Trump’s “Red Line” Moment in Syria?

<> on April 9, 2018 in Washington, DC.

Bottom Line: U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to rain missiles on forces loyal to Syrian Bashar al-Assad, one week after they allegedly conducted a chemical weapons attack on civilians in Syria’s rebel-held town of Douma, near the capital Damascus. While a potential strike may signal to Assad that the U.S. will not tolerate the use of chemical weapons, it may also lead to military escalation and possibly a direct confrontation with Russia, which supports the Assad regime and has troops based throughout the country.

Background: Throughout Syria’s seven-year civil war, the Assad regime has targeted civilians with chemical weapons, evoking international condemnation. 

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