Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday said “it is undeniable” that chemical weapons were used in Syria last week and he pointed the finger at the Syrian regime for “this cowardly crime” and “the cynical attempt to cover it up.” In remarks at the State Department on Aug. 26, Kerry said the Administration is consulting with lawmakers and overseas allies, and President Obama “will be making an informed decision about how to respond to this indiscriminate use of chemical weapons.” The President, said Kerry, “believes there must be accountability for those who would use the world’s most heinous weapons against the world’s most vulnerable people”—civilians. Kerry said the United States is compiling additional evidence on the incident that it will release in the days ahead. The attack reportedly took place in a part of eastern Damascus. The evidence already before the world is “real” and “compelling,” said Kerry. It includes the reported number of victims, reported symptoms of those killed or injured, and firsthand accounts from humanitarian organizations on the ground, he said.
If the Air Force is in line for a big budget bump from President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget in 2027, the head of Air Combat Command said he would make aircraft spare parts his top spending priority—but cautioned that more money to buy parts won’t equal a…
