The United States carried out a missile attack in Syria on Thursday night in response to the Syrian government’s chemical weapons attack this week that killed more than 80 civilians, American officials said.
Dozens of Tomahawk missiles were fired at an air base in Syria, military officials said.
[…] The speed with which the Trump administration responded — and remarks earlier in the day by American officials who said that options were still being considered — appeared intended to maximize the element of surprise and sharply contrasted with the methodical scrutiny of the use of force by the Obama administration.
Broader commentary from Michael Ledeen and Glenn Reynolds: THAT ESCALATED QUICKLY
“I think we need to wait and see what actually happened,…” I agree. Too many Palestinian dead kids have got up and walked away from staged incidents. Assad and the Russians had nothing to gain and much to lose by using chemical weapons.
In my opinion someone else did this, but Trump had everything to gain by going after Assad and by extension the Russians by retaliating even if Assad is innocent of this.
All the crocodile tears for dead Sunni’s in a so-called conservative site is quite telling.
Assad is westernized, and had a handle on his savage population until the west intervened with its Islamic uprising euphemistically called the arab spring.
Assad could gas half the population of Syria, and all you’d here from me is muted applause.
“I’m joined by everyone else who does not think it is America’s job to be TEAM AMERICA WORLD POLICE. ”
You’re right trump is a dick*.
But you’re a pu$$y.
And Assad and Pootin are a$$holes.
Hurray for the dicks.
*In case someone does no get the reference here is the best political speech ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32iCWzpDpKs
Syria and other important matters. By Jerry Pournelle
It is now known that although President Trump did not directly notify President Putin of the impending strike against the Syrian airbase, established protocols for notifying Russian military in the region of upcoming operations were activated; President Trump knew that the Russians knew we were going to fire missiles at that airbase, and when we would do it. Since the area is defended with Russian SAM-10 and SAMs of lesser but quite effective capability, yet all 59 missiles apparently reached their targets, it is a reasonable inference that the Russians were ordered to stand down and let the attack take place.
It is also an even greater puzzle: who attacked Khan Sheikhoun, the northern Syrian town struck by war gasses, and why? There are few known military targets anywhere near where the war gas attack – said by the Turks to be sarin – took place. The New York Times summarizes quite well why Assad had good reason not to order such an attack:
The Grim Logic Behind Syria’s Chemical Weapons Attack
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/06/world/middleeast/syria-bashar-al-assad-russia-sarin-attack.html?_r=0
… The fact remains that using war gasses on civilian rebels at that time and place makes no sense for Assad, and whatever he may be, I would not have said he was stupid. If you have a winning position, why take stupid chances that can do you very little good, and can do you a great deal of harm?
So who does benefit from the war gas attack on Khan Sheikhoun? The rebels, of course. And of those rebels, the Caliphate stands to gain most. Assad has lost an airfield. And if the United States can be sucked into a conflict with Russia, all the better. The cost of the attack? One expendable missile, fired from anywhere although preferably from in or near Assad regime territory.
Who is most likely to have war gasses? ISIS – the Caliphate.
the president does not need congress to approve an attack.
Well UnoWho doesn’t agree with the attacks so therefore it’s unconstitutional, apparently for the 8347th time in American history.
Try to keep up UnoHuh, terrorism tactics are first test driven in the ME and other Islamist enclaves – suicide bombers, lone wolves, truck bombers, etc. If we tolerate any state use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), terrorists will not be far behind, and we can expect WMD attacks in NA and Europe.
That is why it is in America’s interests to attack in this case, but not as a carte blanche for large-scale military intervention or even regime change.
Limited responses now to prevent Unlimited responses later is the doctrine.
Additionally, since nukes are included in WMDs, a strong message has been sent to the world, particularly Iran and North Korea.
The trick is to be measured, don’t get sucked into major conflict, using technology & tactics for surgical military responses, acting in US interests.
Russia must deal with the uber-brutal Syrian leadership. China must deal with the North Korean junta and their paranoid wino paper tiger.
Trump got a good chance to explain that to the Chinese Premier, and Tillerson meets with Russian officials soon.
Yes, the excellent Nicki Haley will wait until hell freezes over for the Russian response, but diplomatic back channels are working just fine.
Maybe just maybe Russia and the USA can force the disparate Syrian/Iraqi factions to reach an armistice, and kill ISIS.
If Russia has to send Assad off to a Black Sea retirement, so be it. If China has to lock Kim Gin Dork in the wine cellar, so be it.
Another monster awaits, imho and that is why regime change doctrine ultimately fails.
What makes you think that Pootin has any interest in Syrian war ending?
I too am skeptical about the merit (not the legality) of the strike. But seeing that it pisses off all the right people from d0uchebag5 like you who pretend to be true doctrinaire libertarians (as long as your position aligns perfectly with that of the hard left) to useful idiot Pootin fellators, I like the strike more and more.
Other than my political science background and common sense, neither of which you possess based on your inane statements. Truth is not your opinion.
Your opinion, addled as it is, interest me not at all. You are clearly an ignoramus, that’s my theory, though it can’t be assumed to be “true.”
In fact, probably never from what I’ve heard from you. Anyway, SOP from conservative-socialists in my experience.
your first post was anti-Israel.
Syria has a long history of using chemical weapons on civilians. Claiming IS did this requires more than speculation.