SAY NO TO GROUP THINK: YOU ARE NOT A HERD.

ICHEOKU says free thinking is part of the individuality in all of us; so protect your freedom of thought, say no to the leftist attempt to shame you into falling in line. ICHEOKU says is a fiercely independent thinker and not afraid to go it alone. Thanks Kanye!

THE UNIFICATION PROCESS OF THE TWO KOREA HAS BEGUN.

ICHEOKU says God's speed to the two brothers in their effort to finally bury their hatchet towards finally rejoining the two Koreas again. Make Korea Great Again, encourage the unification process. Salute

THE FRENCH PRESIDENT AND WIFE VISITED.

KANYE WEST WALKS AWAY FROM GROUP THINK.

"Obama was in office for eight years and nothing in Chicago changed." - Kanye West. 

ICHEOKU says completely agrees that the Kenyan did nothing for black people; not those in motherland Africa, not those in  West Indies/Caribbean and not those in America. His presidency might as well not have happened as folks did not in anyway feel his impact. So, Yeezy was right, former President Barack Hussein Obama was not black folks friendly and did not do a thing to change things for folks.

THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY HAS A NEW ADDITION

ICHEOKU says another bundle of joy has been added to the British Royal Family, as Prince William and Duchess Kate welcomed their third child, a son. ICHEOKU says congratulations fellas.

'THEY WILL NEVER ALLOW ME TO BE PRESIDENT' - HILLARY CLINTON.

ICHEOKU says yes indeed, the crooked woman is right that they were never going to let her be president. This will be the first time ICHEOKU will ever see reason with Queen Crooked Hillary Clinton and agrees with the Jezebel, that "they", the American people, will never allow a fraud to be their president. 

The crooked woman is right that a double-faced Janus like her has been seen for what she is by the American people and they have determined that she is not a fit and proper person for their White House. NEVER; not in this life and not in the life of her.

She is so crooked that even the real Lucifer is amazed. American people will always say no to the American political reject and perpetual president wanna be, Queen Crooked Hillary Clinton, two times ran and two times doubly and roundly rejected. Now she cannot seem to recover from the trouncing of November 8, 2016 and it shows. What a pitiful sore loser!

ENOCH ADEBOYE IS NO CARDINAL SIN: THEY DON'T MAKE HIS LIKES ANYMORE.

ICHEOKU says moments as this, the never ending fleecing of Nigerians by Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has forced ICHEOKU to time-travel down memory lane, way back to the eighties Philippines under President Ferdinand Marcos and how a petite man of God toppled his government, a government which somewhat had became God unto itself. Yes, his name was Archbishop Jamie Cardinal Sin and he permanently etched his name in immutable solid marble. 

Philippines was under a great affliction, a heavy yoke of then President Ferdinand Marcos and the people suffered and suffered until one man, a religious clergy and Archbishop of Manila, decided that enough is enough and he put aside his fears and personal safety, to do what needed to be done and before you could say Holly Molly, like all brutish cowards, Marcos and his family took to their heels in flee from the Macanaga Palace and into exile they went. 

But in Nigeria, Pastor Enoch Adeboye is busy shaking down Nigerians, fleecing the people of their hard earned money, while the country is weighted down under the heavy burdensome yoke of President Muhammadu Buhari maladministration. But not a whiff of condemnation or admonition of the government ever came from the supposed man of God. Enoch Adeboye is probably too afraid to raise a voice against the government for fear of being grounded or his private jet being denied landing rights on Nigerian airports or barred from using Nigeria's airspace. Enoch Adeboye has stood silently by and watched as even members of his Redeemed Christian Church of God are suffering untold hardship and groaning under immeasurable economic burden; and scared-stiff of their freedom being lost, restricted or deprived by the government. ICHEOKU says what would Jesus do faced with similar situation and circumstance, but condemn it; but not with Enoch Adeboye. 

Cardinal Sin was born into a very wealthy family but he forsook it all and went into the service of God, rising to become the Archbishop of Manila. Unlike the formerly poverty stricken Enoch Adeboye, who never dreamt of ever amounting to anything or being able to afford anything conveniently; and who like the Igbo adage of a man who never knew he will be able to take the Ozo title who put the anklets right up to his knees, has refused to let go his pursuit of money. It has now gotten to such ridiculousness that he is collecting gate fees for heaven, including billions from all manners of questionable characters and dubious people as well as crooked individuals, who actually believe that they are indeed paying advance for a space in heaven through Enoch Adeboye. ICHEOKU says watching that Enoch Adeboye's video made ICHEOKU sick to the stomach, that a man would so brazenly, falsely claim that if you don't pay your tithes you will not be admitted into heaven; and you ask yourself when did God appoint Enoch Adeboye the gateman of heaven's gate? 

Events makes a man and the events in the Philippines of the 1970s and 1980s under President Ferdinand Marcos, which forced Cardinal Sin to get involved in politics, made the Cardinal. It indeed proved to his great credit that it is not the size of the dog in the fight that is important, but the size of the fight in the dog. Cardinal Sin witnessed burgeoning corruption, fraud, murder and all manners of ills being perpetrated by the Marcos government. He also watched as discontent of the people over the uncaring attitude of the government neared boiling point and decided that enough is enough and went about to do something about it. But not Enoch Adeboye, who although tragically situated in a similar circumstance in Nigeria today, has refused to do something bout it; while maintaining a deathly criminal accomplice silence and maintaining a safe distance from provoking the ire of the government. ICHEOKU says were Jesus Christ this cowardly, the salvation of mankind would not have been purchased as the Jews would not have had any cause to frame him up for crucification. 

Just within six months following his appointment as Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Sin was criticizing the authorities in Manila, as he appealed to Filipinos of all creed and religions and backgrounds to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and use peaceful means to change the political situation in the Philippines. His call led to massive popular uprising which at one time brought about one million Filipinos to the streets of Manila, and eventually forced some soldiers to switch sides and join the protest in what later became known as People Power Revolution. President Ferdinand Marcos was forced into exile and with it, Philippines was freed and liberated till this day, establishing a real democracy where the people can elect and remove a president of their choice. So what is happening in Nigeria with the silence of Enoch Adeboye and other supposed men and women of God is quite pathetic. They have all turned into business men and women peddling scriptures and false miracles; and looking the other way as the country gradually unravels, while they smile steadily to the banks. 

So when will Enoch Adeboye and his coterie of tithes collecting false prophets ever bequeath Nigeria with a "triumphant democracy?" When will Enoch Adeboye and his fellow fleecing pastors persuade Nigerians to demand the opening of the "second envelope" and finally rid the country of those who are stealing it blind? When will Enoch Adeboye and his gang of deceitful miracle workers help Nigerians get rid of all the Ali Babas and the 40 thieves of Nigeria who have nearly bankrupted the country with their quick, fast, itching fingers? Even with Cardinal Sin, the Vatican tried to intervene on behalf of the Philippines government and tried to rein him in, but he threatened to resign his office which forced the Holy See to back down and stay off the church activism in Philippines. But here is Enoch Adeboye, who is the lord unto himself and who reports to no one, yet cannot muster enough courage to demand that President Muhammadu Buhari keep his contract with the Nigerian people. What Would Jesus Do? 

DJ AVICII IS DEAD !

ICHEOKU says he came, did what he had to do, exactly what he was created to do and then took his bow. Yes, he was a maestro who held dancing fans spellbound on the dancing floor with his EDM music and he was really good at it. His "Wake Me Up" song was a great hit. Swedish born performer Tim Bergling aka DJ Avicii died in Muscrat Oman of yet to be determined causes. He was just 28 years old. 

"It's been a very crazy journey. I started producing when I was 16. I started touring when I was 18. From that point on, I just jumped into 100 percent. When I look back on my life, I think: whoa, did I do that? It was the best time of my life in a sense. It came with a price - a lot of stress, a lot of anxiety for me - but it was the best journey of my life." - DJ Avicii. ICHEOKU says rest in peace DJ. Adieu Avicii.

THE STARBUCKS ARREST: JUST A MICROCOSM OF THE RACISM IN AMERICA

ICHEOKU says Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson is just being clever by half in his pretentious display of indignation that two black men were arrested and marched out of one of his outlets in Philadelphia. How many other Starbucks outlets and other American business have black people been similarly marched out from and sometimes outrightly denied service or looked through simply because of the pigmentation of their skin. But here he is pretending that he just landed from out of space Mars to learn that racism is alive and well in America. 

What happened in Philadelphia is not just a one time unfortunate incident implicit bias incident; and there is nothing his apology will fix because racism is a continuing American underbelly and is system wide and country wide throughout the body fabric of the American society and Kevin Johnson knows this long before the two black men were put in handcuffs and humiliated out of his store in Philadelphia. So what did he do about it all this time, only to now shed crocodile tears because what was captured on video is not good for the corporate image of Starbucks and might also effect its bottom-line. He is apologizing and now promising to have the staff trained in "implicit bias and sensitivity" and you ask yourself how many blacks are top executives in Starbucks and how many blacks show up during Starbucks directors meetings if there is no racism in Starbucks preceding this incident? But the duo's arrest was captured on video and here comes a supposedly very "contrite" Chief Executive Officer pretending that he is being made aware of racism in America for the very first time. 

How many people of color are Kevin Johnson's friends? How many people of color live in his neighborhood and how many black children attend the same school which his children go to; and above all, how many black people are store managers, executives and in top level management positions in Starbucks? The thing that riles ICHEOKU most is the ever present sanctimonious fire-service approach of "addressing" race issues in America, which always follows each instant when a particular act of racism publicly breaks into the open and bubbles to the top. People react and involved corporate CEO's run around the place promising to "fix it", but only to return to the their default status when camera pans out and the incident is no longer cool to discuss or occupy the airwaves. It is all about corporate image and sooner than later, all the generated fury will blow off and it is deja vu the status-quo. But corporate image is at the stakes and Public Relations experts are are trying to stem the tide and here comes all the white washing and other temporary palliative measures being put in place. 

ICHEOKU says it is over fifty years since the passing of the Civil Rights Acts, yet blacks are paid less than their white counterparts in America, when they are lucky to be employed. Blacks still live in their own separate neighborhoods; their children still go to their own different schools; they still go to their own black churches; corporate America including Wall Street do not have a reflective population percentage number of black people within their enclaves; loan facilities for homes and cars are still not extended to black Americans on the same level as their white counterparts; police still disproportionately kill more blacks in America and for practically no reason other than to just remove some "nuisance" from their society and the list of painful experiences of being black in America go on ad infinitum. So is Kevin Johnson telling ICHEOKU or the world at large that he is oblivious of all these racial inequality and disparate treatment of people in America or was he just tagging along all this while in order not to disturb the groove until now? 

ICHEOKU is only taken aback by the pretentiousness and band-aid approach towards solving instances of race issue in America whenever one draws public attention; because after the very episode, things usually quickly revert back to the default mode until the next episode. Instead of seriously finding a way to indeed truly solve the issue of race in America, they simply place a band aid on issue by issue, sometimes make some token payment in compensation and few days later, it is back to business, the usual way of doing things. Even when the police kill unarmed innocent black man for instance, there is often no consequences as they just walk away Scot-free. As a result, other would be killers do not learn from the experiences of their past killers and they go on perpetrating their nefarious acts of singling out and killing blacks with impunity knowing fully well that nothing will happen to them because it was just another black man that was killed. ICHEOKU says if this is not racism, what else is? 

The only reason the Philadelphia arrest is making all these waves and headlines is that it was captured on video and people are reacting and expressing outrage. Starbucks is a Wall Street business that must reel in the cash in order to look good and they have to sell millions of cups of the hot liquid to do this. They also need a good corporate and community image to draw in customers who pony their money out for their overpriced hot cups. This is the principal underlying reason the fire brigade PR is trying desperately to quench the fire. The optics is not good and it might cause heavy loss of revenue for Starbuck, hence all these measures which are being hurriedly implemented. It will close 8,000 stores to do sensitivity training and you wonder why the drama of shutting down so many stores simultaneously when they could have achieved the same result by making  baristas watch sensitivity training video during their one hour lunch break and pay them for the hour. 

But no, it must be dramatized to appear that they in fact actually did something. How about opening coffee houses in black neighborhoods or employing more blacks or even giving back to the black community to help them send their children to colleges and universities on Starbucks' scholarships. Better still how about giving some Starbucks stocks and shares to the two fellas to really apologize to them and as them to please forgive. But Americans understand what is going on as the whole essence is the white man's effort to break the will of the black man to fight and survive, period. They carry it out everyday, every hour, every minute and every second both in jobs, housing, stores, streets and hospitals etc. When you refuse to give up, their police will either kill you or their judges will put in you in prison and often times throw away the key with some people dying in prison for offenses which they did not commit. They publicly humiliate you just to drum it into your ears that the Lord made a mistake by creating you black. 

Why did the police not ask the two black guys to just leave the store, after listening to their story, without the need to put them in handcuffs?  But no, they have to handcuff them to continue feeding the stereotype that black people are criminals and trouble makers; and telegraph to other blacks that we are ready for you and watching, so don't mess with us. Query, were the two black guys Caucasians or even Asians, would the police have arrested and put them in handcuffs? Were they the "right" color, would the Store manager have refused them the use of the bathroom or called the police to report them as being threatening or that they refused to leave the store. When did trespassing become an arrest-able offense without first asking the so called trespassers to quietly leave; following their refusal or recalcitrant, then an arrest might follow. But no, they had to arrest first and ask questions later and the ONLY reason they did it is the same reason such discriminatory practises have been going on in America for centuries and continuing till this day. SAD. 

BARBARA BUSH SAYS HER GOODBYE: ADIEU MATRON OF THE BUSH FAMILY

ICHEOKU says she was a mother to every American; a matron indeed. Adieu silver haired lady, rest in peace. So long.

BARBARA BUSH: DEAD AT 92.

ICHEOKU says the matriarch of the Bush political dynasty, wife to a former CIA director, wife to a former Vice President, wife to a former president and also a mother of a former president and two former governors; a woman who was truly an embodiment of the "say it as you see it" New York spirit, a personification of grace who somewhat borders on royalty; and who was also a mother of six children in all, grandmother to 17 and great grandmother to 7; former American First Lady Barbara Bush is dead. 

The platinum haired gregarious lady, who commanded presence wherever she stepped in and who was more than qualified to have been crowned Queen had America a monarchy, died of old age related infirmities and natural causes. She suffered from a breathing difficulties disorder, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (C.O.P.D) and also congestive heart failure towards the very end of her well fulfilled and heavily accomplished life. Barbara Bush was 92 years old. 

Barbara Bush alongside former President Quincy Adams' wife, Abigail Adams, were the only two American women in history to share the singular honor of married to a president and also gave birth to a child who later became president; thus made them wife and mother of presidents. She also had the honor of being the longest married wife of an American president and was with former President George H. Bush Sr for 72 long meritorious years. Commenting on her life last year, Barbara said: "I am still old and still in love with the man I married 72 years ago.” ICHEOKU says simply beautiful and how many women could happily and proudly say that of their marital life experience; to be married that so long and still remained happy that so long. Simply incredible, wonderful. 

Her one other memorable quote which ICHEOKU likes a lot because it told everything anyone needed to know about Barbara's depth, is: "I’m not going to turn into a glamorous princess. I’m not going to worry about it. I have plenty of self-confidence, not in how I look but in how I feel and I feel good about my husband, my children, and my life.” What a woman who indeed truly loved and took immense pride in her family. Speaking about her, former White House Chief of Staff, Andrew Card, said:- “She is more than a matriarch. She was a greater conscience to her husband, to her sons, to her daughter and to those who had the benefit of being in her proximity. She was an unvarnished purveyor of the truth and motivated us all to be better people. And she was also contagious with love."  ICHEOKU says what a testimonial, a solid one indeed and which will easily suffice as her epitaph. Adieu Barb. 

AMERICA AND RUSSIA ENTENTE: WHO IS AGAINST IT?

ICHEOKU says what a beautiful world this would be, the day America and Russia will finally bury the hatchet and become friends, real true friends, that is. Imagine all the common problems confronting the world which such armistice could help resolve, problems solved. From hunger to science to wars to terrorism to all sorts of things which solution has eluded the world for so long suddenly becoming solved. And instead of spending billions of dollars building up weapons against each other, they could re-direct their investment priorities to things that could help make the world a better place. 

But unfortunately, the military/industrial complex which only benefits and thrives in a world of chaos and confusion, will have none of that. They have weapons to sell to remain in business and a lot of them too; and so to do this, there has to be threats of imminent danger and turmoil from an identifiable enemy. For the West, Russia is always the bogeyman; and for the East, America is always the Great Satan which must be guarded against. So until such a time that reason eventually prevails, the world will always periodically be pushed to the brinks, near the edge, by greedy arms dealers, merchants and contractors whose voracious appetite for more money must constantly be fed. Yes, indeed, the beast has to be fed; hence the never ending and often near cataclysmic nightmarish scenarios which always jolts the world every now and then; engendered by these folks instigating conflict between the two countries. May wisdom someday prevail.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: DOES HE LIKE TO SEE BABIES GASSED TO DEATH?

ICHEOKU says it is very doubtful if Russian dictator Vladimir Putin truly wants world peace in this world? First he invaded Georgia's Ossetia and Abkhazia; then he forcibly seized Crimea from Ukraine and is currently waging a proxy war against the same Ukraine in Eastern Ukraine, using terrorists who do not want to give peace a chance. Next he courted Iran and Syria and is also watching as the Syrian despot Bashir Assad continuously use noxious gas to asphyxiate his people and fellow citizens of Syria. No other country is known to be this intrusive in other countries territories and you wonder what actually does Vladimir Putin want? 

How is it that a supposedly civilized European or rather Russian could in this 21st century, be a friend to a mass murderer who is gassing his own people, while he stands idly by and pretend and proclaim that it is not happening. Is it that he cannot control Bashir Assad and stop him from doing what he is doing or that he could care less if the children of Syria are the ones dying and being sent to an agonizing slow death by choking, and their body twitching in the most violent manner before yielding up their ghosts. Instead of joining forces with other civilized nations and countries of the world to secure world peace, this guy in Kremlin is rather busy causing trouble and stirring crisis after crisis and you wonder what exactly makes him tick. 

Vladimir Putin had in 2013 made an undertaking that Syria will transfer all its noxious weapons to the world body; yet in 2017 the same Syria gassed more Syrian citizens to their painful deaths. Some missiles were fired into Syria in retaliation, and thereafter common sense dictated that will mean an end to the horrific death by choking on fumes. But in 2018 the same Assad used more gas to kill more people of Syria. The West responded by firing missiles into Syria and all Vladimir Putin could do or say is threaten the world that should any future missile be fired into Syria that there will be an International chaos. ICHEOKU says really? Is this the only way this guy knows how to respond and instead of being pertinent that a despot who he had undertaken will be of good behavior, but is still flagrantly killing his people with gas, Vladimir Putin is rather threatening the world and you ask yourself does Assad do what he does with the blessing and tacit support of Vladimir Putin? 

Why must noxious fumes be his preferred choice of killing the people he is in office to protect? Recall that nobody is asking Assad to end the madness going on in Syria, just that he should not be using a banned chemical weapon as his weapon of choice. But instead of calling Assad to order, Vladimir Putin is by his own words and actions encouraging the dastardly killings and you wonder what value is Russia and their Vladimir Putin really to humanity if all the world gets from them is an inhumane confused policy misdirection. But nothing lasts forever as ICHEOKU strongly believes that his antics cannot be allowed to go on forever. It is about time Russia is given a choice, to either become a good citizen of the world and assume its rightful place among comity of civilized nations or be expelled from all world organizations including the United Nations Organization. 

How any leader with a soul would support the gassing of human beings after the horrors of Holocaust is simply beyond imagination and because of this, Vladimir Putin should be condemned by every right thinking person. ICHEOKU hereby therefore condemns Vladimir Putin for his actions in supporting Assad Bashir in his penchant for using noxious chemicals to asphyxiate his people. Enough of this ongoing madness and enough of Vladimir Putin threatening the world with chaos. If he wants a third World War, may be it is about time his wish is granted; let the war be fought once and for all, instead of this his never ending nerviness and disparate tunes which festoons avoidable anxiety on the entire world. Syria's Assad can remain in power, terrorists can also be killed since they deserve to die; but the continuous use of prohibited chemical weapons on innocent Syrians should be loudly condemned as a no brainier, no option. Vladimir Putin. help the world stop Bashir Assad from killing his people with gas. 

PUTIN THREATENS WORLD PEACE: TO UNLEASH INTERNATIONAL CHAOS.

ICHEOKU says Vladimir Putinya is once again making threats and threatening world peace. Instead of reining in his friend and fellow despot Bashir Assad from using chemical weapons on Syrian citizens, he is busy with issuing threats. Query: does it mean that Vladimir Putin enjoys having those little innocent children of Syria gassed or likes watching them twitch as they trail off to their agonizing painful deaths. Whatever it is, it is not good and it does not look good not after the horrific experience that was the holocaust. 

His latest threat, that there will be “International chaos” should another missile strikes be launched on Syria is not only inflammatory but somewhat encouraging the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian despot Bashir Assad. Why wait to unleash international chaos when he could have preempted it by asking Syria to stop using chemical weapons on her citizens. The missile strikes are predicated on Syria using chemical weapons and so is a  problem with a solution. Prevention is always better than cure, so if Vladimir Putin does not want to see Syria bombed again, he should tell his friend Bashir Assad not to gas those little innocent children of Syria again, problem solved. Except of course, Putin has other scores he wants to settle and is just looking for an excuse to unleash mayhem on the world. It is such an easy problem to solve; but he seems not to get it or rather just does not want to resolve it but to remain a pain in the butt of the West, while making alliances with thuggish rogue leaders. 

What a peaceful place the world would otherwise be if only Russia's Putin would agree to become a player for global good and play by the rule. But no, he is always at the opposite end and sometimes for no germane reason other than just for the heck of it. Anyway, when next Putin allows Bashir Assad to gas his people, the West, as promised, will again respond with missile strikes on Syria and thereafter he can unleash his promised international chaos and let us see how it will end. This is an avoidable problem that has a simple solution, restrain Bashir Assad from his barbaric use of banned chemical weapons on his people; but unfortunately, Putin does not appear or seem interested in peacefully resolving the issue. Rather, he is threatening world peace, forgetting that Russia is also part of the world and will not be immune from whatever he decides to unleash on the world. But hopefully, the world will not have to see whatever he has planned; believing that common sense will eventually prevail over him and Kremlin will do its job of reining in Bashir Assad. What a world fast approaching a destructive confrontation which is otherwise avoidable. 

SYRIA WARNED TO DESIST OR BE BOMBED AGAIN.

"If the Syria regime uses this poisonous gas again on its people, it will be bombed again. The United States of America is locked and loaded. When our president draws a redline, our president enforces the redline." - Nikki Haley, United States of America Ambassador to the United Nations.

VLADIMIR PUTIN: WHENEVER HE IS READY!

ICHEOKU says Russia has one good opportunity to finally move back into a comity of civilized nations and stop his despotic mentality that always see him flocking amidst his fellow dictators. But if he choses to remain in the cold and remain in Kremlin where he has been holed in since 1999, too bad. His too much stay in power is only damaging Russia and turning it into a third world country where only one man dictates what goes on in the country. Putin, change your ways. 

PRESIDENT TRUMP ORDERS MISSILE STRIKES IN SYRIA: THE FULL SPEECH.

"My fellow Americans, a short time ago, I ordered the United States Armed Forces to launch precision strikes on targets associated with the chemical weapons capabilities of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. A combined operation with the armed forces of France and the United Kingdom is now underway. We thank them both. 

Tonight, I want to speak with you about why we have taken this action. One year ago, Assad launched a savage chemical weapons attack against his own innocent people. The United States responded with 58 missile strikes that destroyed 20 percent of the Syrian Air Force. Last Saturday, the Assad regime again deployed chemical weapons to slaughter innocent civilians — this time, in the town of Douma, near the Syrian capital of Damascus. This massacre was a significant escalation in a pattern of chemical weapons use by that very terrible regime. The evil and the despicable attack left mothers and fathers, infants and children, thrashing in pain and gasping for air. These are not the actions of a man; they are crimes of a monster instead. 

Following the horrors of World War I a century ago, civilized nations joined together to ban chemical warfare. Chemical weapons are uniquely dangerous not only because they inflict gruesome suffering, but because even small amounts can unleash widespread devastation. 

The purpose of our actions tonight is to establish a strong deterrent against the production, spread, and use of chemical weapons. Establishing this deterrent is a vital national security interest of the United States. The combined American, British, and French response to these atrocities will integrate all instruments of our national power — military, economic, and diplomatic. We are prepared to sustain this response until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents. 

I also have a message tonight for the two governments most responsible for supporting, equipping, and financing the criminal Assad regime. To Iran, and to Russia, I ask: What kind of a nation wants to be associated with the mass murder of innocent men, women, and children? The nations of the world can be judged by the friends they keep. No nation can succeed in the long run by promoting rogue states, brutal tyrants, and murderous dictators. 

In 2013, President Putin and his government promised the world that they would guarantee the elimination of Syria’s chemical weapons. Assad’s recent attack — and today’s response — are the direct result of Russia’s failure to keep that promise. Russia must decide if it will continue down this dark path, or if it will join with civilized nations as a force for stability and peace. Hopefully, someday we’ll get along with Russia, and maybe even Iran — but maybe not. 

I will say this: The United States has a lot to offer, with the greatest and most powerful economy in the history of the world. In Syria, the United States — with but a small force being used to eliminate what is left of ISIS — is doing what is necessary to protect the American people. Over the last year, nearly 100 percent of the territory once controlled by the so-called ISIS caliphate in Syria and Iraq has been liberated and eliminated. 

The United States has also rebuilt our friendships across the Middle East. We have asked our partners to take greater responsibility for securing their home region, including contributing large amounts of money for the resources, equipment, and all of the anti-ISIS effort. Increased engagement from our friends, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, and others can ensure that Iran does not profit from the eradication of ISIS. 

America does not seek an indefinite presence in Syria under no circumstances. As other nations step up their contributions, we look forward to the day when we can bring our warriors home. And great warriors they are. Looking around our very troubled world, Americans have no illusions. We cannot purge the world of evil, or act everywhere there is tyranny. No amount of American blood or treasure can produce lasting peace and security in the Middle East. It’s a troubled place. We will try to make it better, but it is a troubled place. The United States will be a partner and a friend, but the fate of the region lies in the hands of its own people. 

In the last century, we looked straight into the darkest places of the human soul. We saw the anguish that can be unleashed and the evil that can take hold. By the end of the World War I, more than one million people had been killed or injured by chemical weapons. We never want to see that ghastly specter return. 

So today, the nations of Britain, France, and the United States of America have marshaled their righteous power against barbarism and brutality. Tonight, I ask all Americans to say a prayer for our noble warriors and our allies as they carry out their missions. We pray that God will bring comfort to those suffering in Syria. We pray that God will guide the whole region toward a future of dignity and of peace. And we pray that God will continue to watch over and bless the United States of America.

Thank you, and goodnight. Thank you."