US President Donald Trump told Russia in an early morning tweet to prepare for "nice and new and 'smart!'" missile attacks in Syria after an alleged gas attack on the last rebel stronghold in the country.

The tweet came after the Russian ambassador to Lebanon said in an interview on Tuesday with Hezbollah-owned al-Manar TV that "if there is a US missile attack, we - in line with both Putin and Russia's chief of staff's remarks - will shoot down US rockets and even the sources that launched the missiles".

Trump further chided Russia for its support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Wednesday's tweet, saying it "shouldn't be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!"

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova responded to Trump's tweet saying: "Smart missiles should fly towards terrorists, not [Syria's] lawful government, which has spent several years fighting against international terrorism on its territory.

The warnings come as the United States and several European countries threatened to use military action against the Syrian government and its main ally, Russia, in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack on the rebel-held town of Douma.

Saturday's attack in Eastern Ghouta has killed dozens of people, mostly women and children, according to activists and local medics.

The Syrian government and Russia have denied that a chemical attack took place.

On Tuesday, rival draft resolutions by the US and Russia to set up a new expert body to probe chemical weapons attacks in Syria both failed to pass at the United Nations Security Council.

James Mattis, US defence secretary, did not rule out any military action against Assad's forces, while US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, warned Washington was ready to "respond" to the attack regardless of whether the Security Council acted or not.

Vladimir Shamanov, chairman of the defence affairs committee in Russia's lower house of parliament, said on Tuesday that Russia has "the necessary means for that and that Americans and their allies know that quite well", adding that a retaliatory strike could target US aircraft and naval ships, Reuters news agency reported.

Meanwhile, the Syrian government has put its forces on "high alert" amid the looming threat of a US military response.

With Russian military assistance, President Assad launched a bloody offensive on Eastern Ghouta, which had been under rebel control since mid-2013.

Since the start of the aerial bombardment campaign on February 18, the offensive has claimed more than 1,600 civilian lives, and has, through a series of deals reached with rebel groups, internally displaced more than 45,000 people according to the UN.

Trump later tweeted that Russian-US relations are "worse now" than ever before.

The president concluded by opening the possibility of a detente: "There is no reason for this. Russia needs us to help with their economy, something that would be very easy to do, and we need all nations to work together. Stop the arms race?"

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/trump-tells-russia-ready-syria-missile-strikes-180411110830819.html

Trump after that tweet:

Trump is my man, I value him much but I think this decision is not best for now.

The end of d world is near

I wish well for all the Syrians suffering this act of war. It is unfair and it just doesn't make sense at all!

NwaAmaikpe should be in this country now...

at least so that stupidity would end on NL.



It's one Blast.. just one blast

If Trump claimed Assad is killing his people and enjoying it, is it not the same set of people Trump is planning to kill? When missiles were sent, will it kill only Assad? What Obama caused to Libya is still fresh.

K

Pray this World Cup taking place in June does not turn to mass murder. What amuse me most is that red neck telling his presido to STFU. Try that shit here you are labelled a terrorist.

Whilst we can't contain ordinary fulani herdsmen, people are already preparing for 3rd world war

if us and Russia go to war it we b draw

,

Ok

Vladimir Putin

CNN, the fake TV network according to Trump, made us believe that Putin and Trump are friends.

Now, Trump is proving them wrong.

I like Trump for something: he's unpredictable

But if he fires Mueller, he's in trouble though

These cold war idiots should let us have some peace in our world.

The world is not ready for a third world war

For how long will these two so-called superpowers continue to toy with other peoples lives?

America, the self-appointed arbiter on morality, on what is right and wrong, always being the one to determine who's the terrorist, and who's fighting for "freedumb and dumbocracy". Neither the US nor Russia is a saint. They're both criminal nations that chase their own nàked interests at the expense of others, and do not have the interest of the human race at heart. But the ridiculous thing about it all is America's penchant for painting Russia the villain and portraying herself as the do-gooder, despite her numerous atrocities which authorizations are dressed in noble language and committed in the name of "freedom and democracy".

All the Nations where America had forcefully overthrown the ruling regime in the name of installing democracy fared better under their "evil, despotic, dictatorial, autocratic" leaders than they did in the aftermath of America's gesture to "free" them from oppression.

NATO must not be allowed to turn Syria into another Libya, because if the rebels should have their way, like America is pushing for, things might turn out much worse than whatever undesirable things are happening now, and Russia with all its faults is doing well to prevent that outcome.

America has no right to violate the sovereignty of other states and support rebels and terrorists in another country against its legitimate leadership. In a country with equal military strength, it would be classified as detestable act of war.

No one is buying their stupid propaganda anymore.

America my new found country after Jerusalem

SleakBuzzPR:
Trump after that tweet:

Lol, hmmm. But Trump says what he means and he means what he says

That's my man!

Sai Trump!

Americans can't be prouder of their country and president at this time.

All the same, I like both Trump and Putin. Both are conservatives who hate abortion, homosexuality etc etc

Do u think Trump is like Buhari who finds it a good thing to deal with armless people but capitulates at the mention of Boko Haram?

Really

ok

I side with President Putin, and Assad of Syria. Turning Syria into the next Libya must be rejected by all sane people in the world. If Assad falls, Libya will be a child's play!
This is the same Assad Obama and the witch, Hillary Clinton tried to remove from power without success thanks to Putin. Why do they want Assad out of power so desperately? Havent they learn from Iraq and Libya war debacle? The sooner America realized that Asad and Putin are not the problem, the better for them. How can they focus all their attention on little Syria when the bigger problem, Saudi Arabia is there sponsoring terrorist activities all over the middle east? Look at Yemen, what is American govt doing about the atrocities of Saudi Arabia in that country?
Leaving the snake to chase a small rat will spell doom for peace efforts in middle east.

Wow. Bring it on

Make una no start again oh, I never make money finish oh.

its quite unfortunate that ordinary syrians are the ones bearing the brunt of this proxy war.

when two elephants fight...the .... Suffers