'This is about humanity': Trump promises decision on US military action within 24-48 hours - Russia suddenly puts troops on full combat alert

RT
Mon, 09 Apr 2018 19:27 UTC

© Leah Millis / Reuters

US President Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has said that he will decide on potential actions against Syria within 24-48 hours in response to reports of an alleged chemical attack in Douma, East Ghouta.

Trump promised a swift response to the "heinous attack," saying that "this is about humanity and it can't be allowed to happen."

His statements echo earlier remarks by Defense Secretary James Mattis. When asked by a reporter if the US was considering military strikes against Syria, Mattis replied that he "would not rule out anything right now."

Comment: US Defense Secretary James Mattis has not ruled out the possibility of launching airstrikes against Syria in response to an alleged chemical attack in the militant-held town of Douma.

Speaking with reports on Monday, Mattis said he wouldn't "rule out anything right now" after being asked if the US was mulling strikes against Syrian President Bashar Assad.

"The first thing we have to look at is why chemical weapons are still being used at all. Russia was the framework guarantor of removing all the chemical weapons and so working with our allies and partners, from NATO to Qatar and elsewhere we are going to address this issue," he added.

On Sunday, Trump wrote on Twitter that there would be a "big price to pay" for the alleged attack.

Moscow says the accusations against Damascus serve as a baseless provocation. It has warned that any military action taken to 'respond' to the alleged incident would have "dire consequences." Trump used similar language after an alleged chemical attack was carried out in Idlib province last April. He later ordered a Tomahawk missile strike against a Syrian airbase in Homs.

The US State Department said in a statement released on Monday that victims of the alleged attack in Douma showed symptoms of exposure to a nerve agent, and called on Syria and Russia to open the area to international monitors.

Saturday's alleged chemical attack in Douma, Eastern Ghouta, comes as pro-government forces conclude an operation that has liberated nearly the entire region from Islamic militants. The alleged chemical incident was reported by pro-jihadist groups and it could not be confirmed by Red Crescent medics on the ground.Following the reports, two Israeli warplanes targeted a Syrian airbase in Homs on Sunday night, according to the Russian and Lebanese militaries.

Monday also marks John Bolton's first day as Trump's new national security advisor. Bolton, a former Bush-era ambassador to the UN, has been a vocal proponent of more US military involvement in the Middle East.

Comment: On Monday evening, President Donald Trump will meet senior Pentagon officials with his new mega-hawk National Security Advisor John Bolton taking part. Bolton enters the office with a brand new pretext to bomb Syria.

Bolton, a key player in building the George W Bush administration's fraudulent case for attacking Iraq, starts his tenure in the Trump administration this week. One of the first matters requiring his advice will be America's reaction to a reported chemical-weapons attack in Syria. Reports of the alleged attack came from pro-jihadist sources and could not be confirmed by Red Crescent medics on the ground. But Trump has already threatened Syrian President Bashar Assad with consequences for the strike, and also invented an insulting nickname for him.

So what advice can Bolton - a man with a long record of advocating more military action against Syria, Iran, North Korea and whoever challenges America - give to his determined boss? We can only wonder, although some say digging fallout shelters may be a good idea now.

The Arabic-language al-Mayadeen news website reported that Jeish al-Islam commanders were waiting for the US military operations against Syria while violating the agreement to leave Douma in Eastern Ghouta.

Jeish al-Islam terrorists killed and wounded over 50 civilians with mortar attacks after violating the ceasefire deal and refrained from leaving Douma, provocating the Syrian army's response.

They also launched false-flag chemical operations in the region and killed and wounded hundreds of civilians to raise allegations against the Syrian army.

Analysts believe that all moves made by the terrorists in Douma in the past two days were based on a pre-planned scenario by the US, the western states and supporters of terrorist groups in Syria to find a pretext for Washington to launch military operations against Damascus.

The Russian military command suddenly puts troops on full combat alert, movements of combat vehicles and missile systems observe almost all over the country.

An activity of Russian troops is most notable in the Western part of Russia, near the borders with Ukraine and the Republic of Belarus, as well as in the Transbaikal region and the Far East. On April 8-9 active movements of a large number of military vehicles and tanks, also were seen moving of the Iskander missile systems with Air Defence support.

Some source reported about deploying command and control systems on main military naval bases and military airfields.

Russian defence officials refused to comment on any moving of troops.