08.19.07
The Syrian Ambassador Blogs
Syrian diplomat in U.S. writes blogs
I’ve actually met the ambassador at JSA functions, and he’s an exceptionally charismatic guy (not altogether shocking - I imagine that’s sort of one of the selection criteria for the job). But reading the blog, I couldn’t help but be awed by the breadth of subject matter (for example, the post about Sartre, Camus and de Beauvoir. Say what you will, this isn’t your standard diplo-speak.
Of course, no amount of ambassadorial charm can vindicate a regime responsible for Hama and countless other atrocities. But the blog’s very existence, to say nothing of the subject matter, raises the question of whether Syria is a likely candidate for a Lybia-style strategic about-face.