Images of an attack allegedly carried out by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad against his own people have been circulating the globe in recent days, and may well have influenced US president Donald Trump's decision to launch 60 missiles on government targets in the Middle Eastern country.
For several years, Trump has expressed both support of the Syrian leader and opposition to calls for him to be removed from power or for US forces to engage militarily in the Syrian conflict.
However, the images of innocent civilians (including many children) is believed to have changed his attitude to the beleaguered dictator.
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Photos taken not long before the first missiles were launched show him talking to members of the press on Air Force One (the US president's massive plane), with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story playing in the background.
Credit: PA
Trump was fielding journalists' questions when the Intergalactic Empire's (unelected) leader Darth Vader makes his dramatic entrance in the film.
"I think what Assad did is terrible. I think what happened in Syria is one of the truly egregious crime and it shouldn't have happened. And it shouldn't be allowed to happen," he said.
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When asked by a reporter if he had talked to Russian president Vladimir Putin (elected, but far more scary than Darth Vader) about the Assad's alleged chemical attack on civilians, Trump said, "At some point I may. I haven't but at some point I may."
In a follow-up question, another reporter tried to get Trump's take on whether Assad should remain in power, to which he replied: "I think what happened in Syria is a disgrace to humanity and he's there and I guess he is running things so something should happen," before thanking the assembled press and walking away.
Credit: PA
Credit: PA
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After his interviews with members of the press, Trump reportedly had dinner with President Xi of China at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida at around seven in the evening. An hour and a half later the first missiles landed at the targeted Sharayat air base.
Although China was quick to condemn Assad's supposed chemical attack (which arguably led to Trump's intervention) the Asian country (along with Russia) has been reluctant to get involved in the Syrian conflict, making consensus on the matter difficult to achieve, while a spokeswoman for China's Foreign Ministry failed to blame Assad for the attacks, which killed over 80 people.
Whether the POTUS was watching the sci-fi film himself before he gave his answers to journalists is anyone's guess, but what is clear is that his decision to intervene in the ongoing war in Syria is a huge volte-face (basically a posh way of doing the opposite of what you did before), as Trump has regularly tweeted in the past to express opposition to any intervention in the Syrian conflict, arguing that it was against America's interests and may even aid ISIS.
He was particularly critical of his predecessor, Barack Obama, posting critical messages of the then president's approach to Syria in 2013 and 2014
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Words: Ronan J O'Shea
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Star Wars, Trump, Syria