The United States said it has launched more than 50 Tomahawk missiles at government targets in Syria, responding to a sarin gas attack by the Syrian government this week that killed more than 80 civilians.
US president Donald Trump said on Wednesday (April 5) that video showing “innocent children, innocent babies” suffering from the chemical attack has “changed very much” his view of Syria and Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
Indeed, his approach seems quite different from opinions he expressed in 2013, when then-president Barack Obama was considering a retaliatory strike on Syria following a chemical attack. At that time, Trump spoke out forcefully against an attack by the US.
The President must get Congressional approval before attacking Syria-big mistake if he does not!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2013
AGAIN, TO OUR VERY FOOLISH LEADER, DO NOT ATTACK SYRIA – IF YOU DO MANY VERY BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN & FROM THAT FIGHT THE U.S. GETS NOTHING!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 5, 2013
President Obama, do not attack Syria. There is no upside and tremendous downside. Save your “powder” for another (and more important) day!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 7, 2013
Trump also had attacked Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent for president, in the days before the November 2016 election, claiming she planned to attack Syria if she was elected and suggesting that would be a bad idea: “We’re spending $6 trillion dollars on wars in the Middle East, while our own country falls into total disrepair,” he said in a statement released on his website. “Now Hillary wants to start a shooting war in Syria, in conflict with a nuclear-armed Russia, which could lead to World War 3.”
In one respect, Trump is consistent with his previous advice: Today’s attack appears to have been planned hastily in the hours before it was launched, and with little warning.
If we are going to continue to be stupid and go into Syria (watch Russia), as they say in the movies, SHOOT FIRST AND TALK LATER!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 29, 2013
@walaa_3ssaf No, dopey, I would not go into Syria, but if I did it would be by surprise and not blurted all over the media like fools.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 29, 2013
It’s unclear what the scale of casualties, military and otherwise, will be from today’s attacks. But Trump might heed his own warning to Obama from back in 2013:
If the U.S. attacks Syria and hits the wrong targets, killing civilians, there will be worldwide hell to pay. Stay away and fix broken U.S.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2013
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