It is very difficult to keep up with developments on the situation in Syria, despite the fact that there has been no response to the terrible civilian gassing.

First, there’s the matter of President Trump contradicting himself by his tweetstorm telling Russia and everybody else that  “smart” missile was “coming”. It makes the US looks weak, or confused, when the President tweets something like that and then Press Secretary Sarah Sanders has to tell the press there was “no timetable” for action in Syria.

So when is it coming is still unknown, but apparently, it is coming. Shortly after Trump tweeted out his taunts to supporters, Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee gave this warning about Trump’s bombast, saying:

“look, you can’t go out and say you’re going to do something and not do it in this world and it’s beginning to happen, Brian, too many times. It’s happening too much where we say we’re going to do this and then we move off and do that, and don’t do it. We said we’re going to do this and we move off and focus on something else. So I think I think we’re at one of those moments now, I don’t want to say much more but we, we just we seem to say things and then move on say things to move on say things and move on and the world is watching and people are dying.”

The Senator makes a very good point about the lack of follow through and consistency. Words are useless in deterrence if they’re meaningless. Thankfully the confusing rhetoric and messaging do not match what is happening with America’s allies and on the ground.

British Prime Minister Theresa May will not seek approval from Parliament to cooperate with the United States in imminent retaliation against Bashar Al Assad for his continued use of chemical weapons.

The French are prepped and ready.

Russia is reportedly sending or has already sent troops to the site of the chemical weapons attack in Douma.

But at the same time, Russia is using its connection through Turkey to come to a peaceful resolution. While Bolivia, the only no vote against the American United Nations Security resolution along with Russia, has called a United Nations Security Council meeting for tomorrow.

Russia doesn’t want to look bad, Israel doesn’t want to deal with a hostile Iranian presence anywhere near their border, and Turkey wants the Syrian Kurds out of Manbij. Something has to give.

But as for the United States, Trump only added to the confusion about the smart missile which is “coming” by tweet this:

So a smart missile is “coming,” although an attack may or may not take place, and if it does take place, it may be soon.  Or not.  Or never.

But a smart missile is coming.