MESOPOTAMIA NEWS TODAYS EXPERT & ANALYSTS SAMPLER

Trump’s “Red Line” Moment in Syria?

12 April 2018 – President Donald Trump threatened yesterday to rain missiles down on forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, one week after the regime allegedly conducted a chemical weapons attack on civilians in the rebel-held town on Douma, near the capital Damascus. • While a potential strike may signal to Assad that the U.S. will not tolerate the use of chemical weapons, it may also lead to military escalation—and possibly a direct confrontation with Russia, which supports the Assad regime and has troops based throughout the country.

  • Throughout Syria’s seven-year civil war, the Assad regime has targeted civilians with chemical weapons, evoking international condemnation. The Trump administration previously took action after the April 4, 2017, attack on the town of Khan Shaykun, which killed more than 80 people.
  • The U.S. and international community have found no way to dissuade Assad from using chemical weapons, in large part because Russia is protecting the regime militarily and when necessary, at the UN Security Council. Unless Russia pressures Assad to disarm, he will likely continue chemical weapons use with impunity

Read the full brief, with expert commentary by:

– Andy Weber, former assistant secretary of defense for nuclear, chemical and biological defense

– Rob Richer, former CIA chief of the Near East and South Asia division

– Adm. (ret.) Sandy Winnefeld, former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

– Amb. Laura S. H. Holgate, former special assistant to the president for weapons of mass destruction, terrorism and threat reduction

Read all https://www.thecipherbrief.com/article/middle-east/trumps-red-line-moment-syria?utm_source=Join+the+Community+Subscribers&utm_campaign=0b3ba1f017-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_04_12&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_02cbee778d-0b3ba1f017-122492169&mc_cid=0b3ba1f017&mc_eid=7382055310