Georgia’s U.S. senators supportive of Syrian airbase strike

WASHINGTON — Both of Georgia’s U.S. senators were supportive of president Trump’s decision Thursday for an airstrike on a Syrian air base that U.S. officials believe was used in launching a chemical attack Tuesday that killed at least 80 Syrians.

Sen. David Perdue, R-Sea Island, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad “is a tyrant and his chemical weapon attack against innocent civilians this week was beyond inhumane.”

“This will not be tolerated,” Perdue said. “After six years of inaction by the Obama administration, I am glad to see that President Trump is willing to stand up for these innocent victims and stop those responsible for this violence. I commend our brave servicewomen and men who are carrying out this vital mission tonight.”

Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Marietta, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the strike shows the world that the U.S. will not tolerate the commission of war crimes.

“I salute the brave men and women of the U.S. military who conducted these operations tonight,” Isakson said late Thursday. “President Trump’s decision to strike the Assad regime’s air base where chemical weapons were deployed against the innocent people of Syria earlier this week sends a clear signal to the world that war crimes such as these will not be tolerated.

“I support the president’s swift and decisive action to punish this dictatorship for the atrocities committed.”

CNN reported Friday that the Pentagon is investigating whether Russia had any role in the Tuesday chemical attack against rebels in Idlib province that killed at least 80 and injured many others.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was critical of the U.S. attack in which 59 Tomahawk missiles were launched from U.S. warships in the eastern Mediterranean toward Shayrat airfield. Syrians said nine people, including four children, were killed in the missile attack.