U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley warned Sunday that a chemical attack could occur on American soil “if we’re not smart” following an escalation in poison gas use in Syria and a nerve agent being deployed against a former Russian spy in the United Kingdom.
“There had been a cumulative wave of constant use of chemical weapons. Assad knew that Russia had his back, Assad knew that Russia would cover for him at the United Nations, and Assad got reckless and he used it in a way that was far more aggressive,” Haley said during an interview on “Fox News Sunday.”
She was referring to Syrian President Bashar Assad’s suspected role in a chlorine and sarin gas attack on the rebel-held city of Doumas that killed at least 40 people on April 7.
“We have to be very conscious of the fact that we can’t allow even the smallest use of chemical weapons. That’s why you saw the president strike this past weekend, that’s why you saw him expel 60 Russian spies after the attack in Salisbury. This very easily could happen in the United States if we’re not smart,” Haley continued.
Haley pushed back on criticism of President Trump saying “mission accomplished” after he ordered the U.S. military on Friday to launch airstrikes on three sites in Syria that help Assad’s government research, produce and store chemical weapons.
She explained “mission accomplished” was a military phrase and that “politically, mission accomplished means something broader.”
“I think the president was referring in military terms. We of course know that our work in Syria is not done,” Haley said, adding U.S. troops would remain in the country.
.@nikkihaley tells Chris U.S. troops will not be pulled from Syria until goals are accomplished: “We’re not going to leave until we know we have accomplished those things…Be very clear, if we leave, when we leave, it will be because we know that everything is moving forward.” pic.twitter.com/AhvtB9jPwQ
— FoxNewsSunday (@FoxNewsSunday) April 15, 2018
But Haley on Sunday would not say whether another chemical attack in Syria would trigger an automatic U.S. response.
She also called questions about whether the U.S. condoned Assad’s alleged use of “conventional” weapons against his own people as “unfair.”
