Sen. Corker responds to Syrian chemical attack aftermath footage

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker
(R-TN) recently appeared on CNN to respond to a video that showed the aftermath of the reported chemical weapons attack in southern Idlib, Syria by Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

The attack provided the impetus for a missile strike response from the United States on the Syrian air base reportedly used to carry out the attack.

“This barbaric leader has been doing this for years,” Corker said. “I thanked President Trump for responding in the way that he did, but [the conflict] continues. [Assad]’s supported by Russia. He’s supported by Iran. He needs to be put away in a tribunal and locked up for life.”

Corker implied that the Russian Federation’s complicity in the incident could be used to pressure the Russian government into distance itself from the Assad regime, questioning if Russia wanted to stay aligned with a barbaric ruler who is torturing his own people in prisons.

“Is that who they want to stand with?” Corker asked. “Or do they want to join the rest of the world and do away with the support that they have for this person, get Iran to join them, and let’s move away from what’s happening.”

When asked what the United States should do if Russia chooses to continue backing the Assad regime, Corker said that the Trump Administration could plan for additional punitive measures, but that the United States should first wait and see what Russia does in response to the attack.

Corker has served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee since January 2015.