There has been much talk about 'international norms' in the context of Syria of late. US president Donald Trump issued orders on Friday ordering 'the United States Armed Forces to launch precision strikes on targets associated with the chemical weapons capabilities of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad'. The UK and France also pinned their colours to the mission.
The mission had been authorised ostensibly in response to the use of poison gas in Douma leaving some 60 people dead. It was accompanied by a sense of strategic pantomime. Words like regime change were eschewed. Assad was not being directly challenged, though pressure was being brought to bear.
Trump cited the moral dimension, deeming the attacks in Douma 'the crimes of a monster'. It was language cued to the historical notion that certain aspects of warfare are to be condemned and even combated militarily. 'Following the horrors of World War I a century ago', reminded the US president, 'civilised nations joined together to ban chemical warfare.'
In Syria, this issue became relevant with the use of chemical weapons in August 2013. No military actions followed, despite President Barack Obama's threatening oratory. The British parliament similarly voted down a measure supporting military action against Assad. Instead, diplomacy was pursued, with the US and Russia reaching an agreement in September that year to account, inspect, control and eliminate Syria's chemical weapons.
In April last year, Trump dispelled any previously held reluctance, launching 59 cruise missiles on al-Shayat airbase in the aftermath of the attack in Khan Sheikhoun without urging Congressional involvement. Last Friday, Congress was again bypassed even if legislators were reluctant to criticise the move.
The criteria of such interventions is sketchy and almost always vague. The use of poison gas and chemical weapons has been deemed a gross violation of international law, but retaliation for such use remains nebulous. It is unclear, for instance, how successful such retaliatory measures can ever be.
Nor can the user of such weapons always be clearly identified — various combatant groups have also deployed chemical agents against civilian populations in Syria. The Trump administration was not waiting, claiming that chlorine had been used in Douma by government forces, topped by the possible use of sarin.
"A most troubling feature of Trump's belligerence is a sense of action without purpose, the macho in search of a goal."
Trump, as is his wont, declared the actions 'perfect' and trumpeted 'Mission Accomplished!' Hardly wise words, given their use