Politico, April 8, 2017 – The question tormented Obama administration officials for years: Should we strike at Syrian dictator Bashar Assad or not?
Under President Barack Obama, the answer was always no. It took President Donald Trump less than three months to say yes.
In the wake of this week’s attacks, Democratic Syria hawks couldn’t help but rue the fact that Trump had become their unlikely savior.
“Obama should have done this four years ago when the problem was easier. History will judge him harshly because he didn’t,” said Jane Harman, a former Democratic congresswoman from California who is now director of the Wilson Center, a Washington think tank.
“We have to depersonalize this. Some people don’t like Trump, so they’re upset that he did this,” she added. “If a policy is right, congratulate those who are carrying it out.”
One longtime proponent of military action against Assad is former Secretary of State John Kerry, who was “absolutely supportive” of Trump’s strike and “gratified to see that it happened quickly,” according to a person close to the former diplomat.
Kerry is watching to see whether more strikes might be coming, this person said, who added that Kerry “believes if executed correctly and clearly, [military action] can help reenergize the diplomatic channel” to produce a peace deal.