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Radical Islamists Cheer Trump Administration’s Missile Strike

Fadi al-Halabi/AFP/Getty Images

Alex Pfeiffer White House Correspondent
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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. John McCain cheered the Trump administration’s decision Thursday to strike the Assad regime, as did Syrian rebel groups which seek to impose Sharia law.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) quoted a “key figure” in the Army of Islam, or Jaysh al-Islamas saying, “Hitting one airbase is not enough, there are 26 airbases that target civilians.” The AFP article just identified Jaysh al-Islam as a rebel group and didn’t point out that the organization seeks to replace the Assad regime with a government ruled by Sharia law.

MSNBC also reported that the rebels Ahrar al-Sham “welcome US intervention through surgical strikes that would deter regime capabilities to kill civilians.” The U.S. considers Ahrar al-Sham one of the most effective rebel groups in Syria, according to a report from Stanford University. The group also worked with ISIS until 2014, is sympathetic with Al-Qaeda, and seeks to create an Islamic state in Syria.

A video from 2015 purportedly shows members of al-Sham flogging men for keeping their shops open during prayer hours.

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Hawaii Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard responded to Trump’s strike on Syria by saying that the action will help Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations. Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie said that the attack on the Assad regime will “make the situation better for ISIS.”

Key Republicans in the senate, such as Sen. McCain and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have so far backed regime change.