Summary: After striking Syria, the United States, France, and Britain launched a new bid at the United Nations to investigate chemical weapons attacks in Syria. The three allies circulated a joint draft resolution at the Security Council last Saturday, calling for unimpeded deliveries of humanitarian aid, enforcing a ceasefire, and demanding that Syria engages in UN-led peace talks. The pre-dawn strikes earned quick criticism from Syria's ally Russia, but a push by Moscow for condemnation of the strikes at the Security Council fell far short. President Trump and his allies ordered the mission in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack on April 7 on the rebel-held town of Douma. Negotiations on the draft resolution put forward by the US, France and Britain are set to begin today.
Analysis: Among the contentious proposals, this meeting would establish an independent investigation into allegations of toxic gas attacks in Syria with the aim of identifying the perpetrators. The measure demands medical evacuations and safe passage for aid convoys to be allowed to all areas. The strikes were the biggest foreign military action so far against Syria's regime. The move signalled the West's resolve to return to diplomacy after a one-night military operation which hit sites that Western officials said were linked to Syria's chemical weapons program. Any broader military campaign would require a well-formulated strategic vision and authorisation from Congress. In contrast to Trump defending his use of the phrase "mission accomplished" in his comments on Saturday about the strikes with the argument that the Syrian raid was so perfectly carried out that the only way the Fake News Media could demean was by his use of the term, "mission accomplished," Assad responded to the strikes with a defiant vow. He stated that this aggression will only make Syria and its people more determined to keep fighting and crushing terrorism in every inch of the country. Assad's key ally Iran also slammed the strikes, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei describing Western leaders as "criminals." Further Western missile strikes on Syria would lead to chaos in international relations with them because the Western strikes had damaged the chances of achieving a political resolution in Syria.
Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/us-france-britain-seek-new-un-probe-on-syria
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