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White House Criticises Barack Obama In Response To Syrian Massacre

White House Criticises Barack Obama In Response To Syrian Massacre

The White House on Tuesday reacted to what appears to be Syria's worst chemical attack in years by blaming former President Barack Obama.

"Today's chemical attack in Syria against innocent people, including women and children, is reprehensible and cannot be ignored by the civilized world," White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in a prepared statement at a news conference Tuesday morning, which was released by the administration later that day. "These heinous actions by the Bashar al-Assad regime are a consequence of the past administration's weakness and irresolution."

"President Obama said in 2012 he would establish a red line against the use of chemical weapons and then did nothing," the White House said. "The United States stands with our allies across the globe to condemn this intolerable act."

Tuesday's attack left scores dead in the town of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province. According to medical relief organization UOSSM, at least 100 people were killed and 400 others were injured. It was the worst such attack since August 2013, when dozens of civilians were killed in an attack with chemical weapons in the eastern Ghouta region of Syria.

While the White House on Tuesday was quick to condemn Obama for not acting more decisively against the Syrian regime, Donald Trump had said in the wake of the tragedy in eastern Ghouta that he strongly opposed intervention in Syria. "What I am saying is stay out of Syria," Trump said on Twitter at the time.