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Republican candidates call Obama's Syria strategy weak Republican candidates call Obama's Syria strategy weak
(about 20 hours later)
Republican presidential candidates accused President Obama on Sunday of showing weakness in US policy in Syria, doubting that his small deployment of special operations troops would make much difference without a coherent broader strategy. Republican presidential candidates accused president Obama on Sunday of showing weakness in US policy in Syria, doubting that his small deployment of special operations troops would make much difference without a coherent broader strategy.
Related: After Obama changes tack on Syria, what would the presidential candidates do?Related: After Obama changes tack on Syria, what would the presidential candidates do?
Also on Sunday, a monitoring group and activists said Syrian rebels had locked people in cages and driven them to areas near Damascus to use as human shields against heavy government air raids.Also on Sunday, a monitoring group and activists said Syrian rebels had locked people in cages and driven them to areas near Damascus to use as human shields against heavy government air raids.
“I don’t have a problem with the tactics of it,” Florida senator Marco Rubio, who is seen by many as a strong voice on foreign policy, said of the Obama administration’s disclosure on Friday of the deployment of fewer than 50 special operations troops on the ground in northern Syria in the coming weeks.“I don’t have a problem with the tactics of it,” Florida senator Marco Rubio, who is seen by many as a strong voice on foreign policy, said of the Obama administration’s disclosure on Friday of the deployment of fewer than 50 special operations troops on the ground in northern Syria in the coming weeks.
“And the numbers might even have to be larger at some point,” Rubio continued, in an interview with CBS’s Face the Nation. “I think the broader issue is: what is the strategy?”“And the numbers might even have to be larger at some point,” Rubio continued, in an interview with CBS’s Face the Nation. “I think the broader issue is: what is the strategy?”
The announcement marked a reversal of Obama’s vow not to send US ground troops into Syria’s civil war, which began in 2011.The announcement marked a reversal of Obama’s vow not to send US ground troops into Syria’s civil war, which began in 2011.
The South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham called the move “a failure on all fronts”, saying American special forces were heading “into a very bad spot with no chance of winning”.The South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham called the move “a failure on all fronts”, saying American special forces were heading “into a very bad spot with no chance of winning”.
“What we’re about to accomplish is to turn Syria over to Russia and Iran, and to make sure that we never destroy [Isis] on Obama’s watch, and pass this mess on to the next president,” Graham said on Fox News Sunday, referring to the Islamic State militants.“What we’re about to accomplish is to turn Syria over to Russia and Iran, and to make sure that we never destroy [Isis] on Obama’s watch, and pass this mess on to the next president,” Graham said on Fox News Sunday, referring to the Islamic State militants.
Obama’s term ends in January 2017. “Sending 50 American special forces into Syria in the eyes of [Isis] shows that Obama is not ‘all in’, it is a sign of weakness,” Graham added. “They have sized Obama up, and they think he’s weak.”Obama’s term ends in January 2017. “Sending 50 American special forces into Syria in the eyes of [Isis] shows that Obama is not ‘all in’, it is a sign of weakness,” Graham added. “They have sized Obama up, and they think he’s weak.”
Former Florida governor Jeb Bush, appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, said he was troubled by Obama’s “incrementalism” in Syria. Bush applauded Obama for deciding to deploy special forces, but said “we can’t get into a quagmire.Former Florida governor Jeb Bush, appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, said he was troubled by Obama’s “incrementalism” in Syria. Bush applauded Obama for deciding to deploy special forces, but said “we can’t get into a quagmire.
“There should be a real strategy to take out Isis and to take out Assad,” Bush said, referring to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. “There should be a real strategy to take out Isis and to take out Assad,” Bush said, referring to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
The former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina said she also was glad Obama was sending special forces.The former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina said she also was glad Obama was sending special forces.
“On the other hand, it’s also too little too late,” she told Fox. “I think this is a reflection of the reality that when America does not act, when we do not lead as we have not the last three years under this president, our options become very constrained and the situation becomes more dangerous.”“On the other hand, it’s also too little too late,” she told Fox. “I think this is a reflection of the reality that when America does not act, when we do not lead as we have not the last three years under this president, our options become very constrained and the situation becomes more dangerous.”
From Syria itself on Sunday, a video posted online by the Shaam News Network, an opposition media outlet, showed men and women in iron cages being driven on the back of pickup trucks through what it said was the area of Eastern Ghouta, northeast of the capital.From Syria itself on Sunday, a video posted online by the Shaam News Network, an opposition media outlet, showed men and women in iron cages being driven on the back of pickup trucks through what it said was the area of Eastern Ghouta, northeast of the capital.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it had information from Eastern Ghouta residents that the people being used as human shields were military officers and their families who had been captured by rebels in the area. Reuters was unable to verify the video footage.The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it had information from Eastern Ghouta residents that the people being used as human shields were military officers and their families who had been captured by rebels in the area. Reuters was unable to verify the video footage.
Related: US officials: troops to only fight Isis, Russia risks fueling Syrian quagmireRelated: US officials: troops to only fight Isis, Russia risks fueling Syrian quagmire
Syrian government missiles hit a crowded marketplace in the town of Douma in Eastern Ghouta on Friday, killing at least 70 people, according to the medical aid group Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).Syrian government missiles hit a crowded marketplace in the town of Douma in Eastern Ghouta on Friday, killing at least 70 people, according to the medical aid group Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
Government warplanes have been pounding the area and a strike hit a hospital this week, MSF said.Government warplanes have been pounding the area and a strike hit a hospital this week, MSF said.
The air raids continue as fighting intensifies in the four-year civil war between Syrian forces loyal to the government, backed by Russian air cover, and an array of insurgents including Islamist groups on the other. A US-led coalition has been carrying out air strikes against Isis since September 2014.The air raids continue as fighting intensifies in the four-year civil war between Syrian forces loyal to the government, backed by Russian air cover, and an array of insurgents including Islamist groups on the other. A US-led coalition has been carrying out air strikes against Isis since September 2014.