The Syrian Update

By: Tommy Baran

         For the past few years, chemical weapons have been used in Syria’s Civil War. In 2013 there was a massive sarin gas attack on the outskirts of Damascus, the capital of Syria. Barack Obama talked about how this is “an issue that doesn’t just concern Syria. It concerns our close allies in the region, including Israel.” This explains why Obama threatened to use force on Syria if they still had chemical weapons.

The United Nations then required Syria to assume responsibility for and follow a timeline for the destruction of its chemical weapons and its chemical weapon production facilities. The key destruction operations were performed by a team of US Army civilians and contractors, that destroyed 600 metric tonnes of chemical agents in just 42 days. However, this is a minor setback for Syria, and they are using their chemical weapons again.

The matter is now in President Trump’s hands. He recently launched an attack of 59 tomahawk missiles at the Shayrat Airfield; hitting aircrafts, reinforced shelters, petroleum and logistical storage, ammunition supply bunkers, defense systems, and radars. Trump is trying to send a message, that we support our allies, and that we aren’t afraid to fight for what we believe in.

The Syrians who have been affected by these chemical attacks have little aid or ability to defend themselves. Sarin, a deadly gas, is colorless and odorless, a nerve agent that is classified as a weapon of mass destruction. In America, we have the resources to ensure a large-scale deployment of aid and continued care for those who are affected by a nerve agent like this.

In Syria, doctors are in underfunded and hospitals undersupplied and can do little for many of their patients. While many arguments can be made about whether Trump bombing Syria is a good thing or not, the real importance is that now the Syrian people can finally feel safer, even if just by a bit; that there is someone finally looking out for them.