Western missile blitz on syria
US says a rain of 105 missiles has crippled Syria’s chemical weapons programme
new york — The United States warned on Saturday that is was “locked and loaded”, ready to launch more military strikes on Syria if President Bashar Al Assad’s forces carry out a new chemical weapons attack.
US Ambassador Nikki Haley told an emergency Security Council meeting called by Russia that she had spoken to President Donald Trump earlier about the military action in response to an alleged chemical attack a week ago.
“I spoke to the president this morning and he said: If the Syrian regime uses this poisonous gas again, the United States is locked and loaded,” Haley said.
“When our president draws a red line, our president enforces the red line,” she said.
The US, Britain and France took military action in response to an alleged chemical attack in the rebel-held town of Douma a week ago that killed at least 40 people.
When our president draws a red line, our president enforces the red line Nikki Haley, US Ambassador
Disputing the Russian military’s contention that Syrian air defence units downed 71 allied missiles, Marine Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, said no US or allies missiles were stopped.
He said 105 US and allied missiles were fired, of which 66 were Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from aboard three Navy ships and one Navy submarine. US, British and French attack aircraft, including two US Air Force B-1B strategic bombers, launched advanced missiles from outside Syrian airspace, officials said. — AFP
US, British and French forces struck Syria with more than 100 missiles on Saturday in the first coordinated Western strikes against the Damascus government, targetting what they called chemical weapons sites in retaliation for a poison gas attack.
US President Donald Trump announced the military action from the White House, saying the three allies had “marshalled their righteous power against barbarism and brutality”.
As he spoke, explosions rocked Damascus.
France said on Saturday it would not hesitate to strike Syrian government targets again if the chemical red line was crossed, but that no new strikes were planned at this stage, adding that it would renew a push for peace through dialogue with Russia.
President Emmanuel Macron ordered the military intervention in Syria alongside the United States and Britain.
“Our objectives were met,” Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told BFM TV.
“If the red line banning the use of chemical weapons was crossed again, there would be another intervention,” he said, while adding: “I think the lesson will have been learnt.”
The French strikes, involving 12 cruise missiles, fighter jets and warships, were Macron’s first major military decision since taking office a year ago and was all but inevitable after the young president repeatedly said France would strike if
If the red line banning the use of chemical weapons was crossed again, there would be another intervention. I think the lesson will have been learnt Jean-Yves Le Drian, French Defence Minister
a fatal chemical attack took place in Syria. That in turn raises the question of where Western countries go from here, after a volley of strikes denounced by Damascus and Moscow as at once both reckless and pointless.
By morning, the Western countries said their bombing was over for now. Syria released video of the wreckage of a bombed-out research lab, but also of President Bashar Al Assad arriving at work as usual, with the caption “morning of resilience”.
There were no immediate reports of casualties, with Damascus allies saying the buildings hit had been evacuated in advance.
British Prime Minister Theresa May described the strike as “limited and targeted”. She said she had authorised British action after intelligence indicated Assad’s government was to blame for gassing the Damascus suburb of Douma a week ago.
In a speech she gave a vivid description of the victims of the chemical strike that killed scores, huddling in basements as gas rained down. She said Russia had thwarted diplomatic efforts to halt Assad’s use of poison gas, leaving no option but force. US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis called the strikes a “one time shot”, although Trump raised the prospect of further strikes if Assad’s government again used chemical weapons. —
america does not seek an indefinite presence in syria, under no circumstances. We cannot purge the world of evil or act everywhere where there is tyranny.