James Mattis on Syria: 'I Hope' They 'Got the Message'

Defense Secretary James Mattis defended the military strikes at Syria, insisting Tuesday the joint U.S., British and French action was aimed at the Assad regime — and "I hope that this time" they "got the message."

In press briefing at the Pentagon, Mattis was asked remarks of French President Emmannuel Macron to the European Parliament in which he called the strike important to hold up the "honor of the international community" — but said they "don't necessarily resolve anything," the Washington Examiner reported.

Mattis said the United States and its allies "did what we believed was right under international law," adding: "I hope that this time the Assad regime got the message," the Examiner reported.

"The French and the United Kingdom and the United States — all NATO allies — worked together to maintain the prohibition on the use of chemical weapons, and that's how we came together, that's why we came together," he said.

"We did not have to search for common ground. We had common ground."

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