Google Searches For ‘World War 3’ Spiked After US-Led Attack On Syria

Google searches for the phrase “World War 3” spiked after word of the United States-led strike on Damascus and Homs in Syria. As the globe lingers on the precipice of a war, and the mainstream media glorifies the beginnings of what could be the third world war, many are not so calm.

The last time Google searches for World War 3 spiked this dramatically was when Trump ordered a missile strike on a Syrian airfield which was allegedly used to launch the Khan Sheikhoun chemical attack, which killed dozens of civilians in April 2017. The U.N. blames Syria’s Bashar al-Assad government for the Khan Sheikhoun attack, yet there’s not much evidence still that the Syrian government used chemical weapons on their own people in either attack.

According to Newsweek, the spike in Google searches is due to fears of an actual war. U.S. allies U.K. and France joined the strikes on what the coalition said were chemical weapons facilities belonging to the Bashar al-Assad regime. The strikes took place in the early hours of Saturday morning (April 14), Syria time, and were designed to punish and deter the use of banned weapons.

Russia, which is backing the Syrian government with troops on the ground, told the UN it is being “threatened” and warned the U.S. and its allies of “consequences” for striking Syria. Russia has vowed retaliation before the strikes took place, yet it’s hard to say if Putin will follow through.

Trump tweeted about the strikes the next morning, rattling some of the more leery civilians. “A perfectly executed strike last night,” Trump tweeted on Saturday morning. “Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine military. Could not have had a better result. Mission accomplished!”

A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 14, 2018

Not long after the tweet, the mainstream media helped ramp up fears of war by glorifying the attack, while condoning Trump’s use of wordage.

The Syrian raid was so perfectly carried out, with such precision, that the only way the Fake News Media could demean was by my use of the term “Mission Accomplished.” I knew they would seize on this but felt it is such a great Military term, it should be brought back. Use often!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018

While some don’t think a large scale war is possible, the more logical and sound minded folks understand that this strike did pose a serious risk to world peace. Attacking Syria always risks hitting the Russian military because of its large presence in the country and triggering an escalation that, in the worst case scenario, leads to a direct conflict between Russia and the U.S., the world’s two most heavily armed nuclear powers. In the best case scenario, we’ll be left with a second cold war, one much “colder” than the last.

French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly said after the strikes that the allies “are not looking for a confrontation and refuse any logic of escalation. That is why, with our allies, we ensured that the Russians were notified ahead of time.

France Gears Up For War?: ‘France Will STRIKE’ Syria If Chemical Weapons Were Used

French president Emmanuel Macron has promised to “strike” Syria, but only if evidence emerges that chemical weapons were used against civilians.  And he has admitted that French intelligence agencies have not yet discovered any evidence.

“On chemical weapons, I set a red line and I reaffirm that red line,” Macron told reporters in Paris on Tuesday, according to RT.  “If we have proven evidence that chemical weapons proscribed in treaties are used, we will strike the place where they are made.”

“Today, our agencies, our armed forces have not established that chemical weapons, as set out in treaties, have been used against the civilian population.” Macron added that he’s all but threatened Russian president Vladimir Putin with war should his agencies find evidence of chemical weapons uses.  “I’ve reiterated it to President Putin, asking to make it very clear to the Syrian regime, which has reaffirmed that it does not use chemical weapons … but we are watching it,” Macron stated.

Although Macron talks a big game on chemical weapons, he also hasn’t taken any action as he awaits proof. “We have some indications of possible chlorine use [in Syria], but we have no absolute confirmation,” the French Defense Minister Florence Parly said last Friday. “So we, alongside the others, are working on trying to confirm this, as we clearly have to get the facts straight.” But according to the French Foreign Minister, the evidence is mounting the Syrian government, stating using chlorine last week.  “All indications show us today that chlorine is used by the regime right now in Syria,” said Parly.

France, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, has struggled to wield influence on Syria. Critics who accuse Macron of inaction say he has not given a clear definition of whether use of chlorine would for him constitute a chemical attack.

On Tuesday, the vice-president of the Syria Civil Defence, or “White Helmets”, volunteer force said France should stop talking and take real action.

France and the United Nations have repeatedly called in past months for a ceasefire and the opening of aid corridors to alleviate Syria’s humanitarian crisis. Russia, Assad’s most powerful ally, said last week a ceasefire was not realistic. -Reuters

The Syrian government has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons and said it targets only armed rebels and militants, according to Reuters.  Last week was one of the bloodiest in the Syrian conflict as Syrian government forces, who are backed by Russia and Iran, bombarded two of the last major rebel areas of Syria. Parts of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus and the northwestern province of Idlib were the hardest hit.