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A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 17 april 2018
White House says Russia sanctions still under consideration

By MATTHEW LEE and ZEKE missiles nearly unopposed
MILLER by Syrian air defenses.
Associated Press While he declared suc-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The cess, the Pentagon said
White House scrambled the pummeling of three
Monday to walk back U.N. chemical-related facilities
Ambassador Nikki Haley's left enough others intact
weekend announcement to enable the Assad gov-
that new economic sanc- ernment to use banned
tions against Russia are weapons against civilians if
imminent, but stressed the it chooses.
penalties are still being Trump's choice of words
considered. recalled a similar claim as-
Haley created a firestorm sociated with President
Sunday when she said the George W. Bush follow-
new sanctions would be ing the U.S.-led invasion of
imposed by the Treasury Iraq. Bush addressed sailors
Department on Monday, aboard a Navy ship in May
when, in fact, no such an- 2003 alongside a "Mission
nouncement was planned, Accomplished" banner, just
according to two officials weeks before it became
familiar with the matter. apparent that Iraqis had
In a statement, White American Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley listens as Syrian Ambassador to the organized an insurgency
House press secretary Sar- United Nations Bashar Ja'afari speaks after a vote on a resolution during a Security Council meet- that would tie down U.S.
ah Huckabee Sanders tried ing on the situation in Syria, Saturday, April 14, 2018 at United Nations headquarters. forces for years.
to clarify the situation, but Associated Press Later Sunday, Trump sent
her explanation created a letter to congressional
more confusion and led to nymity, said Haley had mis- this week, although they ger than three days after leaders informing them in
suggestions that President spoken when she said on noted that two entities the U.S., British and French writing of his decision to
Donald Trump had person- CBS' "Face the Nation" that were hit with such penalties infuriated Russia with their order the strike. Under the
ally intervened to halt the Treasury Secretary Steven last month in a largely over- missile strikes on Syria on Fri- War Powers Resolution, the
sanctions from taking ef- Mnuchin would announce looked portion of a sanc- day. president must keep Con-
fect Monday. the sanctions Monday "if he tions package that dealt The officials could not say gress informed of such ac-
"We are considering ad- hasn't already." mainly with Russian interfer- when the new sanctions tions.
ditional sanctions on Rus- Haley said the sanctions ence in the 2016 presiden- would be announced. The nighttime assault on
sia and a decision will be would target those who tial election and hacking. Meanwhile, President Don- Syria was carefully limited to
made in the near future," are enabling Syrian leader After Haley's comments, ald Trump continued to hail minimize civilian casualties
Sanders said in a state- Bashar Assad's government some in the administration the missile attack as per- and avoid direct conflict
ment. to continue using chemical suggested the sanctions fectly carried out. with Russia, but confusion
The two officials, who were weapons. now being considered Trump tweeted "Mission arose over the extent to
not authorized to discuss The two officials said the could be rolled out Mon- Accomplished" on Satur- which Washington warned
private administration de- administration had no day. But others said it would day after U.S., French and Moscow it was coming. The
liberations publicly and plans to announce Syria- be wiser and more effec- British warplanes and ships Pentagon said it gave no
spoke on condition of ano- related sanctions on Russia tive to wait for a period lon- launched more than 100 explicit warning.q

Rep. Scalise undergoes planned surgery 10 months after shooting

doctors were planning ad- The 52-year-old Scalise, the man will support McCarthy.
ditional procedures. third-ranking House GOP That essentially left it up to
The Louisiana congress- leader, wrote to colleagues McCarthy to round up the
man, seen as a potential earlier Monday that he 218 votes needed in the
successor to retiring House would be "fully engaged" 435-member House to pre-
Speaker Paul Ryan, was as he recovers from the sur- vail but left the door open
treated at MedStar Wash- gery and would return to for Scalise should McCarthy
ington Hospital Center. the Capitol "as soon as my fall short.
That's the same facility doctors say I'm able." Scalise suffered shattered
where Scalise was rushed Ryan, R-Wis., announced bones and damaged in-
after the June 2017 shoot- last week that he won't ternal organs in the shoot-
ing that also wounded four seek re-election in Novem- ing, which left him near
others. ber. The front-runner in the death. He was hospitalized
The medical center and the contest to replace Ryan for more than a month. U.S.
lawmaker's office said in a as top House Republican Capitol Police and other
In this March 6, 2018, file photo, House Republican Whip Steve statement that he has "ini- seems to be Majority Lead- officers killed the gunman,
Scalise speaks at the 2018 American Israel Public Affairs Com-
mittee (AIPAC) policy conference in Washington. tiated a series of planned, er Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who had nursed grievanc-
Associated Press inpatient procedures" but his party's No. 2 House lead- es against President Don-
provided no other detail. er. ald Trump and the GOP.
By ALAN FRAM at a Republican baseball They said he was in "excel- Scalise spokesman Chris Scalise now maneuvers
WASHINGTON (AP) — practice 10 months ago, lent spirits" and was expect- Bond said Monday that around the Capitol on
Rep. Steve Scalise, badly underwent planned follow- ed to remain hospitalized when the leadership elec- crutches and an electric
wounded by a gunman up surgery Monday, and for several days. tion is held, the congress- scooter.q