Supporting Attack on Syria

United States Force on Thursday struck Shayrat Air Base in central Syria with 59 Tomahawk cruising missiles launched from two destroyers on Mediterranean Sea. U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he ordered the missile attack on the airbase, which was the base for air raid with chemical weapons by Syrian administration led by Bashar al-Assad. Japanese Prime Minister delivered mixed message to the military option of the indispensable ally.

Following GOP’s traditional policy of unilateral pre-emptive measures in war on terrorism, Trump did not hesitate in exercising military capability of U.S. “My fellow Americans. On Tuesday, Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad launched a horrible chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians. Using a deadly nerve agent, Assad choked out the lives of helpless men, women and children,” Trump accused Assad in his statement from Mar-a Lago, Florida, where he stayed for summit meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Trump justified his decision as security of U.S. itself. “It is in this vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons. There can be no dispute that Syria used banned chemical weapons, violated its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention,” insisted Trump. Trump called on the nations to join his cause for ending the bloodshed in Syria.

If Trump’s recognition were correct, Syria violates CWC that prohibits development, production, storage and use of chemical weapon. But, CWC only recommends Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to alert United Nations even in a serious violation and has no power to endorse military attack. To exercise military power based on Chapter 7 of U.N. Charter, the party has to submit U.N. Security Council evidence of threat on international peace for necessary resolution. As long as Russia with veto power supports Assad administration, resolution in U.N.S.C. is unlikely.

The guest in Florida must be surprised with U.S. explicit intervention in Syria. Trump directly informed Xi that U.S. had launched a strike against Syria at the end of dinner Thursday evening. In the meeting, Trump urged Xi additional action against nuclear and missile development of North Korea. Deliberate attack on Syria might work as pressure on China, indicting possibility of U.S. unilateral action on North Korea.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced to the press that he would “support” the determination of U.S. government and “understand” the missile launch as a measure to avoid further serious situation. While Japan could not find legitimacy of missile attack on Syria, Abe looked like encouraged by determined military option of Trump administration, endorsing deterrence of Japan. But, it is likely that Abe will be in difficult situation in handling the relationship with Vladimir Putin, with whom he hopes to make progress in the negotiation over Northern Territory.