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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran | ||
| U.S. launches cruise missiles against Assad's forces | ||
| 2017-04-07 | ||
Trump authorized the attack after he was briefed by Defense Secretary James N. Mattis in Palm Beach, Fla., where the president is hosting visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping. Two Navy destroyers patrolling in the eastern Mediterranean Sea fired lethal salvos of Tomahawk cruise missiles into eastern Syria from hundreds of miles offshore, well out of range of Syrian air defenses, according to U.S. officials. The target was Shayrat airfield, with two runways in western Syria that were used by Assad's warplanes to launch a chemical attack Tuesday against civilians in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikoun, the officials said.
The attack marks the first time the U.S. has deliberately targeted Assad's military in Syria's multi-sided civil war, now in its seventh year. Until now, the U.S. has focused only on targeting Islamic State militants. | ||
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #58 October 23, 1983, in Beirut, 241 unarmed Marines dead. There's a difference between unarmed and disarmed. The CO and ambassador saw to that with the ROE. Talk at the time the CO was going to face courts martial till Ronnie went on TV and took the blame. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2017-04-07 22:16 |
| #57 ‘Low efficiency’: Only 23 Tomahawk missiles out of 59 reached Syrian airfield, Russian MoD says The Russian Defense Ministry says the US missile strike on a Syrian airfield wasn't very effective, with only 23 out of 59 Tomahawk missiles reaching their target. The locations of the remaining 36 missiles’ impact is now unknown, the ministry added. Did we really miss our targets? It seems the other 36 cruise missiles hit their targets, it's just that those target is not at the one airfield. |
| Posted by: Seeking cure for ignorance 2017-04-07 21:41 |
| #56 Good old Obumble. Clarion of chaos. And by the word 'good', I mean the exact opposite. |
| Posted by: Whiskey Mike 2017-04-07 20:50 |
| #55 The strategic purpose is don't use CBW again or the other five airbases get the same treatment. Letting evil people get away with using CBW sets a bad precedent. Pencilneck and all those dead babies can thank 'Bamer and Rice for setting that bad precedent. |
| Posted by: Neville Elminemp2042 2017-04-07 20:29 |
| #54 We struck a deal where we got 100 percent of the chemical weapons out,” then Secretary of State John Kerry said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” in July 2014. Kerry was referring to a deal the U.S. and Russia struck in September 2013 in which the Russians agreed to help confiscate and then destroy Syria’s entire chemical weapons stockpile. An article was published on April 6, 2017 that basically said: "PolitiFact retracts 'mostly true' ruling that US removed '100 percent' of Syria's chemical weapons." WTF? The Russians didn't do their job whether intentionally or unintentionally? Obama and Kerry did not tell the truth? That could never be (sarc). |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2017-04-07 16:26 |
| #53 Do I get this right? Daily Caller reports unemployed Russian vets have been hired as mercenaries by assorted Islamist groups in Syria. Missiles circled, Russian radar knew, then we precisely took out the airbase and fixed wing aircraft but not the chemicals out of concern for civilians. Since ISIS took over Mosul university and apparently have manufactured more, since Obama removed them all from Syria (wink,wink) and are delivering them via drones, not with aircraft. So I hope this is a ploy to jointly remove the weapons together so everyone can keep their heads. If not done jointly with Russia and Assad, we don't want to sacrifice the boots on ground and get mired in Syria and piss off all Trump's supporters. Jihadis have been breathing venomous threats to export terror to the US in retaliation & shouldn't be allowed access to the spared weapons. When Dems are applauding along with Deep State, I hope the President hasn't been suckered into this. I assume special forces are going to verify on the ground? Planning to take control of the remaining stockpiles is in the works I hope. Russians enroute? |
| Posted by: Sonny Darling of the Platypi5488 2017-04-07 15:56 |
| #52 An interesting detail on your link, BP. Dozens more were left gasping for air, convulsing and foaming at the mouth. However, The first symptoms of sarin poisoning include a runny nose, blurred vision, sweating, and muscle twitches. Longer exposures result in tightness of the chest, headache, cramps, nausea, vomiting, involuntary defecation and urination, convulsions, coma, and respiratory arrest. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2017-04-07 15:25 |
| #51 Every time we have a new President the local Thugs push and push to test resolve. How the President responds sets attitudes around the world. Showing weakness would have indicated a continuation of Obama's weakness. Showing overkill would have really freaked people out. But some missiles after warning the Russians (which guaranteed that the Syrians were also warned) is a nice middle ground. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2017-04-07 14:39 |
| #50 Just getting the following into the record. It was published at The Times of Israel at 2:09 a.m. local time, which I believe was last night at 8:09 p.m. EDT: UN council weighs compromise on Syria nerve gas probe UNITED NATIONS – Seeking to avert a clash between Russia and the West, 10 Security Council countries on Thursday circulated a compromise resolution demanding a full investigation of the suspected chemical attack in Syria, diplomats said. The new text — the third now before the council on investigating the apparent gas attack — was presented ahead of a closed-door meeting of the 15-member council on Syria at 6:30 pm (2230 GMT). It remained unclear if Russia or the other four permanent council members would back the compromise presented as the United States was weighing military options in Syria. Britain, France and the United States are pushing for a vote later Thursday on their draft text in response to the strike Tuesday on a rebel-held town in Idlib province that shocked the world. Their compromise text would drop demands that Syria hand over information on its military operations on the day of the strike, replacing them with language from a previous resolution urging cooperation on chemical weapons investigations, diplomats said. Russia has rejected the proposed Western-backed resolution as “categorically unacceptable” and put forward a rival draft that does not include specific demands that the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation. The Russian text calls for an investigation but requests that the council approve the makeup of the team from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) dispatched to Idlib, according to the draft seen by AFP. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2017-04-07 14:17 |
| #49 Where is our strategic interest in all of this? Where was our 'strategic' interest in Grenada? Posted by: Procopius2k October 23, 1983, in Beirut, 241 unarmed Marines dead. October 25, 1983, Invasion of Grenada. You decide. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2017-04-07 14:13 |
| #48 >Whiskey Mike, anybody spot green helmet guy in the background? @Grom UK-trained doctor hailed a hero for treating gas attack victims in Syria stood trial on terror offences ‘and belonged to the group that kidnapped British reporter John Cantlie’ |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2017-04-07 13:48 |
| #47 Funny you should make mention of it g(r)om, was the first thing I thought of. The level of activity was off. He can't be everywhere can he, but the mentality in the area abounds; he has relatives. |
| Posted by: Whiskey Mike 2017-04-07 13:34 |
| #46 The Pentagon statement said that Russia chose to be willfully blind to the chem attack. That abrogated agreements in place and it came while the US and Russia were allegedly discussing a peach plan to divide Syria into cantons. On that reading, Assad used the chem to break up an agreement that would have reduced the Alawites to power only in areas where they are a majority. That explains the gassing. The response was measured - Russian and Syrian troops were not attacked, Russia was given advance warning, the airfield and planes from that location were destroyed but no attempt was made to destroy likely chem weapon stockpiles elsewhere. What interests me is the clear message to Beijing about Pyongyang: deal with them or we will. |
| Posted by: Angusock Chuting6110 2017-04-07 13:26 |
| #45 Whiskey Mike, anybody spot green helmet guy in the background? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2017-04-07 13:21 |
| #44 Strategic interest is all very well, but I'm tired of ideology based excuses. How the f*ck is it different from what Muslims do, or what communists did? Because your ideology is better - guess what they believed/believe? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2017-04-07 13:19 |
| #43 I noticed the pink/reddened cheeks of the victims shown as well, but chalked it up to flawed memory on my part. It was striking. They looked otherwise healthy, not at all what I remember from sarin reactions. And getting themselves aerated/aspirated with some gas masks at the treatment station? So, false flag feels likely. I think Bes has the right of it. |
| Posted by: Whiskey Mike 2017-04-07 13:18 |
| #42 Btw, a Tomahawk cruises at approximately the same airspeed as a 747 (apx 480 kts). Russian radar painted the missiles l-o-n-g before they arrived. |
| Posted by: Vast Right Wing Conspiracy 2017-04-07 13:17 |
| #41 Where is our strategic interest in all of this? There is no single straight path anyone can take to put the world back where things needs to be, but this seems to be a reasonable place to start, if you're ever going to start at all, and we'll make course corrections along the way as need be. This seems to use an emotional event as a catalyst to send several messages that needed to be sent. Now people have to either put their money where their mouths have been, or to get real and shut up. It's been a long time since reality has had much of an influence on rhetoric. Consider what eight years of not responding to these kinds of actions has gotten the world. |
| Posted by: gorb 2017-04-07 13:13 |
| #40 RT not impressed: ‘Low efficiency’: Only 23 Tomahawk missiles out of 59 reached Syrian airfield, Russian MoD says |
| Posted by: Vast Right Wing Conspiracy 2017-04-07 13:08 |
| #39 comment #47 |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2017-04-07 12:14 |
| #38 Where is our strategic interest in all of this? It makes Trump look presidential...I guess. Also, if Trump colluded with Putin to hack the election then how come he bombs Putin ally Assad? Hmmmm. But, yeah, WRT Syria, I too believe that we should stay out of Syria. The history of our meddling in the Middle East is not good. |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2017-04-07 12:10 |
| #37 As much as I am against interfering in the middle east there is a large ugly mess that Obastard left. The Iranian issue starts but doesn't end with the nuclear "deal". There is also the development of Iran's Shia crescent through Iraq and Syria. Disabling that if not dismantling it completely is very important to a bigger picture than ISIS. ISIS needs to be crushed but in this case the enemy of my enemy is definitely NOT my friend. |
| Posted by: AlanC 2017-04-07 11:57 |
| #36 Trump driving a wedge between Iran and Syria and defining a "real" red line for Russia? |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2017-04-07 11:50 |
| #35 Can we assume SecDef Mattis thought this was a good idea? The story put forth this a.m. was that Trump's advisors all supported this action. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2017-04-07 11:44 |
| #34 There is this article over at Zero Hedge which questions the narrative being put forth. Zero H. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2017-04-07 11:40 |
| #33 And the Rinos are backing this as well. I'm beginning to think although I voted for Trump, I must have pulled the wrong lever and gotten Hillary. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2017-04-07 11:28 |
| #32 When Hillary, Pelosi and Schumer back Trump on this, something's got to be wrong. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2017-04-07 11:18 |
| #31 1. Somewhere I missed where Syria messed with the US. 2. Defeating the Caliphate is THE US strategic objective in Syria. 3. The Caliphate is responsible for true genocide and lead all competitors in the ME in the conduct of "bad things." 4. The hunter that chases two rabbits catches nether proverb should be applied liberally. Fight and finish one war in a row... |
| Posted by: Tennessee 2017-04-07 10:51 |
| #29 The strategic purpose is, "Don't Fuck with US". Obumble squandered any respect or fear of the US and countries are willing to ignore or attack us at will. All that changes when we use our power to smack a country that does bad things. Chemical weapons have been a no go since WWI and after the moving red line Syria has told us to go fuck ourselves. NKorea is watching and is doing the same thing and expecting the Obumble response. Well, all those countries that want to do us harm have been put on notice with this strike. Do not use WMD. Do not fuck with US. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2017-04-07 10:14 |
| #28 Even as the warheads were exploding in Syria it seemed that these missiles were aimed at North Korea. That this was as much about restoring our credibility as it was anything else. I somehow missed that in my first reading of the discussion. You reached deeper into that thought than I, O peanut gallery. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2017-04-07 09:54 |
| #27 All links in this thread are now clickable -- my small contribution after y'all did the heavy lifting on this very imteresting morning. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. As a message, may I suggest Do not do bad things -- we now punish. President Trump was talking about the dead babies before he gave the order. ...Though on second thought, for once caught before I clicked Submit, I can see how to the world that would look like a variant of We're crazy, don't mess with us. And that message is indeed doing double duty aimed at China -- whose tyrant (and his lovely wife) was perhaps changing for dinner with President and Mrs. Trump when the order was given, a thought-provoking realization -- and North Korea among others. President Trump did say America can act alone if the UN does not act... On the third hand, this will bring more urgency to future negotiations, and this president is all about negotiations. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2017-04-07 09:49 |
| #26 #10 He campaigned on staying out of other people's business. Yes, these people of butchers, but how does this get us out of foreign entanglements and the feckless Klingon and DoS strategy of 'regime change' and policing the world ? Where is our strategic interest in all of this? Someone please inform me. Posted by Besoeker Concur with B on all. |
| Posted by: Tennessee 2017-04-07 09:29 |
| #25 Where is our strategic interest in all of this? Where was our 'strategic' interest in Grenada? |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2017-04-07 09:27 |
| #24 Where is our strategic interest in all of this? Someone please inform me. Don't know. And it happened with Xi Jinping and his wife ensconced in the honeymoon cottage. Curious. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2017-04-07 09:25 |
| #23 http://gulfnews.com/news/mena/iraq/nearly-300-died-in-mosul-air-strike-iraqi-officials-confirm-1.2007046 I hope Trump gets these useless cocksuckers! |
| Posted by: Crinegum Ulaigum2776 2017-04-07 08:21 |
| #22 Did I miss an Ukrainian gas attack? Trump: Germany ‘owes vast sums’ to NATO, US for defense |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2017-04-07 08:19 |
| #21 Millions of refugees are pouring into the West because of murderous ME factions and welcomed by open arms leftists, bringing their Islamic disease with them, breaking government budgets, destabilizing communities. Knocking these butchers on their ass as step 1 to stop a global crisis is ... WIN WIN WIN |
| Posted by: Nero White 3083 2017-04-07 07:30 |
| #20 Except, Bes, McCain wants us supporting ISIS to remove Assad. Neutralizing his chemical weapons isn't removing him. |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2017-04-07 07:27 |
| #19 Trump strategy now appears to be aligned with Graham and McCain, Pelosi and Schumer. Double face palm. McCain And Graham Praise Trump’s Decision To Strike Assad |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2017-04-07 07:07 |
| #18 "We're crazy, don't mess with us."? I'm kinda sorta OK with that as a national posture, though I can see how opinions might differ. Gotta say I didn't see this coming. One upside is it's going to be hard to sell the "Trump is a Russian stooge" meme. Can we assume SecDef Mattis thought this was a good idea? |
| Posted by: SteveS 2017-04-07 07:01 |
| #17 A wise man once said if you own a car dealership you don't give the car away GET IT! |
| Posted by: Crinegum Ulaigum2776 2017-04-07 07:00 |
| #16 Trump now faces the dilemma that every U.S. president has to deal with, sooner or later. Accept barbaric actions against innocent civilians in other countries, including chemical attacks on children, or do something about it. When things get unbearable the West usually opts for the latter, not after much bickering. One thing is certain: If you draw a red line you must react if someone crosses it. Or whatever you say becomes meaningless. That's why it's important to think before you draw those lines. |
| Posted by: European Conservative 2017-04-07 06:53 |
| #15 Were the advisers advised to leave, or to turn off their gadgets? |
| Posted by: Richard Aubrey 2017-04-07 06:40 |
| #14 Kookiez |
| Posted by: badanov 2017-04-07 06:31 |
| #13 were any of our subsonic, non-stealthy Tomahawks intercepted by the vaunted S-300s? I believe the installations are operated by Russian "advisers". |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2017-04-07 06:30 |
| #12 Where is our strategic interest in all of this? Someone please inform me. "We're crazy, don't mess with us."? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2017-04-07 06:29 |
| #11 Even as the warheads were exploding in Syria it seemed that these missiles were aimed at North Korea. That this was as much about restoring our credibility as it was anything else. BTW, were any of our subsonic, non-stealthy Tomahawks intercepted by the vaunted S-300s? |
| Posted by: The peanut gallery 2017-04-07 06:28 |
| #10 He campaigned on staying out of other people's business. Yes, these people are butchers, but how does this get us out of foreign entanglements and the feckless Klingon and DoS strategy of 'regime change' and policing the world ? Where is our strategic interest in all of this? Someone please inform me. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2017-04-07 06:20 |
| #9 Did I miss an Ukrainian gas attack? |
| Posted by: European Conservative 2017-04-07 05:43 |
| #8 Expect similar notification - pertaining to Ukraine - from Russians next week, Jan. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2017-04-07 02:28 |
| #7 http://indianexpress.com/article/world/russia-us-attacks-syria-airstrike-donald-trump-chemical-weapon-4602974/ |
| Posted by: Jan 2017-04-07 02:01 |
| #6 I like that we notified Russia ahead of the attack. I hope this prevents Russia from responding |
| Posted by: Jan 2017-04-07 02:00 |
| #5 Well, I don't know if Alawis (there is no such thing as Syria anymore) really behind the gassing - but, they're all vermin. Too bad POTUS can casually kill them in their own countries, but is powerless to prevent their entry to USA. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2017-04-07 02:00 |
| #4 "...where the president is hosting visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping." I hope President Xi Jinping is watching and understand that the same thing will happen to North Korean if China doesn't do something about it. |
| Posted by: Seeking cure for ignorance 2017-04-07 01:02 |
| #3 Map https://www.bellingcat.com/news/mena/2017/04/05/khan-sheikhoun-chemical-attack-evidence-far/ Gassing people like bugs. |
| Posted by: newc 2017-04-07 00:40 |
| #2 Everything in this worked Perfect. The Law, Weather, Date, timing, statements, discovery, tracing, precision, - Perfect. The Russians should have nothing to say. Good Onlay with the OPORD too - every step if he gasses people like bugs again. More FP Leway. Phaselines are now set against Assad, and other Nations will now understand they are laid for them Too. Thanks General CHAOS! |
| Posted by: newc 2017-04-07 00:26 |
| #1 Congress never acted on Resolution 21 which was the 2013 action that would have authorized Obama to hit Syria (but would have also prohibited boots on the ground). Of course the reason the Resolution was never voted on was that Syria 'agreed' to remove all chem weapons. Its a tricky legal situation. Also a tricky strategic situation. Hope this works. |
| Posted by: lord garth 2017-04-07 00:18 |