Thread: U.S. just attacked a Syrian airport.

U.S. just attacked a Syrian airbase. CBS News

Story to follow.

US Launches Missiles at Syrian Base After Chemical Weapons Attack


NBCNews.com - 5 minutes ago

APR 6 2017, 9:15 PM ET

U.S. Launches Missiles at Syrian Base After Chemical Weapons Attack

by COURTNEY KUBE and ALEX JOHNSON

The United States launched dozens of cruise missiles Thursday night at a Syrian airfield in response to what it believes was the Syrian government's use of banned chemical weapons blamed for having killed at least 100 people on Tuesday, U.S. military officials told NBC News.

The U.S. military fired at least 50 Tomahawk missiles intended for a single target — Ash Sha'irat in Homs province in western Syria, the officials said.

That's the airfierld from which the United States believes the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fired the banned weapons.

Play

• Embed

Syria Crisis: Trump Given Military Options After Chemical Attack 2:25


Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, have bluntly blamed Syria for the chemical weapons attack, whose victims included at least 25 children.

Tillerson told reporters on Thursday that "there is no doubt in our minds" that the Syrian regime was responsible for the attack.

And in a combative speech at the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday, Haley warned: "When the United Nations consistently fails in its duty to act collectively, there are times in the life of states that we are compelled to take our own action."

Play

• Embed

Tillerson on Assad Regime: He Has 'No Role' to Govern Syria 0:58


NBC News reported Thursday that Defense Secretary James Mattis briefed President Donald Trump on U.S. military options, which included carrying out targeted strikes against those responsible for Tuesday's attack.

There was no immediate reaction from Russia, which Tillerson and Haley have accused of turning a blind eye to Syria's transgressions.
"Russia cannot escape responsibility for this," Haley said at the United Nations. "They chose to close their eyes to the barbarity. They defied the conscience of the world."

Thursday, Tillerson urged Russia to "consider carefully their continued support of the Assad regime."

Play

• Embed

Watch Live: NBC News Special Report


This is a breaking news story. Refresh this page for updates.


http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/...attack-n743636

Cruise missiles from USS Ross and USS Porter.

Our leaders are handling this well. Good to show that we mean business.

9:39 p.m.: U.S. Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham said in a joint statement that the U.S. “have sent an important message the United States will no longer stand idly by as Assad, aided and abetted by Putin’s Russia, slaughters innocent Syrians with chemical weapons and barrel bombs.”
“Unlike the previous administration, President Trump confronted a pivotal moment in Syria and took action. For that, he deserves the support of the American people,” the statement read.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/live-updates-us-bombs-syria-missile-strikes/

CNN reporting new information. Russian military was notified in advance of strikes. Oh thank God. Thank God.

Originally Posted by Judy

CNN reporting new information. Russian military was notified in advance of strikes. Oh thank God. Thank God.

Yes, I tend to ignore McCain. Trump has a chance to work with these other countries---and it seems like he just did some coaxing. This world needs to work on its economic concerns---but the distraction of rogue powers just complicates it.

I'm very mixed on this. I don't think Assad was responsible for this. I think the whole set of pictures and videos were faked. Remember when we invaded Kuwait, they told this false story about Saddam troops killing babies at a hospital? It was all a lie. Remember all the fake videos and theater blood on the woman supposedly shot during a protest in Egypt during the Arab Spring? All fake.

I'm totally mixed on this attack. I admire Trump for the manner of the strike, I just question the veracity of the reason. You listen to his speech, it's all about the "babies". We don't know who these people are except that they are anti-Assad forces. We don't know the people, we don't know the "doctors", it all looks like some very cheap theater to me by the Rebels.

I hope there's another underlying strategy and it really wasn't about the "babies".

The military would not have hit the base if they didn't have good information on the origin of the flight that dropped the chemicals. There are too many satellite assets and other ways of tracking the origin of the initial attack. According to some sources, this base was the storage area of the chemical weapons that Assad supposedly didn't have. Also, there is a big difference between a military airbase and an airport.