Syria role possible
PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull will not rule out joining military action in Syria.
A day after the US, UK and France fired 105 missiles on Syrian chemical weapons facilities, Mr Turnbull hit out at Russia for failing to stop the alAssad regime and using chemical weapons against its own people.
The US and Russia continue to face off, trading insults and threats, as international inspectors land in Damascus to begin investigating the suspected chemical weapons attack.
PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull has not ruled out joining future military action in Syria, as the US warned it was “locked and loaded’’ if Bashar al-Assad’s government used chemical attacks again.
A day after the US, UK and France fired 105 missiles on Syrian chemical weapons facilities, Mr Turnbull hit out at Russia for failing to stop the al-Assad regime and using chemical weapons against its own people.
“Russia needs to act responsibly,” Mr Turnbull said.
“The Syrian regime is utterly dependent on Russia for its security, for its very existence and the fact is that chemical weapons have been used on several occasions in very recent times.
“The fact is Russia should not allow it to happen. It’s time that Russia played a responsible role.
“It has all of the influence and authority over the Syrian government that it needs to ensure that these crimes are not committed.’’
While Australia’s fleet of Super Hornet fighter jets returned home in January, after two years fighting terror group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, Mr Turnbull did not rule out a renewed involvement if the US or its allies asked for further resources.
“There are no Australian assets involved in this attack . . . at the present time our air force assets are not available in the Middle East,’’ he said.
“But we work very closely with our partners and allies and we are committed to the global resolution to stop the criminal use, the shocking use of chemical weapons.’’
The US and Russia continued to face off yesterday, trading insults and threats, as international inspectors landed in Damascus to begin investigating the suspected chemical weapons attack in Douma that killed 75 people, including children, on April 77.
US President Donald Trump declared “mission accomplished” after three apparent chemical weapons facilities — one in Damascus and two near Homs — were wiped out by the strikes.
US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley warned that there would be further action in response to any more attacks.
“We are prepared to sustain this pressure if the Syrian regime is foolish enough to test our will,’’ she said.
“I spoke to the President this morning and he said, ‘If the Syrian regime uses this poison-
ousous gas again, the US is lolocked and loaded’.loaded’.’’ Russia condemneddemned the air strikes and attempted again to blame reports of the gas attack on the “diplomacy of mythmaking, hypocrisy and falsehoods” from the allies.
Russia’s US Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused America of warmongering and “hooliganism”.
But the UN Security Council rejected Russia’s attempt for an emergency resolution condemning the “aggression” of the US and its allies, and NATO unanimously backed the air strike, declaring it was the only practical response to the use of chemical weapons.