Donald Trump says no timeline for strikes, while demanding a thank you

Donald Trump says there is no timeline for missile strikes in Syria and Russia has troops deployed on the ground.

Syrian Army soldiers advancing in an area on the eastern outskirts of Douma. Picture: AFP

One day after warning Russia that US military air strikes were set to hit Syrian targets US President Donald Trump has been evasive about when the previously imminent strikes would occur.

Trump had threatened the strikes as a result of the use of chemical weapons by Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad killing at least 60 men, women and children, many of whom were found dead with white foam coming from their mouths.

Trump’s words came after Russia revealed they had troops on the ground in Douma and the flag of the Syrian regime was flying there after government forces had taken full control over Eastern Ghouta.

“Never said when an attack on Syria would take place. Could be very soon or not so soon at all,” Trump tweeted before later in the same tweet seeming to suggest the world should be more thankful to the United States for their actions abroad.

“In any event, the United States, under my Administration, has done a great job of ridding the region of ISIS. Where is our “Thank you America?”

Never said when an attack on Syria would take place. Could be very soon or not so soon at all! In any event, the United States, under my Administration, has done a great job of ridding the region of ISIS. Where is our “Thank you America?”

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 12, 2018

Syrian President al-Assad warned that threats of Western military action in response to an alleged chemical attack would only lead to further chaos in the region.

“These voices, and any possible actions, will only contribute to further destabilisation in the region,” Assad said.

His comments, made as he received Ali Akbar Velayati, foreign policy adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were posted on the Syrian presidency’s social media.

UK CONSIDERING THEIR RESPONSE

The British government has been discussing supporting the United States military action, as a Cabinet “war council’’ meets in Westminster.

British prime minister Theresa May was tipped to announce that the British would back the United States action to send a strong signal to the Syrian regime that the use of “barbaric” chemical weapons was unacceptable. But she was coming under strong pressure from the opposition to delay any such move.

French president Emmanuel Macron has swung behind the United States, but German chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany would not join in any military strikes against Syria.

“Germany will not take part if possible - there have not been any decisions yet, I want to stress that - military action,” she said after meeting Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen in Berlin.

“But we support everything that is being done to show that the use of chemical weapons is not acceptable.’’

Mr Macron told French television: “We have the proof that chemical weapons — at least chlorine gas — were used by Assad’s regime”. He said France’s response would be taken at the appropriate time when it will be the most effective.

In the past day Britain has been repositioning a Royal Navy submarine armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles in the eastern Mediterranean. The submarine can be supported with six Typhoon fighter jets, eight GR4 Tornado aircraft and one air-to-air Voyager refuelling tanker which is based in Cyprus. A type 45 destroyer, on loan to Nato, is also in the region and could be deployed.

However, Mrs May was being urged to put the decision to parliament instead of using Royal Prerogative powers to engage in military action unilaterally.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had demanded a recall of parliament so that the issue could be debated. “More bombing, more killing, more war will not save life,” Mr Corbyn said.

UK defence analysts believe any attack involving British forces will have to be calibrated and specific to avoid an escalation in the already tense diplomatic relations between Westminster and Moscow.

Relations are so poor following the expulsion of diplomats over the poisoning of double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. Russians have repeatedly mocked the May government and overnight they claimed Yulia Skripal’s statement which rejected Russian support was “composed in a special way” which “strengthens suspicions that we are dealing with a forcible isolation of the Russian citizen’’.

Russia is poised to use its new S-400 air defence system to counter any Tomahawk attack on Syria’s infrastructure where Russians might be deployed.

AUSTRALIA’S RESPONSE

Minister for Defence Marise Payne. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne said Australia would consider any reasonable request from Coalition partners for support in relation to action against Syria over the chemical weapons attack.

But Senator Payne said there had not been “any request at this point in time”.

“We stand in support of absolutely condemning in the strongest possible terms against civilians. I’m not going to speculate about hypotheticals but as I said we would consider any reasonable request,’’ she said in an interview with ABC radio.

Senator Payne said Russia appeared to be attempting to shield Syria from any investigation in vetoing a US resolution in the UN Security Council for an investigation.

“ ... in vetoing that resolution Russia is effectively standing in the way of an investigation into the use of chemical weapons in Syria,’’ she said.

“They (Russia) are a permanent member of the UN security council and they should not be part of shielding the Syrian regime from any investigation into the use of chemical weapons which in this case has killed almost 50 civilians.”

Asked if an investigation should be completed before any air strikes took place, Senator Payne said the consideration of any response from the Coalition will be made based on the information and intelligence that is available to us.

“Their (Russian) behaviour up to this point appears to be an effort to shield Syria from a proper investigation into the use of chemical weapons and from Australia’s perspective we are very disappointed by that,’’ she said.

Senator Payne said Australia joined other nations in condemning in the strongest possible terms the chemical attack against civilians which we know included children in Syria on April 7.

She said those responsible must be held account because the use of chemical weapons at any time under any circumstances “is unacceptable”.

Senator Payne said if the US decided to undertake action, then Australia “would engage with them in due course”.

SYRIAN FLAG RAISED IN DOUMA

Russia earlier announced that the Syrian regime had taken control in Douma, labelling the development a monumental occasion.

“Today a significant event in the history of Syria took place. The raising of a regime flag over a building in the town of Douma signified control over this town and consequently over Eastern Ghouta as a whole,” Major General Yury Yevtushenko, head of the Russian military’s centre for reconciliation in Syria, said.

Russian television showed footage of the Syrian government’s red, white and black flag with two green stars hanging from an unidentified building, while cheering crowds waved flags in among shell-damaged buildings.

The Russian defence ministry also said that its military police had begun patrolling Douma, after announcing their planned deployment the day before.

“From today, units of the Russian armed forces’ military police are working in the town of Douma. They are a guarantee of the observance of law and order in the town,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

The news comes amid threats overnight from US President Donald Trump that missiles will be coming ‘nice, new and smart’ after Russia said they would shoot down American missiles aimed at Syria.

The escalation of tensions between the US and Russia came after a chemical weapons attack by Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad killed at least 60 men, women and children, many of whom were found dead with white foam coming from their mouths.

Russia had issued a response to the United States, mocking Trump when Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would “not participate in Twitter diplomacy.”

REBELS LEAVE

The remaining rebels in Syria’s battered Eastern Ghouta have surrendered their heavy weapons and their leader has left the enclave for the north, a war monitor said on Thursday.

“Jaish al-Islam fighters handed over their heavy weapons to Russian military police in the town of Douma on Wednesday,” said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

“Most of Jaish al-Islam’s top brass, including their head Issam Buwaydani, left Douma and arrived in northern Syria on Wednesday evening,” the Britain-based monitor said.

His departure came under a fraught deal for Douma announced last weekend, just hours after an alleged chemical weapons attack that killed dozens in the town.

Under the agreement, thousands of Jaish al-Islam fighters and civilians have been bussed out of Douma to opposition-controlled parts of Syria’s Aleppo province.

With AP