My friends and I expected the defection from the Syrian Army of General Manaf Tlas, a commander of in the Republican Guards and a personal friend of Assad.

His hometown, al-Rastan, has been shelled heavily by regime forces. Tens of people died there and many houses were destroyed. This regime did not discriminate between those who supported him and those who opposed him in the town.

But for us, Tlas is not a revolutionary. 

His defection is an important factor in bringing the regime down. However, it is not an important factor in the fight for freedom and in making this revolution a success.