The strategy included a deception in which Navy warships were maneuvered to persuade the Russians -- falsely -- that the ships would take part in a strike.
bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
Trump says strike is over, echoing Mattis last night.
In his speech, Trump: “We are prepared to sustain this response until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents.”
US/France/UK willing to do more if Assad strays, I’m told.
Trump and NSC principals advocated for varying degrees.
In the end, top concern was preventing regime’s use of chemical weapons — and not escalating this into US involvement in Syrian Civil War.
France’s Emmanuel Macron didn’t hesitate at all.
But Angela Merkel declined, although she made clear Germany wouldn’t stand in the way of allies’ response.
defense.gov/News/Special-R…
The US didn’t want an escalation in military tensions with Russia, and tried to take care to not kill any Russians.
@ACapaccio
bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
They spread word that two destroyers — USS Winston Churchill and USS Donald Cook — were in the Mediterranean region.
Neither ship, in the end, fired a shot.
bloomberg.com/news/articles/…