Tony Blinken, who served as deputy national security adviser under President Obama, told CNN President Trump was right for retaliating against Syria over the regime’s use of chemical weapons on its own people.
“I think the president, John, did the right thing,” he told CNN’s John Berman. “Not only was this chemical attack just heinous in terms of what it did to the victims, but it also violated an international norm that’s been in place since the end of World War I, which bans the use of chemical weapons or biological weapons in armed conflict. So, the president did the right thing in standing up and enforcing that norm, demonstrating there would be consequences for violating it.”
Blinken had been supportive of limited military action against Syria since 2013, so it’s not surprising his position on the issue has remained the same, regardless of who’s commander in chief.
In a New York Times op-ed, Blinken added that Trump should be commended for acting but “the real test for Mr. Trump is what comes next.”
Blinken argued that the administration must exercise smart diplomacy, which includes holding Russia accountable.
Source: Townhall
