Saturday's Headlines: U.S., allies strike Syria after suspected chemical attack
A defiant Damascus calls strikes a 'barbaric aggression' that will fail; Russia responds to airstrike with harsh words but no fire; Trump's strikes on Syria risk retaliation,...
Democracy Dies in Darkness
The morning's most important stories, selected by Post editors
U.S., British and French forces struck a scientific research center and two other sites, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. President Trump called the mandate for an allied attack open-ended, but Pentagon chiefs later said the strikes would be repeated only if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad took further action that warranted a response.
Pro-government civilians and soldiers demonstrated Saturday morning in central Damascus, waving Syrian flags and dancing to songs that praised the army.
President Vladimir Putin condemned the strike as an act of aggression against a sovereign state carried out on the pretext of staged chemical attack. But reading between the lines, there was a second message: The incoming cruise missiles did not cross the threshold that would provoke a military response against Western forces.
The administration calculated that the need to send a signal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over chemical weapons outweighed the possibility of provoking a response from his allies, Russia or Iran, on the battlefield in Syria, elsewhere in the Middle East or even in cyberspace.
Leaders were sharply divided over whether the strikes were legal — a debate likely to resurface when senators later this month tackle a new authorization for use of military force against extremist and terrorist groups operating in places like Syria.
The trend is affecting cities large and small, with many leaders shocked at how quickly the deaths have risen and with how many variables are involved.
By Tim Craig, William DeShazer, Madalyne Bird and Karly Domb Sadof • Read more »
Elliott Broidy, a top GOP fundraiser and Trump supporter, left his post as deputy finance chair of the Republican National Committee after reports that Trump lawyer Michael Cohen negotiated a deal in 2017 with a former Playboy model whom Broidy had impregnated.
By Tom Hamburger, Ellen Nakashima, Beth Reinhard and Emma Brown • Read more »
President Trump's personal attorney Michael D. Cohen has asked a federal judge to allow his lawyers or an outside attorney to examine the seized materials first. The unusual, high-stakes court hearing featured an appearance by an attorney representing Trump.
Critics say the action in favor of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice, sends a message that the president may be willing to help allies involved in the Mueller probe. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders denied that the pardon had anything to do with the Russia investigation.
By Philip Rucker, Josh Dawsey and Matt Zapotosky • Read more »
As the former FBI director's new book describes President Trump as obsessed with uncorroborated intelligence about a Moscow hotel encounter, the president's yawning credibility problem undercuts claims that the allegations are false.
Homeland Security officials say they had to release the migrants because of judges' rulings and federal laws banning prolonged detentions for children, as well as a lack of detention beds.
Russia banned a popular messaging app, threatened to pirate U.S. goods and claimed Britain had orchestrated a staged chemical attack in Syria — all on the same day.
Jennifer Hart's wife, Sarah, and two of the three children found dead also had large amounts of a substance that can cause drowsiness in their systems, authorities said, after what is believed to have been an intentional plunge off a scenic Pacific Ocean overlook.
By Marwa Eltagouri and Kristine Phillips • Read more »
Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado previously said he would block all nominations to the department because of a potential federal crackdown on states that have legalized marijuana.
Twitter
Facebook
No comments:
Post a Comment