Tillerson: Russia either complicit or 'simply incompetent' on Syria chemical weapons

After Donald Trump ordered missile strikes on an Assad regime air base in Syria, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters that Russia had "failed" to deliver on a commitment to secure chemical weapons in Syria.

In a strongly worded rebuke, Tillerson said that the county had either been "complicit" or "simply incompetent" in its failure to keep to the 2013 commitment brokered under the Obama administration after a chemical attack.

The Secretary of State is heading to Moscow next week for what will now presumably be heated discussions with his counterparts in the Kremlin.

The Pentagon said that Russian forces were warned about the strike, saying in a statement that "US military planners took precautions to minimise risk to Russian or Syrian personnel located at the airfield."

Tillerson added that the strike should not be extrapolated to show a change in "policy or posture relative to our military activities in Syria".

"There has been no change in that status." Tillerson said.

US President Donald Trump said in a speech at the Mar-a-Lago resort, where he is currently holding a two day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, that it is "in the vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons."

Numerous members of congress voiced support for Trump's actions, though some pointed out that he did not consult with the legislative body beforehand.

Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham said that the military had "sent an important message the United States will no longer stand idly by as Assad, aided and abetted by Putin's Russia, slaughters innocent Syrians with chemical weapons and barrel bombs."

Senate Democratic Leader, Chuck Schumer said in a statement: "Making sure Assad knows that when he commits such despicable atrocities he will pay a price is the right thing to do.‎"

But he also added: "It is incumbent on the Trump administration to come up with a strategy and consult with Congress before implementing it."

Representative Adam Schiff, the most senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said that the strike "will not hasten an end to the Assad regime, but it may deter its further use of chemical weapons."

He added: "Nevertheless, this missile strike and the military action of our forces already in Syria, have yet to be authorised by Congress... Congress cannot abdicate its responsibility any longer and should vote on any use of force not made in self defence."