On Friday April 13th, 2018, the United States responded to suspected chemical warfare in Syria. President Bashar al-Assad is suspected of authorizing a chemical attack near Damascus, the capital of Syria, which resulted in more than 40 deaths. In cooperation with France and Britain, the United States and the two European countries launched airstrikes against research, storage, and military targets within Syria. The countries’ leaders based their decision to attack Syria on defense against continuous violations of international law by the Syrian government and aim to stop the use of banned weapons by the President Assad.

The airstrikes hit 3 facilities in Syria used by President Assad for chemical weapons. One was a scientific research center used for the production of weapons. The other two were weapon facilities, one being a military command post and the other a production sight of a nerve agent.  

This decision to strike Syria has been faced with much criticism and concern. Attacks on Syria to limit the usage of chemical warfare run the risk of pulling the United States into a timely and complex war in Syria. Syria is also backed by Russia and Iran, which creates the possibility of conflicts and confrontation between these countries and the United States. After the airstrikes, the Russian ambassador to the United States warned that continued actions would lead to further consequences facilitated by Russia.

Despite public concern, the airstrikes have been called a precisely targeted attack only aimed to stop Syrian civilian casualties and not to drag the United States, France, or Britain into the country’s civil war. As the time of the airstrikes, the United States had no more attacks against Syria planned. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said that the United States will not attack again unless gas is used against the Syrian people again by their government. However, President Trump has said United States troops will continue to be committed to Syria.

Image sources: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/world/syria-strikes/?utm_term=.789975dd3c50 and https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/syria-air-strikes-latest-updates-180414021423479.html