hours. we will keep you abreast of the facts moving forward. thank you, very much. host: that was wrapping up the withgon briefing just now lieutenant general mckenzie and the pentagon spokeswoman dana white. general mckenzie described the strikes in syria as precise, overwhelming, and effective, noting that a lot of the facilities and equipment used for manufacturing chemical weapons were taken out. dana white said that they were still assessing the exact proof connecting those chemical attacks to the syrian assad

regime, but said that they would continue to do that and said that what happens next depends entirely on what the assad regime will do. we are still taking your calls about yesterday's strikes in syria and getting your reaction as we look at the headlines after the strike. the boston herald front page says that u.s. strikes syria. and the united, states have marshaled power against barbarism and brutality. -- usingto the nation the words of the president when he spoke to the nation about the attacks. honolulu, airstrikes targeting chemical weapons and facilities, along with some graphics on their front page. the new york daily news leading attack, front page trump leads allied missile barrage on syria. you have been waiting on the

republican line. what are your thoughts? caller: i have quite a few. that assad is protecting the a ssedis and christians. we don't know who was chopping the heads off of people, but we were arming the wrong rebels. there are two sides to a coin. for everyone that hates assad, there are people that love him. we want to be on the right side of history. you have god on your side and can do good. last night the general said we chose these facilities because no civilians need them, but there are other facilities that make this, but they're closer to civilians.

russia is never going to give up their warm water port. douma.isis was left in now they took it over. that is the end of our motive. host: are you concerned with the possibility that if we pull out it might leave a vacuum that isis could reclaim, or some other bad actor could fill that vacuum? caller: no. uses conventional warfare and will have a bomb that displaces them to oblivion. the rebels have little kids and wives just like boko haram. there is trouble all over the world. everywhere. did you know that chemical destroyed 64,000 americans last year? it is called fentanyl, heroin, and opioids. att: just to note,

defense.gov there is a special report for you can find the slides and information that general mckenzie pointed to during his presentation, as well as the latest from the briefing. our independent line from brooklyn, wisconsin. caller: hi. i want to make myself clear. i am 75 years old, first american-born. where up during the war in america we were taught to hide under our desks to prepare in case we got bombed. if you go back, chemical warfare is a hitler thing. i do not mean -- i think i have common sense.i was brought up in a good household , brought up with good people around me.

if anybody my age or a little younger understands what hitler's did with people, chemicals, he killed them in concentration camps with chemicals. millions of people were killed, millions. i understand that you had jennifer on the study of war. i liked her comments, what she said. i want to plant an idea in her to study up on the fact that chemical warfare was used by hitler. i strongly feel that hitler's presence is still there. from south carolina on our democratic line. would you think? caller: she is absolutely right. she is 74 and i'm 64, 10 years apart.

they told us to hide under the desk. i remember a lot of this. it is ridiculous. this world could be a better world if people would just talk about things. you don't just take advantage of people that can't help themselves too much. i have kids. nuclear weapons -- i can see war, but these are civilian people. you are killing innocent kids. somebody needs to do something about it. i'm glad that we have allies willing to stand up. they know what they have to do for they families, people, and country to survive. if they don't do it like they are supposed to, we will have a serious problem across the water.

host: we are getting your reaction to the strike in syria. we are looking at the reaction from other lawmakers and folks. senator john mccain tweeted after the strike, i applaud the president for taking military action against the assad regime and i'm grateful to our british and french allies to joining us in the action. need along run we comprehensive strategy for syria and the entire region.. nelson said he supports the attack because assad must be held accountable or the use of chemical weapons. we also have the statement by the russian ambassador on the strikes. he said a predesigned scenario is being implemented. we are being threatened, we wore in action will not be left without consequences. farage, aeet by nigel

supporter president trump, who says i said it before and i will say it again, our track record of intervening in syria and the middle east is terrible. the u.k. was one ally joining the strike yesterday. calling from maryland on the independent line, what are your thoughts? never: i do not like war, have never will. there are times we have to get involved in conflicts like this. i remember several years ago we drew a supposedly red line in the sand, which led us to where we are today. i think we shouldn't make any mistake about that. we can talk to death and nothing will get accomplished. sometimes, unfortunately, it takes a precise strike to deter. -- i think back to a former president who said peace through strength.

that can be a deterrent. as i stated, i do not like or, but there are times -- i do not like war, but there are times we need to show strikes to deter these radical regimes from killing people in mass attacks. of ourot forget, a lot young people don't even remember what auschwitz was. perhaps it is time to educate them as well. host: we did hear general mckenzie refer to yesterday's attack as precise, overwhelming, and effective. hi, george. caller: 60 million americans voted for this president. is held hostage by the deep state. we see -- i and eastern european, romanian, not russian.

don't worry about that. there are several events that coincided. one, a chemical attack in london. and then another chemical attack in syria. such a coincidence. we don't believe in coincidences. a coincidence means a lie. someone was involved in this who had a longhand in london and a longhand in syria. host: we are running out of time. who do you think is behind it? caller: the president was in new york. there were several events that makes us understand that something is going on, and it is

not assad, not the russians, it is someone else. host: you get the last word. caller: real quickly, i believe congress should authorize any military action in syria, because it flies in the face of logic. host: what would you like to see congress do? do you think congress should give him that authority? caller: if i understand the what mccain was asking n, but agree with going i not without authorization. it flies in the face of any kind of logic to defeat isis. it doesn't make any sense. thank you. host: that is all for today's

"washington journal." we will be back tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. eastern. have a good saturday. ♪ , lives weekend on c-span today at 5:30 p.m. eastern, wrote to the white house 2020 at the new hampshire democratic party dinner with jason kander. road to the30 p.m. white house 2020 coverage intinues with steve bullet polk county, iowa. today, a feature on black

classic press in baltimore. and on sunday the polluted book aolucci boko p award. on the late server at marshall and sunday at 4 p.m. on real america to cbs face the nation programs from 1968 with ronald reagan and former alabama governor george wallace. watch this weekend on the c-span network. defense department officials felt a wreath on the airstrikes last night. this is about 40 minutes.

>> good morning. happy saturday. i want to start by making one point clear. the use of chemical weapons anywhere in the world is an inexcusable violation of international law. the united states will not tolerate it. on us out regime attack april 7 is horrifying and tragic. it demanded an immediate response. forcesay, united states under the direction of president trump launched precision strikes against the assad regime targets associated with the use of chemical weapons in syria. we launched these strikes to cripple syria's ability to use chemical weapons in the future. we were joined by the united kingdom and franc