US threatens more pressure on Syria after missile strikes

US Secretary of State Tillerson is due to arrive in Moscow on Tuesday for two days of talks. “If we would want to appeal rationally to Russia”, McMaster said. Once that threat “has been reduced or eliminated, I think we can turn our attention directly to stabilizing the situation in Syria”, he told CBS’ “Face the Nation”.

Asked by reporters what the future holds for Turkish-Russian ties after Ankara welcomed USA missile strikes against a Syrian regime airbase last week – the opposite of Moscow’s reaction – Mevlut Cavusoglu said, Turkey “does not have to take a side between Russia and the U.S”.

Medical workers and experts say victims of the the chemical release displayed symptoms consistent with a potent nerve agent, possibly Sarin.

The US president, Donald Trump, has signaled a dramatic about-turn toward Assad, who many in the worldwide community hold responsible for Tuesday’s horrific events.

The Security Council was meeting in an emergency session to discuss the USA actions in Syria that Russian Federation branded a “flagrant violation of worldwide law and an act of aggression” against Syria.

Damascus has repeatedly denied possession of any chemical weapons.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said he sees no reason for retaliation from Russian Federation for US missile strikes on a Syrian air base.

He wrote: “By sending Tomahawk missiles to attack the airfield, aeroplanes and equipment believed to be involved, it has sent a strong signal to the Syrian regime to think twice before using gas in the future”.

Syrian warplanes were reported to have since taken off from the airbase that was targeted by the United States, suggesting that the impact of the overnight attack had been minimal. A very small percentage of the people have been slaughtered in Syria have been slaughtered by chemical weapons. So, Russia could be part of the solution.

Russian Federation and Iran have provided Assad with critical military support in his war against rebel groups fighting to topple him.

Referring to Russia, Fallon wrote: “Must show the resolve necessary to bring this regime to heel”.

However, “whether Russian Federation was complicit here or whether they were simply incompetent or whether they got outwitted” by the Syrian government, they had “failed in their commitment to the worldwide community”, he said.

The process of launching an investigation would be long and complex, requiring a United Nations resolution and an agreement by the Assad government for weapons inspectors to access sites in territory under Assad’s control before establishing who was responsible and whether there was Russian complicity.