Senator McCain talks to Alhurra TV about the GCC conference and Syria
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) spoke to Alhurra Television’s Congressional Correspondent Rana Abtar about the upcoming summit between the Gulf Corporation Council and the United States. He stated that he felt the Obama Administration would cater to the requests of the GCC countries stating it “can basically be described as bribery” by offering them any assurances necessary. McCain went on to say that he felt that the Arab countries are not waiting on the U.S. to take action on regional issues. He said that Operation Decisive Storm and the coalition of countries funding opposition groups in Syria are taking the lead, without the U.S.
When discussing the situation in Syria, McCain said the more than 200,000 people killed and the millions living in refugee camps was a major heartbreak for him. He stated that the U.S. could have armed the Free Syrian Army years ago, but the decision not to would take years to repair.
In regards to the proposal of the U.S. providing arms to the Peshmergas, McCain stated that he did not agree with that provision. If the U.S. did so McCain commented, it would “basically mean the dismemberment of Iraq” and that subject should be taken up by the Senate and Congress as a separate subject.