1/6 Thread: a few preliminary thoughts tonight: US, FR, UK military strikes in #Syria are an appropriate response to the monstrous, repeated use of CW by the Assad regime against civilians.
2/6 More unilateral US sanctions wd not deter #Assad. Russia — which vetoed even the renewal of the UN-OPCW investigation mechanism, knowing it told the truth — would never allow any meaningful response through the #UNSC. Russia has never admitted a single regime use.
3/6 At one point some hoped that Iran — its own soldiers once gassed by Iraq — might press #Assad to cease CW use. But now, years into Assad’s serial use, Iran & Russia are completely complicit in Assad’s “win at any cost, win with any weapon” strategy.
4/6 But now what? General Mattis, Chairman Dunford & the US military do their jobs brilliantly. But can anyone on earth define US policy toward Syria? Since Trump took office, there hasn’t been a single serious, sustained diplomatic initiative aimed at ending the war.
5/6 And what is current US policy re Russia? The Russian ambass in Wash is shunned, unable even to secure meetings. But we need channels & we need objectives. For nights like tonight — & nights for the rest of time — the US needs a Russia strategy. Mixed msgs are disastrous.
6/6 So where does that leave us? Wondering how history wd be diff if Cameron had done in 2013 as May has done; appreciating why Trump struck on behalf of CW ban, which has to matter; & fearful that the Trump admin has no strategy besides tweeting&bombing.
(reposting these earlier tweets as one thread; nothing changed)
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