April 6, 2017

STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT TRUMP ON SYRIA

Mar-a-Lago, Florida

9:40 P.M. EDT
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  My fellow Americans:  On Tuesday, Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad launched a horrible chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians.  Using a deadly nerve agent, Assad choked out the lives of helpless men, women, and children.  It was a slow and brutal death for so many.  Even beautiful babies were cruelly murdered in this very barbaric attack.  No child of God should ever suffer such horror.
 
     Tonight, I ordered a targeted military strike on the airfield in Syria from where the chemical attack was launched.  It is in this vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons.  There can be no dispute that Syria used banned chemical weapons, violated its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention, and ignored the urging of the U.N. Security Council. 
 
Years of previous attempts at changing Assad's behavior have all failed, and failed very dramatically.  As a result, the refugee crisis continues to deepen and the region continues to destabilize, threatening the United States and its allies. 
 
Tonight, I call on all civilized nations to join us in seeking to end the slaughter and bloodshed in Syria, and also to end terrorism of all kinds and all types.  We ask for God's wisdom as we face the challenge of our very troubled world.  We pray for the lives of the wounded and for the souls of those who have passed.  And we hope that as long as America stands for justice, then peace and harmony will, in the end, prevail. 
 
Goodnight.  And God bless America and the entire world.  Thank you.
 
                          END                 9:43 P.M. EDT
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)

Sen. Rand Paul Releases Statement on U.S. Cruise Missile Strike

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tonight, U.S. Senator Rand Paul released the following statement regarding the United States’ strike on a Syrian military airfield:

"While we all condemn the atrocities in Syria, the United States was not attacked. The President needs congressional authorization for military action as required by the Constitution, and I call on him to come to Congress for a proper debate. Our prior interventions in this region have done nothing to make us safer, and Syria will be no different."

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Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cruz Press Office

Phil Novack 

April 6, 2017

Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on U.S. Missile Strikes in Syria

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) issued the following statement regarding tonight’s U.S.-launched missile strikes in Syria:
 
“Today, after eight years of Obama foreign policy failures, Syria is a humanitarian disaster. Bashar al-Assad is a monster, a puppet of Russia and Iran, and he has once again used chemical weapons against his own citizens, murdering innocent men, women, and children.
 
“Our prayers are with Assad’s victims, and with the victims of the ISIS and al Qaeda terrorists ripping Syria apart. And, as always, our support and prayers are with the brave Americans in uniform who carried out the military strike tonight.
 
“Any military action in Syria must be justified as protecting the vital national security interests of America – including decisive action to prevent chemical weapons from falling into the hands of radical Islamic terrorists – and I look forward to our Commander-in-Chief making the case to Congress and the American people how we should do so in the days ahead.”
 
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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

Sanders Statement on U.S. Missile Strike in Syria

WASHINGTON, April 7 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement after the United States carried out a missile strike in Syria in response to the Syrian government’s chemical weapons attack this week:

“In a world of vicious dictators, Syria’s Bashar Assad tops the list as a dictator who has killed hundreds of thousands of his own citizens to protect his own power and wealth. His regime’s use of chemical weapons against the men, women and children of his country, in violation of all international conventions and moral standards, makes him a war criminal.  

“As the most powerful nation on earth, the United States must work with the international community to bring peace and stability to Syria, where over 400,000 people have been killed and over 6 million displaced. The horror of Syria’s civil war is almost unimaginable.

“If there’s anything we should’ve learned from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, in which the lives of thousands of brave American men and women and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi and Afghan civilians have been lost and trillions of dollars spent, it’s that it’s easier to get into a war than get out of one. I’m deeply concerned that these strikes could lead to the United States once again being dragged back into the quagmire of long-term military engagement in the Middle East. If the last 15 years have shown anything, it’s that such engagements are disastrous for American security, for the American economy and for the American people.

“The Trump administration must explain to the American people exactly what this military escalation in Syria is intended to achieve, and how it fits into the broader goal of a political solution, which is the only way Syria’s devastating civil war ends. Congress has a responsibility to weigh in on these issues. As the Constitution requires, the president must come to Congress to authorize any further use of force against the Assad regime.

“Further, the US must work with all parties to reinforce longstanding international norms against the use of chemical weapons, to hold Russia and Syria to the 2013 deal to destroy these weapons and to see that violators are made accountable.”

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Sens. McCain and Graham

McCAIN & GRAHAM ON MILITARY STRIKES IN SYRIA

Washington, D.C. ­– U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) released the following statement on tonight’s military strikes in Syria:

“We salute the skill and professionalism of the U.S. Armed Forces who carried out tonight’s strikes in Syria. Acting on the orders of their commander-in-chief, they have sent an important message the United States will no longer stand idly by as Assad, aided and abetted by Putin’s Russia, slaughters innocent Syrians with chemical weapons and barrel bombs.

“Unlike the previous administration, President Trump confronted a pivotal moment in Syria and took action. For that, he deserves the support of the American people. Building on tonight’s credible first step, we must finally learn the lessons of history and ensure that tactical success leads to strategic progress. That means following through with a new, comprehensive strategy in coordination with our allies and partners to end the conflict in Syria. The first measure in such a strategy must be to take Assad’s air force—which is responsible not just for the latest chemical weapons attack, but countless atrocities against the Syrian people—completely out of the fight. We must also bolster support for the vetted Syrian opposition and establish safe zones to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis. As we do, we can and must continue the campaign to achieve ISIS’s lasting defeat.”

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Former Gov. Mike Huckabee

The message you have just received was delivered by Mike Huckabee and includes a message from Huck PAC, his political action committee. 

Friend,

Last night, President Trump ordered a surprise attack in retaliation for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s alleged Sarin gas attack that has so far killed over 80 civilians, many of them women and children. Trump sent 59 Tomahawk missiles to destroy the Syrian airbase from which the planes suspected of launching the chemical attack took off. The strike was planned to send a message by destroying the airfield with minimum risk of collateral fatalities among Syrians or Russian troops, although Syria claims there were a few deaths and injuries. This is a developing story, so check the link for the latest updates.

It’s been very instructive to watch the range of reactions, pro and con, to Trump’s strike on Syria, which tell you more about the people reacting than about the situation. For instance, some strange bedfellows were created in Congress, where Rand Paul (a conservative/Libertarian with isolationist tendencies) protested that America wasn’t attacked by Syria and said Trump should have sought Congress’ approval first. Paul was joined in his criticism by liberals such as Rep. Barbara Lee and Sen. Tim Kaine, who seemed unfazed for years as Obama governed as if Congress didn’t exist, but are now absolute sticklers for the War Powers Act. Adding to the irony is that earlier that same day, in a speech in New York City, Kaine’s recent running mate Hillary Clinton called for taking the exact same action that Trump did. So if she’d been President, the only difference would be that Tim Kaine would be on all the TV news channels forcefully defending the bombing of Syria’s airbase instead of calling it “unlawful” and “unconstitutional,” as he claims it is when Trump does it.

To be fair, Trump also opened himself up to charges of hypocrisy. During the campaign, he famously tweeted that the US had no business getting involved in Syria, that it would just waste American lives and billions of dollars, and that Obama needed to ask Congress to approve before bombing Syria. He appears to have changed his mind on both counts.

While reaction in the media was predictable (liberal outlets that have been urging intervention in Syria for years suddenly declared it an impeachable war crime once Donald Trump actually did it), the reaction among rank and file Americans has been more “nuanced,” to use the media’s favorite word. On conservative radio call-in shows and Internet bulletin boards, the praise for Trump for taking a firm stand (something many said was a huge relief after eight years of Obama golfing while the world burned) was tempered by concerns from his supporters that he might lose sight of his campaign pledge to concentrate on rebuilding America and not get bogged down in the notorious sinkhole that is interventionism in the Middle East.

But whether you agree or disagree with Trump’s decision to strike Syria…Trump’s action had significance far beyond Syria.

First of all, it announced to the world in terms that lit up the sky with fire that America is under new management. If some dictator steps too far out of line, the US President will no longer play Hamlet for months, weighing and debating options and trying to “lead from behind” while lobbying the UN to do the heavy lifting until our enemies don’t take us seriously anymore. Trump showed them in no uncertain terms that the USA is back, once again leading the world, kicking butt and taking names, and that when the American President draws a "red line," there are serious consequences for crossing it.

Second, I doubt it’s a coincidence that Trump did this while all the Asian media were covering the state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping. This sent a clear message to North Korea’s dictator about what will befall him if he doesn’t knock off the nuclear threats, and to China that if they don’t get Kim Jong-Un on a leash, the US will.

And third, by brushing aside Russia’s protests that Assad wasn’t behind the chemical attack (Russia has already condemned the attack and retaliated by pulling out of an agreement to prevent in-flight conflicts with US forces), Trump didn’t just blow up an airfield in Syria. The ridiculous narrative that his domestic enemies have spent so much time building up, that he’s a puppet of Russia with strings pulled by Vladimir Putin, is also now a smoking pile of rubble.

Sincerely,

Mike Huckabee

Libertarian Party of the United States

The Libertarian Party denounces last night's strikes on Syria.

 

For Immediate Release

April 7, 2017

 

Contact: Carla Howell

 

Purportedly last night's strikes on Syria were a retaliation for the release of a chemical agent which wounded and killed many Syrians earlier this week.

 

The use of chemical agents against civilians is abhorrent but, according to news reports, the cause of that chemical release is uncertain. It is believable that the Assad regime could have purposefully caused it but when war and peace are at stake, as they are now, we must not jump to conclusions, no matter how natural they may seem.

 

The situation in Syria is very complex. There is no clear, straight-forward path to peace. Additional air strikes will just kill more people and further inflame an already highly volatile situation.

 

For decades, the United States has pursued a foreign policy based on the idea that we can play policeman for the world. Time and time again we have seen this fail. Sadly, our intervention into Syria will be no different.

 

Libertarian Party Chair Nicholas Sarwark says, "Launching missiles into Syria risks pitting the US against Russia in a proxy war. There is no way in which a proxy war can be beneficial for humanity, the United States, or Syria. Such a war will only elevate Russia on the world stage, further destroy Syria and Syrian lives, and cost the US many American lives and resources."

 

He continues, "If the President wants to help the Syrian people, he should facilitate more refugees entering the United States to find safety here rather than demonizing them and hampering their escape from the dictator that is slaughtering them."

 

Since World War II, American foreign policy has been highly interventionist. This has dragged our country into many wars and conflicts that were not in the best interest of the American people. These wars and conflicts have cost many thousands of lives and billions of dollars and have not made the American people any safer. Our military is very powerful but these issues are too complex to be solved by military might.

 

The Libertarian Party calls for an end to interventionist foreign policy.

 

Specifically, the Libertarian Party recommends ending American military aggression in Syria and the rest of the Middle East. Our actions there, while meant to reduce terrorism, instead often serve as a rallying cry for terrorists and facilitate terrorist recruitment.

 

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Green Party of the United States
For Immediate Release:
Saturday, April 8, 2017

Contact:
Scott McLarty, Media Director

Green Party statement on President Trump's missile strike in Syria

• Greens call for halt to U.S. attacks and ongoing overt and covert military intervention in Syria, which will inflict even more civilian casualties and escalate the war in Syria, urge an arms embargo on all sides and an open door for fleeing Syrian civilians

• An impartial probe of the Idlib gas attacks and emergency negotiations are necessary to stop further bloodshed, prevent expanded Cold War conflict

• Greens criticize war drumbeats from Democrats and U.S. media, call for a revived antiwar movement

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Green Party of the United States strongly condemned President Donald Trump's unilateral cruise missile strike on a Syrian government airfield and called for a halt to further overt and covert military action by the U.S.

Greens called for an internationally cooperative and impartial investigation of the nerve gas attack in Idlib province that killed scores of civilians, which supposedly motivated Mr. Trump to order the strikes. The U.S. alleges that the President Bashar al-Assad government is responsible for the gas attack, a claim disputed by some journalists covering the war.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other leaders have also called for an investigation. Green Party leaders noted that unilateral attacks on another sovereign country that poses no immediate threat to the U.S. violate international law and treaties to which the U.S. is signatory.

The Green Party also calls for the U.S. to admit Syrian civilians, especially children, who are fleeing the war.

Greens said that the strike ordered by President Trump threatens to expand the Syrian conflict into a proxy war between the U.S. and Russia in the context of a new Cold War between the two powers. The CIA and Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally, have supplied funding and weapons to Syrian rebel groups that have strengthened ISIL and al-Qaeda, even while the U.S. continues to bomb the latters' strongholds in Iraq.

Green Party leaders asserted that the investigation and emergency negotiations with Russia, Iran, and all others involved or with an interest in the Syrian war are necessary to stop further bloodshed and prevent a wider regional or global military confrontation.

The Green Party supports an international arms embargo on all sides, which is only possible through multilateral negotiation. The party refutes bipartisan claims that military solutions can bring peace and stability.

In calling for a halt to U.S. military action, the Green Party in no way defends either the Assad government or rebel forces, which are responsible for the slaughter, maiming, and displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians. The party supports an international investigation into war crimes on all sides. Greens warned that U.S. military action will only lead to more mass civilian casualties, as shown by U.S. invasions and attacks in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and other Muslim countries since 2001.

The Green Party sharply criticized major media and warhawk Democrats who are cheering the missile strikes. Mr. Trump's pre-attack friendly stance towards Russia -- opposed by Democrats enthusiastic for a new Cold War -- offered a chance for cooperation between Washington and Moscow. The missile strikes are likely to have scuttled that chance.

Greens said that Trump Administration's belligerence risks a new era of reckless warfare comparable to -- or worse than -- President George W. Bush's disastrous first term. Since his inauguration and despite his protestations of sympathy for civilians, including children, killed in the Idlib assault, Mr. Trump has ordered raids in Yemen and air assaults on Mosul and a mosque near Aleppo that have killed scores of civilians. These crimes are compounded by his administration's anti-Muslim immigration proposals and deportations, especially targeting Syrians fleeing their country's civil war.

The Green Party calls for a revived mass antiwar movement that opposes military action that threatens the lives of civilians, that rejects wars for oil and other resources and for U.S. political and economic domination, and that recognizes a dangerous continuity in the Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations' war policies. These same policies have ignited rage against the U.S. and may lead to new retaliatory violence against Americans.

The party also urges deep cuts in defense spending (except for veterans' services) and dismantling of the military-industrial complex, noting that the U.S. military budget is ten times greater than Russia's and that the U.S. faces no threat from other countries.


MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org