The perception of President Donald Trump vis-à-vis Syria and its President Bashar al-Assad has changed drastically because of the suspected Chemical Attack in Khan Sheikhoun. At least 80 people have lost their lives in the attack and, the dead include at least 30 children and 20 women. A section of the Trump administration had, recently, indicated that removal of Bashar Assad is no longer in the priority list of the United States but, the use of chemical weapons by Syria has forced them to do a U-turn.
The viewpoint of Donald Trump
New York Daily News reports that, during a media briefing at the White House Rose Garden, President Donald Trump labeled the attack as “an affront to humanity”.
The chemical gas killed innocent children and, the attack has crossed many lines.
The obvious reference was to the previous regime of Barack Obama who had drawn a “red line” in 2013 on the use of chemical weapons by Syria but, hesitated to take any action. Trump was of the opinion that if suitable deterrent action was taken at that time to solve the crisis, the present incident would not have happened.
Trump did not elaborate on how he proposed to deal with the development but did mention that U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley has taken up the matter with the United Nation.
Nikki Haley at the United Nation
Nikki Haley is the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N... She has said that, in such cases, the U.N. Security Council is the designated agency.
It should step into discipline countries that engage in activities of violence that lead to the death of innocents.
At the meeting of the Security Council, both the United States and Britain pointed their fingers at Russia which not only allowed Syria to have chemical weapons but, blocked the sanctions that were imposed against it.
Nikki Haley also said that Russia has enough influence over Syria and, it should exert pressure on the regime of Bashar al-Assad to ensure peace in the region.
U.S. officials believe that gasses like sarin and chlorine were released during the air strike carried out by the Syrian regime. Russia does not deny the airstrike but, their interpretation of the incident is different.
They claim that the Syrian air strike had hit a chemical weapons plant that belonged to the opposition forces and, the gasses leaked out when the plant was struck.
It is obvious that Syria is another problem President Donald Trump has to sort out and, with Russia in the picture, it will not be an easy task. The situation needs to be handled diplomatically because diplomacy only can win the day.
