Politics

Sen. McCain Slams Obama for Delaying Syria Intervention

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Credit: VOA News; Scott Bobb reporting from Aleppo, Syria

Despite the fact that the Obama administration will now be sending arms to rebels in Syria Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), one of the most ardent supporters of intervention in Syria, branded Obama's delay in intervening as "disgraceful."

From Politico:

The Arizona Republican said on Fox News that while Obama put down a "red line" regarding the Syrian use of chemical weapons on civilians, he "gave them a green light to do everything else."

"For us to sit by, and watch these people being massacred, raped, tortured in the most terrible fashion, meanwhile, the Russians are all in, Hezbollah is all in, and we're talking about giving them more light weapons? It's insane," he said.

McCain is right that the Assad regime is responsible for horrific atrocities but conveniently ignores the fact that some of Assad's opposition include jihadist fighters that have also been responsible for atrocities, including the execution of Assad supporters shown below.

WARNING: Graphic content:

Some might say that American officials will be able to adequately vet rebels in Syria and make sure that whatever support they receive will not aid jihadists. However, as Matt Welch pointed out earlier, when John McCain visited Syria even he rubbed shoulders with suspected kidnappers fighting among Assad's opposition.

It is impossible to guarantee that some of the arms the U.S. sends to Syria will not end up in the hands of jihadists who will use the weapons supplied by the U.S. on our dime to continue carrying out their own atrocities.