CBS Insinuates Trump Is Responsible for Syrian ‘Crime Against Humanity’

April 4th, 2017 10:04 PM

The country’s emotions ran high as horrific images flooded in from Syria on Tuesday, where dictator Bashar al-Assad killed dozens and wounded hundreds more in a chemical weapon attack on his own people. “Even by the horrors of the Syrian civil war, what happened today will stand out as a crime against humanity,” was the first sentence uttered by Anchor Scott Pelley as CBS Evening News came on the air. But he then seemed to insinuate that the blame rested at President Trump’s feet.

“The attack came five days after the Trump administration signaled that the Syrian dictator would not be held accountable for the slaughter of his people,” stated a very serious Pelley, “The Trump administration said Bashar al-Assad could remain in power, a reversal of Obama-era policy that said Assad had to go.”

“Despite the appeasing change in his policy, Mr. Trump blamed today's attack on President Obama calling it a ‘Consequence of the past administration's weakness,’” he continued to chide.

Pelley’s claim that the Trump administration was giving a free pass to a murderous monster, had been a common narrative circulating around the liberal media for the past few days. US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley told reporters that when it came to Assad “Do we think he's a hindrance? Yes … Are we going to sit there and focus on getting him out? No.” But Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also stated that the “longer-term status of President Assad will be decided by the Syrian people.”

Yet when it came to the efforts of former President Barack Obama, who never made a serious attempt to take out Assad after he crossed the infamous “red line,” CBS defended them from Trump.

“[After the first time Assad gassed his people] President Obama threatened air strikes, but instead, he struck a deal to destroy Syria's chemical weapons,” Pelley recalled, “In 2014, a U.N. agency certified that all of the known weapons had been incinerated, but after today, it would appear that something was left over.” He then scolded Trump for mentioning the facts: “Mr. Trump's reflex, blaming Mr. Obama for today's attack, strikes some even in the Trump administration as misguided.”

Reporter Margaret Brennan argued that Trump was just being political. “A number of U.S. National Security officials told CBS News that they also fault Mr. Obama for not stopping the Syrian slaughter,” she reported, “But they were shocked today at the campaign-like language of the sitting commander in chief.”

Quoting one of her unnamed sources, Brennan chided that, “The White House could have issued a sober, serious statement. Instead, they needlessly chose to play politics … It's hard to imagine anyone could see images of victims foaming at the mouth and think that statement was appropriate.”

She also hid Tillerson’s tough rebuke targeting Assad and his allies. “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson initially declined to comment on the attacks, but then, Scott, late this afternoon, issued a statement that was devoid of domestic politics, which said that both Russia and Iran, quote ‘Bear great moral responsibility for these deaths,’” she noted. But she only gave his statement a brief mention at the end of her report after they were finished skewering Trump. 

Transcript below:

CBS Evening News
April 4, 2017
6:31:13 PM Eastern 

SCOTT PELLEY: Even by the horrors of the Syrian civil war, what happened today will stand out as a crime against humanity. 58 civilians, including women and children, were killed and about 300 others wounded by what appears to be nerve gas, a weapon banned by the civilized world. The attack came five days after the Trump administration signaled that the Syrian dictator would not be held accountable for the slaughter of his people. The Trump administration said Bashar al-Assad could remain in power, a reversal of Obama-era policy that said Assad had to go. Despite the appeasing change in his policy, Mr. Trump blamed today's attack on President Obama calling it a "Consequence of the past administration's weakness." What we're about to show you is hard to watch, but it should be seen.

6:34:17 PM Eastern 

PELLEY: After that nerve gas attack in 2013 that Holly just mentioned, President Obama threatened air strikes, but instead, he struck a deal to destroy Syria's chemical weapons. In 2014, a U.N. Agency certified that all of the known weapons had been incinerated, but after today, it would appear that something was left over. Mr. Trump's reflex, blaming Mr. Obama for today's attack, strikes some even in the Trump administration as misguided. Here's Margaret Brennan.

[Cuts to video]

MARGARET BRENNAN: The gravity of the images led President Trump to issue a statement condemning the chemical attack as “reprehensible” and “heinous.” He then shifted to politics blaming President Obama's quote, "Weakness and irresolution," for not following through on the air strikes he threatened in 2012.

BARACK OBAMA: And a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized.

BRENNAN: When a defiant Assad carried out the large-scale chemical attack in 2013, Mr. Trump warned on Twitter against any U.S. action. “President Obama, do not attack Syria. There is no upside and tremendous downside. Save your power for another and more important day!” Now that Mr. Trump is President, he has reversed his position as spokesman Sean Spicer indicated in an off-camera briefing today.

SEAN SPICER: America's credibility was at stake, and I think the President wants it pointed out that there was a red line, and they did cross it. We did talk about-- we did have alternatives to regime change, and they weren't taken.

BRENNAN: A number of U.S. National Security officials told CBS News that they also fault Mr. Obama for not stopping the Syrian slaughter. But they were shocked today at the campaign-like language of the sitting commander in chief. “The White House could have issued a sober, serious statement. Instead, they needlessly chose to play politics,” one U.S. official said, “It's hard to imagine anyone could see images of victims foaming at the mouth and think that statement was appropriate.”

JOHN MCCAIN: We've seen this movie before.

BRENNAN: Republican Senator John McCain also urged action.

MCCAIN: It is another disgraceful chapter in American history, and it was predictable.

[Cuts back to live]

BRENNAN: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson initially declined to comment on the attacks, but then, Scott, late this afternoon, issued a statement that was devoid of domestic politics, which said that both Russia and Iran, quote "Bear great moral responsibility for these deaths."

PELLEY: Margaret Brennan at the White House.