Transcript for Special Report: Pentagon briefing on Syria strike

View. Period people suffered terribly. Under the along brutality. You. On April 7 reviewed variety. Who he would defy the norms of life people going power disregard for Internet law. We're using every weapon murder women children and her in the we and our allies are indeed property. In it you. Articulate he's the president has few boring under article. Do it. Use military work over the defender. United States. It. United States has vital national interest in averting a worsening. View Syria and specifically to her and use. Chemical weapons. That year in response to a chemical weapons it it. To repeat. We hope you part in the case. Earlier today president prompt corrective US military conduct operate. Content with our allies. Reuters Syrian regime and weapon Cooper development. Tonight Graham United Kingdom and United States Christian faith bed and breakfast period and weapons program. Literally get he's not nothing. This time our allies view. Together we've been through nothing. And Mercury and picked it not for greater numbers and weapons. With a little over. Designation that defeat hype would remain committed. Human rights area. Kryptonite. Separately done. A nascent in the defeat iced his coalition remained committed to defeating crisis in Syria. The strike tonight separately. Demonstrate international resolve. To prevent chemical weapons from being used on anyone under any circumstance. In contravention of international law. I want to emphasize that these strikes are directed at the Syrian regime. And conducting the strength we have gone to great lengths to avoid civilian and foreign casualties. But it is a time for all civilized nations to urgently unite contending this should Syrian civil war. By supporting the United Nations backed Geneva peace process. In a cordon at the chemical weapons convention prohibiting the use of such weapons. We urge responsible nations to condemn the a sawed regime. And to join us and our firm resolve to prevent chemical weapons from being used again. General done for will provide a military up date. We believe me I'm joined by our friends are essentially we're gonna journal mart that you. And our British at the penitentiary air vice Marshall Kevin Parker. Secretary Mattis is just outline the policy and legal framework for tonight strike and Syria hall address to strike from the military dimension. That night PM eastern standard time French British and US forces. Short targets in Syria in support of president strokes objective to deter the future use of chemical weapons. Our forces were integrated throughout the planning an excuse improper of the operation. The targets that were struck and destroyed were specifically associated with the Syrian regime's. Chemical weapons program. We also selected targets that would minimize the risk to innocent civilians. The first target was a scientific research center located in the greater Damascus area. This military facility it was a serious center for the research development production and testing of chemical and biological warfare technology. The second target was a chemical weapons storage facility west of home. We assess that this was the primary location of Syrian Sharon and precursor production equipment. The third target which was in the vicinity of the second target contained both a chemical weapons equipment storage facility and an important command post. US British and French naval and air forces were involved in the operation. And for reasons of operational security. Won't be more specific decedent. Before we take questions I would like to address of a seat next strike were qualitatively. And quantitatively different than 20027. Thing. Last year we conducted a unilateral strike on a single site. The focus was on the aircraft associated with the Syrian chemical weapons attack in April of 2007 thing. This evening we conducted strikes with two allies on multiple sites that will result in a long term degradation serious capability. To research develop and employ chemical and biological weapons. Important infrastructure was destroyed which will result in a setback. For the Syrian regime. There will lose yours a research and development data specialized equipment inexpensive. Chemical weapons precursors. To strike was not only of strong message to the regime that her actions were inexcusable. But it also inflicted maximum damage without unnecessary risk to innocent civilians.

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