Posted on 04/10/2018 6:23:27 PM PDT by ethom
US President Donald Trump’s “major decision” on Syria is contingent on the rallying of sufficient air and naval strength and allied participation. Military sources report that the only US warship immediately available for the promised US military response to Bashar Assad’s use of chemical weapons in Douma is the guided missile destroyer USS Donald Cook, which sailed from Larnaca Monday, April 9, on its way to the eastern Mediterranean. The USS Iwo Jima strike group, which visited Haifa last month, is now cruising in the Arabian Sea, days away from the scene, whereas the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group only departs the US port for the Middle East on Wednesday, April 11, and is not due in the Mediterranean before next week.
The Trump administration is negotiating with Britain, France and other allies, including Arab governments, for their roles in the Syrian operation. Our Washington sources report that the commander-in-chief is looking at a major operation in Syria, to unfold over several days and lead to a concerted allied assault on the Iranian military presence embedded in that country. This extended goal may give US allies pause.
Trump’s line to UK Prime Minister Theresa May is this: You owe me for supporting you against Russia in the spy poisoning affair; now, back me up in holding Russia and Iran to account for the chemical attack in Syria. Britain maintains an air base in Cyprus. France’s only aircraft carrier, the FS Charles de Gaulle-R 91, is in dock for lengthy repairs. On April 6, 350 French airmen started a joint training exercise aboard the USS George HW Bush in the West Atlantic. Bringing them over would entail complicated, time-consuming coordination between their two headquarters. Trump has promised to reach a decision on the Syrian operation by Thursday after consulting his security chiefs and allies. What he has in mind is much more than a one-off strike like the Tomahawk assault he ordered on a Syrian air base a year ago to punish the regime for a chemical attack that left 80 civilians dead. This operation is likely to be sustained and continue well into the second half of April.
End Times Ping...
Isaiah 17:1 gets even closer to being fulfilled with this possible coalition attack prep.
My guess is nothing will happen unless it is done by Israel.
CNN stirring up the fake news? Every day....(CNN’s TURKEY service)
An Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer has departed Cyprus and was reported by some news outlets to be pushing towards Syria as Russian fighters buzzed its deck, but the Navy is saying those stories are false.
The destroyer Donald Cook departed Larnaca, Cyprus, Monday, after completing a scheduled port visit, according to a Navy statement. The service didn’t say where the ship was cruising to next, but reports by CNN’s Turkey service claimed the destroyer had moved out to Syrian territorial waters where it was harassed by Russian jets.
However, Pentagon officials are denying that narrative, according to Task & Purpose.
“There are elements of that story that are just simply not true,” Navy spokesman Cmdr. Bill Speaks told Task & Purpose. Speaks said the reports that the ship was being buzzed by Russian aircraft were “completely bogus.”
I have a hard time believing that CIA and DIA analysts have concluded that Assad is definitely responsible.
If they have, they have fallen.
Mr. President - we need a complete reset with Russia including a Russian / U.S. united front opposing, Turkey, Iran AND Saudi Arabia.
The voices continually pushing for confrontation with Russia are - in error.
It sure seems that way. My wife and I were discussing this possibility, and I also discussed with another Christian who works in the same building as I.
All three of us came to the conclusion that it is a very sticky situation right now. All it will take is a single WMD attack on Israel from Damascus, and BOOM!
Iran was talking about geting their nukes back...
So the Brits decided to sit out the WWIII.
Thanks ethom.
even the poodles think this is insane ?
wow - those gutless sonders finally get some backbone ?
debka is a propaganda fake news outlet. their credibility of next to zero
These are tough times for the putinista/walter-duranty wing who so much want putin to get his empire back.
This is truly disgusting. A gentleman must not question other gentlemen's words.
When May poisoned Skripal, his cat and his pigs, Trump did not question her.
Now, Trump's word is not good enough for her ???
I think May is no gentleman.
I can’t believe this is happening. I can’t believe Trump could possibly back this farce.
It’s just another operation for us to do because Israel wants it that way. Why can’t they put their assets on the ground if they want their lord of darkness gone so bad? Oh that’s right; they get to lobby us into doing it alongside the MSM, just like they did in Lebanon, Iraq, and all the other countries that mysteriously need to be destabilized for “national security”. I bet the neocons and Israel treat the current UN deliberations like gospel right now and support humanitarianism with such conviction for the poor people of Douma, though they sure didn’t when it served their interests, and Israel sure didn’t when they helped out the West Bank settlers.
It’s time to truly drain the swamp.
Trump is going to crush Iran.
Now Iran I could welcome attacking them. Treating them like Rome treated Carthage.
We owe them big time for many, many things.
How is crushing Iran going to be a solution (assuming you mean an invasion or a Soros-style regime change, since sanctions have not worked to “crush them” as a whole)? That’s another regional power destabilized, and that means more unpredictable militant groups to counter. That also upsets the balance of power in a catastrophic manner.
It would change the balance in a good way.
Anyone associated with the Mullahs, the Revolutionary Guard or the present government should be sent to an American Devils Island.
Surround it with heavily armed navy ships and use deadly force on anyone trying to leave. Give them no food or water. Let them make their own.
I really mean it. I hate them for what they have done. They should be hated by any American.
When Saddam gassed the Kurds at Halabja during the Iran-Iraq War, we didn’t lift a finger in retaliation, much less form a coalition of all the familiar good guys. This was because Saddam worked with us and we wanted Iran humbled.
How about ISIS, who was helped out by Turkey, a NATO ally (and probably us in some way) among other militia groups who did the same? They used chemical weapons many times against civilians, much more that that for which the UN is taking Assad to account. Are we to place major sanctions on Turkey and take out all NATO weapons in retaliation? Why hasn’t that happened? Why haven’t we strung up the parts of the deep state and McCain acolytes who quite obviously supported the aforementioned groups?
The hypocrisy is overwhelming. I do not support this action, and I think it is wrong.
I agree on attacking Syria. Just none of our business.
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