Members of Connecticut’s congressional delegation have given only qualified approval to the Trump administration’s airstrikes on Syrian targets.
President Trump said Friday more military action could be on the way unless Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime “stops its use of prohibited chemical agents.”
Connecticut second district Congressman Joe Courtney said the airstrike was “commensurate” with crimes committed by Assad—an alleged chemical weapons attack on civilians. But Courtney says he’s left with a lot of unanswered questions on the Trump administration’s Syrian strategy
“I defy anyone to really describe what the Trump administration’s direction in policy is,” Courtney said. “A week ago, this guy was talking about pulling out of there in 48 hours. We’ve obviously come a long way in a week.”
The airstrikes occurred six days after the attack and were a combined effort by the U.S., the United Kingdom, and France. Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal said that the president’s actions in the lead-up to the strike eliminated the element of surprise.
“A military response to Assad’s murderous use of chemical weapons was well-merited, but the President now has to come to Congress and set forth a consistent, strategic path forward,” Blumenthal said.
Trump tweeted Saturday that the aerial assault was a “perfectly executed strike.”
A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 14, 2018
His ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley addressed the U.N. later that day.
“The time for talk ended last night,” Haley said. “When our president draws a red line, our president enforces the red line."
She was told by Trump that should Syria conduct another chemical weapons attack, the “United States is locked and loaded.”
Copyright 2018 Connecticut Public
