Donald Trump has condemned the “heinous” deadly chemical weapon attack on a Damascus suburb and said he will decide within the next 24 to 48 hours whether to launch a military reprisal against Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria. Almost exactly a year ago Trump authorised a Tomahawk missile strike on the Syrian Shayrat airbase within three days of a chemical attack deemed to have been undertaken by the Assad regime airforce. UN bodies can investigate whether a chemical attack has occurred but not point blame at any group or regime. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, based in The Hague, expressed deep concern about the chemical attack in Douma, saying it would launch an immediate investigation. The OPCW only has powers to investigate whether a chemical attack has taken place but not to attribute responsibility.

Source: The Guardian April 09, 2018 15:22 UTC