and french response to these atrocities will integrate all instruments of our national power, military, economic and diplomatic. we are prepared to sustain this response until the syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents. i also have a message tonight for the two governments most responsible for supporting, equipping and financing the criminal assad regime. to iran and to russia i ask, what kind of a nation wants to be associated with the mass murder of innocent men, women and children? the nations of the world can be judged by the friends they keep. no nation can succeed in the long run by promoting rogue states, brutal tyrants and

murderous dictators. in 2013, president putin and his government promised we now have a correspondence from detroit. what is your view on these airstrikes, where they necessary or we re airstrikes, where they necessary or were they unnecessary?” airstrikes, where they necessary or were they unnecessary? i think they are were they unnecessary? i think they a re necessary were they unnecessary? i think they are necessary as a deterrent against the regime using chemical weapons in the regime using chemical weapons in the future. however i don't think they really will have a long—term impact. in the united states the view is that the secretary of defence james mattis prevailed over national security adviserjohn

bolton, there is only going to be a limited attack against chemical weapons production centres, not a wholesale attack. will be frustrated when they wake up tomorrow morning. it almost feels as if... it has almost been pointless, what is the point of these airstrikes if bashar al—assad, who you have met, it still in charge, still direct ring operations and committing these atrocities against his own people? several reasons, last year president trump launched about 60 weapons against the airbase used to launch the chemical strike last may. so he had to respond here again. secondly president trump made again. secondly president trump made a bunch with saying they would be a response. so there was no backing

down from that. however i think it isa down from that. however i think it is a very disappointing response because i don't think it is going to deter president aside from using chemical weapons in the future. it is not degrading and destroying his military capabilities and most important, it is not attacking the paramilitary organisations and the iranian backed organisations that are iranian backed organisations that a re really iranian backed organisations that are really prosecuting the war right now. it is worth pointing out that now. it is worth pointing out that no matter how smart the bombs are, very often they still do kill people at on the ground, and that is not what the us wants? unfortunately we may see some collateral damage in civilians being killed. these are smart bombs, pinpoint strikes, but the united states has attacked targets inside the city of damascus, they did not do that last time, there are civilians nearby. so we probably will see some type of pictures tomorrow that the regime tries to use as propaganda against the american airstrike. last year

the american airstrike. last year the us airstrike on syria in retaliation or innocence to that use of sarin gas, i believe it was, that was unilateral. how important was at this time around to have the uk and france on—board? i think it is very important from an american to spec is that the united states has not acted alone, because in iraq was perceived that the other states went alone, even though they had a coalition. —— that the united states. what is more important is that you have the arab nations on—board. resident trump spoke about the middle east nations taking response ability, talking about saudi arabia, uae, qatarand egypt coming on board, that is very important for president trump, that he not be perceived, that the united states is going out of alone and expanding its resources, money and whatnot, in the middle east. he

wa nts to whatnot, in the middle east. he wants to have a broad range regional coalition. what was it like when he met president aside? it was quite surreal. president assad can be quite charming. he knows how to speak to a western audience. he spoke to us about playing guitar games. it is hard to see this man, who really you can connect with, understand your socialisation, and demonising the way he is in the press. there is a very big dissonant they are. speaking of disconnect is, it is not just they are. speaking of disconnect is, it is notjust the president, but it is those who have an interest in keeping him there, is it not? i'm not 100% sure that is the case. president assad did not create the revolution, he is not a charismatic

leader like president nasser of egypt, he was not a revolutionary like a gaddafi in libya, so in 1990... the united states as they would —— said they would cut ahead of the stake in iraq, saddam hussein. if you kill assad i am not sure they will be the chaos that they could be had gaddafi been decapitated. you know who the strongman is, it is one of the security chiefs. there could be a smooth transition to power if the united states tries to decapitate president assad like they did at the beginning of the war in 2003 with president saddam hussein. what happens to iran, which is in a sense, getting into a proxy war with the united states, and saudi arabia, one of the countries very likely to get more involved if the united

states escalates? excellent question. the situation here is that the united states does not appear to have struck any iranian targets, it does not appear to have struck any paramilitary organisations that are supported by iran. any of the foreign shia that have been brought in by the iranians to do all the fighting, and we need to say that the organisations that have been fighting on the battlefield and defeating the rebels, it is not the syrian army. the fact that the united... did not degrade... they can continue to push the offensive is and continue to attack and degrade the rebels. this is another example of these strikes did not do anything on the ground to prevent the syrian regime and its allies from continuing the war and the... thank you very much, research fellow

at the new american foundation, we lost some audio there but thank staying with us. western strikes have begun in syria after a chemical weapons attack in the country last week. donald trump confirmed that a joint military operation between the us and britain and france had started, targeting chemical weapons facilities in syria. he also said that russia was responsible for failing to stop the syrian government's use of chemical weapons. a short time ago i ordered the united states armed forces to launch precision strikes on targets associated with the chemical weapons capabilities of syrian dictator bashar al—assad. capabilities of syrian dictator bashar al-assad. after days of diplomacy, confirmation from the us president that strikes in syria have begun. it has been a week since this attack. america saying it has proof the syrian government did use a

chemical weapon here, a chlorine attack. reports say 85 people died in including children. the military firepower was already in place. america has the uss donald cook in the mediterranean, armed with cruise missiles. france has the aquitaine. there are us and uk submarines to. britain could provide air support. it has tornadoes in cyprus. france has fighter jets based it has tornadoes in cyprus. france has fighterjets based injordan. russia, syria's strongest ally has anti—missile defence systems in the west of the country. this is not about intervening in a civil war. it is not about regime change. it is about a limited and targeted strike that does not further escalate tensions in the region. and that does everything possible to prevent civilian casualties. russia had urged the us not to attack and said

he would shoot down any missiles. the international chemical weapons watchdog has a team in syria right now due to begin investigating this weekend. but western military strikes have come first, after the uk, america and france alleged that syria's use of chemical weapons must not go unpunished. earlier i spoke to the american cbs correspondent in damascus who tell us correspondent in damascus who tell us about the situation there. we are hearing the sound of air strikes, almost rumbling that sounds like thunder in the distance. we were here on this balconyjust south—east over damascus, we were listening to president trump speak around four o'clock local time this morning, and while the president was speaking we we re while the president was speaking we were hearing those airstrikes. we we re were hearing those airstrikes. we were also starting to see behind us over the balcony here, we were

seeing streaking through the skies, flares lighting up the night sky. we we re flares lighting up the night sky. we were also seeing and hearing some anti—aircraft fire. the syrian state tv was reporting that 13 according to syrian state tv, 13 missiles had been shut out of the sky. if that proves to be true it certainly would bea proves to be true it certainly would be a badge of honour for the syrians who said that their anti—aircraft defences were working on overdrive early this morning. certainly the standing here, we did hear that. looking at syrian standing here, we did hear that. lc tgat syrian ; or . é it, or weapon pairing for expecting it, or weapon pairing for it? -- were preparing. they were following the news as we all have around the world. we have been here

for a couple of days here on the streets talking with people in damascus, it is friday was a holy day, a quiet day of rest. there was this real ease throughout the city in the places m g