Trump’s letter to Congress: “US will take additional action, as necessary and appropriate”
Trump’s letter to Congress outlining his intentions and justifications to attack a Syrian air base has been acquired by Phillip Crowther, White House Correspondent to France24. In the letter, Trump stated: “I acted in the vital national security and foreign policy interests of the United States.”
He also explained that US intelligence “indicates that Syrian military forces operating from this airfield are responsible for the chemical weapons attack on Syrian civilians in southern Idlib province, Syria”.
This explanation continues to face criticisms as mounting evidence and logic suggests this was a false flag attack. Ron Paul has been the most vocal in criticising US actions in Syria because he questions the possibility of Assad jeopardising his own progress and position by attacking his own civilians.
The most worrying aspect of this letter is Trump appearing to express his commitment to further the interventionist agenda by stating: “The United States will take additional action, as necessary and appropriate, to further its important national interests”.
This vague statement may only refer “national interests” as defeating ISIS and withdrawing from the Middle East, as Trump always promised. However, it may open up the possibilities for more US intervention in the Middle East under a President who promised to revive conservative isolationism.
Trump has already faced criticisms from right-wing politicians and commentators for going back on his word and attacking a sovereign nation based on weak evidence. Marine Le Pen has expressed her concerns of repeating another Iraq catastrophe.
More US intervention will only lead to more deaths, more instability, and an exacerbated refugee crisis. Trump’s bombing of an airfield may not directly lead to that, but furthering the interventionist agenda by taking “additional action…to further its important national interests” is a dangerous path.
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