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Mattis Expresses Caution on Imminent Strike Against Syria Pentagon Urges Greater Caution on Imminent Strike Against Syria
(about 3 hours later)
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis took pains on Thursday to walk back President Trump’s threats of an imminent strike on Syria, reflecting mounting concerns at the Pentagon that a concerted bombing campaign could escalate into a wider conflict between Russia, Iran and the West. WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis sought on Thursday to slow down an imminent strike on Syria, reflecting mounting concerns at the Pentagon that a concerted bombing campaign could escalate into a wider conflict between Russia, Iran and the West.
An afternoon meeting of the president’s top national security advisers ended without a decision on an attack, said Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary. Defense Department officials noted it may be difficult to extricate the Trump administration from a strike, given the president’s Twitter post a day earlier that American missiles “will be coming, nice and new and ‘smart.’” During a closed-door White House meeting, officials said Mr. Mattis pushed for more evidence of President Bashar al-Assad’s role in a suspected chemical attack last weekend that would assure the world that military action was necessary.
“We are continuing to assess intelligence and are engaged in conversations with our partners and allies,” Ms. Sanders said in a statement. She said Mr. Trump would be speaking later Thursday with Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain and President Emmanuel Macron of France, the two main partners expected to join military action. Despite the caution, two Defense Department officials predicted it would be difficult to pull back from punishing airstrikes, given President Trump’s threat on Twitter a day earlier of American missiles that “will be coming, nice and new and ‘smart.’”
Defense officials said Mr. Mattis was urging caution and consideration of a wider strategy — including trying to get more commitments from allies of immediate help after any strikes against President Bashar al-Assad in Syria. He also underscored the importance of a preponderance of evidence linking Mr. Assad to Saturday’s suspected chemical weapons attack on a suburb of Damascus, the capital, the officials said. Mr. Mattis publicly raised the warning on Thursday morning, telling the House Armed Services Committee that retaliation must be balanced against the threat of a wider war.
The Trump administration has not yet confirmed the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime. “We are trying to stop the murder of innocent people. But on a strategic level, it’s how do we keep this from escalating out of control — if you get my drift on that,” Mr. Mattis said.
In a morning hearing, Mr. Mattis told the House Armed Services Committee that retaliation had to be balanced against the threat of a wider war. Hours later, after detailing his concerns at the White House, the president’s top national security advisers ended an afternoon meeting without a decision to attack, said Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the press secretary.
“We are trying to stop the murder of innocent people. But on a strategic level, it’s how do we keep this from escalating out of control — if you get my drift on that,” Mr. Mattis said at a morning hearing of the House Armed Services Committee. Diplomatic efforts continued deep into the evening, with Mr. Trump agreeing in a phone call with Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain that “it was vital that the use of chemical weapons did not go unchallenged,” Downing Street said in a statement. The two leaders committed to “keep working closely together on the international response,” the statement said.
He also assured lawmakers they would be notified before any strikes against Syrian weapons facilities and airfields — similar to the Pentagon’s alert before an April 2017 cruise missile attack on Shayrat air base following a chemical attack on Syrian civilians. Mr. Trump was also expected to speak on Thursday with President Emmanuel Macron of France, the other key ally weighing military action.
Earlier Thursday, Mr. Trump said he would make a decision “fairly soon” about a strike. In a tweet, he insisted that he had never telegraphed the timing of an attack on Syria, which “could be very soon or not so soon at all!” Defense Department officials said Mr. Mattis urged consideration of a wider strategy. They said he sought to persuade allies to commit to immediate help after striking Mr. Assad’s government in response to Saturday’s suspected chemical weapons attack on a suburb of Damascus, the capital.
Nikki R. Haley, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, said that “we definitely have enough proof” of a chemical weapons attack.
“But now, we just have to be thoughtful in our action,” Ms. Haley told Andrea Mitchell of NBC News.
In the White House meeting, according to three administration officials, Mr. Mattis said the United States, Britain and France must provide convincing proof that the Syrian government used chemical weapons to attack the rebel-held town of Douma, where more than 40 people died and hundreds were sickened.
It was an acknowledgment of a lesson from the Iraq war about what can go wrong after a military assault without a plan, one senior Defense Department official said on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive plans. It also sought to ensure that the United States and European allies could justify the strike to the world in the face of withering criticism by Russia — Mr. Assad’s most powerful partner.
“Defense officials are right to worry about escalation,” said Kori Schake, a former national security aide to President George W. Bush and author of a book with Mr. Mattis.
“The Russians are heavily invested in sustaining Bashar Assad in power, have made their case as the essential power in the Middle East, and a U.S. or allied strike would be a reminder of how much stronger the West is than Russia,” Ms. Schake said.
Mr. Mattis also assured House lawmakers they would be notified before any strikes against Syrian weapons facilities and airfields. The Pentagon alerted lawmakers before an April 2017 cruise missile attack on Shayrat air base after a similar chemical attack on Syrian civilians.
Before the White House meeting, Mr. Trump told reporters he would make a decision “fairly soon” about a strike. Earlier, in a tweet, he insisted that he had never telegraphed the timing of an attack on Syria, which “could be very soon or not so soon at all!”
“We’re looking very, very seriously, very closely at that whole situation and we’ll see what happens, folks, we’ll see what happens,” he told reporters at the White House.“We’re looking very, very seriously, very closely at that whole situation and we’ll see what happens, folks, we’ll see what happens,” he told reporters at the White House.
“It’s too bad that the world puts us in a position like that,” he said. “But you know, as I said this morning, we’ve done a great job with ISIS,” Mr. Trump added. “We have just absolutely decimated ISIS. But now we have to make some further decisions. So they’ll be made fairly soon.”“It’s too bad that the world puts us in a position like that,” he said. “But you know, as I said this morning, we’ve done a great job with ISIS,” Mr. Trump added. “We have just absolutely decimated ISIS. But now we have to make some further decisions. So they’ll be made fairly soon.”
The war train appeared to be moving at a fast clip. In Paris, Mr. Macron cited unspecified proof that the Syrian government had used chemical weapons in Douma, and said that France was working in close coordination with the Trump administration on the issue.
Mr. Macron cited unspecified proof that the Syrian government had used chemical weapons in a deadly attack on Douma, outside of Damascus. He said that France was working in close coordination with the Trump administration on the issue.
“We have proof that last week, 10 days ago even, chemical weapons were used — at least chlorine — and that they were used by the regime of Bashar al-Assad,” Mr. Macron said in an interview on TF1, a French television station.“We have proof that last week, 10 days ago even, chemical weapons were used — at least chlorine — and that they were used by the regime of Bashar al-Assad,” Mr. Macron said in an interview on TF1, a French television station.
In London, the British Cabinet had “agreed that the Assad regime has a track record of the use of chemical weapons and it is highly likely that the regime is responsible for Saturday’s attack,” Downing Street said in a statement. But time may be of the essence in London, where Britain’s Parliament will return from its Easter vacation on Monday. Although Mrs. May is under no legal obligation to consult Parliament before ordering any military action, her predecessors have done so in recent years.
The Cabinet agreed “on the need to take action to alleviate humanitarian distress and to deter the further use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime,” the statement said. It added that Mrs. May “should continue to work with allies in the United States and France to coordinate an international response.” Lawmakers from both Mrs. May’s Conservative Party and the opposition Labour Party have demanded to be consulted before strikes.
Mrs. May is under no legal obligation to consult Britain’s Parliament before ordering any military action, though her predecessors have done so in recent years. Parliament will return from its Easter vacation on Monday, and some lawmakers from both Mrs. May’s Conservative Party and the opposition Labour Party have demanded to be consulted before strikes. Germany announced that it would not be part of any coordinated military action in Syria, even as Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed the importance of a message from the West that using chemical weapons “is unacceptable.”
But Germany announced that it would not be part of any coordinated military action in Syria, even as Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed the importance of Western powers sending a clear, united message that using chemical weapons “is unacceptable.” “Germany will not take part in possible military action — I want to make clear again that there are no decisions,” Ms. Merkel said in Berlin.
“Germany will not take part in possible military action — I want to make clear again that there are no decisions,” Ms. Merkel said after meeting with Lars Lokke Rasmussen of Denmark in Berlin. The White House meeting included John R. Bolton, the new national security adviser, who favored strikes against Mr. Assad when ordered last year by Mr. Trump but opposed them in 2013 when considered by President Barack Obama.
Germany refused to take part in the American-led war in Iraq, and in 2011 abstained from a United Nations Security Council resolution authorizing the use of military force to protect civilians in Libya. Even with Mr. Mattis’s urging of caution, administration officials said it was hard to envision that Mr. Trump would not move ahead with strikes, given that he has promised retaliation.
Mr. Trump has previously belittled American leaders for giving the enemy advance warnings of a strike. Heeding Mr. Trump’s warning on Wednesday about an American response, Syria has moved military aircraft to the Russian base near Latakia, and is working to protect important weapons systems. “In my view, the train has left the station,” said Cliff Kupchan, chairman of the Eurasia Group, a political risk consulting and advisory firm. “If Trump now decides not to strike, he’s Obama 2.0 from 2013. That’s the ultimate anathema to President Trump, and I expect him to hit Syria in the next few days.”
Russian and Iranian forces are stationed in Syria, ostensibly to support Mr. Assad’s fight against Islamic State extremists whom he considers part of the rebellion that has sought to oust him in the country’s seven-year war. The Trump administration’s delay in acting has given the Russians and Iranians more time to prepare for an American strike. Mr. Trump has previously belittled American leaders for giving the enemy advance warning of a strike. Heeding Mr. Trump’s warning on Wednesday about an American response, Syria has moved military aircraft to the Russian base near Latakia, and is working to protect important weapons systems.
Critics described the contradictory presidential tweets as evidence of the United States’ confusing policy on Syria. Russian and Iranian forces are stationed in Syria, ostensibly to support Mr. Assad’s fight against Islamic State extremists whom he considers part of the rebellion that has sought to oust him in the country’s seven-year war.
“When the commander in chief speaks publicly about a potential military action, it creates boundaries and limits on what his subordinates can offer him as options,” said Kevin Ryan, a retired Army brigadier general who is now an associate at Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. “That’s helpful if his public statements are thoughtful and clear. If those statements are confused and unclear, then they are a hindrance to the outcome.” The Trump administration’s delay in acting has given the Russians and Iranians more time to prepare for an American strike.
“I think the latter is happening right now,” Mr. Ryan said. This month, Mr. Trump surprised even his own advisers when he said he wanted to immediately withdraw the estimated 2,000 American troops that are currently in Syria, where they are focused on fighting the Islamic State. He softened that demand hours later after a National Security Council meeting, setting a goal of bringing the troops home within a few months.
The afternoon meeting at the White House included not only Mr. Mattis, but also John R. Bolton, the new national security adviser. Mr. Bolton favored strikes against Mr. Assad when ordered last year by Mr. Trump — but opposed them in 2013 when considered by President Barack Obama. Saturday’s attack, however, enraged the president, and he promised a decision on a response this week.
“In my view the train has left the station,” said Cliff Kupchan, chairman of the Eurasia Group, a political risk consulting and advisory firm. “If Trump now decides not to strike, he’s Obama 2.0 from 2013. That’s the ultimate anathema to President Trump, and I expect him to hit Syria in the next few days.” Mr. Macron also said France would continue to push for a cease-fire at the United Nations and for humanitarian aid for Syrian civilians to avoid what he described as “the terrible images of crimes that we saw, with children and women who were dying by suffocation, because they were subjected to chlorine.”
Earlier this month, Mr. Trump surprised even his own advisers when he said he wanted to immediately withdraw the estimated 2,000 American troops that are currently in Syria, where they are focused on fighting the Islamic State. He softened that demand hours later after a National Security Council meeting, setting a goal of bringing the troops home within a few months.
The suspected chemical weapons attack on Saturday, however, enraged the president, and he promised a decision on a response this week.
In Paris, Mr. Macron also said France would continue to push for a cease-fire at the United Nations and for humanitarian aid for civilian populations on the ground to avoid what he described as “the terrible images of crimes that we saw, with children and women who were dying by suffocation, because they were subjected to chlorine.”
“We will have decisions to make in good time, when we decide that it is most useful and most efficient,” Mr. Macron said, referring to potential military strikes, and adding that any strikes would target the regime’s chemical infrastructure.
The French have warplanes equipped with cruise missiles in Jordan and in the United Arab Emirates, which are within striking range of Syria.The French have warplanes equipped with cruise missiles in Jordan and in the United Arab Emirates, which are within striking range of Syria.
The disjointed messages from the Trump administration could both embolden Mr. Assad and dispirit allies that have agreed to support the United States. The president has said “what he was going to do; I think it is important as a nation that we follow through on those things,” Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee, said Wednesday on Fox News Radio’s The Brian Kilmeade Show. “We’ve waited too long already.”
Nikki R. Haley, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, said “we definitely have enough proof,” of a chemical weapons attack.
“But now we just have to be thoughtful in our action,” Ms. Haley told Andrea Mitchell of NBC News.
“I know that the president’s looking at his options and the national security team is trying to give him as many options as we can and we’ll be thoughtful about it and see what happens,” she said.
Asked if the president’s tweets have been helpful, Ms. Haley demurred: “Well, I think the president communicates the way he communicates.”