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From a Texas Company to a Political Maelstrom in the Syrian Civil War From a Texas Company to a Political Maelstrom in the Syrian Civil War
(about 4 hours later)
MURPHY, Texas — Syrian politics were far from Suzanne Hitto’s mind when her husband called last year to tell her to hire a lawyer. She had not seen him in months, and he had already surprised her by quitting his job. Her first thought, sitting alone in her home in the Dallas suburb of Murphy, Tex., was that he wanted a divorce. MURPHY, Tex. — Syrian politics were far from Suzanne Hitto’s mind when her husband called last year to tell her to hire a lawyer. She had not seen him in months, and he had already surprised her by quitting his job. Her first thought, sitting alone in her home in the Dallas suburb of Murphy, Tex., was that he wanted a divorce.
“The reason it’s so urgent,” her husband, Ghassan Hitto, went on, “is that two things may happen next week. First, I am likely to become the prime minister of Syria. And then, there is a chance, I may be assassinated.”“The reason it’s so urgent,” her husband, Ghassan Hitto, went on, “is that two things may happen next week. First, I am likely to become the prime minister of Syria. And then, there is a chance, I may be assassinated.”
Mr. Hitto, most recently the director of operations for a Texas-based telecommunications company, became interim prime minister of the Syrian opposition coalition a few days later. What was supposed to have been a two-week trip had evolved into something far more complicated.Mr. Hitto, most recently the director of operations for a Texas-based telecommunications company, became interim prime minister of the Syrian opposition coalition a few days later. What was supposed to have been a two-week trip had evolved into something far more complicated.
Mr. Hitto, who had spent most of his life in the United States, had taken on the task of forming an alternative government to that of President Bashar al-Assad.Mr. Hitto, who had spent most of his life in the United States, had taken on the task of forming an alternative government to that of President Bashar al-Assad.
He lasted less than four months in the position, but he has yet to return to Texas. Since July, when the interim government collapsed amid vicious infighting, pushing out his successor, he has continued plotting how to fortify the opposition from the now permanent home in Istanbul that he shares with his newly relocated wife.He lasted less than four months in the position, but he has yet to return to Texas. Since July, when the interim government collapsed amid vicious infighting, pushing out his successor, he has continued plotting how to fortify the opposition from the now permanent home in Istanbul that he shares with his newly relocated wife.
The story of his family’s complicated relationship with the Assad government extends long before — and after — his moment in the international spotlight.The story of his family’s complicated relationship with the Assad government extends long before — and after — his moment in the international spotlight.
Amid a conflict that has killed more than 180,000 people and created nearly three million refugees, it is a reminder that its reach extends even into the American suburbs.Amid a conflict that has killed more than 180,000 people and created nearly three million refugees, it is a reminder that its reach extends even into the American suburbs.
The Hittos’ multipronged attempt to save Syria began in a housing development within earshot of Southfork Ranch, the setting of the television show “Dallas.”The Hittos’ multipronged attempt to save Syria began in a housing development within earshot of Southfork Ranch, the setting of the television show “Dallas.”
Beyond offering tours and selling toy shotguns, it is a place known for hosting weddings and, for a number of years, an Eid celebration at the close of Ramadan.Beyond offering tours and selling toy shotguns, it is a place known for hosting weddings and, for a number of years, an Eid celebration at the close of Ramadan.
It was in this culturally diverse and architecturally homogeneous corner of Texas that Mr. Hitto’s oldest son, Obaida, first propelled the family into greater involvement in the Syrian war.It was in this culturally diverse and architecturally homogeneous corner of Texas that Mr. Hitto’s oldest son, Obaida, first propelled the family into greater involvement in the Syrian war.
A former varsity football player with a certain charisma, he had been helping raise money for relief efforts since the early days of the uprising.A former varsity football player with a certain charisma, he had been helping raise money for relief efforts since the early days of the uprising.
About 14 months into the conflict, Ms. Hitto returned to find a bouquet of white roses and a tiny card. “Thank you, mom, for all that you’ve done for me. Now it’s time for me to do what I need to do,” Ms. Hitto recalled reading. Immediately, she said, she knew.About 14 months into the conflict, Ms. Hitto returned to find a bouquet of white roses and a tiny card. “Thank you, mom, for all that you’ve done for me. Now it’s time for me to do what I need to do,” Ms. Hitto recalled reading. Immediately, she said, she knew.
The next update came a few weeks later on Facebook. Obaida, then 24, wrote about getting caught on a barbed-wire fence and chased by a soldier. Over the coming months, news media outlets across the world, including The New York Times, covered the exploits of the young American, who posted videos of rebel soldiers from inside Syria.The next update came a few weeks later on Facebook. Obaida, then 24, wrote about getting caught on a barbed-wire fence and chased by a soldier. Over the coming months, news media outlets across the world, including The New York Times, covered the exploits of the young American, who posted videos of rebel soldiers from inside Syria.
While sitting in his office complex back in Texas processing his son’s dispatches, something began to shift in Ghassan Hitto. When an acquaintance invited him to London to review a humanitarian aid proposal for displaced Syrians in the fall of 2012, he agreed.While sitting in his office complex back in Texas processing his son’s dispatches, something began to shift in Ghassan Hitto. When an acquaintance invited him to London to review a humanitarian aid proposal for displaced Syrians in the fall of 2012, he agreed.
It was supposed to be a two-week trip, but one proposal grew into another. He took a leave of absence from his job. Several months later he quit altogether.It was supposed to be a two-week trip, but one proposal grew into another. He took a leave of absence from his job. Several months later he quit altogether.
When people involved in the opposition government floated him as a candidate for prime minister, he was skeptical, he said. He had never before held public office. And the alternative government, based in Turkey and filled with expatriates, was still struggling to gain legitimacy.When people involved in the opposition government floated him as a candidate for prime minister, he was skeptical, he said. He had never before held public office. And the alternative government, based in Turkey and filled with expatriates, was still struggling to gain legitimacy.
But the pull was powerful. Mr. Hitto, 51, had been waiting since he was a teenager for the moment the Assad family would fall.But the pull was powerful. Mr. Hitto, 51, had been waiting since he was a teenager for the moment the Assad family would fall.
Born into a Kurdish family, he grew up in Damascus. One of his brothers, an engineer, was not shy about voicing his distaste for Hafez al-Assad, Bashar’s father. That landed him, in 1982, in the notorious Tadmor prison in Palmyra.Born into a Kurdish family, he grew up in Damascus. One of his brothers, an engineer, was not shy about voicing his distaste for Hafez al-Assad, Bashar’s father. That landed him, in 1982, in the notorious Tadmor prison in Palmyra.
Mr. Hitto, then 19, had been toying with the idea of studying in the United States. His brother’s imprisonment was the final kick he needed.Mr. Hitto, then 19, had been toying with the idea of studying in the United States. His brother’s imprisonment was the final kick he needed.
Over the next 15 years, he graduated from Purdue University, married a Midwestern girl who was studying Islam, began a successful career in the field of information technology, and had four children.Over the next 15 years, he graduated from Purdue University, married a Midwestern girl who was studying Islam, began a successful career in the field of information technology, and had four children.
Meanwhile, his brother sat in a cell, gathering scars. He emerged in 1996, a skinny, broken man.Meanwhile, his brother sat in a cell, gathering scars. He emerged in 1996, a skinny, broken man.
“When you get arrested like this in one of Assad’s torturous prisons you don’t come out a normal person,” Mr. Hitto recalled over Skype.“When you get arrested like this in one of Assad’s torturous prisons you don’t come out a normal person,” Mr. Hitto recalled over Skype.
As he prepared to accept the nomination as interim prime minister, he called this brother, who still lives in Damascus.As he prepared to accept the nomination as interim prime minister, he called this brother, who still lives in Damascus.
His brother, who requested that his name be withheld for his safety, could not be persuaded to leave Syria, despite the risk that his brother’s new position could create. “If they come for me, I’ve seen this movie before,” Mr. Hitto said he told him.His brother, who requested that his name be withheld for his safety, could not be persuaded to leave Syria, despite the risk that his brother’s new position could create. “If they come for me, I’ve seen this movie before,” Mr. Hitto said he told him.
His son Obaida was similarly reluctant to leave Syria, even though his father said that on the inside, he would become an immediate target for Mr. Assad’s men.His son Obaida was similarly reluctant to leave Syria, even though his father said that on the inside, he would become an immediate target for Mr. Assad’s men.
He questioned why his father wanted to work with the opposition coalition, voicing an oft-heard criticism among fighters and activists.He questioned why his father wanted to work with the opposition coalition, voicing an oft-heard criticism among fighters and activists.
“I was in Syria where people were coming under shelling and didn’t have anything to eat,” Obaida recalled over Skype. “And there was the opposition coalition; people outside in hotels, smoking cigarettes.”“I was in Syria where people were coming under shelling and didn’t have anything to eat,” Obaida recalled over Skype. “And there was the opposition coalition; people outside in hotels, smoking cigarettes.”
Though Mr. Hitto ultimately won over his son, who relocated to Istanbul to attend meetings with his father, the perception of the expatriate coalition as a collection of dilettantes and dreamers was one of the many obstacles he faced as he took office.Though Mr. Hitto ultimately won over his son, who relocated to Istanbul to attend meetings with his father, the perception of the expatriate coalition as a collection of dilettantes and dreamers was one of the many obstacles he faced as he took office.
Back in Dallas, Mr. Hitto was known as a pragmatic community taskmaster, the man you put in charge to make sure the soccer field or mosque gets built. He had a history of activism, whether fighting for the legal rights of Muslims after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, or establishing a group in Texas to help Syrians in need.Back in Dallas, Mr. Hitto was known as a pragmatic community taskmaster, the man you put in charge to make sure the soccer field or mosque gets built. He had a history of activism, whether fighting for the legal rights of Muslims after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, or establishing a group in Texas to help Syrians in need.
But persuading the disparate members of his pseudo-government to agree on anything — while trying to win over rebel leaders who were skeptical of his background in the United States — proved to be impossible. He resigned after less than four months.But persuading the disparate members of his pseudo-government to agree on anything — while trying to win over rebel leaders who were skeptical of his background in the United States — proved to be impossible. He resigned after less than four months.
In this sense, Mr. Hitto’s term in office was “emblematic of everything that has been wrong with the Syrian opposition since the beginning,” said David W. Lesch, a professor of Middle East history at Trinity University in San Antonio and author of “Syria: The Fall of the House of Assad.”In this sense, Mr. Hitto’s term in office was “emblematic of everything that has been wrong with the Syrian opposition since the beginning,” said David W. Lesch, a professor of Middle East history at Trinity University in San Antonio and author of “Syria: The Fall of the House of Assad.”
“It has been more about jockeying among themselves to gain positions inside the organization, backed by different regional powers, than becoming a functional group representing the interests inside of Syria itself,” he said.“It has been more about jockeying among themselves to gain positions inside the organization, backed by different regional powers, than becoming a functional group representing the interests inside of Syria itself,” he said.
Though Mr. Hitto said the tactics needed to be different, over the past year as he has built a humanitarian organization, the Syrian Business Forum, he has stayed connected to the coalition. His name has even been floated as a candidate for prime minister in the election later this month.Though Mr. Hitto said the tactics needed to be different, over the past year as he has built a humanitarian organization, the Syrian Business Forum, he has stayed connected to the coalition. His name has even been floated as a candidate for prime minister in the election later this month.
”The world has given up on the Syrian people. I am not planning to!” was his explanation over email last week as to why he would be open to taking this route yet again.”The world has given up on the Syrian people. I am not planning to!” was his explanation over email last week as to why he would be open to taking this route yet again.
This time, he told his wife of the development in person.This time, he told his wife of the development in person.
In June, Ms. Hitto, 49, joined her husband, Obaida and Obaida’s new Syrian wife in Istanbul. Born outside Chicago, with no connection to Syria before she met Mr. Hitto when she was 19, life as a high school English teacher in Texas had simply grown too surreal.In June, Ms. Hitto, 49, joined her husband, Obaida and Obaida’s new Syrian wife in Istanbul. Born outside Chicago, with no connection to Syria before she met Mr. Hitto when she was 19, life as a high school English teacher in Texas had simply grown too surreal.
“No one said, ‘I know about your husband’ or ‘It’s crazy what’s going on,’ ” she said at her home in Murphy before the move. “I would say, it’s probably the loneliest place to be.”“No one said, ‘I know about your husband’ or ‘It’s crazy what’s going on,’ ” she said at her home in Murphy before the move. “I would say, it’s probably the loneliest place to be.”
Earlier this summer, on a hot Texas morning, Ms. Hitto spread the family’s excess possessions across tables that she had rented for a yard sale and stood in the shade of her pear tree. In the battle between Syria and suburbia, Syria had won.Earlier this summer, on a hot Texas morning, Ms. Hitto spread the family’s excess possessions across tables that she had rented for a yard sale and stood in the shade of her pear tree. In the battle between Syria and suburbia, Syria had won.
“Where you moving to?” a neighbor asked.“Where you moving to?” a neighbor asked.
“Turkey,” she said.“Turkey,” she said.
“Of course, that’s where you are from, right?”“Of course, that’s where you are from, right?”
Realizing he knew nothing of her family’s story, she considered walking him through the basics.Realizing he knew nothing of her family’s story, she considered walking him through the basics.
Instead, she opted for simplicity: “It’s where I’m headed now.”Instead, she opted for simplicity: “It’s where I’m headed now.”