SYRIA - Civil War 8/6/2012, Assad Regime

"Syrian Prime Minister and Cabinet Members Are Latest to Defect From Assad Regime" (Part-1) PBS Newshour 8/6/2012

Excerpt

JUDY WOODRUFF (Newshour): Next to Syria, where the ruling government suffered more defections today as the civil war raged on.

Margaret Warner has the story.

MOHAMMAD OTARI, spokesman (through translator): Today, we have announced the defection of Mr. Riyadh Abdul Rauf Hijab, the Syrian prime minister.

MARGARET WARNER (Newshour): With that, a spokesman for the prime minister delivered another blow to President Bashar al-Assad's government.

"With Government Defections on the Rise, Is Conflict in Syria at a Tipping Point?" (Part-2) PBS Newshour 8/6/2012

Excerpt

SUMMARY: As more Syrian officials remove themselves from the regime government, it would seem that President Bashar al-Assad's grip over Syria is weakening. Margaret Warner talks to George Mason University's Bassam Haddad and Trinity University's David Lesch about whether recent defections signal a tipping point or are merely symbolic.