didn't trump announce that the us wrong and the u.k. have launched that military strike against syria our correspondent caleb maupin from new york joins us live now with bibi throughout caleb good to see you tell us more on this please yes we heard from u.s. president donald trump he announced that the usa was taking action against syria in response to the alleged chemical attack in duma he used the words strong deterrents to describe his motivation and furthermore in his remarks he called out iran and russia saying what kind of nation would want to be aligned with mass murder this is donald trump announcing that he was attacking the syrian arab republic in coordination with the united kingdom and france 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.

a combined operation with the armed forces of france and the united kingdom. is now underway. now from there we had a pentagon briefing an update on what had gone on with general joseph dunford of the pentagon and u.s. secretary of defense james mattis they updated the world and the u.s. public on the military action that had been take it they said that double the amount of av weapons double the amount of weapons that had been used in the previous years attack on syria and lebanon airbase was hit with tomahawk cruise missiles that double the amount of weapons was used in this recent attack and the u.s. a conducted air strikes for roughly fifteen minutes furthermore they said this was a kind of a one time event this is madness commenting on the attack. but right now this was

a one time shot and i believe that it showed a very strong message to dissuade him to deter him from doing this again. now from there we did see some criticism of donald trump's actions from his democratic opponents in congress nancy pelosi of the democratic party said that the that these strikes don't substitute for an actual strategy in syria furthermore we heard tim kaine a prominent democratic congressman say that he thought that the airstrikes were illegal because they had not been authorized by congress now it's also interesting to note that there is widespread disagreement in the international community about what actually happened in duma we did hear an announcement from the pentagon on thursday and which they said that they had confirmed that this chemical attack had taken place and that the syrian government had done it however at the u.n. security council we've heard very very intense disagreement among world leaders and

world countries for example a russia came out and put forward a resolution in the u.n. security council basically asking that they actually visit the site that the o.p.c. w. inspectors actually visit the site of the alleged chemical attack in duma russia said it had sent its inspectors and its chemical experts to the site they had not found any traces of the chemical they had not found any eyewitnesses to the attack and furthermore they had not even found any victims or anyone being in treated in a hospital for chemical related injuries so russia put forward this resolution calling for the o.p.c. w. inspectors to visit the site and this resolution put forward by russia was actually vetoed by the united states now without very much investigation at all u.s. leaders you know simply came out and were very confident and assigning blame for this attack and nikki haley the u.s. ambassador came forward and said this to the u.n.

security council. did a chemical weapons attack happen yes the u.s. has analyzed yes it has happened the u.k. has analyzed against it has happened france has analyzed yes it is that and three separate analysis all coming back with the same thing there is proof that this happened. now in the aftermath of donald trump's announcement explosions were heard in damascus now it's important to note that damascus is one of the most densely populated parts of syria at this point it's under the control of the syrian government and all across syria there have been syrians who have seen their homes the place that they've lived for maybe generations be taken over by extremist forces that want to bring the syrian government down nasr a terrorist groups groups that want to topple the syrian government in seizing territory throughout the war and many many civilians have fled to damascus because it is government controlled territory and the syrian government is welcoming

civilians to damascus for protection now that was the area that was hit this area that is very densely populated and much of the fighting and much of the military efforts of the syrian government in recent months have been to protect a mascot as it has been shelled and otherwise attacked by the extremists and terrorists and now we're seeing that the u.s. government has actually conducted and an air strike against damascus air strikes were carried on for fifty minutes in this very densely populated area under the control of the syrian government and which many many civilians are there taking refuge and protection as they as their homes have been seized so at this point there is a widespread disagreement the facts many many international bodies are saying that the facts about this alleged chemical attack in duma simply don't add up but we have seen the united states conduct air strikes against a civilian populated area a densely populated area of civilians now it's important to note that at the u.n. security council in the lead up to today's events at the emergency meetings we did

hear the people's republic of china speak of an urge the international community to respect the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of the syrian arab republic and that could widely be interpreted that statement is a pretty clear pretty clear statement in opposition to the kind of thing that was just conducted. by the united states in coordination with the u.k. and france so we will continue to update you on the international reaction on the reaction here in the united states but at the moment it seems like the world is quite divided in response to trump's actions this evening ok live thank you for those details i thought he was kind of bringing us up to speed on the latest on the syrian strikes from new york that kaleb as people around the world to continue to wake up to this news we expect more international reaction will be coming back to you for that thank you for now for comment on the situation in syria we cannot cross live to independent journalist joe morea now show us defense secretary mabus

said that they are very confident that the syrian government used chlorine in duma but then they went on to say that they don't exclude the possibility of a different agent being used possibly say or what do you make of washington what going ahead and launching this operation without one hundred percent certainty about what really did happen. well it's illegal they did not prove that the acting under chapter article fifty one of the u.n. charter which self-defense the u.s. was not acting in self-defense they did not get security council authorization as tim kaine said and in your report the u.s. congress did not weigh in on this so it's is illegal internationally and under u.s. law and the fact that the o.p.c. w. inspectors who despite the u.s. veto of that russian resolution agreed to an invitation from the syrian government to go there to that town of too much of the suburb of damascus to take soil samples blood samples and talk to people to see if in fact a chemical weapon at all was used whether it's chlorine or something else that the

attack came now the timing is quite suspicious why on the very day of the few hours before they were to begin their work the u.s. decided to strike one has to question that on the issue of chlorine one has to also remember that chlorine is not classified as a chemical weapon it is not one of the banned weapons of the o p c w it can be used as a chemical weapon but it wasn't bad that's important because a lot of commentators here like christiane amanpour c.n.n. tonight was saying that russia promised that they that they would get rid of all of the serious chemicals and they didn't do that well first it wasn't just russia it was a u.s. russia join up operation and the chemicals that were removed from syria were destroyed on a u.s. naval vessel and the o.p.c. certified that syria had given up all of its stocks of banned chemical weapons it did have chlorine was clearing use we don't know because the inspectors are not there yet and to bomb before the inspectors ever get there without any legal justification is quite an extraordinary moment but i should say it's not unusual

united states has done this kind of thing before i mean the laureus nicky in the studio with jackie so what happens now then with the a.p.c. w.x. but will they still going to syria to investigate the the area is there a point. oh that's a point but i don't know where they are whether they had actually arrived yet there were many instances during the long standoff over saddam hussein's alleged chemical weapons where inspectors were forced out of the country not by saddam but by the united states because they were going to do some some air strikes from the no fly zone they had so cases normally as my understand covering the u.n. for twenty five years is that when a u.n. body like this like yossi w or weapons inspectors when there is hostilities they normally don't go but that they may have them arrived already reminiscent of course is it twenty thirteen when the inspectors arrive and suddenly supposedly says syria

used chemical weapons then they were in the country so if they get there they have to take the samples and they will make their decision and if it aligns with russia said that there was no chemical attack we don't even know if there was one let alone if it was chlorine or siren but if they say there wasn't one you can be sure it won't be put broadcaster printed pretty much in the u.s. media because we don't even hear very much here in the u.s. about the perspectives arriving that the information had been given that the inspectors were coming that was buried here and that's quite an important matter but the pentagon and the white house knew about that so i think that could very well figure into this legal up in legal operation tonight that was very much like an early i guess you said from india's said was an opt. a an opportunity by the united states to show this still relevant in syria they've lost the war there the rebels that they were backing know that they've lost the war they were getting kicked out of that guta suburb that they had been missing damascus for seven years

from and they desperately needed some incentive to try to bring the u.s. in on their side maybe we could be somewhat thankful that it was only a one night operation where strumpet said in his statement it was a sustained it would be a sustained operation and normally means several days so that maybe the only solace we could take is that it's over. and so far only six people have been injured well but at the same time we do have them saying that this is a one time attack but they're also promising maddest and both said that they were prepared to carry out more strikes in the event to deter assad from carrying out further chemical weapons how likely do you think that is that we will see further strikes in syria well we don't even know that he used chemical weapons this time or the last time so they're talking about if he does it again but waiting to find out whether he did it this time so the words they don't need proof that is clear they don't need proof in accusing russia of stealing an election they didn't need proof to accuse russia of trying to kill former double agent and his daughter they don't

need proof they need to say that they're going in for some humanitarian operation look the math is done for general dunford said tonight at the press covers over at the pentagon that this was legal because it was about vital u.s. interest but what are those vital u.s. interests was the interest of the u.s. remaining relevant in syria trying to have a stake in what's going on and to keep the troops there because there's trumpets that he wanted them out they lost the war but they can't accept that so they shot off a few missiles tonight i drove by the pentagon on the way over to the studio and i'm sure they're quite probably happy in there that they'd be able to use some of their toys and everyone is feeling pretty strong inside the television stations of the major corporate media and at the pentagon that the united states has struck again the rest of the world has to take notice it's quite an it was top really really unacceptable behavior and it proves nothing as it will accomplish nothing that's out there tonight is going back to what you're saying about the legality of these strikes we have actually both democratic and republicans in the u.s.

saying that congress has not approved this and condemning the strikes that were happening along with the fact that theresa may also went ahead and agreed to these strikes without approval from parliament how much backlash if any do you think they'll be facing back in their respective countries for this. well i think perhaps more in britain because if you recall the last time when obama said that his lines have been crossed with that suppose that attack also and in two thousand and thirteen the british parliament did not go along with it so britain did not take part and that was very significant in obama's decision to agree to the offer made by some of your lover of to get the syrian government to give up their chemical weapons and by all indications it was a successful operation i mean the o.p.c. w. . certified that that operation to remove the weapons was successful so without parliamentary approval in britain i think there could be and may has on very shaky ground zero now anyway over there so that issue so that could hurt her but here in

the us i think these are going to props just be a few lone voices in congress even if they're from both sides of the aisle because let's face it in the us and in a war hungry in a war mongering media which i've been listening to and reading in the last few days egging on this attack. this is a nicety legalities specially especially international law nobody gives a damn about that here and this was certainly against international law there was no council security council approval on there was no article fifty one invocation of self-defense they do take more seriously what's said in congress but is only a few voices we haven't had a real declaration of war in years i doubt it's gone even though it's in the constitution congress alone could declare war they have this authorization to use force after nine eleven that they could go back to for every attack they made this supposed to be to fight terrorism this is not even being portrayed as that tonight it was an attack on the syrian state supposedly at these research centers and we don't even know what's going on there and whether they are really do are making

weapons were or were they just have chlorine which i said was not on the banned list which they are allowed to possess they're not allowed to use to kill people and we don't know if that happened of course all eyes are going to be trained on russia or in the coming hours for a response i russia's ambassador to the us said that there will be consequences to base what kind of actions do you think russia might take. i've i really don't know but i would think nothing at this point i don't think russia wants to escalate this in any way they were not struck as we heard it was no military activity within the zone of wisely i mean from the american support of you they didn't go anywhere near us s. four hundred after a missile defense systems so i would think that it will be diplomatic and probably behind the scenes but there was coordination but the normal or de confliction so-called eco fiction russia was told in advance this was coming but was not told what the targets were. so none of the targets were anywhere near where apparently

russian personnel were stationed i don't know what those consequences could be but i would be surprised if record did something now in hopes that this will not happen again any time soon but i'd have to press for the o.p.c. w.'s findings to become known whether in fact there was an attack at all and that's all they will do by the way they want to blame but they'll just determine whether there even was a chemical attack and if they say that there wasn't this is will be buried here and it should be big news show how illegal and how wrong this attack was tonight independent journalist terry loria thank you for joining us a nazi and sharing your thoughts with us on this you're welcome thank you the united kingdom has also join in u.s. military action launched against syria in an official statement british prime minister theresa may so the aim of the strikes was to prevent the use of chemical weapons in syria this evening i have authorized armed forces to conduct

coordinated and targeted strikes to degrade the syrian regime's chemical weapons capability and deter they use we have sought to use every possible diplomatic channel to achieve this. but our efforts have been repeatedly for change so there is no practical alternative to the use of force to degrade and deter the use of chemical weapons by the syrian regime meanwhile russian foreign ministry spokeswoman marie as a however has reacted to the strike claiming the u.s. u.k. and france have disrupted serious chance for peaceful future a sovereign state that for many years has been trying to survive terrorist aggression has suffered a series of strikes behind this are the people who claim to be moral leaders of the world and talk about their exceptionalism well you must be really exceptional to conduct strikes in syria finally got the chance for a peaceful future. with washington leading the strikes against damascus it's worth

noting that in the pasta taking military action abroad has often increased support for u.s. presidents at home. around the flag effect and increased popular support of the president during war accompanied by reduced criticism of governmental policies. any nuclear missile launched from cuba against any nation in the western hemisphere as an attack by the soviet union on the united states. progress is now being made towards the restoration of peace in the caribbean. the use of terrorism and its holding hostages. political to me. to continue along with other nations and with. a prompt resolution of the crisis. i have therefore directed to reject the iraqi army from kuwait.

its president i can report to the nation aggression is defeated the war is over. american and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm iraq to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger. the united states and our allies have prevailed. and i don't order a target new jersey. or airfield. i think from became president of the united states i think this was actually a big moment. we cannot cross live to robert. director of the organization just

foreign policy now mr diamond the head of the international committee of russia's federation council stated this attack was conducted in order to create difficulties for the open sea mission which has of course expected to start today what do you make of that comment well this is a cynical act this is a cynical legal under international law it's illegal in the u.s. law the ministration and its supporters have no plausible story that this will make anything better. even the new york times dismissed this the poor would have been his field. limited strike symbolic act for domestic consumption so. what can we say about the united states you know intimate friends these are cynical actors. they're not interested in what happens to billions syria

or in yemen or anywhere else that really this is said dig for the world to know that countries are so cynical and callous but i hope this is the end. that this. behavior won't continue. the president trying is facing criticism from the democratic party and even film from some republicans for not taking authorize ation from congress before i went ahead with this why didn't he and how strong of a backlash do you think he's going to experience here. well we saw before the act several senators at least five and eighty eight members of the house of representatives spoke out publicly the president said you know one of the constitution under the war powers resolution this decision is not going to press the united states to me a democracy we trump is president he's not the king under article one of the

constitution section two see the war powers resolution congress not the president decides when the united states will go to war when the united states will use military court president trump ignored that he say that it was his decision to carry out the strength how strong the backlash would be you know i tell you the prime way that was what i just told you the chroma by members of the senate eighty eight democratic women cannot see the house. i hope that more members will speak. in the future than in the past. if they're especially if there's any indication that this is not the end i mean i'm sorry for the cynicism but some members of congress are ok with this so long as it's kind of a limited symbolic thing. but would be ok with it if we were staying

so hopefully it won't be. but if this is the then hopefully these other members of congress will speak and assert their war powers. trump can i call it crudely it's already. interesting how we've seen a similar kind of actions from the u.k. prime minister to resign may she didn't even ask for parliament's approval before she went ahead with this and a year ago british parliament didn't allow her to participate in a bombing campaign with the us so do you think she went ahead because she was afraid they wouldn't allow it again. i absolutely think that. we can't say for sure but it seems like a reasonable story star limits is on recess to comes back on monday so i don't think that's a coincidence we've seen the same pattern in the we can't tolerate u.k. as in the united states a president

a prime minister they love to do this when parliament is not in session when congress non-sentient every why do this why what was the emergency why did the sap tappan on the weekend friday night you know it's a saturday morning in the middle east because that's when these dictators really prefer to use these actually what is threesome a security to do this with our part of the term apparently comes from the queen of england because the u.k. has never constitution is never passed through what is president trump's authority to do this he claims he's the king of the united states apparently. mark mccrone in print what he says i do know these three men these three leaders trump. mccrone and me they and they see themselves as a national mankind who who approved this the security council or approve it

congress didn't approve it parliament can approve it from the u.k. then improve it and you know these are the same governments that now would. love to have us believe that there action syria something you are protecting civilians these are the seams three governments that are arming interests illa tating is participating in the saudi war of the yemen the cause of the worst humanitarian crisis in the world believe that human beings on the band the worst cholera outbreak in human history millions of human beings suffering from the blockade of food medicine and fuel it demonstrates reports these are the countries they would use in the government and i was believe that this this bombing is something do it protect include any human interest ever so preposterous and does anybody in the world believe that this military action is anything to do with

protecting civilians i can't imagine that anyone be still coolish to believe such assertion. of an island police policy director of the organization just foreign policy thank you for joining us on r.t. international sharing your thoughts we appreciate it good to be with you i can we're back after this short break continuing our breaking news coverage with me nicky aaron and jacqueline foca thing then. if you are competing like the auto insurance industry why four thousand dollars a year can i be protected against all these medical emergencies that take place in my car therefore we know that the price of having medical insurance or be a thousand dollars a year about thirty thousand dollars a year they're overcharging about twenty thousand dollars we're going is going to oligarchs american oligarchs.

franking gave americans a lot of new job opportunities i needed to come up here to make some money i could make twenty five thousand dollars as a teacher or i could make fifty thousand dollars a year girl in trucks or chose to drive trucks people who rush to a small town in north dakota was among the employment rate of zero percent was like a gold rush it is very very similar to a gold rush but this beautiful story ended with pollution and the bus station a lot of people have left here i don't know too many people here anymore slow down too much they lost their jobs got laid off the american dream is changing but that's not what it used to be. and that's a tough reality to deal with. about your sudden passing i've only just learned you were a south in taking your last bank turn. to cut up to you as we all knew it would i

tell you i'm sorry. so i write these last words in hopes to put to rest these things that i never got off my chest. i remember when we first met my life turned on each breath. but then my feeling started to change you talked about more like it was again still some more fun to view those that didn't like to question our arc and i secretly promised to never be. like it said one does not need a funeral the same as one enters the mind gets consumed with this one different person to speak to now because there are no other takers. to claim that mainstream media has met its make. american sanctions would be damaging but i mean that is this justice is a fair business all. for jews a country like

a tissue prayer book and when it thinks it doesn't need it anymore it just costs the way i think it's very immoral. to. try to touch. the target. but it looks. like that's. right.

because the rest of. america the u.k. and for aung san bomb targets in syria off the us president trump oldest strikes against assault forces in response to an alleged chemical attack on. the strike take place before investigators from the international comical weapons watchdog the o.p.c. w. start their probe into alleged poison gas attack in dumas last weekend experts are due to arrive on the scene today saturday. washington says it is confident the assad government was behind the chemical attack in duma on the evidence comes from various media outlets and we take a closer look at those sources.