Category Archives: Government

Government, Middle East, Syria, United Nations, United States

U.S. launches strikes against Syria

SYRIA

Assad

Syrian President Bashar Assad speaks during an interview with Croatian newspaper Vecernji List in Damascus.

The U.S. has launched cruise missiles against Syria, a day after President Trump said a chemical weapons attack that killed 86, “crossed many, many” lines.

Why did the U.S. attack?

Back in 2013, President Obama set a “red line” against the use of chemical weapons by Syrian President Bashar Assad. The regime proceeded to use the weapons to kill 1,400 civilians, but Obama did not attack — a move Trump and other Republicans widely criticised as making America look weak.

In the wake of that episode, Assad agreed to turn over his stockpile of chemical weapons. This week’s chemical attack clearly violated that pledge. Trump called the attack — which killed at least 86 people, 27 of them children —  “a disgrace to humanity” and “truly one of the egregious crimes.”

How did the U.S. attack?

The cruise missiles were fired from a U.S. Navy vessel in the Mediterranean Sea. The missiles hit multiple targets, including the airfield which serves as the base for the warplanes suspected of carrying out the chemical attack.

The plan for the attack followed one devised in 2013 after Obama set his “red line.”

Has the U.S. struck Syria before?

The U.S. has been bombing Islamic State targets in Syria since 2014, but this was the first strike against the Syrian regime. This also marked the first conventional assault on another country ordered by President Trump.

Why did the U.S. attack from ships?

Tomahawk missiles can travel 1,500 miles to strike their target. So, the U.S. Navy was able to launch the attack from the Mediterranean Sea, avoiding the need to get permission from any host country to launch the strikes.

What are the risks of attacking the regime?

One potential concern is the safety of US Special Operations troops in eastern Syria who are advising local ground forces in their fight against the Islamic State. There are fears Assad could counter by targeting the U.S. troops. The strikes also effectively open a new front in America’s 16-year war in the Middle East.

Bunker

Damaged hardened aircraft shelters at the Syrian airbase following US airstrikes.

Airfield

Digital satellite image of the US target zone.

Tomahawkjpg

59 Tomahawk missiles were fired by the US military fleet in the eastern Mediterranean towards the Al-Shayrat airbase near Homs in Syria.

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Britain, Government, Syria, United Nations, United States

Prime Minister May seeks investigation into Syria ‘chemical weapons attack’

SYRIA

Idlib

A suspected Syrian government chemical attack killed scores of people, including children, in the northwestern province of Idlib.

Theresa May has called for an investigation into a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria as she condemned the atrocity which has claimed the lives of dozens of people.

The Prime Minister called on Russia to ensure Bashar Assad’s regime is brought to an end.

Opposition activists claim that dozens of people died in the attack in a town in the northern province of Idlib, with the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights putting the death toll at 58, including 11 children.

Mrs May said: “I’m appalled by the reports that there’s been a chemical weapons attack on a town south of Idlib allegedly by the Syrian regime.

“We condemn the use of chemical weapons in all circumstances.

“If proven, this will be further evidence of the barbarism of the Syrian regime, and the UK has led international efforts to call to account the Syrian regime and Daesh for the use of chemical weapons and I would urge the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to investigate this incident as soon as possible.

“I’m very clear that there can be no future for Assad in a stable Syria which is representative of all the Syrian people and I call on all the third parties involved to ensure that we have a transition away from Assad.

“We cannot allow this suffering to continue.”

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Britain, Government, Politics, Scotland

Scotland: Formal request to hold second independence referendum

SCOTLAND: BREXIT

A letter from Nicola Sturgeon formally requesting transfer of powers to hold a second Scottish independence referendum has been delivered to Downing Street.

The Section 30 letter penned by Scotland’s First Minister was dispatched to Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday morning.

MSPs voted by 69 to 59 this week in favour of seeking permission for an independence referendum to take place between autumn 2018 and spring 2019.

The letter said: “In these very changed circumstances, the people of Scotland must have the right to choose our own future – in short, to exercise our right of self determination.”

The UK Government has said it will decline the request, with Mrs May repeatedly stating “now is not the time” for another vote on the issue.

However, Ms Sturgeon has said her mandate for another vote is ”beyond question” and is pressing ahead with a formal approach for a Section 30 order – the mechanism for the powers to hold a referendum.

Ms Sturgeon said leaving the EU and the single market would have “enormous implications” for schools, hospitals, jobs and investment in Scotland.

In a video message posted by the Scottish Government on Twitter, she said: “The next two years are hugely important for Scotland because they will determine the kind of country we’ll become.

“That’s why I have today written to the UK Government to ensure that we can make that choice when the time is right to accept Brexit or instead become an independent country.

“I don’t take for granted how people would vote when that choice comes but I hope we can all agree that the future of our country is our choice.”

She added: “The Prime Minister has indicated that she intends to ignore the will of the Scottish Parliament and seek to prevent people in Scotland having that choice.

“If the Westminster government continues to hold that line, it will go against the very foundations of devolution.

“So, I hope the Prime Minister changes her mind and acknowledges that the people of Scotland are entitled to a choice at a time and in a way that is right for Scotland.

“However, if she doesn’t, as I expect she won’t, at least not yet, I will come back to the Scottish Parliament in a few weeks’ time with an update on how we’re going to move forward to ensure that the people of Scotland are able to choose our future when we have the information we need both about Brexit and about independence, and while there is still time to take a different path.”

In the letter to Mrs May, Ms Sturgeon said there appeared to be “no rational reason” for the UK Government to “stand in the way of the will of the Scottish Parliament”, adding: “I hope you will not do so.”

She continued: “However, in anticipation of your refusal to enter into discussions at this stage, it is important for me to be clear about my position.

“It is my firm view that the mandate of the Scottish Parliament must be respected and progressed. The question is not if, but how.

“I hope that will be by constructive discussion between our Governments. However, if that is not yet possible, I will set out to the Scottish Parliament the steps I intend to take to ensure that progress is made towards a referendum.”

Around 62% of Scottish voters backed the UK remaining part of the EU in June 2016 and the SNP manifesto for last year’s Holyrood elections said another ballot on independence should take place if there were a ”material change in circumstances” from the previous ballot in 2014.

The example cited was for Scotland to be removed from the EU against its wishes.

Scottish Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat politicians oppose another referendum.

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