Do you remember in 2012, when former U.S. President Obama publicly gave Syrian President Assad an ultimatum that if Assad gas attacked his own people, that was crossing a “red line”, which would lead to military consequences? In other words, the U. S. would respond with military force.
Assad called Obama’s bluff. Assad tested Obama and continued gas bombing his own people. Obama dithered and did nothing. Hence Obama looked weak. America looked weak and impotent. Russia (led by Putin) then a second rate power, sensing American weakness and non-involvement, moved into the Mideast power vacuum. Russia became a valued ally of Assad and regained its influence in the region after decades of being marginalized.
Russia assured Obama that Syria, Russia’s new ally, had destroyed all its chemical weapons. Typically the clueless Obama/Kerry tandem bought that lie- hook, line and sarin gas.
Conversely, when Trump and his military officials learned that Assad had recently ordered the gas attack against his own people which caused the death and injury of over 100 innocent Syrian men, women and children, Trump acted decisively.
Under the coordinated leadership of Secretary of State Tillerson, Defense Secretary Mattis and NSA adviser McMaster, U.S. Cruise missiles were launched to partially destroy the Syrian air force and the airbase from which the Syrian air force took off in its bombing sarin gas missions.
Though Trump acted unilaterally, he did adeptly in advance of this American airstrike advise such allies as Canada, England, France, Israel, Australia, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. All these allies publicly supported this limited airstrike.
Though Trump did not seek prior Congressional approval, this airstrike did meet with bipartisan support. A rarity in Washington these days!
The intended purpose of this limited American airstrike was to deter Syrian’s Assad from engaging in further chemical warfare against his own people. I believe that has been accomplished. At least in the short term.
Unlike Bush in Iraq or Obama in Libya, Trump is not at this stage interested in regime change in Syria. He is still primarily focused on fighting and defeating ISIS in Syria with the help of Russia and Assad.
This surgical strike also sent a clear message to America’s adversaries; China, Russia and Iran- that after four lost Obama years, there was an American “sheriff back in town.”
I believe, in part, Russia’s successful occupation of Crimea and its involvement in Ukraine; Iran’s aggressive actions in Yemen; North Korea’s nuclear arms testing; and China’s imperialistic exercises in the South China Sea are all a result of Obama minimizing America’s superpower world policeman role.
Note Trump also ordered a Carrier Strike Group to demonstrate a visible presence in the South China Sea as a warning to China and North Korea.
Trump is still motivated by a belief in “America First”. But clearly this is not an isolationist vision. His actions seem to be based on a cold and calculating assessment of what is America’s national and security interests. Reminiscent of Henry Kissinger’s subtle and nuanced “Realpolitik” approach to foreign affairs.
Welcome to a return to the multi-polar world of the 1970s!
Mitch Wolfe, a graduate of Harvard University, is the author of “Trump: How He Captured The Trump White House”, which he wrote and had published prior to the election. (available on Amazon.com)
