(Washington, D.C.) -- President Trump on Thursday night ordered U.S. military forces to launch strikes against Syrian targets after the Assad regime again used chemical weapons to slaughter Syrians, including scores of children.
The President should be commended for moving fast and hitting hard.
Now the big question: What will the President do next? Is this a one-off attack, or will the President order a series of attacks? What are the President's goals in Syria? He should destroy Syria's airfields and air force. He should create safe zones where Syrians can be protected from chemical weapons attacks and other attacks. And he must prove that he will hit Assad with tremendous force so no leader or terrorist believes they can use weapons of mass destruction with impunity.
More key questions:
- What did Putin know, and when did he know it? Putin led the deal in 2013 to remove "all" chemical weapons from Syria. That's why President Obama said he didn't need to strike after Assad crossed the "red line" using WMD the first time. Clearly, not all the chemical weapons were removed. So what are the consequences of Putin's lies to the U.S. and the world?
- When will Assad be handed over to stand trial for war crimes?
- Where Russian advisors on the Syrian air base that was hit? Were any killed?
Expect the Israeli military to be on high alert for possible reprisal attacks.
I expect our key Sunni Arab allies -- notably Egypt, Jordan, the Saudis and most of the Gulf states -- to fully and publicly support President Trump's actions.
Here's the latest on the strikes -- please follow me on Twitter for the continuing updates.
"The United States launched nearly five dozen cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield early
Friday in response to a chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of civilians, the first direct assault on the Damascus government since the beginning of that country's bloody civil war in 2011,"
Fox News is reporting.
"It is in the vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons," President Donald Trump said in a statement. "Tonight I call on all civilized nations to join us in seeking to end the slaughter and bloodshed in Syria, and also to end terrorism of all kinds and all types."
"Fifty-nine Tomahawk missiles targeted an airbase at Shayrat, located outside Homs," Fox noted. "The missiles targeted the base's airstrips, hangars, control tower and ammunition areas, officials said.
Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said initial indications were that the strike "had "severely damaged or destroyed Syrian aircraft and support infrastructure and equipment ... reducing the Syrian Government's ability to deliver chemical weapons."
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