His aggression on Syria shocked but didn’t surprise. Straightaway in office, he escalated war on Syria, Iraq and Yemen. He sent special forces to Somalia for combat missions.

He provocatively maintains thousands of heavily armed US troops near Russia’s borders. He’s challenging China in its own waters. He supports Israeli high crimes against Palestinians.

His neocon UN envoy Nikki Haley “condemn(ed)” the nonexistent “Russian occupation of Crimea.” His Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called for regime change in Venezuela.

His approval rating rose after Friday’s aggression – from 36 – 41%, according to Gallup polling. In pre-market Friday trading, Tomahawk cruise missile maker Raytheon’s stock rose 2.4%.

Numerous bipartisan congressional members support his aggression – flagrantly violating international and constitutional law.

No nation may attack another without Security Council authorization – permitted only in self-defense if attacked or one is imminent.

Trump committed the supreme crime against peace, likely prelude for greater horrors to follow – in Syria and elsewhere, maybe targeting Iran, aiming for regime change.

On September 7, 2013, in the aftermath of the headline-making Ghouta CW attack (falsely blamed on Assad), Trump tweeted “President Obama, do not attack Syria. There is no upside and tremendous downside. Save your ‘powder’ for another (and more important) day!”

No tweets followed his Friday attack. Neocon John McCain called for a new congressional Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) – at the same time, supporting his naked aggression. One war criminal supports another.

America’s sordid history reflects addiction to endless wars. The business of America is warmaking, raping and destroying one sovereign independent country after another.

Trump is the latest in a long line of US warrior presidents. From the earliest days of the republic, America’s most revered leaders committed high crimes against peace – including George Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, TR and FDR, Wilson, Truman, Johnson, Nixon, Reagan, GWH Bush, the Clinton co-presidency, GW Bush, and Obama.

GW Bush boasted about being “a wartime president.” Obama bragged about being “really good at killing people.”

Trump’s braggadocio included saying “(n)obody builds walls better than me, believe me,” “(m)y IQ is one of the highest,” “(n)obody knows more about taxes than me,” “(n)obody knows banking better than I do,” “(n)obody’s ever been more successful than me,” and “I’m the least racist person you’ll ever meet,” among other things he bragged about.

Maybe calling himself America’s greatest warrior president comes next. His criminality is indisputable.

He used false flag deception as a pretext for targeting Syria’s Shayrat airbase, its main command facility for combating terrorism – attacked to aid ISIS, al-Nusra and other terrorist groups, he falsely claims to oppose.

A robust Moscow response should follow, leaving no doubt continued US aggression will be challenged.

Russia is committed to combating terrorism. No help from Washington is forthcoming – its enemy, not hoped for partner in defeating this scourge.

On his Facebook page, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Trump’s attack “was on the brink of military clashes with Russia,” adding:

“Instead of their much-publicized thesis about a joint fight (against) a common enemy, the Trump administration has proven that it will fiercely fight against the legal government of Syria.”

In March 2011, Obama proved it by launching proxy war on Assad. Trump’s aggression added an exclamation point!

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html .Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network