The United Nations Security Council rejected a Russian resolution that would condemn “aggression” by the USA and its allies against Syria on Saturday.
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She said Trump was “locked and loaded” to order more airstrikes if Assad conducts another poison gas attack.
In a press briefing at the Pentagon Saturday, Marine Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. confirmed the three distinct targets – a research facility, a weapons depot and a command center.
After an attack on eastern Ghouta in 2013 that killed more than 1,000 people, Assad agreed to give up all his chemical weapons as then U.S. President Barack Obama threatened military actions.
France is urging Russian Federation to join a push for a political solution in Syria after joint U.S., French and British attacks on Syrian chemical weapons sites.
The Syrian government has denied using chemical weapons, accusing Western powers of falsely accusing them to “prepare the ground for aggression” against the country.
That’s not good enough for congressional critics who say Trump should have sought approval to launch strikes. She blamed the Security Council and Russia’s actions for failing in its duty to hold those who use chemical weapons to account. She said that the missile strikes should be expanded. “We know that it is now up to Bashar al-Assad on whether he’s going to use chemical weapons again”.
“And what’s most important is no one contests that the use of chemical weapons can not be tolerated and must be deterred”, he said. “The alleged use of chemical weapons, if true, is deplorable”, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in response to queries.
Sunday’s notification followed much the same format, claiming that he president has broad authority as commander-in-chief to commit US forces to protect national interests.
U.S. FIFTH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS (April 13, 2018) – The guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) fires a Tomahawk land attack missile April 13. A sarin attack in 2013 was also what almost brought then-President Barack Obama to strike Syria. French Defense Minister Florence Parly said that “with our allies, we ensured that the Russians were warned ahead of time”.
“We support the fact that our American, British and French allies have taken responsibility in this way as permanent members of the UN Security Council”, she said.
Dunford clarified the difference between the strikes a year ago and yesterday is the focus on production of the weapons instead of aircraft used as a delivery method of the chemical and biological weapons.
File image of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
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He also said that despite Syria’s commitment in 2013 to destroying its chemical arsenal – and Russia’s promise to supervise to it – “the Assad Regime and Russian Federation has made a complete mockery of that pledge”.
