DON'S TIME BOMB
Syria strike 'soon or not so soon at all'
Three days after saying a “major decision” on Syria would come in “24 to 48 hours,” President Trump on Thursday backed off the timing of a threatened military response to a suspected chemical attack in the country.
“Never said when an attack on Syria would take place,” he tweeted. “Could be very soon or not so soon at all!
“In any event, the United States, under my Administration, has done a great job of ridding the region of ISIS. Where is our ‘Thank you America?’ ”
On Monday, Trump said he was working with military leaders and allies to weigh a response to Saturday’s attack in the then-rebel-held Damascus suburb of Douma, which killed scores of civilians.
“We’ll be making some major decisions over the next 24 to 48 hours,” he had said.
And on Wednesday, he signaled a strike was imminent as he warned Russia, a Syrian ally, to “get ready” for “nice and new and ‘smart’ ” missiles.
At the White House Thursday, Trump said he was being briefed about Syria.
“We have to make some further decisions. So they’ll be made fairly soon,” he said.
Defense Secretary James Mattis said the US wanted to get inspectors on the ground in Syria within the week.
“I believe there was a chemical attack, and we are looking for the actual evidence,” he told a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee.
But UN Ambassador Nikki Haley said the US had “enough” proof to respond.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he, too, had proof that Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons. And Britain’s Cabinet agreed on “the need to take action” in Syria, allowing Prime Minister Theresa May to join the US and France in planning a response.
But in Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel said her nation wouldn’t participate.
Russia said its military police had taken control of Douma.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was monitoring US statements on Syria.
“We continue to believe that it is extremely important to avoid any steps that may lead to an increase of tensions in Syria,” he said.