“Almost Completely Destroyed”: Syria Strikes Hit Their Target

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, U.S. airstrikes targeting the Syrian government “almost completely destroyed” the airfield from which Tuesday’s chemical weapons attack was launched.

President Trump authorized a limited and decisive strike against the Assad regime this week after the devastating chemical attack on the Homs province.

“Initial indications are that this strike has severely damaged or destroyed Syrian aircraft and support infrastructure and equipment at Shayrat Airfield, reducing the Syrian government’s ability to deliver chemical weapons,” Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis told Reuters.

Asked about the possibility of additional military action against the Assad regime, Davis simply said it was “the regime’s choice.” In other words, try using those chemical weapons again. If you want to go the way of Saddam Hussein and other Middle Eastern dictators who have committed atrocities, be our guest.

This is what it means to be a leader on the international stage. Trump has been every bit as reluctant to use the military abroad as Obama ever was, but there’s a difference: Trump knows when the time for talk is over. He understands that he’s not just a politician in a fancy suit; he’s the commander-in-chief of the world’s mightiest military. He understands the responsibility that comes with that role. He isn’t afraid to use that might to stand up for what’s right. That’s the difference.

And as Bashar al-Assad discovered on Thursday, it’s a big one.