John McCain Website, Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today released the following statement on President Obama’s commitment today in his speech at West Point to increase U.S. support for moderate opposition forces in Syria:
“President Obama’s commitment today to increase U.S. support for moderate opposition forces in Syria is welcome but long overdue. If this support includes training and assistance mission led by the U.S. military, as recent media reports suggest, that would be encouraging. Though such a step should have been taken years ago, it is not too late to take it now.
“There are still thousands of moderate forces in Syria bravely fighting a two-front war against the Assad regime – which is fully backed by Iran, Russia, and Hezbollah – and Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists. Last week, the Senate Armed Services Committee authorized the President to use the U.S. military to arm, train, and assist moderate Syrian opposition forces. If the President takes that step now, it must not be a half measure. We must provide Syrian opposition forces with the robust training and military capabilities they need, especially anti-armor and anti-aircraft systems. We must help them in their fight against both Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists and the Assad regime. We must help them liberate and defend safe areas in Syria to protect civilian populations. And he must help them change the momentum on the battlefield, because there is no hope for a negotiated end to the conflict so long as Assad believes he is winning militarily.
“The Administration’s refusal over the past three years to provide more meaningful support to moderate forces in Syria has contributed to the country’s transformation into a regional sectarian conflict, the largest al-Qaeda safe haven in history, and the worst humanitarian catastrophe in a generation. Our options in Syria have never been good, and they are certainly worse now than before, but no one should believe that we have no options left to make a meaningful difference in Syria.”