Daily Archives: 14. April 2018


14.04.2018 - 15:47 [ Common Dreams ]

In ‚Clear Violation of Domestic and International Law,‘ Trump Bombs Syria

Foreign policy experts, human rights groups, and anti-war activists all immediately and forcefully condemned the U.S. bombardment of Syria on Friday night after reports indicated the „illegal“ attack on the sovereign Middle East nation had begun and President Donald Trump announced in a national address that he had ordered the strikes alongside French and U.K. forces.

14.04.2018 - 15:36 [ Bernie Sanders / Twitter ]

It is Congress, not the president, which has the constitutional responsibility for making war.

14.04.2018 - 15:33 [ Jeremy Corbyn ‏/ Twitter ]

I have written to @Theresa_May in response to last night’s legally questionable air strikes on Syria.

Parliament should have been consulted and voted on the matter. The UK Prime Minister is accountable to Parliament, not to the whims of a US President.

14.04.2018 - 15:25 [ Tim Kain, U.S. Senator ]

Of course citizen Trump said President Obama couldn’t strike Syria without congressional approval—but now President Trump doesn’t think he needs Congress. “I just can’t wait to be king!”

14.04.2018 - 15:12 [ Daily Mail ]

‚Should we go back to 16 years?‘ Trump jokes about getting Congress to change the U.S. Constitution so he can serve more than two terms as president

(12.4.2018) – President Trump jested about a constitutional amendment that would allow him to serve more than two terms as president today
– Suggested that Congress repeal the Twenty-Second Amendment so he could rival Franklin Delano Roosevelt‘s four terms in office
– FDR was elected to four, four-year terms but he died in office after 12 years
– Trump joked last month at a closed-door fundraiser that he‘d like to be ‚president for life‘ like China‘s Xi Jinping, who‘d just greatly expanded his powers
– Comment set off alarm bells, because he‘s also praised multiple authoritarians

14.04.2018 - 15:10 [ Bloomberg ]

Congress Finds Itself a Bystander in Trump’s Decision on Striking Syria

April 13, 2018, 3:05 PM EDT

The U.S. Congress will play a clear role if President Donald Trump decides to strike Syria for using chemical weapons: bystander.

14.04.2018 - 15:04 [ Human Rights First ]

Current Congressional War Authorizations Do Not Provide Authority to Strike Syria

In response to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan’s claims that President Trump has authority to strike Syria under the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), Human Rights First’s Rita Siemion issued the following statement:

14.04.2018 - 14:37 [ Ted Lieu, Abgeordneter des U.S. Repräsentantenhauses / Twitter ]

Use of force by @realDonaldTrump against Syria is UNCONSTITUTIONAL. This is not self defense & no AUMF covers it.

Use of chemical weapons is horrific. But our Constitution does not allow @POTUS to attack a country–which has not attacked the US–without Congressional approval.

14.04.2018 - 14:27 [ WSWS ]

Deutsche Medien im Kriegstaumel

„Wer öffentlich, in einer Versammlung oder durch Verbreiten von Schriften zum Verbrechen der Aggression aufstachelt, wird mit Freiheitsstrafe von drei Monaten bis zu fünf Jahren bestraft“, heißt es in §80a des deutschen Strafgesetzbuches. Auf das „Verbrechen der Aggression“ selbst – d.h. auf das Führen eines Angriffskriegs oder das Begehen einer sonstigen Angriffshandlung – steht nach §13 des Völkerstrafgesetzbuches eine lebenslängliche Freiheitsstrafe.

Diese Paragrafen gehen direkt auf die Nürnberger Prozesse gegen die Nazi-Verbrecher zurück. Würden sie ernstgenommen, säßen heute etliche deutsche Politiker und Zeitungsredakteure hinter Gittern. Die Vorbereitung eines Militärschlags gegen Syrien hat in den deutschen Parteien und Medien einen wahren Kriegstaumel ausgelöst.

14.04.2018 - 14:25 [ Elijah E. Cummings, Abgeordneter des U.S. Repräsentantenhauses / Twitter ]

Finally, the Constitution gives Congress, not the President, the power to declare war. The President must obtain congressional authorization to use military force in Syria, and it is unacceptable that he did not do so before ordering tonight‘s military action.

14.04.2018 - 14:17 [ Barbara Lee, Abgeordnete des U.S. Repräsentantenhauses / Twitter ]

By illegally bombing Syria, President Trump has once again denied the American people any oversight or accountability in this endless war. Congress, not the president, has the power to authorize military action.

14.04.2018 - 14:11 [ Thomas Massie, Abgeordneter des U.S. Repräsentantenhauses / Twitter ]

I haven’t read France’s or Britain’s “Constitution,” but I’ve read ours and no where in it is Presidential authority to strike Syria.

14.04.2018 - 13:55 [ Heise.de ]

Völkerrechtswidriger Angriff auf syrische Ziele

Das russische Militär war vorgewarnt worden. Das Pentagon spricht davon, dass die Angriffe aber nicht mit den Russen „koordiniert“ gewesen seien. Aber man hat Moskau wohl versichert, dass keine Ziele anvisiert werden, wo sich russische Soldaten aufhalten.

14.04.2018 - 13:34 [ SRF.ch ]

Konflikt in Syrien – «Ein Militärschlag wäre eindeutig völkerrechtswidrig»

(12.4.2018) Wäre ein Militärschlag als Antwort auf einen Giftgasanschlag völkerrechtlich legitim?

Nein. Er wäre unter jeder Betrachtung völkerrechtswidrig. Es gibt kein Selbstverteidigungsrecht der USA, es gibt kein Recht auf einen Präventivschlag. Ein Schlag ohne ein Mandat des UNO-Sicherheitsrates ist eindeutig völkerrechtswidrig.

14.04.2018 - 13:30 [ Organisation des Nordatlantikvertrages ]

Statement by the NATO Secretary General on the actions against the Syrian regime‘s chemical weapons facilities and capabilities

I support the actions taken by the United States, the United Kingdom and France against the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons facilities and capabilities. This will reduce the regime’s ability to further attack the people of Syria with chemical weapons.

NATO has consistently condemned Syria‘s continued use of chemical weapons as a clear breach of international norms and agreements. The use of chemical weapons is unacceptable, and those responsible must be held accountable.

14.04.2018 - 13:27 [ Organisation des Nordatlantikvertrages ]

NATO Secretary General addresses German cabinet at Schloss Meseberg

(9.4.2018) The Secretary General also welcomed Germany’s increased defence spending, as the Alliance adapts to the most serious security challenges in a generation. He outlined preparations for the NATO Summit in July, which will take the next steps for NATO‘s future. While in Berlin, Mr Stoltenberg also met separately with Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister of Finance Olaf Scholz and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.

14.04.2018 - 13:01 [ buzer.de ]

Artikel 26 – Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland (GG)

(1) Handlungen, die geeignet sind und in der Absicht vorgenommen werden, das friedliche Zusammenleben der Völker zu stören, insbesondere die Führung eines Angriffskrieges vorzubereiten, sind verfassungswidrig. Sie sind unter Strafe zu stellen.

(2) Zur Kriegführung bestimmte Waffen dürfen nur mit Genehmigung der Bundesregierung hergestellt, befördert und in Verkehr gebracht werden. Das Nähere regelt ein Bundesgesetz.

14.04.2018 - 12:47 [ ZDF.de ]

Bundesaußenminister Heiko Maas – Stellungnahme zu Luftangriffen in Syrien

Außenminister Heiko Maas bezeichnet die Angriffe in Syrien als „angemessenes und erforderliches Signal“. Man wolle so „Wiederholungen des Leids zukünftig erschweren“.

14.04.2018 - 12:42 [ Spiegel.de ]

US-Angriff: Merkel befürwortet Militärschlag gegen Syrien

„Der Militäreinsatz war erforderlich und angemessen, um die Wirksamkeit der internationalen Ächtung des Chemiewaffeneinsatzes zu wahren und das syrische Regime vor weiteren Verstößen zu warnen“, erklärte Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel (CDU) in Berlin.

„Wir unterstützen es, dass unsere amerikanischen, britischen und französischen Verbündeten als ständige Mitglieder des UN-Sicherheitsrats in dieser Weise Verantwortung übernommen haben.“

14.04.2018 - 10:11 [ Maxim A. Suchkov / Twitter ]

#Russia‘s MoD: „Majority of rockets fired in #Syria by the #UK, #US, & #France were intercepted by Syrian air defense systems, Russian air defense units were not involved in repelling the attack.“

14.04.2018 - 10:06 [ Youtube ]

Mad Dog Mattis, Dunford, Brief Press Regarding Syria Strike

Mattis, Dunford, Brief Press Regarding Syria Strike DC, UNITED STATES 04.13.2018 Courtesy Video DoD News

14.04.2018 - 10:04 [ Michael Weiss / Twitter ]

Dunford: only aware of Syrian air defenses. No Russian air defenses.

14.04.2018 - 09:57 [ Rob Lee / Twitter ]

After warning the US against a future strike against Damascus, Gen. Gerasimov had a conversation with Gen. Dunford. The Russian MoD is concerned because, while they have Russian air defenses at their bases in Khmeimim (S-400 and Pantsir-S1) and Tartous (S-400V4),

(13.3.2018)

14.04.2018 - 09:31 [ Washington Post ]

French defense minister says Russia was warned ahead of joint US, UK, French military attacks on Syria

PARIS — French defense minister says Russia was warned ahead of joint US, UK, French military attacks on Syria.

14.04.2018 - 09:25 [ Sky News Breaking / Twitter ]

French defence minister Florence Parly says strikes conducted by the French air force targeted Syria‘s main chemical research centre as well as two other facilities and says Russia was warned ahead of the action

14.04.2018 - 09:22 [ Thomais Papaioannou / Twitter ]

French Minister of Defence, Florence Parly: The Russians were informed before the strikes. France and allies do not seek a face-off, nor military escalation.

14.04.2018 - 09:11 [ The Associated Press The Associated Press / Twitter ]

BREAKING: French defense minister says Russia was warned ahead of joint US, UK, French military attacks on Syria.

14.04.2018 - 06:14 [ Spring Actions 2018 ]

ALL OUT AGAINST WAR! – STOP U.S. Bombing of Syria – Not Another War

Join hundreds of antiwar and social justice groups that are organizing demonstrations in:
• New York City, Oakland CA, Minneapolis, and dozens of other cities across the country on Sunday, April 15, and
• Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit and Washington DC on Saturday April 14

14.04.2018 - 04:44 [ CNN politics ]

Dunford: “We did not do any coordination with the Russians on the strikes, nor did we pre-notify them”

14.04.2018 - 04:29 [ Joyce Karam ‏/ Twitter ]

Now Dunford saying that Russia was alerted through DECONFLICTION line in Udeid airbase in Qatar , to clear airspace, nothing more. #Syria

14.04.2018 - 04:27 [ Michael Carpenter ‏/ Twitter ]

Dunford: Only contestation of these strikes was from Syrian air defense systems. No mention of Russian A2/AD. The deconfliction channel with Russia was used, but Dunford says no “prenotification” of Russia. So targets were presumably not shared but perhaps airspace boxes were.

14.04.2018 - 04:25 [ ABC News ]

What is the US-Russian hotline being used as possible Syria strike looms?

(12.4.2018) Anything is possible when the missiles start flying, but the U.S. and Russia have a system for avoiding this scenario – it’s known as the deconfliction hotline.

The hotline runs from the vast U.S. air command center in Qatar to Khmeimim Air Base in Syria where Russia has commanders.

14.04.2018 - 04:10 [ theNation.com ]

Congress Needs to Cancel Trump’s Blank Check for War

Barbara Lee is still right: The president has no authority to strike Syria without congressional authorization.

14.04.2018 - 04:08 [ Kanwal Abidi ‏ / Twitter ]

Secretary Mattis starts the Pentagon Press Briefing ,,,, *Article 2 of the Constitution empowers the President to launch U.S. military force

14.04.2018 - 03:49 [ Spiegel.de ]

US-Angriffe auf Syrien haben begonnen

US-Präsident Donald Trump hat angekündigt, dass die USA gemeinsam mit Großbritannien und Frankreich einzelne Ziele in Syrien angreifen. Aus Damaskus werden Explosionen gemeldet.

14.04.2018 - 03:47 [ BBC ]

US and allies launch strikes on Syria chemical weapons sites

„A combined operation with the armed forces of France and the United Kingdom is now underway,“ President Trump said in an address to the nation.

Explosions were reported near the Syrian capital Damascus.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed British involvement, saying there was „no practicable alternative to the use of force“.

14.04.2018 - 03:45 [ CBS News ]

Trump says he has directed precision strikes in Syria — live updates

„A short time ago, I ordered the U.S. Armed Forces to launch precision strikes on targets associated with the chemical weapons capabilities of Syrian dictator, Bashar al-Assad,“ the president said from the White House.

„A combined operation with the armed forces of France and the United Kingdom is now under way,“ he continued.