PALM BEACH: In the aftermath of President Donald Trump 's surprise strikes on Syria , his allies and adversaries have searched for some broader meaning in his decision. Until the chemical weapons attack, Trump mainly saw Syria as a hotbed for terrorists seeking to attack the U.S. When most of the same guidelines appeared applicable in Syria, particularly after a deadly 2013 chemical weapons attack, Obama backed away from planned military strikes. "Another consequence of Trump's shift on Syria has been a strikingly tougher tone from his administration on Russia. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, whose close ties to Russia raised questions during his confirmation hearings, slammed Moscow for either being "complicit" in the chemical weapons attack or "incompetent.

Source: Economic Times April 09, 2017 02:48 UTC