TV pundits were largely skeptical about President Donald Trump’s airstrike against Syria on Thursday, and used Twitter to accuse Trump of hypocrisy and vent fears of another war in the Middle East.
But some commentators came out strongly in favor of the strikes, including former CNN host Piers Morgan, who praised Trump for giving Syrian president Bashar al-Assad “a bloody nose to stop him using chemical weapons.”
“We should applaud it,” Morgan tweeted, calling Assad’s chemical weapons attack “a despicable war crime.”
Trump launched 59 missiles at a Syrian airfield, destroying fighter jets. Russian troops at the airfield were given advance warning and evacuated before the strike. The attack came in response to the deployment of sarin gas by Assad’s regime. The chemical attack killed dozens of civilians, including children, and left hundreds more injured. The use of chemical weapons is considered a war crime under the Geneva Protocol.
MSNBC’s Chris Hayes had a sense of here-we-go-again: “Our ability to convince ourselves that *every* war we enter is for humanitarian reasons is remarkable,” he tweeted Thursday night.
On Friday, Hayes also worried that the U.S. could get into another war: “What if we end up with Bush, but worse?”
MSNBC’s Joy Reid also worried where the strikes might lead.
“Daily Show” host Trevor Noah wondered why the U.S. didn’t spend more on domestic problems rather than trying to “send a message to Syria.”
Univision’s Jorge Ramos was among many who pointed out that the Syrian “babies” Trump referenced in his justification for the attacks would not have been allowed into the country under his ban on refugees.
Not everyone in the Twitter-verse was making a lot of sense. InfoWars.com founder Alex Jones posted a survey on Twitter asking his followers whether or not they thought the sarin gas attack was a “false flag”–in other words, an event faked by the government to justify attacking the Assad regime. Jones spent years propagating a theory that the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting was a government plot to justify gun control.
Here are some Twitter reactions from pundits:
It's sad that politicians can't find money for education, clean water or healthcare but they can spend millions to "send a message to Syria"
— Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) April 7, 2017
A despicable war crime – when this war is over, Assad must be held to account for it. https://t.co/Qk2DS4AFGT
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) April 7, 2017
Trump gave Assad a bloody nose to stop him using chemical weapons. We should applaud it.
My column: https://t.co/onmyB1Jre1 pic.twitter.com/BLMvo4PXHm— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) April 7, 2017
All warfare is horrendous.
But chemical weapons are internationally out-lawed & should never be permitted. https://t.co/xF8ftH0j6C— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) April 7, 2017
BREAKING: US launches 60 Tomahawk cruise missile strikes on Syrian air base.
President Trump acts on Assad crossing HIS red line.— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) April 7, 2017
Saddam had no WMD, Assad just used them. https://t.co/amdoOHzcC4
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) April 6, 2017
What if we end up with Bush, but worse?
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) April 7, 2017
Fundamental rule of American punditry: war brings out the worst takes.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) April 7, 2017
<<whispers>> "maybe the guy didn't have any actual beliefs to begin with?"
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) April 7, 2017
Our ability to convince ourselves that *every* war we enter is for humanitarian reasons is remarkable.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) April 7, 2017
Tonight Trump is getting praise from the very same Establishment he ran against and whose approval he desperately seeks.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) April 7, 2017
It's amazing to watch members of congress praise this when so few wanted to actually vote for it in 2013
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) April 7, 2017
A reminder that those babies we all saw being gassed will be banned from the US if Potus gets his way.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) April 7, 2017
Again, the reason that we didn't strike Syria back in 2013 was that basically no one in Congress wanted to vote to authorize strikes.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) April 6, 2017
pull support from Saudi war in Yemen just to start.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) April 6, 2017
Los mismos niños atacados en Siria por Assad no podrían entrar a EU si se aprobara la prohibición de viajes propuesta por Trump.
— JORGE RAMOS (@jorgeramosnews) April 7, 2017
TRANSLATION: “Those same children attacked in Syria by Assad wouldn’t be able to enter the U.S. if the travel ban proposed by Trump were approved.”
Trump ataca a Siria como represalia por uso de armas químicas contra civiles. ¿Es el inicio de otra guerra que involucra a EU? Veremos…
— JORGE RAMOS (@jorgeramosnews) April 7, 2017
TRANSLATION: “Trump attacks Syria as reprisal for the use of chemical weapons against civilians. Is this the beginning of another war that involves the U.S.? We shall see…”
Ba'athist dictator used chemical weapons against his own people; surgical strike that could escalate to regime change. What could go wrong?
— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid ? (@JoyAnnReid) April 7, 2017
Recall that not long ago, Trump said he would look Syrian children in the eye and tell them they can't come to the United States. https://t.co/S2LYmCAWWw
— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid ? (@JoyAnnReid) April 7, 2017
This is the kind of gauzy, soft focus lens story that Jared and Ivanka … I mean the president … sought by switching sides on Syria. https://t.co/NK0ZkgXcyM
— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid ? (@JoyAnnReid) April 7, 2017
https://twitter.com/RealAlexJones/status/850133863368097792
https://twitter.com/RealAlexJones/status/850160716195680258
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