On Friday, April 13, 2018, the United States accused Syrian president Bashar Al Assad of using chemical weapons to poison his own people in an attack on the town of Douma that left around 70 people dead. As a response, U.S. President Donald Trump, along with the U.K. and France,ordered air strikes on alleged chemical weapons sites.These airstrikes prompted a debate on whether or not the U.S. and its allies should take further military action in the region under the hashtag #SyriaStrikes.
Sites targeted in the #SyriaStrikes. Scientific research & development center, Damascus. 76 missiles were aimed at the center, which was destroyed. The center was used for the development, production & testing of chemical & biological warfare tech. 1/3 https://t.co/UyIHsL1wEi pic.twitter.com/yfQlUK0unr
— Security Studies Group (@SecStudiesGrp) April 15, 2018
In case of further attacks by Syria and her allies, some believe that military intervention is necessary in holding the Assad regime accountable for war crimes.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
-Edmund BurkeTrump stands up to evil.
America stands up to evil.
When red lines are drawn, they will not be crossed under this administration.The world has been put on notice#MAGA #SyriaStrikes
— 🇺🇸CoreyJones🇺🇸 (@CoreyLMJones) April 15, 2018
US Military source close to General Mattis told me that #SyriaStrikes over the weekend targeted IRAN Hamas/Hezbollah & Syrian chemical weapons installations.
IRAN wants to destabilize region to take out Israel.
USA will only intervene if chemical weapons are used again.
— Machiavelli (@TheRISEofROD) April 17, 2018
On the opposing side, others believe that the West should stay out of the conflict altogether, suggesting that the Western world lacks concrete proof that the Assad regime carried out this attack.
The questions that Macron, May and Trump still need to answer:-#SyriaStrikes pic.twitter.com/4LLRE1TuuU
— James Melville (@JamesMelville) April 15, 2018
Why is it that Americans are outraged when suspects are shot by police without due process…
…but yet support America acting as the world's police, with no due process and with no "innocent until proven guilty"? 🤔#SyriaStrikes
— ☦#WarIsARacket☦ (@For2000years) April 16, 2018
The opposition also believes that the crisis in Syria follows a similar pattern of previous wars that have been costly and unsuccessful, such as the Vietnam and Iraq Wars.
Vietnam was bombed with an ocean of chemicals via the US air force. We bombed Iraq to pieces and used depleted uranium. Saudi Arabia has bombed Yemen with White Phosphorus. Israel bombed Gaza with the same White Phosphorus "War crimes" #Hypocrites #SyriaStrikes #NotInMyName pic.twitter.com/O2biOmbGUK
— Ray Spencer (@Armsman47) April 16, 2018
Do you believe that further intervention is necessary in the Syrian crisis, or should the United States and its allies remain neutral?