John McCain Talks Syria at Arizona Town Hall
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Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images(TUCSON, Ariz.) — Sen. John McCain faced critics at a Tucson town hall meeting Thursday while discussing possible military action in Syria.
One heckler responded to the senator’s views on authorizing an attack on the country, saying the U.S. should not get involved.
McCain previously voiced support for the use of force and said Thursday that he’s not behind the latest Senate resolution “in its current form.”
He supports intervention in President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, but wants a stronger approach — more than just cruise missile strikes and other limited action.
“We need the President of the United States to go to the Oval Office and talk directly to the American people, and tell them why we need to do this,” McCain said.
President Obama has been seeking support from lawmakers for strikes in Syria in retaliation to the alleged use of chemical weapons in an August attack.
McCain says the time for action is now.
“The longer this thing goes on, the more terrible that it’s going to be, as compared with as I said two years ago where it was simple demonstration, but I believe — I am confident that we can get the weapons into the hands of the right people,” he said. McCain’s critics at the meeting were apparently not convinced.
Exactly who the U.S. would be be arming in Syria is one of the main concerns voiced by opponents to President Obama’s purported plans to strike there: Al Qaeda-linked militants are fighting alongside more moderate fighters opposed to President Basir al-Assad’s regime.
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