Trump says Syria strikes "perfectly executed," declares "Mission Accomplished!"
President Trump said Saturday morning airstrikes in Syria overnight were "perfectly executed," hours after he announced the U.S., U.K. and France launched precision missile strikes in Syria in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria last weekend. "Mission Accomplished!" he declared.
But on Friday night, Mr. Trump said the U.S. is "prepared to sustain this response" until Syrian President Bashar Assad halts his believed use of chemical weapons.
"So proud of our great Military which will soon be, after the spending of billions of fully approved dollars, the finest that our Country has ever had," the president tweeted Saturday morning. "There won't be anything, or anyone, even close!"
"A perfectly executed strike last night," Mr. Trump said. "Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!"
"Mission accomplished" is the same phrase former President George W. Bush infamously used in 2003, after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Bush was addressing sailors aboard a ship alongside a "Mission Accomplished" banner. Weeks later, it became apparent that Iraqis had organized an insurgency, and U.S. forces remained in the country for years.
Mr. Trump, who only weeks ago said he wants to pull U.S. troops out of Syria — there are roughly 2,000 there now — said Friday night the strike does not mean the U.S. does not seek an "indefinite" presence in Syria.
"America does not seek an indefinite presence in Syria under no circumstances," Mr. Trump said Friday night. "As other nations step up their contributions, we look forward to the day when we can bring our warriors home."
