6666, United States | AFP | The Western air strikes against Syria probably won’t slow Bashar al-Assad and Russia’s campaign and they certainly don’t amount to a strategy to kick start the failing peace process. They were never meant to. But, by re-focusing Washington’s attention however briefly on Syria’s seven-year-old …
Read More »Trump, allies praise Syria strikes as Moscow seethes
6666, United States | AFP | US President Donald Trump and his allies in Britain and France on Saturday hailed their joint surgical strikes in Syria over the regime’s alleged use of chemical weapons, and warned Damascus that another such attack would be met with renewed firepower. Hours later, the allies …
Read More »Pentagon on Syria strikes: ‘We successfully hit every target’
6666, United States | AFP | The c said Saturday that a joint US-British-French operation against Syria’s regime had “successfully hit every target,” countering assertions from Russia that dozens of missiles were intercepted. The three allies used ships, a submarine and warplanes to launch a barrage of 105 guided missiles …
Read More »New tests for Macron and May with first major military operations
2500, France | AFP | Shortly after coming to power last year, Emmanuel Macron mused to a friend about the role of president. “You go through stages,” he said. “Innocence is not allowed.” On Friday night, like British Prime Minister Theresa May, he ordered his first major military intervention. Early …
Read More »‘Mission Accomplished!’: Trump praises Syria strikes
6666, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump triumphantly declared “Mission Accomplished!” on Saturday following a US-led missile assault on the Syrian regime, and warned another attack could follow if Damascus were to unleash more chemical weapons. The narrowly targeted pre-dawn US-French-British operation, which took aim at three chemical …
Read More »Over 100 missiles fired at Syria, ‘significant number’ intercepted: Moscow
2178, Russia | AFP | The US and its allies fired more than 100 cruise missiles at Syria, a significant number of which were intercepted by Syrian air defences, the Russian defence ministry said Saturday. “More than 100 cruise missiles and air-to-land missiles were fired by the US, Britain and …
Read More »US-led strikes hit Syria, but steer clear of Russian military
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump’s administration has made clear it sees Moscow as complicit in the latest suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria, but Pentagon planners are taking pains to avoid hitting Russian military assets. A clash — intentional or otherwise — between the West and …
Read More »Mattis should protect world from Trump: Pentagon Papers whistleblower
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg called Friday on the Pentagon chief to “protect us” from President Donald Trump by resisting orders to launch military actions or use nuclear weapons. “The situation is closer to the possible use of nuclear weapons since any time I would …
Read More »Russia says West only interested in overthrowing Assad
United Nations, United States | AFP | Russia on Friday accused the West of having the sole aim in Syria of overthrowing the government as it urged US, French and British leaders to refrain from military action. “We continue to observe dangerous military preparations for an illegal act of force …
Read More »UK govt agrees on ‘need to take action’ over Syria
London, United Kingdom | AFP | The British government on Thursday agreed on the “need to take action” alongside the US and France over a chemical weapons attack in Syria, Prime Minister Theresa May’s office said. “Cabinet agreed on the need to take action to alleviate humanitarian distress and to …
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