Sen. McCain on Syria strike (full interview)

SENATOR JOHN McCAIN FROM
ARIZONA, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE.
THANKS, SENATOR.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
>> DO YOU BELIEVE THAT RUSSIA
PLAYED AN ACTUAL ROLE IN THE
DELIVERY OF THOSE CHEMICAL
WEAPONS TO KILL THOSE CIVILIANS,
INCLUDING A LOT OF CHILDREN THE
OTHER DAY, THAT THEY WERE
INVOLVED OR AT A MINIMUM KNEW
ABOUT IT?
>> I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THEY
WOULD PROBABLY KNOW ABOUT IT
SINCE THEY ARE ALLIES OF BASHAR
AL ASSAD, BUT THEY ARE THE ONES
THAT USED THE PRECISION WEAPONS
AGAINST HOSPITALS IN ALEPPO.
LOOK, THEY ARE AS BAD AS BASHAR
AL ASSAD.
COME ON, THEY HAVE HELPED THEM
WITH THE BARREL BOMBS.
THEY HAVE BAILED THEM OUT TIME
AFTER TIME, BUT ESPECIALLY
AGAIN.
IT WAS RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT WITH
PRECISION WEAPONS THAT
TARGETED -- THAT SPECIFICALLY
TARGETED HOSPITALS, SEND DRONES
OVER THEM, IDENTIFY THEM AND
THEN ATTACK THEM.
>> PUTIN PROMISED THE U.S. THEY
WOULD DO WHATEVER WAS NECESSARY
TO REMOVE ALL OF SYRIA'S
CHEMICAL WEAPONS STOCKPILES A
FEW YEARS BACK, RIGHT?
>> THAT WAS ANOTHER GREAT
VICTORY OF THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION AND JOHN KERRY.
THEY USED TO BRAG ABOUT THEIR
FAILURE TO ACT AFTER THEY SAID
THEY WERE GOING.
>> THE RED LINE?
>> THE RED LINE.
THERE'S ONE THING WORSE THAN NOT
ACTING AND THAT'S TO SAY YOU'RE
GOING TO ACT AND NOT ACT AND
THAT'S WHAT OBAMA AND KERRY DID.
>> BASHAR AL ASSAD HAS COMMITTED
WAR CRIMES AND YOU BELIEVE HE
HAS.
>> SURE.
>> SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS
PUTIN HAS COMMITTED WAR CRIMES
IN SYRIA AS WELL.
>> CERTAINLY COMPLICIT.
HE'S CERTAINLY COMPLICIT.
I'M SURE YOU SAW THE FRONT PAGE
STORY FROM "WALL STREET
JOURNAL," THE FRONT PAGE STORY
ABOUT THE PRISONS IN DAMASCUS
AND THE THOUSAND OF PEOPLE THAT
ARE STARVED AND BEATEN AND
ASSAULTED AND KILLED.
LOOK, THIS IS A -- THIS IS
REALLY THE QUINTESSENCE OF EVIL
AND WE GROW A LITTLE NUMB OF IT
AND THEN WE SEE THE PICTURES
THAT BREAK THE HEARTS ALL OF US,
BUT THAT GOES ON EVERY DAY, AND
I THINK IT'S TERRIBLE, BUT I
ALSO THINK IT'S TERRIBLE WHEN A
BARREL BOMB IS DROPPED WHICH IS
FILLED WITH SHRAPNEL WHICH FLIES
IN ALL DIRECTIONS AND WOUNDS AND
KILLS PEOPLE AS WELL, AND,
FRANKLY, ONE HELL OF A LOT MORE
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED BILL
BARREL BOMBS THAN KILLED BY
CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
SO LET'S DRAW A LINE AND SAY
STOP.
STOP YOUR AIR ATTACKS, STOP
THEM.
>> WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP?
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES NEEDS TO DO
NOW, NOW THAT HE'S DONE
SOMETHING?
>> YEAH.
>> THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION
REFUSED TO DO FOR SO MANY YEARS,
HIT ANY SYRIAN MILITARY TARGET,
ONLY GOING AFTER ISIS IN SYRIA
BUT NOT THE REGIME.
>> I THINK WE SHOULD STAY AFTER
ISIS.
WE CAN WALK AND CHEW GUM.
WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO TAKE MOSUL
AND ISIS AND THE LONG STRUGGLE
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WITH RADICAL
ISLAM WHICH IS METASTASIZING AS
WE SPEAK, BUT AT THE SAME TIME
WE SHOULD TELL BASHAR AL ASSAD
AND VLADIMIR PUTIN, THEY HAVE
GOT TO STOP SLAUGHTERING THEIR
PEOPLE, AND THAT MEANS GROUNDING
THEIR AIR FORCE, AND THAT WAY I
BELIEVE THAT WE CAN END ARMING
AND EQUIPPING THE FREE SYRIAN
ARMY, WHAT'S LEFT OF IT, AND A
SAFE ZONE.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU CAN CURE
THIS PROBLEM WITH, REFUGEES,
THAT OUR CORRESPONDENT JUST
TALKED ABOUT IS TO HAVE A SAFE
ZONE WHERE THEY CAN GO TO WHERE
THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE
BOMBARDED WITH BARREL BOMBS.
>> BUT IF THE U.S. STEPS UP THIS
MILITARY ACTION AGAINST THE
BASHAR AL ASSAD REGIME IN SYRIA,
AREN'T YOU WORRIED ABOUT
POTENTIALLY A DIRECT
CONFRONTATION WITH THE RUSSIANS?
>> IT'S THE RUSSIANS WHO CAME IN
TO BAIL OUT BASHAR AL ASSAD.
IT SEEMS TO ME IT'S THEIR
RESPONSIBILITY, NOT OURS.
>> THEY SHOW NO SIGNS OF
LEAVING.
THE IRANIANS AND THEIR MILITIA
SUPPORTERS, THEY SHOW NO SIGNS
OF LEAVING.
IF THE U.S. GETS DEEPLY INVOLVED
IN THIS, POTENTIALLY THIS COULD
BE A HUGE, HUGE CONFLICT.
>> POTENTIALLY IT COULD ALSO BE
THE CONTINUED SLAUGHTER OF
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
BARREL BOMBS DOING THE SAME
THING YOU SAW DONE TO THESE --
THE TRAGIC STORY OF THE
CHILDREN.
THE IRANIANS WITH THEIR
CONTINUED ASSERTION OF
SUPERIORITY AND SUPREMACY IN THE
REGION AND MORE AND MORE
VIOLENCE AND KILLING.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE'VE GOT
CHOICES.
IF YOU THINK THE LAST EIGHT
YEARS WERE A GOOD IDEA, THEN
LET'S KEEP DOING IT.
IF YOU DON'T, THEN WE OUGHT TO
BACK THE PRESIDENT BUT ALSO
RECOGNIZE THIS IS THE BEGINNING.
THIS IS ONLY THE FIRST STEP.
IF WE WANT TO SUCCEED, WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE TO STEP BY STEP DO
A LOT MORE THAN IS BEING DONE.
>> WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS A LOT
MORE THAN TOMAHAWK CRUISE
MISSILES, YOU WANT WARPLANES TO
GO IN THERE WITH PILOTS.
THEY HAVE AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS
AND THEY COULD BE ENDANGERED AND
ARE YOU ALSO SAYING U.S. GROUND
TROOPSING
TROOPS GO IN THERE TO HELP
ADVISE THESE PEOPLE?
>> WE NEED ADVISE AND CONSENT
AND JUST AS IN SYRIA WE HAVE
AMERICAN TROOPS WHO ARE HELPING
THOSE WHO ARE TAKING RAQQA.
>> THERE ARE ABOUT WHAT, 1,000
U.S. TROOPS.
>> IN SYRIA.
>> BASHAR AL ASSAD WILL NOT BE
OVERTHROWN BY AMERICAN TROOPS.
IT WOULD BE BY A TRAINED AND
EQUIPPED FREE SYRIAN ARMY FROM A
SAFE ZONE THAT WOULD PREVAIL.
THE ONLY REASON WHY BASHAR AL
ASSAD IS IN POWER TODAY IS
BECAUSE OF RUSSIA AND IRAN,
CERTAINLY NOT BECAUSE OF
SYRIANS.
SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD
BEGINNING.
IT SENDS A TREMENDOUSLY
IMPORTANT SIGNAL.
I'M GLAD THE PRESIDENT DID IT,
BUT TO THINK THAT THIS IS THE
END, ONE STRIKE TO ONE FIELD IS
FRANKLY AN INACCURATE ASSESSMENT
OF THE SITUATION.
>> YOU'RE HOPING FOR A LOT MORE?
>> YES, AND I'M HOPING FOR MORE
AND WE NEED TO DO MORE BUT LET'S
SEE WHAT THE REACTION IS.
LET'S SEE -- AS YOU SAW FROM A
PERSON WHO CAME ON YOUR PROGRAM,
THIS HAS INVIGORATED THOSE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUBJECTED TO
BASHAR AL ASSAD'S CRUELTY NOW
FOR EIGHT YEARS WITHOUT ANY REAL
RESPONSE, SO LET'S -- LET'S TAKE
IT STEP BY STEP, BUT LET'S
RECOGNIZE THIS IS ONLY THE
BEGINNING.
>> ARE WE SEEING A NEW DONALD
TRUMP BECAUSE DURING HIS PRIVATE
YEARS.
>> I KNOW.
>> DURING THE CAMPAIGN, DURING
THE TRANSITION, EVEN EARLY ON IN
HIS PRESIDENCY, YOU KNOW, HE WAS
ALWAYS TRYING TO MAKE VERY, VERY
NICE TO THE RUSSIANS AND ALL OF
A SUDDEN HE GOES IN THERE LAST
NIGHT WITH THESE TOMAHAWK CRUISE
MISSILES AND IT COULD BE AT
LEAST BY PROXY OR INDIRECTLY AN
ATTACK ON THE RUSSIANS
THEMSELVES.
>> WOLF, THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF
DIFFERENCE, AS YOU KNOW, BETWEEN
A CANDIDATE WITHOUT
RESPONSIBILITY AND THE AWESOME
RESPONSIBILITY OF A PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES AND I TALKED
TO THE PRESIDENT ON THE PHONE.
HE WAS DEEPLY MOVED.
>> WHEN DID YOU TALK TO THE
PRESIDENT?
>> THE MORNING AFTER THE --
AFTER IT HAPPENED, AND HE WAS
DEEPLY MOVED, AS ALL OF US WERE,
AT THE PLOOIGHT OF THOSE POOR
CHILDREN AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IN
HIS REMARKS.
AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES YOU HAVE TO LOOK HALT
THESE ISSUES IN A MORE SOMBER
AND SOBER WAY, AND I THINK
THAT'S WHAT HE'S DOING AND HE'S
SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO GIVE
HIM THE BEST ADVICE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT HIS NATIONAL
SECURITY TEAM, McMASTER, MATTIS
AND DAN COATES, KELLY, THOSE ARE
REALLY GOOD, STRONG PEOPLE.
>> YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU
KNOW, HE'S BEEN NOT JUST
DRAMATICALLY INFLUENCED BY THESE
PICTURES BUT BY THESE MILITARY
ADVISERS THAT YOU APPRECIATE,
THAT YOU ADD MIRE, BUT, YOU
KNOW, I GUESS THE WHOLE NOTION
OF HIM SO DRAMATICALLY CHANGING,
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SIX
YEARS, 400, MAYBE HALF A MILLION
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED AND A
LOT OF CHILDREN HAVE BEEN KILLED
AND MILLIONS HAVE BEEN MAPD
HOMELESS, AND THE QUESTION IS
WHERE HAS HE BEEN ALL OF THESE
YEARS?
YOU'VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT
THAT.
>> HE'S BEEN A CANDIDATE AND NOT
PRESIDENT.
HE'S BEEN PRESIDENT FOR 70 OR
80 DAYS OR WHATEVER IT IS.
THAT'S THE LENGTH OF TIME.
FOR EIGHT YEARS BARACK OBAMA SAT
BY AND WATCHED THIS HAPPEN TO
MUCH -- AND AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF
THAT, IT'S GOING TO TAKE MORE
THAN ONE AIR STRIKE AND ONE BASE
IN ORDER TO TURN IT AROUND, BUT
I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO
DO, BUT IT'S ONLY THE FIRST
THOING DO.
>> PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ASKED
CONGRESS FOR AUTHORIZATION.
>> YOU'RE NOT IMPRESSED BY IN A.
>> THE PRESIDENT TOLD ME AND
LINDSEY GRAHAM HE WAS GOING TO
ACT.
HE DIDN'T SAY HE WAS GOING TO GO
TO CONGRESS AND ASK FOR
PERMISSION.
HE CALLED US OVER AND SAID THEY
HAVE DONE IT, I'M GOING TO ACT
AND YOU GUYS CAN COUNT ON IT,
SO -- AND THEN, OF COURSE, BUT
HE SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID IT UNLESS
HE WAS SURE THAT HE WOULD GET
THE APPROVAL OF CONGRESS, WOLF,
IF THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS
FOR HIM -- ONE ATTACK.
WE'RE BACK WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF
THE SENATE ARMED SERVICED
COMMITTEE JOHN McCAIN.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
THE PHONE CONVERSATION YOU HAD
WITH THE PRESIDENT.
DID YOU EMERGE CONVINCED THAT
THE TWO OF YOU WERE ON THE SAME
PAGE AS FAR AS SYRIA IS
CONCERNED?
>> I -- I GOT OFF THE PHONE
KNOWING THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS
DEEPLY CONCERNED AND DEEPLY
MOVED AT THESE ATTACKS WHICH
KILLED THESE CHILDREN, AND YOU
COULD SEE FROM HIS REMARKS THAT
HE MADE ANNOUNCING THOSE AIR
STRIKES, AND I THINK THAT HE IS
LIKE A LOT OF PRESIDENTS GROWING
IN THE JOB AND RECOGNIZING THE
ENORMITY OF HIS
RESPONSIBILITIES, AND I'M GLAD
THAT HE SEEMS TO RELY ON THAT
NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM THAT YOU
AND I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
THAT'S AS GOOD A TEAM AS I'VE
EVER SEEN.
>> DID YOU -- WERE YOU SURPRISED
BY HIS DECISION LAST NIGHT?
DID IT SURPRISE YOU WHEN YOU
HEARD THAT U.S. TOMAHAWK CRUISE
MISSILES WERE LAUNCHED AGAINST
THAT AIR BASE?
>> NO, BECAUSE HE -- I GOT A
CALL BEFORE THE LAUNCH FROM
MATTIS AND ALSO FROM KELLY, BUT
WHEN I TALKED TO HIM THE MORNING
BEFORE, I COULD TELL THAT HE WAS
DEEPLY CONCERNED.
NOW, TO THE POINT WHERE I
THOUGHT IT WAS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE
THAT HE WOULD DECIDE TO ACT ON
THE ADVICE OF HIS NATIONAL
SECURITY TEAM.
>> DOES THE PRESIDENT NEED
CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION FOR
THE USE OF MILITARY FORCE
AGAINST BASHAR AL ASSAD'S
REGIME, A FORMAL PIECE OF
LEGISLATION?
DOES HE NEED IT RIGHT NOW TO
TAKE THE KIND OF ACTION YOU
WANT?
>> HE DOES NOT.
PRESIDENT REAGAN DIDN'T NEED IT
WHEN AFTER THE BOMBING OF A
DISCO IN BERLIN THAT KILLED
AMERICANS STRIKING LIBYA, BUT IF
THIS IS A LONG-TERM CAMPAIGN,
THEN I THINK WE OUGHT TO EXAMINE
IT, BUT I'LL TELL YOU THE
PRACTICAL PROBLEMS.
THE PRACTICAL PROBLEMS IS, AND
I'VE DEALT WITH THIS ISSUE FOR A
LONG TIME, AND THAT IS THE
WAR -- IT'S CALLED THE WAR
POWERS ACT, IS THE PRESIDENT IS
THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF, AND HE
PROPOSES, CONGRESS DISPOSES AS
FAR AS MONEY IS CONCERNED, BUT
AS FAR AS THE ACTUAL MECHANICS
OF THE WAR IS CONCERNED, THERE'S
NEVER BEEN AGREEMENT.
THE WAR POWERS ACT HAS NEVER
BEEN CHALLENGED IN THE COURTS
BECAUSE EVERY PRESIDENT,
REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT, HAVE
BEEN AFRAID THAT IT'S GOING TO
BE RULED CONSTITUTIONAL.
>> YOU TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH
YOUR REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUE
SENATOR RAND PAUL ON THIS ISSUE.
>> I ALWAYS DO.
>> NOT THE FIRST TIME.
I'LL READ TO YOU THE STATEMENT
THAT HE RELEASED.
WHILE WE ALL CONDEMN THE
ATROCITIES IN SYRIA, THE UNITED
STATES WAS NOT ATTACKED.
THE PRESIDENT NEEDS
CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION FOR
MILITARY ACTION AS REQUIRED BY
THE CONSTITUTION, AND I CALL ON
HIM TO COME TO CONGRESS FOR A
PROPER DEBATE.
OUR PRIOR INTERVENTIONS IN THIS
REGION HAVE DONE NOTHING TO MAKE
US SAFER AND SYRIA WILL BE NO
DIFFERENT.
YOUR REACTION?
>> I DON'T REALLY REACT TO
SENATOR PAUL.
WE'RE JUST TOO DIFFERENT, AND HE
DOESN'T HAVE ANY REAL INFLUENCE
IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
>> BUT HE'S NOT ALONE THERE.
THERE'S OTHER SENATORS AND
MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE WHO AGREE
WITH HIM.
>> THAT'S FINE.
I'LL BE GLAD TO DISCUSS THAT
ISSUE WITH THE PEOPLE AS I HAVE
FOR YEARS.
>> YOU DON'T EVEN WANT TO
RESPOND TO ME?
>> PARDON ME.
I DON'T PAY ANY ATTENTION
FRANKLY TO WHAT SENATOR PAUL
SAYS.
>> TELL ME WHY YOU DISAGREE WITH
HIM SO MUCH.
>> BECAUSE HE'S WRONG.
>> JUST ON THIS ISSUE OR A WHOLE
BUNCH OF OTHER ISSUES?
EVERY OTHER ISSUE THAT I KNOW OF
THAT HAS TO DO WITH NATIONAL
SECURITY.
>> HIS ARGUMENT, AND THOSE WHO
ARE LIKE HIM IN THE HOUSE AND
THE SENATE, THEY SAY LOOK ACTHE
DISASTER THAT'S UNFOLDED, FOR
EXAMPLE, IN LIBYA.
THE U.S. LAUNCHED TOMAHAWK
CRUISE MISSILES TO GET RID OF
GADHAFI AND IT'S A FAILED STATE
AND ISIS HAS A BIG CHUNK OF
LIBYA.
>> SURE.
>> AND THEY GO BACK TO THE WAR
TO GET RID OF SADDAM HUSSEIN WHO
WAS A VERY BAD GUY, AS WE ALL
KNOW, BUT LOOK AT THE DISASTER
OVER THESE YEARS IN IRAQ.
>> I'LL BE GLAD TO TAKE A TRIP
DOWN MEMORY LANE WITH YOU.
>> THE POINT THAT THEY ARE
MAKING IS THE UNITED STATES
SHOULD SIMPLY STAY OUT OF THESE
AREAS.
IT'S GOING TO BE A DISASTER.
THAT'S THE POINT THEY MAKE.
>> AND THAT POINT OBVIOUSLY IS A
VERY DIFFERENT VERSION OF
HISTORY.
YOU WANT TO TAKE LIBYA?
AFTER GADHAFI WAS KILLED?
LINDSEY GRAHAM AND JOE
LIEBERMAN, WE BEGGED THEM, GOT
TO REBUILD THE COUNTRY.
IF YOU WALK AWAY BAD THINGS
HAPPEN.
WE WALKED AWAY THANKS TO BARACK
OBAMA.
AS FAR AS IRAQ IS CONCERNED, WE
HAD IT WON.
THANKS TO THE SURGE.
DAVID PETRAEUS, ONE OF THE GREAT
GENERALS OF OUR TIME.
IT WAS DONE, AND WHAT DID WE DO,
PULL EVERYBODY OUT.
WE PULLED EVERYBODY OUT, AND WE
PREDICTED WHAT WAS GOING TO
HAPPEN.
WOLF, THE FACTS ON THE GROUND
ARE WHAT DICTATED THOSE FAILURES
AND FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP FOR
EIGHT YEARS, AND WE HAD BOTH OF
THEM WON, ESPECIALLY THE WAR IN
IRAQ WHERE DAVID PETRAEUS AND
RYAN CROCKER, THEY WON, AND --
AND IRAQ WAS DOING FINE, AND
THEN THEY DECIDED TO PULL
EVERYBODY OUT.
BY THE WAY, AFGHANISTAN, IN
15 YEARS LATER, THE -- OUR
COMMANDING GENERAL IN
AFGHANISTAN SAYS WHAT?
WE'RE IN A STALEMATE.
WE'RE IN A STALEMATE.
WHY?
BECAUSE THEIR STRATEGY WAS DON'T
LOSE, OKAY?
WE CAN WIN IN AFGHANISTAN.
WE COULD HAVE WON -- WE DID WIN
IN IRAQ AND WE COULD HAVE
MAINTAINED THAT IF WE HAD HAD
A -- I'LL BE GLAD TO GO BACK
THROUGH ALL OF THESE WITH YOU,
BUT FACT IS THE IF YOU UNITED
STATES HAD NOT INTERVENED IN
AFGHANISTAN, THEN OBVIOUSLY WE
WOULD HAVE THEN ALLOWED THE
ATTACKS OF 9/11 TO GO
UNANSWERED.
I DON'T THINK MOST OF AMERICANS
WANT THAT HAD TO HAPPEN.
>> I THINK EVERYBODY WANTED TO
GO AFTER BIN LADEN AND AL QAEDA
IN AFGHANISTAN.
>> SURE.
>> BUT THEN IRAQ CAME INTO THE
PICTURE AND LIBYA AND ALL OF
THESE -- LET'S NOT GO DOWN
MEMORY LANE RIGHT NOW BUT I DO
WANT YOU TO RESPOND TO HILLARY
CLINTON, WHAT SHE SAID TODAY,
ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S ACTION.
>> SURE.
>> LISTEN TO THIS.
>> THE ACTION TAKEN LAST NIGHT
NEEDS TO BE FOLLOWED BY A
BROADER STRATEGY TO END SYRIA'S
CIVIL WAR.
I HOPE THIS ADMINISTRATION WILL
MOVE FORWARD IN A WAY THAT IS
BOTH STRATEGIC AND CONSISTENT
WITH OUR VALUES, AND I ALSO HOPE
THAT THEY WILL RECOGNIZE THAT WE
CANNOT IN ONE BREATH SPEAK OF
PROTECTING SYRIAN BABIES AND IN
THE NEXT CLOSE AMERICA'S DOORS
TO THEM.
>> SURE, MY FIRST RESPONSE IS
THAT I WISH SHE WOULD HAVE SAID
I WISH THAT BARACK OBAMA HAD
TAKEN THE ADVICE OF I AND DAVID
PETRAEUS AND BOB GATES GAVE HIM
BACK IN 2013 AND THEN WE
WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO WORRY ABOUT
THAT.
SECOND OF ALL, YES WE SHOULD
EXAMINE PEOPLE'S CREDENTIALS,
BUT LET'S HAVE A SAFE ZONE WHICH
WE'VE BEEN SECTING ALL THESE
YEARS AND SHE ADVOCATED TO THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
WHERE THESE REFUGEES CAN GO, AND
LET'S PROTECT THEM.
>> SHOULD PRESIDENT TRUMP
REVERSE HIS POSITION ON BARRING
SYRIAN REFUGEES FROM COMING TO
THE UNITED STATES?
>> I THINK HE SHOULD -- HE'S
CORRECT IN SAYING THAT PEOPLE
SHOULD BE VETTED, BUT -- AND I
BELIEVE OUR INTERPRETERS
ESPECIALLY SHOULD BE ABLE TO
COME TO THIS COUNTRY AND I THINK
THERE OUGHT TO BE SIGNIFICANT
VETTING ARE, BUT WIN THE
CONFLICT.
THE REFUGEES ARE THE RESULT OF
FAILED POLICIES AND FAILED
LEADERSHIP.
THEY ARE NOT THE CAUSE OF IT.
SO LET'S -- SO LET'S GO BACK TO
THE CAUSE AND THAT IS ALLOWING
BASHAR AL ASSAD WITH THE
RUSSIANS, WITH HEZBOLLAH, WITH
THE IRANIAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD
AND -- AND HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE SLAUGHTER OF OVER
400,000 PEOPLE AND 6 MILLION
REFUGEES, AND THAT WILL CONTINUE
AS LONG AS BASHAR AL ASSAD IS
ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO SLAUGHTER
HIS CITIZENS.
>> WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
IN THE INTERIM, WHILE THE WAR IS
GOING ON, SHOULD SOME OF THE
SYRIAN REFUGEES.
>> SURE.
>> KIDS, WOMEN?
>> SURE.
>> BE ALLOWED TO COME TO THE
UNITED STATES.
>> ABSOLUTELY, AS LONG AS THEY
ARE VETTED.
PEOPLE ARE COMING OUT OF RAQQA
AS WE SPEAK, THEIR MISSION IS TO
GET TO THE UNITED STATES AND
COMMIT ACTS OF A TERROR.
WE HAVE THAT OBLIGATION AS WELL.
>> SENATOR M

Sen. McCain on Syria strike (full interview)

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