Putin says chemical weapons claims ’like Iraq’

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has compared recent accusations of a chemical attack leveled at the Syrian government how the United States justified its intervention in Iraq in 2003.

“It reminds me of the events in 2003 when U.S. envoys to the Security Council were demonstrating what they said were chemical weapons found in Iraq,” Putin told reporters on Tuesday. “We have seen it all already.”

Claims that the regime in Iraq in 2003 had weapons of mass destruction were never proven.

Putin also said some Western countries have publicly supported last week’s U.S. airstrikes on Syria because they are eager to improve ties with President Donald Trump.

Western countries have blamed Syria for the attack that killed some 80 people, but the Syrian government and its Russian allies deny involvement.