In what was his first major foreign policy test since taking office, President Donald Trump passes with flying colors. In response to the most recent chemical attack ordered by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Trump ordered a strike on Al Shayrat Airfield, where the latest attack was carried out from. While certainly controversial, the strike carried out by the U.S. gives an important message to the Syrian Regime: If you keep bombing your people, we will keep bombing you. The strike was indeed necessary, and here’s my view.
Syria has been engaged in a civil war for the past six years. There’s the government, obviously defending themselves, and then there’s the rebel forces who want to push Assad out of power and start a new government. Assad is one of the most brutal leaders in the world, up there with thugs like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-Un. For the past six years, he has constantly bombed his own people, which is a war crime in of itself. This attack, however, used a chemical nerve agent called Sarin Gas, which is considered a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations. Assad’s use of chemical weapons further violates the rules of war as well as several U.N. resolutions.
Despite a looming nuclear threat from North Korea and constant cyber attacks from Russia, the situation is Syria presented itself as the first true test for President Trump, where swift action needed to be taken. The decision does stray from one of Trump’s favorite mottos, “America First” where Trump promised to look out for America first only, a more isolationist tone than many previous administrations. That sounds fine on the surface, but most people, including Trump, realize that America has a responsibility to maintain the current world order and to keep the world as stable as possible. Sure, a retaliatory strike in Syria doesn’t bring back jobs, and it doesn’t build the wall, but when your President of the United States, things like this matter, and action needs to be taken.
The strike took place around 8:40 ET on Thursday night, and was carried out from the USS Ross and USS Porter, stationed in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The strike included 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles, which travel at 550 mph, and use GPS navigation systems to accurately strike their target. The Syrian Armed Forces General Command said that six people were killed, along with critical infrastructure at the base. President Assad condemned the strike as an “act of aggression.”
A message needed to be sent, and a message was sent Thursday night: America will not stand for the bombing of innocent civilians by their government and America will respond when it feels it is in the national security interests of America, and of the globe. By launching this strike, Trump has shown the world that America will act when it needs to, and that we will be an active player on the world stage.
