Assad is out of power? Russia is withdrawing? The Mullahs are surrendering? Christians can worship freely?
Just what mission is accomplished? In fact which mission has ever been accomplished in the ME in the last 4000 years?
This: The banned weapons and the facility to produce them no longer exist. They cannot be used by 'either' or 'any' side to attack anyone.
Trump had to do this before we pull out of Syria because if he did it after, he would not have 'intelligence' in the field to provide the exact targeting information that was needed to keep civilian casualties to a minimum.
> Just what mission is accomplished? <
Taking an action in the Middle East is like walking through a maze at night, one filled with booby traps. The mission that was “accomplished” here is that the United States turned one way - and not another - in the maze.
It’s not easy to predict how a maze decision will turn out. And that’s why some folks say it’s best to stay out of mazes altogether.
The mission was to destroy the chemical weapons manufacturing facility in Homs and hit storage areas, etc.
Not really that hard to figure out.
That’s not the mission. The military did what they were told and took no casualties, hit all targets. Literally the definition of mission accomplished. I am disappointed in the action bit at least it sets a clear picture of when the U.S will act. That is how you establish a red line. In the end this is a safe way to do things because it’s been well defined between the two actions