Washington, D.C. ¬– U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement on the need for action in Syria:
“We agree with the President that Assad has crossed a line with his latest use of chemical weapons. The message from the United States must be that this will not stand. We must show that no foreign power can or will protect Assad now. He must pay a punitive cost for this horrific attack.
“In addition to other measures, the United States should lead an international coalition to ground Assad’s air force. This capability provides Assad a strategic advantage in his brutal slaughter of innocent civilians, both through the use of chemical weapons as well as barrel bombs, which kill far more men, women and children on a daily basis. The U.S. military, together with our allies and partners, has the capability to achieve this objective quickly, precisely, decisively, and in ways that control escalation. Ultimately, the grounding of Assad’s air force can and should be part of a new comprehensive strategy to end the conflict in Syria.
“This is a test of the new administration, but also for our entire country. Assad is trying to see what he can get away with. The rest of the region and the world is also watching to see how our country will respond, and what that means for them. There is plenty that Democrats and Republicans in Washington disagree on. But in this instance, we must show the world that we are still capable of putting aside our differences and doing the right thing. If the President is willing to take the necessary action, he deserves broad bipartisan support, and we will help build it.”
Apr 06 2017
