Social Media Monitor: An American Citizen Elected Interim Prime Minister

"Concentrate a little – why didn’t most of the known figures run for the post of interim prime minister? Right – how didn’t I think of that?! Because [the interim prime minister] cannot be nominated for the position of prime minister after the regime falls" A cartoon by artist Juan Zero – Facebook
“Concentrate a little – why didn’t most of the known figures run for the post of interim prime minister? Right – how didn’t I think of that?! Because [the interim prime minister] cannot be nominated for the position of prime minister after the regime falls” A cartoon by artist Juan Zero – Facebook

After several delays, members of the opposition National Coalition managed to elect an interim prime minister on Tuesday, March 19. The elected official Ghassan Hitto is a Kurdish Syrian who holds the American citizenship.

Many opposition supporters made sarcastic comments about Hitto, like this man from Homs, who expressed his “joy” that the opposition has a new leader:

"Thank God; instead of one [leader] we now have three… the head of the [Syrian] National Council, the head of the National Coalition and the interim prime minister"
“Thank God; instead of one [leader] we now have three… the head of the [Syrian] National Council, the head of the National Coalition and the interim prime minister”

The Norway-based journalist and activist Massoud Akko commented on the fact that Hitto is an American citizen:

"Ghassan Hitto … has been in the United States since the eighties and has an American citizenship, which means that he only lived in Syria for 18 years before he went to university, a time during which he was clueless …what could someone like him offer us? He [lost his ties] with Syria because he's an American citizen!!"
“Ghassan Hitto … has been in the United States since the eighties and has an American citizenship, which means that he only lived in Syria for 18 years before he went to university, a time during which he was clueless …what could someone like him offer us? He [lost his ties] with Syria because he’s an American citizen!!”
Comment: “The positive thing about this person is that he was never a member of Assad’s school, which tainted [politicians] with corruption”

Pro-opposition writer Yassin al-Haj Saleh, who lives in Damascus, said he is willing to give the elected prime minister a chance:

"Welcome, Mr Hitto. You've become our interim prime minister, even though 10 days earlier we hadn't heard of you. We will grill you, but you have a chance,sir, to prove that you are different [from the others]"
“Welcome, Mr Hitto. You’ve become our interim prime minister, even though 10 days earlier we hadn’t heard of you. We will grill you, but you have a chance,sir, to prove that you are different [from the others]”

A fundamental question: did the revolution start on March 15 or 18?

"The revolution started on March 85th! It does not matter when we started; what matters is that we did start… and that we will overcome." Facebook – the page of the local coordination committee in Mesyaf
“The revolution started on March 85th! It does not matter when we started; what matters is that we did start… and that we will overcome.” Facebook – the page of the local coordination committee in Mesyaf

On the revolution’s second anniversary, opposition supporters were preoccupied with a debate about when did the revolution start: some considered that it started on March 15, when a number of protesters gathered in Damascus, while others said that the real start of the revolution was on March 18, when protests erupted in Deraa after children were arrested and tortured.

 Activist Ali Atassi wrote a comment on Facebook, in which he insisted that the real start of the revolution was in Damascus:

"It upsets me when the people of Deraa insist that the revolution started in their province [because] … this is a narrow, parochial logic. The spark of the revolution was at the heart of Damascus on March 15, while the big eruption was in Deraa on March 18 and then it swept …through all the Syrian cities."Comment: "Let's reach a compromise – the revolution started on March 15, and the first slogan that was chanted is "we got the good news from Deraa"
“It upsets me when the people of Deraa insist that the revolution started in their province [because] … this is a narrow, parochial logic. The spark of the revolution was at the heart of Damascus on March 15, while the big eruption was in Deraa on March 18 and then it swept …through all the Syrian cities.”
Comment: “Let’s reach a compromise – the revolution started on March 15, and the first slogan that was chanted is “we got the good news from Deraa”

On the other hand, activist Catherine al-Talli who is based in the countryside outside wrote a comment on Facebook, saying:

"March 18 is when the Syrian dignity revolution started; what was before was only a premonition …"
“March 18 is when the Syrian dignity revolution started; what was before was only a premonition …”
Comment: “It’s good that we are keeping track of the revolution’s history, but I think this issue has been blown out of proportion …we Syrians [argue] over the most trivial issues. May God help us [deal] with big issues.”

The anniversary of the Kurdish Uprising   

Kurds in Al-Hassaka commemorate the ninth anniversary of the Kurdish uprising – YouTube

Syrian Kurds commemorated the ninth anniversary of the uprising against the regime, which started in the city of Qamishli and then spread out to other cities with a Kurdish majority, during which many protesters were killed.

The Facebook page the Syrian Revolution against Bashar al-Assad published a comment, saying: “It seems that the Kurdish uprising was premature and did not have what it needs to become a general Syrian revolution, for many reasons, the most important of which is its [racial] character.”

Kurdish legal activist Mustafa Ismail wrote a comment on Facebook in which he compared the unified Kurdish position in 2004 to what he saw as current divisions among Kurds:

"During the 2004 uprising, Kurds united from Derek to Afrin in a matter of a few hours, while they have been divided for… the past 24 months"
“During the 2004 uprising, Kurds united from Derek to Afrin in a matter of a few hours, while they have been divided for… the past 24 months”

France and Britain will arm the opposition   

Many opposition supporters expressed their joy about the statement made by French and British officials, saying their countries will arm the opposition. Some, however, were wary about what this decision will entail.

Samir Mteini, a Syrian program presenter at Souriya Al-Ghad TV, which broadcasts from Cairo, wrote a comment on Facebook, saying:

"If the Franco-British declaration about arming the opposition does not materialize, it will be a cover for increasing arms supplies given from Iran and Russia to the regime."
“If the Franco-British declaration about arming the opposition does not materialize, it will be a cover for increasing arms supplies given from Iran and Russia to the regime.”

Al-Jazeera’s news presenter Jalal Chahda tweeted the following:

"Will the difference over how to resolve the crisis in Syria stop opposing Russia to the West and oppose Russia and the United States on the one hand, to Europe on the other?"
“Will the difference over how to resolve the crisis in Syria stop opposing Russia to the West and oppose Russia and the United States on the one hand, to Europe on the other?”