Thursday, April 6, 2017

U.S. fires 59 Tomahawk Cruise missiles at Syrian air field

The Trump administration did a "reverse Obama" and actually set down a red line, not with words, but with Cruise missiles that targeted Shayrat's airbase, runway, aircraft, control towers, ammunition areas, hangars and fuel supply. 

The airbase is near the city of Homs.

The 59 long-range all-weather missiles weigh 3,500 pounds with booster and cost $1.59 million each which means tonight cost the taxpayer 93.81 million US dollars. Each missile is 18 feet 3 inches long (20.5 feet with booster) a 20.4 inch diameter and carries a 1,000 pound payload of high explosives.

The Cruise missile only flies 550 mph downhill--it's slow but very effective.

The missiles were fired by the USS Ross and USS Porter at 8:45 p.m. ET, just as President Trump said 'goodnight' to Chinese President Xi Jinping. It was well-timed. Xi was not told about what was about to happen but was told afterward.

The Russians were notified about the strike, as well they should, and the left will probably accuse Mr. Trump of warning them because of the President's special relationship with Putin. That's ridiculous--of course he needed to warn them.

The Pentagon is calling the U.S. attack a "proportional response," which is incredibly stupid--you attack to win, not to hit as hard as you've been hit. 

"It is in the vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons," President Trump said in a statement. "Tonight I call on all civilized nations to join us in seeking to end the slaughter and bloodshed in Syria, and also to end terrorism of all kinds and all types."

Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said based on early indications the strike "had severely damaged or destroyed Syrian aircraft and support infrastructure and equipment . . . reducing the Syrian Government's ability to deliver chemical weapons."

The President said Shayrat was used as a staging point for Tuesday's chemical weapons attack on rebel-held territory. As many as 72 men, women and children were killed by what is believed to be sarin gas, a highly deadly nerve gas and a clear war crime.

"Assad choked out the lives of helpless men, women and children," Trump said. "Even beautiful babies were cruelly murdered in this very barbaric attack. No child of God should ever suffer such horror."

There will likely be much more to follow.

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