dagblog - Comments for "U.S.-Led Coalition Launches Attacks On Syria"

Graham calls Syria strikes a

artappraiser — Tue, 17 Apr 2018 01:25:23 +0000

In reply to U.S.-Led Coalition Launches Attacks On Syria

Graham calls Syria strikes a 'major step backwards' for Trump

‘We don’t have a strategy about why Syria matters,’ the South Carolina senator says.

By Christiano Lima @ Politico.com, 04/16/2018

[....] Graham scrutinized the round of air strikes, carried out Friday night in response to a suspected poison gas attack against civilians near Damascus, which he framed as dealing an insufficient blow to Syrian leader Bashar Assad, whom U.S. officials have accused of deploying chemical weapons.

Asked about the president's response to the attacks in Syria during a radio interview on "The Hugh Hewitt Show," Graham griped that his actions "didn’t lay a glove on Assad’s capabilities to wage war."

"We’re becoming the chemical weapons police," Graham said. "We don’t have a strategy about why Syria matters."

He added: "The military strike itself was a tactical response well short of what I thought was justified. So he’s been a good commander-in-chief in general, but this is a major step backwards." [....]

Trump's French flip on Syria

artappraiser — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 22:08:25 +0000

In reply to U.S.-Led Coalition Launches Attacks On Syria

Trump's French flip on Syria

By Jonathan Swan @ Axios.com, 1 hr. ago

French President Emmanuel Macron claimed in a television interview that France has convinced President Trump that it is "necessary" to remain in Syria "long-term," according to the AFP.

Why this matters: If Trump follows through on this alleged commitment to Macron, it would be one of the biggest and most abrupt foreign policy reversals in his presidency. Trump has demanded for months — over the objections of his national security team — that his administration withdraw U.S. troops from Syria [.....]

Nikki Haley: New round of

artappraiser — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 22:05:37 +0000

In reply to U.S.-Led Coalition Launches Attacks On Syria

Nikki Haley: New round of Russia sanctions are coming Monday

By Erica Pandey @ Axios.com, 8 hrs. ago

U.S. ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said on CBS' Face the Nation that the Treasury Department will announce new sanctions against Russia tomorrow. According to Haley, the sanctions are set to "go directly to any sort of [Russian] companies that were dealing with equipment related to Assad and chemical weapons use." [....]

A reminder of the sanctions that Treasury imposed April 6:

RUSSIAN OLIGARCHS SANCTIONED BY U.S. TREASURY FOR "WORLDWIDE MALIGN ACTIVITY"

Richard Engel usually has his

barefooted — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 22:39:49 +0000

In reply to Sounds like the correct

Richard Engel usually has his finger on the pulse of the situation, since he's been immersed in it for so long.

Greg Jaffe at WaPo seems spot-on, as well:

Trump is betting that periodic shows of American force — in the form of missiles and fighter jets — can persuade Assad and his backers not to use chemical weapons. He’s adopted a similar strategy with regard to North Korea and Iran, where he is wagering that threats of American firepower can produce more pliant behavior. But the problem in Syria is that each time Assad is accused of using chemical weapons, Trump has to raise the stakes with a bigger show of force or risk looking feckless.

Sounds like the correct

artappraiser — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 19:20:06 +0000

In reply to U.S.-Led Coalition Launches Attacks On Syria

Sounds like the correct analysis to me:

Assad wasn't targeted. His air force remains intact. US efforts taken to prevent escalation with Russia. So the message seems to be that the Syrian regime can continue its war and Assad still gets to win, just not by using chemical weapons. https://t.co/KB8pjDVjqw
— Richard Engel (@RichardEngel) April 14, 2018

Pentagon reports increase in

artappraiser — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 19:11:05 +0000

In reply to U.S.-Led Coalition Launches Attacks On Syria

Pentagon reports increase in Russian trolls since Syria strike

@ TheHill.com - 04/14/18 11:50 AM EDT

[....] “The Russian disinformation campaign has already begun. There has been a 2,000 percent increase in Russian trolls in the last 24 hours," chief Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said in a briefing on Saturday. [....]

Infowars's Alex Jones blasts

artappraiser — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 18:53:40 +0000

In reply to U.S.-Led Coalition Launches Attacks On Syria

Infowars's Alex Jones blasts Trump over airstrikes: 'He's crapping all over us'

@ TheHill.com - 04/14/18 12:06 AM EDT

Trump supporters slam decision to launch strikes against Syria

@ TheHill.com, 04/14/18 08:08 AM EDT

Trump supporters rip decision to strike Syria

@ Politco.com, 04/13/2018 11:43 PM EDT

GOP rep (Massie of KY): US Constitution doesn't give president 'authority to strike Syria'

@ The Hill.com, 04/13/18 09:39 PM EDT

Trump draws praise from GOP establishment, angers base and Democrats after Syria strike

@ SFGATE, Saturday, April 14, 2018

.@CharlesHurt: "This is not

artappraiser — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 17:28:32 +0000

In reply to U.S.-Led Coalition Launches Attacks On Syria

.@CharlesHurt: "This is not what @realDonaldTrump got elected for. He got elected by who found his message very resonating about getting out of these sorts of situations." pic.twitter.com/GPXFDYWJUu
— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 14, 2018

IRNA in English has this

artappraiser — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 05:11:29 +0000

In reply to Russian defense ministry says

IRNA in English has this short piece (the brevity is fairly standard for them, it's like an old-fashioned wire service):

Iran strongly condemns US attack on Syria

Tehran, April 14, IRNA – Iran's Foreign Ministry on Saturday strongly condemned the overnight attack by the US on some Syrian targets.

'The attack is the blatant violation of international laws, as well as ignoring the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria,' said Bahram Qasemi, the spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry [....]

Russian defense ministry says

artappraiser — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 05:04:40 +0000

In reply to U.S.-Led Coalition Launches Attacks On Syria

Russian defense ministry says missiles “didn’t enter Russian air defense’s zone of responsibility” in Syria. Guess that translates as no need to retaliate. https://t.co/r2OQgjXH8w
— Leonid Ragozin (@leonidragozin) April 14, 2018

This is also at the English version of Tass, the current headline on the home page:

Top brass: Missiles of US, allies steered clear of Russian air defenses

April 14, 7:34UTC+3

The United States, France and Britain have launched a joint operation against Syria

MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/. Not a single missile of those launched against Damascus ventured into the zones of Russian air defenses in Tartus and Hmeymim, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

"None of the cruise missiles launched by the United States and its allies entered the zones of Russian air defenses around Tartus and Hmeymim," the Defense Ministry said [....]