McCain: ‘We are literally doing everything the Iraqi government has requested.’
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Version 0 of 1. BAGHDAD — Normally a fierce critic of President Obama’s foreign policy, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) sounded almost like an ally to the president on Saturday when he spoke to reporters at the U.S. Embassy. Well, maybe not quite. Once a proponent of sending in specialized troops to help the Iraqi army battle the Islamic State, McCain, after meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, said ground troops are “not what they [the Iraqis] need.” “I see no scenario where there is a large infusion of ground forces,” said McCain, the incoming chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “We are literally doing everything that the Iraqi government has requested,” he said. When asked about the Obama administration’s plan to defeat the Islamic State – which know controls vast territories in both Syria and Iraq — he said: “I think it’s a viable strategy here in Iraq.” It was a curious shift for someone who in recent months vociferously called for more airstrikes in Iraq – in addition to more troops. McCain did say he would like to see more U.S. forward air controllers on the ground in Iraq to coordinate more effective airstrikes, particularly for military offensives in places like Anbar province. But falling back into the role of Obama administration critic, the Republican senator didn't mince his words on Obama’s Syria policy. “I think it’s the height of foolishness to treat ISIL differently in Syria than Iraq,” McCain said, using another acronym for the Islamic State. McCain has long proposed arming Syria’s rebels and helping foster the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. “I believe that our failure over the years to help the Free Syrian Army will be one of the most disgraceful chapters in American history,” he said. |