This past Thursday, President of the United States, Donald Trump, launched a cruise missile strike against a Syrian regime airbase. This was the first international American strike on Bashar al-Assad’s forces since the Syrian war began in 2011.
The strike appeared to be an impulsive response to the chemical weapon attack on the town of Khan Sheikhoun on Tuesday, which killed 85 civilians. The strike triggered an emotional response from the entire world as videos and images of the gruesome attack were displayed online. Trump’s sudden change of heart on the entire crisis has caused controversy and drags the U.S. deeper into the Syrian conflict, which can make the already complex conflict even worse.
The administration is attempting to avoid controversies by emphasising that the U.S. strike targeted the exact air base where the chemical attack was launched. Trump has made it clear that the strike was launched to send a particular message and to give a particular punishment.
However, history shows that these limited attacks don’t usually stay limited. No one seems to know the fate of Trump’s doings or whether or not they will actually stop Assad from using banned weapons. The Syrian war seems to be the most targeted crisis for the corrupted to steal attention. Thanking Trump for the strike as if he is a hero to the Syrian people is the perfect example.
Over the past six years, no one wanted to befriend the Syrian people who want Bashar al-Assad gone. It now seems odd that someone like Donald Trump is forging a friendship with the anti-Assad Syrians now. The Syrian civil war has seen up to 161 recorded chemical attacks. Perhaps Trump’s sudden shift on Syria is almost approval-seeking and perfect media coverage. Trump lacks specificity within his presidency and seems determined to show how muscular his office is over Obama’s. Days before the U.S. bombed the air base, Trump’s administration had indicated that removing Assad wasn’t even a priority.
It is too soon to tell whether Trump’s decision and involvement with Syria is ‘good’ or ‘bad’. The most important consequence of Trump’s actions is his words because both the allies and enemies are paying close attention. Trump’s acknowledgment of how threatening Assad’s continued grip of power seeks potential but also contributes to this growth of violent extremism. Syria’s dictator has always sent a clear message that the U.S.’s involvement in Syria is nothing but an illusion. Assad won’t simply bow to the American pressure of Donald Trump because he would rather burn the country to the ground first.
