President Donald Trump escalated the war of words with Russia and Syria as he dismissed Russia's claims that they could shoot down any missile the United States might launch at the Syrian government. The president made perhaps the most boisterous proclamation of his presidency as he told Russia in a tweet that missiles "will be coming."

It is by an far the most heated rhetoric the president has used up to this point.

Even with all of the fighting with Kim Jong-un and North Korea, at no time did Trump guarantee that missiles were on their way.

What happened in Douma?

Douma, the last rebel stronghold outside of the capital Damascus, was hit by a chemical weapon attack. Opposition and rescuers allege that the Syria government dropped barrel bombs from helicopters loaded with chemical agents. The attack has killed nearly 70 people, with more than 500 affected by the chemical release. This is not the first such attack on civilians during the civil war.

Former President Barack Obama declared that the use of chemical weapons would be a red line that would prompt the United States' intervention. When the Syrian government went ahead and did it anyway, prompting no response from Obama, Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad was filled with impunity.

Several similar attacks followed until the United States launched a limited air strike on a Syrian airbase as a punitive measure against using the chemical weapons again. All was quiet until the attack on Douma this past week.

Russian warnings

Russia was quick to come to their allies' side after the latest chemical attack. They claimed that there was no evidence that such an attack took place and if the United States was to use this as a reason to preemptively attack Syria, then there would be "grave consequences."

While usually this fighting with the United States over Syria has been done in the confines of the United Nations, the threat of actual military action is a new escalation for both sides.

Both countries are playing a dangerous game of chicken as they continually prod each other to make a move. If the United States sends another salvo of cruise missiles into Syria, would Russia retaliate by attacking a U.S. warship? Such an attack would be akin to declaring all-out war, and that could be what follows.

The singular moment that triggers a global war is often overlooked. Like the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdninand that preceded World War I, the potential missteps in dealing with the Syrian crisis could be the launching point of World War 3.
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