China blasts Don’s bombs as ‘political’
process that we believe the Syrian people will lawfully be able to decide the fate” of Assad, he said in an interview with ABC’s “This Week.”
Tillerson also said there had been “no change” in the comprehensive U.S. military strategy regarding Syria, and that the point of launching 59 Tomahawk missiles on Shayrat air base — believed to be the origin of Syria’s attack on its own citizens — was to deliver “a message” in response “solely to the most recent horrific use of chemical weapons against women, children, and as the President said, even small babies.”
“The strike was a message to (Assad) that your multiple violations of your agreements at the UN, your agreements under the chemical weapons charter back in 2013 — that those would not go without a response in the future,” he said. “Other than that, there is no change to our military posture.”
Tillerson, who is scheduled to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow this week, also blamed Russia.
“The real failure here has been Russia’s failure to live up to its commitments under the chemical weapons agreements that were entered into in 2013,” Tillerson said, calling the attack a product “in large measure (of) a failure on Russia’s part to achieve its commitment to the international community.”
Moscow has been a steadfast ally of the Syrian government in the Middle Eastern nation’s civil war and has defended it at the UN Security Council against claims of chemical weapons use.
Trump’s national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, whose role in the White House has grown in recent weeks, tried to reconcile the viewpoints, saying both Tillerson and Haley were correct.
“What Ambassador Haley pointed out was, it’s very difficult to figure out how a political solution could result from the continuation of the Assad regime,” McMaster said on “Fox News Sunday.” “There has to be a degree of simultaneous activity, as well as sequencing the defeat of ISIS first.” He also criticized Russia, saying its leadership should ask “why they are supporting a regime that is committing mass murder against its own people.” The Navy, meanwhile, shared photos of Trump calling commanding officers aboard the two warships that launched missiles at the Syrian air base.
“Thank you @USNavy! #USA” Trump tweeted.
Other Republicans also wrestled with the implications of the missile strikes.
Sen. John McCain said Assad’s chemical attack was partly spurred by the Trump administration’s initial signals it would not pursue the Syrian strongman’s ouster.
“I think it probably was partially to blame,” said McCain (RAriz.), pointing to a statement by Tillerson from before the chemical strike that the “longer-term status of President Assad will be decided by the Syrian people.”
McCain said the White House’s conflicting messages regarding Syria “argues vigorously for a plan and a strategy.” CHINA’S state-run media agency blasted President Trump over his decision to bomb Syria, despite mutual praise offered both by Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping following their weekend summit in Florida.
“It has been a typical tactic of the U.S. to send a strong political message by attacking other countries using advanced warplanes and cruise missiles,” Xinhua News Agency stated late Saturday. The New York Times first reported the Xinhua editorial.
Xinhua also accused Trump of retaliating against the Syrian regime — which is backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin — to demonstrate that he’s not “pro-Russia.” Several Trump associates are under investigation for possible collusion with Kremlin meddling in last year’s presidential election.
The editorial additionally brought up U.S. missile strikes in Libya in 1986 and in Sudan in 1998, saying America failed to realize its “political goals.”
According to The Times, Xinhua published its editorial right after Xi left the U.S. following his sitdown with Trump at the President’s Mara-Lago estate in South Florida.