Missile Strikes Are Unlikely to Stop Syria's Chemical Attacks, Pentagon Says

A military intelligence report found that the Syrian government is expected to resume its chemical weapons program, despite President Trump saying “mission accomplished.” Here’s how the strike unfolded.


Planning for the strike of 105 missiles on three targets — chemical weapons storage and research facilities near Damascus and Homs — took nearly a full week. CreditHassan Ammar/Associated Press

By Thomas Gibbons-Neff

April 19, 2018

WASHINGTON — A barrage of missiles against Syria by American, French and British forces most likely will not stop President Bashar al-Assad’s chemical weapons program, a Pentagon assessment has concluded, despite President Trump’s “Mission Accomplished!” declaration hours after last weekend’s strikes.

The military intelligence report, put out less than three days after the attack, said the allied airstrikes likely set back Mr. Assad’s production of sarin gas.

But it found that the Syrian president is expected to continue researching and developing chemical weapons for potential future use, according to an American intelligence analyst who has seen the document and described it to The New York Times on the condition of anonymity.

“They do retain a residual capability” to produce chemical weapons, Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., the Joint Staff director, said on Thursday of the Syrian government. He said the chemical weapons are “spread through the country.”
“They still have ability to conduct attacks; I would not rule that out,” General McKenzie said.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/19/world/middleeast/syria-strikes.html