US to hit Russia with new sanctions for aiding Syria's Assad

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Sunday defended his use of the phrase "Mission Accomplished" to describe a US-led missile attack on Syria's chemical weapons program, even as his aides stressed continuing US troop involvement and plans for new economic sanctions against Russia for enabling the government of Bashar Assad.

Stepping up the pressure on Syria's president, US Ambassador Nikki Haley indicated the sanctions to be announced Monday would be aimed at sending a message to Russia, which she said has blocked six attempts by the UN Security Council to make it easier to investigate the use of chemical weapons.

"Everyone is going to feel it at this point," Haley said, warning of consequences for Assad's foreign allies.

"The international community will not allow chemical weapons to come back into our everyday life," she said. "The fact he was making this more normal and that Russia was covering this up, all that has got to stop."