US vows to keep up pressure on Syria

UK MINISTER CANCELS MOSCOW VISIT, FUELLING RUSSIA-WEST CRISIS

A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation designed to increase pressure on Al Assad by tracking war crimes in Syria...

DUBAI T he United States is vowing to keep up the pressure on Syria after the intense nighttime wave of missile strikes from US ships, despite the prospect of escalating Russian ill will that could further inflame one of the world’s most vexing conflicts.

Standing firm, the Trump administration has signalled new sanctions would soon follow the missile attack, and the Pentagon was even probing whether Russia itself was involved in the chemical weapons assault that compelled President Donald Trump to action.

A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation designed to increase pressure on Al Assad by tracking war crimes in Syria and supporting “investigations and other credible transitional justice efforts,” such as an international tribunal, to hold the regime accountable. Some lawmakers also called for further action to punish Russia, Al Assad’s chief ally.

At the same time, divisions quickly emerged between Republican leaders and rank-andfile conservatives. Some legislators said that Trump broke a campaign promise to refrain from getting unnecessarily involved in military interventions.

Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson cancelled a trip to Moscow over the conflict in Syria, fuelling the crisis between Russia and the west.

With Syria on the agenda when the Group of Seven’s foreign ministers meet in Italy tomorrow, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Johnson’s preference to discuss Syria with his G-7 peers was an “absurd” reason to cancel and a sign of erratic policy.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson still plans to visit Moscow after the G-7 meeting to deliver a “clear and coordinated message to the Russians,” Johnson said on the UK Foreign Office’s website yesterday.