They have hit a research center and production facilities that may have had something to do with the alleged chemical attack in Douma by Syria’s armed forces. There’s no proof so far, the site hasn’t been properly investigated and Russia is convinced that the chemical weapons incident was ‘orchestrated’.

It was a limited strike, and the Pentagon said it would be a ‘one time’ warning.

What the UK, the US and France hope to accomplish with this is anyone’s guess. It certainly won’t change the situation on the ground, as Assad is winning the war with or without chemical weapons. The move has also infuriated Russia, which sees this as wanton violence towards a country that was finally getting closer to peace. Perhaps they just wanted to symbolically show they care about human lives… Human lives which can be lost in Yemen, Palestine and Syria, as long as no gas is involved.

Russian casualties have been avoided. Russia claims a third of the missiles were intercepted by Syrian defense systems, he Russian systems weren’t involved.

The strikes were launched from the Red Sea and also from Cyprus and a coalition base in Syria itself. Damascus and Homs were hit.

If in the coming weeks news about a new chemical attack emerges, who will believe that Assad is behind it? It would give the coalition the perfect pretext for a much heavier strike. This strike was a mere pin prick.

If the chemical attack was indeed orchestrated by the rebels, it’s highly likely they will release gas on their own territory again.

Alarming is that the coalition has punished a country without proving its guilt. A violation of a judicial principle all three countries hold dear…

In the picture: A fighter jet prepares to land at RAF Akrotiri, a military base Britain maintains on Cyprus, April 14, 2018 © Yiannis Kourtoglou / Reuters

PS

If anyone is guilty of using gas it’s the US and its allies, it supplied Saddam with gas to use against Iran in the 80’s, killing at least 50,000 Iranians…