Syria’s Military Police Chief Defects

In yet another sign that the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad is tottering, the military police chief announced his defection. “I am Major General Abdul Aziz Jassem al-Shallal, he said in a video aired on Al-Arabiya. “I declare my defection from the regime’s army.” He also charged the army has “deviated from its fundamental mission to protect th nation, and transformed into gangs of killing and destruction.” Al-Shallah was speaking from near the Turkish border and said he had been waiting for the chance to defect. “Definitely, there are other high-ranking officers who want to defect,” he said, but added that they are closely monitored by the government. Meanwhile, Israeli officials say that the US and its allies may have to activate contingency plans to secure or destroy Syria’s arsenal of chemical weapons. Israel is concerned that if the Assad regime falls, the disorganized armed militias, including some that are close to Al-Qa’ida could try to gain access to the chemical weapons stocks.