President Trump on Syria Strikes
President Trump addressed the nation on Friday night about his decision to order strikes on Syria, following a suspected chemical attack.
[From the transcript]
My fellow Americans.
A short time ago, I ordered the United States armed forces to launch precision strikes on targets associated with the chemical weapons capabilities of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
A combined operation with the armed forces of France and the United Kingdom is now underway.
We thank them both.
. . . .
Last Saturday, the Assad regime again deployed chemical weapons to slaughter innocent civilians, this time in the town of Douma near the Syrian capital of Damascus.
This massacre was a significant escalation in a pattern of chemical weapons used by that very terrible regime.
The evil and the despicable attack left mothers and fathers, infants and children thrashing in pain and gasping for air.
These are not the actions of a man.
They are crimes of a monster instead.
. . . .
The combined American, British and French response to these atrocities will integrate all instruments of our national power: military, economic and diplomatic.
We are prepared to sustain this response until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents.
I also have a message tonight for the two governments most responsible for supporting, equipping and financing the criminal Assad regime.
To Iran and to Russia, I ask: What kind of a nation wants to be associated with the mass murder of innocent men, women and children?
The nations of the world can be judged by the friends they keep.
No nation can succeed in the long run by promoting rogue states, brutal tyrants and murderous dictators.
In 2013, President Putin and his government promised the world that they would guarantee the elimination of Syria’s chemical weapons.
Assad’s recent attack and today’s response are the direct result of Russia’s failure to keep that promise.
Russia must decide if it will continue down this dark path or if it will join with civilized nations as a force for stability and peace.
Hopefully, someday we’ll get along with Russia and maybe even Iran, but maybe not.
But the Duce later signalled this was not an end to his rhetoric of America First isolationism, appearing to make reference to GW's pledge to act against evil-doers everywhere.
The United States has also rebuilt our friendships across the Middle East.
We have asked our partners to take greater responsibility for securing their home region, including contributing large amounts of money for the resources, equipment and all of the anti-ISIS effort.
Increased engagement from our friends, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt and others, can ensure that Iran does not profit from the eradication of ISIS.
America does not seek an indefinite presence in Syria, under no circumstances.
As other nations step up their contributions, we look forward to the day when we can bring our warriors home — and great warriors they are.
Looking around our very troubled world, Americans have no illusions.
We cannot purge the world of evil or act everywhere there is tyranny.
No amount of American blood or treasure can produce lasting peace and security in the Middle East.
It’s a troubled place.
We will try to make it better, but it is a troubled place.
The United States will be a partner and a friend, but the fate of the region lies in the hands of its own people.
U.S., Britain and France Strike Syria Over Suspected Chemical Weapons Attack
The United States and European allies launched airstrikes on Friday night against Syrian research, storage and military targets as President Trump sought to punish President Bashar al-Assad for a suspected chemical attack near Damascus last weekend that killed more than 40 people.
Britain and France joined the United States in the strikes in a coordinated operation that was intended to show Western resolve in the face of what the leaders of the three nations called persistent violations of international law.
Mr. Trump characterized it as the beginning of a sustained effort to force Mr. Assad to stop using banned weapons, but only ordered a limited, one-night operation that hit three targets.
“These are not the actions of a man,” Mr. Trump said of last weekend’s suspected chemical attack in a televised address from the White House Diplomatic Room.
“They are crimes of a monster instead.”
Pentagon Says Syria Strikes Hit ‘Heart’ of Chemical Weapons Program
Defense Department officials said on Saturday that American-led strikes against Syria had taken out the “heart” of President Bashar al-Assad’s chemical weapons program, but acknowledged that the Syrian government most likely retained some ability to again attack its own people with chemical agents.
Warplanes and ships from the United States, Britain and France launched more than 100 missiles at three chemical weapons storage and research facilities near Damascus and Homs, the officials told reporters, in an operation that President Trump and Pentagon leaders hailed as a success.
“A perfectly executed strike last night,” Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter.
“Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!”
. . . .
A statement by the Syrian military said 110 missiles had been fired. Three people were injured in Homs, it said.
Videos from Damascus showed Syrian air defense missiles launching into a dark night sky, and the Russian military said that at one Syrian air base, all 12 cruise missiles that targeted the site had been shot down.
Defense Department officials batted down those claims, saying that the entire American-led operation was over and the targets were destroyed before Syria launched any of the 40 missiles it fired into the air.
“Taken together, these attacks were able to overwhelm the Syrian air defense system,” Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie, the Pentagon’s Joint Staff director, said at a news conference.
“None of our aircraft involved were successfully engaged by Syrian defense forces.”
He added that the barrage of missiles had hit their targets within a couple of minutes at most.
He said that all three targets had been destroyed, and that all warplanes had returned safely to base.
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