In the early morning of April 7, in Syria the Trump administration ordered the first military action against the Assad regime by bombing the Al Shayrat airfield with 59 tomahawk missiles. The airfield was believed to be the source of chemical weapon attacks that killed Syria’s own people earlier in the week.
“No child of God should ever suffer such horror,” Trump said on the chemical weapon attack. “It is in this vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons,” he added.
The attack on the airbase could mark a distinct shift in Trump’s foreign policy, as he had previously been critical of then President Obama’s warnings of military force against the Assad Regime in Syria.
The casualties from the strike so far have been reported as minimal with the Associated Press reporting that a Syrian official told them the strike killed 3 soldiers and 2 civilians while a member of the Syrian rebels told them four soldiers had been killed. The airfield was reportedly evacuated before the base was attacked and measures had been taken to avoid casualties especially of 3rd-party countries such as Russia who also uses the airfield.
While the full reactions from Russia and Iran, who are allied with Assad, has yet to be seen Iran was quick to condemn the strike on the Syrian airfield with Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi calling it “destructive and dangerous” while also condemning the chemical weapon attack.
Criticism of the U.S. airstrike has also come from both sides of the aisle in congress, as Trump did not seek congressional approval to take Military action against the Syrian government.
“While we all condemn the atrocities in Syria, the United States was not attacked,” Senator Rand Paul tweeted. “The President needs Congressional authorization for military action as required by the Constitution.”
Current military action against terrorist organizations in the middle east is argued to fall under the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force which directed the U.S. military to take action against those responsible for the 9/11 terrorist attacks and associated forces.
“I was the lone vote against 2001 AUMF,” Representative Barbara Lee tweeted. “Syria strikes are far beyond the scope of this war authorization.”
While some members of congress have criticized the airstrikes the Trump administration also found support.
“We salute the skill and professionalism of the U.S. Armed Forces who carried out tonight’s strikes in Syria,” Senators John McCain and Lindsay Graham wrote in a joint statement. “Acting on the orders of their commander-in-chief, they have sent an important message the United States will no longer stand idly by as Assad, aided and abetted by Putin’s Russia, slaughters innocent Syrians with chemical weapons and barrel bombs.”
According to Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis there are currently no plans for further airstrikes. “It will be the regime’s choice if there are any more,” he said.
