After the Syrian government used sarin in chemical attacks on its own people two days ago, killing more than 72 people, Trump has swiftly changed his mind on Syria and is has dropped 59 missiles on Syria. The missiles targeted Syrian airbases, aircraft, and fuel points, including the Mezze airfield in Damascus.
Just yesterday, Trump booted his advisor Steve Bannon from the National Security Council and installed General H.R. McMaster, a three-star Army general.
A long time ago, years before he ran for President, Trump chastised Obama for considering bombing Syria.
Don't attack Syria - an attack that will bring nothing but trouble for the U.S. Focus on making our country strong and great again!
â Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 9, 2013
Obama didn't bomb Syria because Congress wouldn't give approval.
Wrote the New York Times in 2013:
"In one of the riskiest gambles of his presidency, Mr. Obama effectively dared lawmakers to either stand by him or, as he put it, allow President Bashar al-Assad of Syria to get away with murdering children with unconventional weapons."
However, the strikes might not have been entirely legal. Says John Glaser, Associate Director of Foreign Policy Studies at the Cato Institute:
There is no legal authority to bomb Syria. Trump has not received Congressional approval. The strikes are unconnected to any strategic end.
â John Glaser (@jwcglaser) April 7, 2017
The reaction to the strikes has been mixed across the political spectrum.
Our prior interventions in this region have done nothing to make us safer and Syria will be no different.
â Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) April 7, 2017
Statement from @MarcoRubio on U.S. airstrikes in Syria. https://t.co/sbfSGWjfSX #Sayfie #SyriaChemicalAttack pic.twitter.com/OGLU3tRpsk
â Eric Carr (@_EricCarr) April 7, 2017
Whatever one thinks about bombing Syria, the gap between Trump's campaign rhetoric on Syria and his actions tonight is mind-boggling.
â Binyamin Appelbaum (@BCAppelbaum) April 7, 2017
Bombing #Syria doesn't help those people affected by the chemical weapons attack. We don't need another puppet government in the Middle East
â Ben Kissel (@BenKissel) April 7, 2017
Dangerously haphazard foreign policy-making. https://t.co/4VRH9udPRG
â Matt Ortega (@MattOrtega) April 7, 2017
Remember that #SNL skit? Well... just give an impulsive toddler access to cruise missiles... #Syria pic.twitter.com/RM0NIfBWoh
â FlĂłkiUSA (@FlokiUSA) April 7, 2017
It appears Trump was moved by the images of dead children, but not, apparently, enough to take them in as refugees.
But he'd still turn Syrian children away from our country, right? https://t.co/677tLSGQ7t
â Paul Constant (@paulconstant) April 7, 2017