defected is very disappointed.The same goes to the Tlass family.
    If the opposition succeeds, does this guy think that Al-Qaeda and all the takferi groups would embrace him as the savior of Syrian people?

    1. Hannibal Avatar

      They will slaughter each others for years to come…

    2. Hariri Assaoudi Avatar
      Hariri Assaoudi

      you get another up arrow from me to second this; traitors are always losers on both sides

      1. Prophettttt Avatar
        Prophettttt

        If you are not good enough for your country ,there is no good in you that others will see.
        Any time some one seeks the support of foreigners against his own countrymen, He loose credibility,even if his cause was a just one. Karazi of Afganistan,Chalabi,Maliki,and the rest of the Iraqi opposition stationed overseas at the time, the new Tunisian and Libyan leaderships,and our own who counted on the Israelis, ended up you know where. All of these people didn’t realize that they were being used as tools,and fast enough, they were disposed off,except for Kaarazi who had a tribe to protect him,but that never earned him much respect,just like our own leaders who have no respect.

        1. hezzies are terrorists Avatar
          hezzies are terrorists

          “Any time some one seeks the support of foreigners against his own countrymen”
          Does that include nastyrallah?

  10. Prophettttt Avatar
    Prophettttt

    Another one getting ahead of himself.I bet you the Syrian prime minster who defected is very disappointed.The same goes to the Tlass family.
    If the opposition succeeds, Does this guy think that Al-Qaeda and all the takferi groups would embrace him as the savior of Syrian people?

    1. José Jalapeño Avatar
      José Jalapeño

      They will slaughter each others for years to come…

    2. Hariri Assaoudi Avatar
      Hariri Assaoudi

      you get another up arrow from me to second this; traitors are always losers on both sides

      1. Prophettttt Avatar
        Prophettttt

        Any time some one seeks the support of foreigners against his own countrymen, He loose credibility,even if his cause was a just one. Karazi of Afganistan,Chalabi,Maliki,and the rest of the Iraqi opposition stationed overseas at the time, The new Tunisian and Libyan leaderships,and our own who counted on the Israelis, ended up you know where.These people don’t realise that they were being used as tools,and fast enough they were disposed of.

        1. “Any time some one seeks the support of foreigners against his own countrymen”
          Does that include nastyrallah?

  11. Hariri Assaoudi Avatar
    Hariri Assaoudi

    youpie; the resistance won; they have now a prime minister; my grand children started playing a new game; they also designated a prime minister; lol; i would just call him a prime mini star not minister

  12. Hariri Assaoudi Avatar
    Hariri Assaoudi

    youpie; the resistance won; they have now a prime minister; my grand children started playing a new game; they also designated a prime minister; lol; i would just call him a prime mini star not minister

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