Meanwhile, the world is still trying to understand just what goal Trump’s fledgling administration is pursuing in Syria. That policy seemed to end on Thursday, after the chemical weapons attack on Khan Sheikhoun on 4 April. After winning the election, Trump told the Wall Street Journal: “My attitude was you’re fighting Syria, Syria is fighting Isis, and you have to get rid of Isis.” Assad quickly called Trump a “natural ally”. Instead, McMaster said, the strike ought to prompt “a big shift in Assad’s calculus” against chemical weapons use. Now the US placed barrel bombs along the continuum with chemical weapons.

Source: The Guardian April 11, 2017 10:01 UTC