Much like US statements, Britain’s foreign secretary Boris Johnson said there are no plans to launch additional military strikes against Syria, but that his country and its allies will consider further action if Assad uses chemical weapons against his people in the future.
Advertisement
The ambassador dismissed the possibility that there might be an escalation of the conflict between Russian Federation and the USA which would justify fears of a Third World War.
Ex-President George W Bush was widely ridiculed after appearing in front of a banner with the term in the Iraq war. “We are not defending al-Assad, but he is the only legitimate leader of his country”, he said.
US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the council “there is clear information demonstrating Assad’s culpability”. He said at least one chemical was used – chlorine, which also has legitimate industrial uses and had not previously triggered a United States military response.
Pentagon officials said the attacks targetted the heart of Assad’s programmes to develop and produce chemical weapons.
“You are not only placing yourselves above global law, but you are trying to re-write worldwide law”, Nebenzia said.
Haley told Fox News, “If Assad doesn’t get it” after Saturday’s barrage of 105 missiles fired by the U.S., Britain and France at three Syrian chemical weapons facilities, “it’s going to hurt”.
“I think it is completely understandable that the president would feel that, given this crisis situation, he would need to be at home”, Freeland said, adding that the Canadian delegation is looking forward to its meeting with Pence.
“With the political and diplomatic actions that we’re taking now, we wanted their friends Iran and Russian Federation to know that we meant business and that they were going to be feeling the pain from this as well”, she said.
“We will watch his actions”.
Washington, Paris and London have all described the strikes as a success, but Johnson acknowledged he did not know whether Assad could still possess chemical weapons and activity in Syria would be monitored on a daily basis.
“The United States has taken all of diplomatic efforts, for many months now, for many years as a matter of fact”. But the rollout of new sanctions is usually closely guarded, in part to prevent people subjected to them from quickly moving their money around. All in the name of power.
Several rounds of peace talks held under United Nations auspices in Geneva have failed to yield progress, deadlocked over demands that Assad make way for a political transition.
“I’ve been talking with them and seeing their messages on Facebook”, said Mercho, “thank God they’re all safe”.
The document demands that the Assad regime engage in peace talks in good faith, constructively and without pre-conditions.
Haley, however said the United Nations will continue to “stay involved diplomatically” and “will see that through in terms of the political solution”.
Advertisement
But the prime minister may not find such backing when she faces parliament on Monday, where some lawmakers are angry that May took military action without their approval – a process that has increasingly become a tradition in Britain. But Russia and all of the other actors involved are coming to the table, and now it’s Russia’s turn to deliver Syria to the table for that political process.
