Bashar Assad miscalculated. Trump was going to relax
removing him from power in deference to Russian involvement. Instead the Syrian
military believed they could get away with a chemical attack to intimidate the
rebels. They were now in a stronger position, and who would challenge Russia?
Besides the US had talked big for several years, and never delivered.
No one was happy about a government using chemical weapons,
especially against civilians. The pictures are horrific. Men, women, children, and babies all dying.
Donald Trump and the US military reacted. A military air
base in Syria where the helicopter left with the chemical weapons was just
targeted with 60 Tomahawk missiles. Too early to know the destruction, but
should weaken the Syrian military. An
expensive blow to the Syrian government.
History shows the result of a similar attack on Libya. Muammar
Gaddafi and Libyan agents were blamed for a discotheque bombing in German, and
then the Lockerbie Pan Am 747 bomb. Ronald Regan order the 1986 attack on the capital
Tripoli and directly on Muammar Gaddafi’s personal palace.
The result of the bombing was a reduction in acts by Libyan
agents around the world. Gaddafi stood down from challenging Western powers. He
became a peacemaker to try and buy more time in power. Eventually his own people overthrew his
government.
Attacking a military base sends messages. The US will
respond to challenges. There should be few civilian causalities attacking a
military target, but there will be some.
Interesting may be the rumored loss of Russian soldiers or
advisers at the air base. The speed of response and willingness to risk losses sends
a strong message.
Syria, Iran and North Korea may be more uncomfortable
tonight. Syria may realize the next attack could be Bashar’s palace. China and
Russia may be revising their opinions about a paper American military. Our
allies got a comforting message.
The world is a safer place tonight.
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