Wilkerson: Trump Attack on Syria Driven by Domestic Politics

Former Chief of Staff to Colin Powell, Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, tells Paul Jay that the Syrian Government may not be responsible for the chemical attack and that Trump's response was a violation of international law

Syrian War Turns into ‘International Armed Conflict’ after US Strike

The Red Cross says the United States' airstrike on the Syrian base has pushed Syria into an “international armed conflict.” It signals a shift for the humanitarian organization, which previously regarded Syria's conflict as an internal civil war. RT got more from Ralph El Hage, who represents the Red Cross Near and Middle East region.

Debate on US Strike against Syria

Nine civilians are among the 14 people killed in a U.S. missile bombardment, on a Syrian airbase. President Trump says it was a retaliation for a chemical attack despite providing no evidence.

Putin Slams ‘Trumped Up’ US Strike in Syria | April 8, 2017

Pamela Geller on Syria Strike: ‘What Is the Objective? Which Al-Qaeda Satellite Are We Partnering With?’

Read the Breitbart article here

Poll: Why Is Trump Really Bombing Syria?

Peace Advocates: If Trump Wanted To Help Syrians, He Would Lift Refugee Ban & Fund Humanitarian Aid

We continue our roundtable discussion on Syria after the United States carried out a missile attack on a Syrian airfield, saying it was a response to a chemical weapons attack that killed 86 people, including at least 30 children. Syria denies carrying out the attack. "Both these superpowers … do not give a damn about Syrian self-determination nor justice for Syrians," says Yazan al-Saadi, a Syrian-Canadian writer who joins us from Beirut. "We do want something that will be positive for the Syrian people," adds Medea Benjamin, cofounder of CodePink. "That means immediately lifting of the Trump ban on Syrian refugees coming to the United States, of funding of the $5 billion that the U.N. says is desperately needed to help the humanitarian crisis facing the Syrian refugees, and demand that the U.S. work with Russia to finally come to a ceasefire and work for a political solution." We are also joined by Alia Malek, journalist and former human rights lawyer, and Phyllis Bennis, fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies.

Russia Condemns US Strikes on Syria as a 'Violation of International Law'

Putin Believes US Attack On Syria Violates International Law - Kremlin

President Putin “regards the strikes as aggression against a sovereign nation,” his spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, noting that the president believes the strikes were carried out “in violation of international law, and also under an invented pretext.”

Fate of IS Leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi Unknown after Airstrikes Target Him

THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: The US-led coalition unleashed airstrikes near the Iraqi city of Mosul targeting top jihadist militants but the fate of the Islamic State group's enigmatic leader remained unclear.

Claims swirled that hardline IS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had been killed in the attacks late Friday, but US officials could not confirm if he had even been present.

The news came after US President Barack Obama unveiled plans to send up to 1500 more US troops to Iraq to help battle the militants who have seized a large swathe of territory.

In fresh violence, some 33 people were killed in a wave of car bombings against Shiite areas in the capital Baghdad, highlighting again the security challenge facing Iraqis even within government-controlled zones.

US Central Command confirmed that coalition aircraft conducted a "series of airstrikes" against "a gathering of ISIL leaders near Mosul".

A convoy of 10 armoured vehicles from the group also known as ISIL was destroyed.

"We cannot confirm if ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was among those present," CENTCOM spokesman Patrick Ryder said in his statement. » | AFP | Sunday, November 09, 2014

Is ISIS Beginning to Outsmart US Airstrike Strategy?

Oct. 02, 2014 - 4:49 - Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby responds to reports of ISIS beginning to adjust and outmaneuver coalition airstrikes

'Emir' of Mosul Says Islamic State Has No Fear of US Air Strikes

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Haji Othman tells Italian daily that militant group's advances in Iraq are 'just the beginning' and that the world 'cannot imagine' the strength of its forces

Islamic State’s self-declared “emir” of Mosul says his fighters have no fear of American air strikes and that the world has so far seen just a fraction of the extremist group’s military strength.

Haji Othman, who identifies himself as one of the leaders of the “Islamic caliphate of Mosul”, warned that Christians in northern Iraq must convert to Islam, pay a tax as “non-believers” or face certain death.

Islamic State has made rapid advances in Iraq and is tightening its grip on Syria, where the group now controls around a third of the country.

They have successfully taken on the Syrian army, Kurdish militias and Sunni Muslim tribal forces but bigger military operations are to follow, Haji Othman told Corriere della Sera, one of Italy’s leading dailies.

“This is nothing. We’re just at the beginning. Up until now we’ve used just a small part of the forces that we have at our disposition. You cannot imagine how strong we really are. We have immense power. You’ll be amazed. You won’t be able to defeat us,” he told the newspaper, during a telephone conversation by mobile phone. » | Nick Squires, Rome | Monday, August 11, 2014