FEHAL 3
STATEMENT OF SECRETARV OF DEFENSE TIM MATTE, 23 AEREL 2913

GOOD EVENING. AS THE WORLD KNOWS, THE SYRIAN
PEOPLE HAVE S-UFFERED TERRIBLY UNDER THE

PROLONGED BRUTALITY OF THE ASSAD REGIME

ON APRIL THE REGIME DECIDED T0 AGAIN DEFY THE.
NORMS OF CIVILIZED PEOPLE, SHOWING CALLOUS
DISREGARD FOR INTERNATIONAL LAW BY USING
CHEMICAL WEAPONS TO MURDER WOMEN, CHILDREN
AND OTHER INNOCENTS. WE AND OUR ALLIES FIND

THESE ATROCITIES 

AS OUR COMMAND-ER IN CHIEF, THE PRESIDENT HAS THE
AUTHORITY UNDER ARTICLE II OF THE CONSTITUTION TO
USE MILITARY FORCE OVERSEAS TO DEFEND IMPORTANT
1-1.8. NATIONAL THE UNITED STATES HAS AN
IMPORTANT NATIONAL INTEREST AVERTING A
WORS-ENING HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE IN SYRIA,
AND SPECIFICALLY D-ETERRIN-G- THE USE AND

PROLIFERATION OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS-

 

FINAL 3
STATEMENT OF SECRETART OF OEFENSE TIM MATTIS, 13 APRIL 2018

LAST YEAR, IN RESPONSE TO A CHEMICAL WEAPONS
ATTACK AGAINST CIVILIANS AND TO SIGNAL THE REGIME
TO CEASE CHEMICAL WEAPONS USE, WE TARGETED THE
MILITARY BASE FROM WHICH THE WEAPONS WERE

DELIVERED.

EARLIER TODAY, PRESIDENT TRUMP DIRECTED THE 
MILITARY TO CONDUCT OPERATIONS, IN CONSONANCE
WITH OUR ALLIES, TO DESTROY THE SYRIAN 
CHEMICAL WEAPONS RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND

PRODUCTION CAPABILITIES.

TONIGHT, FRANCE, THE UNITED KINGDOM, AND THE
UNITED STATES TOOK DECISIVE ACTION TO STRIKE THE

SYRIAN CHEMICAL WEAPONS INFRASTRUCTURE.-

 

FINAL 3
STATE MEANT OF DEFENSE TIM MATHS, 13 APRIL 2018

CLEARLY, THE ASSAD REGIME DID NOT GET THE
MESSAGE LAST YEA-R. THIS TIME, OUR ALLIES AND WE
HAVE STRUCK HARDER. TOGETHER, WE HAVE SENT A
CLEAR MESSAGE TO ASSAD, AND HIS MURDEROUS
LIEUTENANTS, THAT THEY SHOULD NOT PERPETRATE
ANOTHER CHEMICAL WEAPONS ATTACK FOR WHICH

THEY WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

THE 70 IN THE DEFEAT ISIS COALITION REMAIN.
COMMITTED TO DEFEATING ISIS IN SYRIA. THE STRIKE
TONIGHT SEPARATELY DEMONSTRATES INTERNATIONAL
RESOLVE TO PREVENT CHEMICAL WEAPONS FROM BEING
USED ONLANYONE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, IN

CONTRAVENTION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.

I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THESE STRIKE-S ARE
DIRECTED AT THE SYRIAN REGIME. IN CONDUCTING
THESE WE HAVE GONE- TO GREAT TO

AVOID AND FOREIGN CASUALTIES.

 

gar-ma

STATEMENT SECRETARY DEFENSE my! mama, 13 WM 2018
BUT IT IS TIME FOR ALL CIVI-LIZED NATIONS TO URGENTLY
UNITE IN ENDING THE SYRIAN CIVIL WAR BY SUPPORTING

THE UNITED NATIONS BACKED PEACE PROCESS.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS
CONVENTION PROHIBITING THE USE OF SUCH WEAPONS,
WE URGE RESPONSIBLE TO THE
ASSAD REGIME AND JOIN US IN OUR FIRM RESOLVE TO

PREVENT CHEMICAL WEAPONS FROM BEING USED AGAIN.

GENERAL DUNFORD WILL PROVIDE A MILITARY UPDATE.

 

 

 

STATEMENT a? aaflg?sf?risg 3w, MATHS, 13 Man. 2mg
BASED ON RECENT EXPERIENCE, WE FULLY EXPECT A
SIGNIFICANT DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN OVER THE
COMING DAYS BY THOSE WHO HAVE ALIGNED
THEMSELVES WITH THE ASSAD REGIME. IN AN EFFORT
TO MAINTAIN TRANSPARENCY AND ACCURACY, MY
ASSISTANT FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS, DANA WHITE, AND LT
GEN MCKENZIE, DIRECTOR OF THE JOINT STAFF, WILL
PROVIDE A BRIEF OF KNOWN DETAILS TOMORROW AT

9AM.