By Mick Krever, CNN (CNN) – Manaf Tlass was once one of Bashar al-Assad's closest friends. "He is humble. He loves people," Tlass said when describing the Syrian leader. "But he has changed. The crisis has changed him." Before he defected this July, Tlass was the very image of an Assad regime insider. His father is … Continue reading Assad's lifelong friend: 'The crisis has changed him'