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https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/27/world/middleeast/syria-chemical-attack-trump.html
American officials have seen chemical weapons activity at a Syrian air base that was used in the spring nerve gas attack on rebel-held territory, the Defense Department said on Tuesday, scrambling to explain what prompted a White House statement a day earlier that Syria would "pay a heavy price" if it carried out another one.
Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters that what looked like active preparations for a chemical attack were seen at Al Shayrat airfield, which was struck in April by American cruise missiles two days after the Syrian government dropped bombs loaded with toxic chemicals in northern Syria. Another Defense Department official said that an aircraft shelter at Al Shayrat that had been hit by an American Tomahawk missile was being used for the preparation.
Syrian and Russian officials rejected the accusation, calling the White House statement a provocation.
(Score: 2) by BenJeremy on Friday June 30 2017, @01:53PM (2 children)
Obviously, we spent millions depleting our nations reserve of cruise missiles (so we can buy shiny new ones), only to have to revisit the same exact base, once again, within a month or two of supposedly smashing it.
Mission accomplished!
(Score: 3, Informative) by Sulla on Friday June 30 2017, @02:02PM (1 child)
If you look up the location of all of the strikes and the maps showing what was at those locations you see that what we hit was the munitions, fuel, hangers, and jets that had been involved in the prior "Syrian" chemical attack. It was a well done strike aimed at showing Syria that we mean business about not using chem weapons, but that we also are not willing to start a war over it. While the Israelis may want us to go to war with Syria, Gen. Mattis seems content with Syria's progress against ISIS strongholds.
Had the US not done anything about the chem weapon usage we would have looked impotent like the prior administration and would have made it harder to negotiate with the Chinese over North Korea. But to go to war would have been stupid because we need Syria in this fight against ISIS. The action we took was a punitive measure of deterrence rather than a scorched Earth "never again" kind of strike.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 30 2017, @06:12PM
"Had the US not done anything about the chem weapon usage we would have looked impotent like the prior administration"
No need to worry, this administration has already reached previously unimaginable heights of impotence. A few airstrikes or even another war or two are unlikely to make much impact on that.