(Zaman Al Wasl)- As world leaders express their support to the possible U.S. strike in retaliation to the chemical attack on Douma town, Syrian people have echoed their concerns of such move may be ended fruitless and sterile.
The pessimism is surrounding us, social media activists say.
They doubt that President Donald Trump’s strikes will be punitive not like Khan Sheikhoun ones in April 2017.
In blatant comments, Bashar al-Assad said Thursday a potential retaliation for the chemical attack would be based on "lies" and would seek to undermine his forces' recent advances near Damascus.
The White Helmets, a civil defense agency said the Syrian regime attack on Douma on Saturday had killed 78 civilians and injured hundreds of other victims.
Assad said Western countries were lashing out after they lost their "bet" on opposition forces in the eastern Ghouta suburbs of the capital, Damascus.
Assad who is celebrating the capture of eastern Ghouta with Key ally Russia seems confident of the power of President Vladimir Putin and his impact on fragile Trump.
The U.S., France and Britain have been in extensive consultations about launching a military strike as early as the end of this week, U.S. officials have said. A joint military operation, possibly with France rather than the U.S. in the lead, could send a message of international unity about enforcing the prohibitions on chemical weapons and counter Syria's political and military support from Russia and Iran.
VERY SOON OR NOT SO SOON AT ALL
Trump said Thursday that an attack on Syria could take place "very soon or not so soon at all!"
The president made the statement in a tweet Thursday morning. Trump on Wednesday had warned Russia to "get ready" for a missile attack on its ally Syria, suggesting imminent retaliation for last weekend's suspected chemical weapons attack. But on Thursday, Trump wrote that he: "Never said when an attack on Syria would take place. "
Trump, who has often said a commander in chief should never telegraph his military intentions, apparently did so himself, tweeting that missiles "will be coming" in response to the suspected chemical attack that killed at least 40 people near Damascus.
"Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria," Trump wrote. "Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and 'smart!' You shouldn't be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!"
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, however, indicated that evidence of what happened was still being studied. At a photo-taking session during a Pentagon meeting with his Dutch counterpart, Mattis was asked by a reporter whether he had seen enough evidence to blame the Syrian government.
"We're still assessing the intelligence, ourselves and our allies," Mattis said. "We're still working on this."
Trump suggested Monday he had little doubt that Syria was to blame, but neither he nor other administration officials have produced hard evidence. This is in contrast to an incident one year ago in which the U.S. government had video and other evidence of certain aspects of an actual attack by Syrian aircraft, which involved the use of sarin gas. Trump responded then by launching dozens of Navy cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield.
Asked whether the U.S. military was ready to conduct an attack in Syria if ordered, Mattis replied, "We stand ready to provide military options if they're appropriate, as the president determined."
In the past, Trump has condemned others for forecasting military plans, repeatedly blistering President Barack Obama during the 2016 campaign. During one speech, he said, "We must as a nation be more unpredictable. We are totally predictable. We tell everything."
Asked about Trump's tweet about an impending attack on Syria, former Defense Secretary William Cohen, who ran the Pentagon for President Bill Clinton, said on CNN that it "compromises the mission somewhat."
Trump did not detail what a strike on Syria would look like, or whether these would be U.S. missiles. U.S. officials have been consulting with France, Britain and other allies on a possible joint military operation, but the timing remained in doubt Wednesday. Trump canceled a foreign trip in order to manage a crisis that is testing his vow to stand up to Assad.
Shortly after his tweeted warning to Russia, Trump took a more conciliatory tone in lamenting that the U.S.-Russia relationship "is worse now than it has ever been." There is no reason for this, he wrote, adding that "Russia needs us to help with their economy, something that would be very easy to do, and we need all nations to work together."
GERMANY NOT INVOLOVED
Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany would not participate in possible military action in Syria, but supports sending a message that the use of chemical weapons is unacceptable.
“Germany will not take part in military action,” Merkel told reporters during a visit to Berlin by Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen. “But we see and support that everything is done to send a signal that this use of chemical weapons is not acceptable.”
Merkel said a full spectrum of measures should be considered. In Germany’s case, the chancellor said, that would mean supporting the work of the United Nations Security Council and the chemical weapons watchdog OPCW.
BRITAIN NOT YET DECIDED
Brexit minister David Davis said Thursday that Britain has not yet reached a decision on how to respond to the
Åpoison gas attack, adding that any move would be considered very carefully and be based on evidence.
"No decision as yet, the cabinet is meeting in full at 1530 (BST) to discuss," he said, speaking at a Wall Street Journal event in London.
"The situation in Syria is horrific, the use of chemical weapons is something the world has to prevent," he said. "But also it's a very, very delicate circumstance and we've got to make this judgment on a very careful, very deliberate, very well thought-through basis."
FRANCE URGES STRONG REPONSE
French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday called for a "strong and joint response" to the attack in the Syrian town of Douma on Saturday. The Syrian government denies responsibility.
The French president does not need parliamentary permission to launch a military operation. France is already involved in the U.S.-led coalition created in 2014 to fight the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq. Multiple IS terror attacks have targeted France, including one last month.
ITALY WILL NOT HAVE ROLE
Italy will not have any direct role in an eventual Western military attack against the Assad regime, but it will provide logistical support to its allies, the prime minister's office said Thursday.
Caretaker Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni had numerous "international" contacts Thursday, including with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the statement said.
"Italy will not participate in Syrian military actions," Gentiloni told allies according to the statement. "Based on current international and bilateral accords, Italy will continue to offer logistical support to allied forces."
Zaman Al Wasl
Comments About This Article
Please fill the fields below.