And we’re out
AS BRITISH FORCES JOIN ASSAULT
“only increase the determination of Syria and its people to continue fighting and crushing terrorism in every inch of the country”.
But yesterday, after Russia called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York, the US warned it would not hesitate to strike again.
Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, said: “The time for talk ended. We are confident that we have crippled Syria’s chemical weapons program. We are prepared The “fire and forget” cruise missile used by the RAF yesterday is guided by GPS and “hugs” land by following terrain mapping.
As it closes in, the missile climbs, then “dives” at its target. Designed to destroy bunkers and bridges, it is 21ft long, weighs 900lb and has a 180-mile range. to sustain this pressure if the Syrian regime is foolish enough to test our will. If the Syrian regime uses this poison gas again, the United States is locked and loaded.”
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said all NATO allies backed the airstrikes.
DEFIANT
They were double the size of an allied assault a year ago, which also came in the wake of an alleged chemical attack by Syria. As world leaders focused on the latest crisis, dictator Assad refused to back down yesterday. His office tweeted: “The honourable cannot be humiliated.”
Aides posted a film of him walking nonchalantly to work through the halls of the presidential palace.
In Damascus, a defiant mood took over large parts of the city.
Syrian state television broadcast scenes of people taking to the streets to celebrate and demonstrate their support for their leader, waving Syrian, Russian and Iranian flags while holding posters mocking Trump. One jubilant woman said on TV: “We tell Trump, you can do nothing. Here we are celebrating to show that you are bankrupt.”
Meanwhile, the US President came under criticism from hundreds of Twitter users in his own country for declaring “Mission Accomplished”.
The same phrase was used by his predecessor George W. Bush just six weeks into the 2003 Iraq War.
The conflict went on to claim the lives of almost 4,500 US troops.