Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power applauded President Trump and U.S. allies for making an “appropriate” response to a chemical weapons attack in Syria by striking military targets, but denounced the administration for lacking a cohesive diplomatic strategy abroad beyond “tweeting and bombing.”
She began a string of tweets early Saturday citing the “case” for opposing the strike.
“Trump is anti-Muslim, deceitful, trigger-happy; he lacks a Syria plan & any seeming regard for international or domestic law,” Power said, adding, “But pls share views on what US *should* do to deter CW massacres?”
I see the case for opposing US strikes In #Syria. Trump is anti-Muslim, deceitful, trigger-happy; he lacks a Syria plan & any seeming regard for international or domestic law. But pls share views on what US *should* do to deter CW massacres?
— Samantha Power (@SamanthaJPower) April 14, 2018
Next came a six-tweet list of “preliminary thoughts” from Power, who served as the ambassador to the U.N. during the Obama administration.
“US, FR, UK military strikes in #Syria are an appropriate response to the monstrous, repeated use of CW by the Assad regime against civilians,” she said. “More unilateral US sanctions wd not deter #Assad. Russia — which vetoed even the renewal of the UN-OPCW investigation mechanism, knowing it told the truth — would never allow any meaningful response through the #UNSC. Russia has never admitted a single regime use.”
“At one point some hoped that Iran — its own soldiers once gassed by Iraq — might press #Assad to cease CW use. But now, years into Assad’s serial use, Iran & Russia are completely complicit in Assad’s “win at any cost, win with any weapon” strategy,” Power added.
The U.S. and European leaders have blamed Syrian President Bashar Assad and his Russian backers for using chemical weapons, while Russia has accused Western allies of staging gas attacks in order to provide a pretext for an assault on Assad.
The Defense Department said Friday night that U.S., British, and French forces struck three Syrian facilities that officials believe play a key role in Syria’s ability to research, produce, and store chemical weapons. Afterwards, Russia vowed “consequences” for the attack.
“But now what?” asked Power.
“General Mattis, Chairman Dunford & the US military do their jobs brilliantly. But can anyone on earth define US policy toward Syria? Since Trump took office, there hasn’t been a single serious, sustained diplomatic initiative aimed at ending the war,” Power said.
“And what is current US policy re Russia? The Russian ambass in Wash is shunned, unable even to secure meetings. But we need channels & we need objectives. For nights like tonight — & nights for the rest of time — the US needs a Russia strategy. Mixed msgs are disastrous,” Power added. “So where does that leave us? Wondering how history wd be diff if Cameron had done in 2013 as May has done; appreciating why Trump struck on behalf of CW ban, which has to matter; & fearful that the Trump admin has no strategy besides tweeting&bombing.”
Power isn’t the only Obama administration official to remark on Trump’s handling of Syria.
Former President Barack Obama’s National Security Council spokesman admitted Trump “was handed a mess” with Syria, but added Trump still hasn’t curbed the brutality of Assad’s regime.
Tommy Vietor tweeted in 2013 that “remarkable” progress had been made toward eliminating Syria’s chemical weapons. In a new tweet, Vietor said Republicans were “resurfacing” his tweet “like it’s a gotcha,” but also admitted Obama didn’t leave Syria in a stable condition for Trump.
“Shipping out 1300 metric tons of weapons-grade chemicals was a major development. Obviously they didn’t get it all. Chlorine wasn’t covered. Trump was handed a mess but also hasn’t deterred Assad,” Vietor added in tweets last week.
