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Exclusive: John McCain Slips Across Border Into Syria, Meets With Rebels

TheDemSocialist said:
I dont think you were able to read: I however dont support war hawk John McCain who has been in support of arming the rebels over and over again meeting with them trying to use this as a ploy to get us to arm them
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So you support meeting with the rebels, but not McCain. Can you not support McCain but still support meeting with the rebels? It seems to me that your gripe is with McCain and not the event in the OP at all.
 
McCain is too unwaveringly hawkish to be president. My vote against him is one that I don't regret.
 
TheDemSocialist said:
Wonder if he knows that he is meeting with a group that allies itself with an extreme islamists groups? God, i hope we stay out of this civil war.
QUOTE]

I also hope we stay out, but in all fairness, after the extreme Islamist group Hezbollah had officially joined the fray on the side of Assad, this argument is sort of moot.

McCain thinks he is a reincarnation of Teddy Roosevelt - except he had never learned how to speak softly.
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ecofarm said:
So you support meeting with the rebels, but not McCain. Can you not support McCain but still support meeting with the rebels? It seems to me that your gripe is with McCain and not the event in the OP at all.
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Uhhh i believe i pretty much said i believe the "US should stay out of this civil war". Miss that? Meaning that i believe we should not pick sides in this conflict and not get involved.
 
TheDemSocialist said:
Uhhh i believe i pretty much said i believe the "US should stay out of this civil war". Miss that? Meaning that i believe we should not pick sides in this conflict and not get involved.
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A rare point of agreement... :peace
 
Well, now being an experienced border jumper McCain can finally show how to sew up the holes in our border, right?
 
CanadaJohn said:
If the Obama administration didn't know about this and the State and/or Defense Departments didn't organize this, I would consider it a really stupid move on the part of Senator McCain.
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Why? If you want to see, you have to go.:cool:
 
Jack Hays said:
Why? If you want to see, you have to go.:cool:
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Because, much as Senator McCain feels he should be President, and wishes he was, he isn't - he doesn't get to set American foreign policy.

I'm not playing favorites in foreign policy forays - I have the same criticism for President Carter who's constantly sticking his nose in where it's not welcome and causing difficulty for whatever administration is currently in office. It would be bad enough for McCain to meet with the Syrian opposition in Turkey, but to enter Syria is a foolish risk with little or no benefit. What if he'd been killed or captured?
 
CanadaJohn said:
Because, much as Senator McCain feels he should be President, and wishes he was, he isn't - he doesn't get to set American foreign policy.

I'm not playing favorites in foreign policy forays - I have the same criticism for President Carter who's constantly sticking his nose in where it's not welcome and causing difficulty for whatever administration is currently in office. It would be bad enough for McCain to meet with the Syrian opposition in Turkey, but to enter Syria is a foolish risk with little or no benefit. What if he'd been killed or captured?
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Good evening, CJ.:2wave:
Killed or captured? So what? He's a grown man, a US Senator, a war veteran and a former POW. He gets to decide for himself. So long as he doesn't make any wannabe policy pronouncements or criticize US policy while on foreign soil he's in bounds. There's nothing like seeing for yourself.:cool:
 
Jack Hays said:
Good evening, CJ.:2wave:
Killed or captured? So what? He's a grown man, a US Senator, a war veteran and a former POW. He gets to decide for himself. So long as he doesn't make any wannabe policy pronouncements or criticize US policy while on foreign soil he's in bounds. There's nothing like seeing for yourself.:cool:
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Good evening 2M - it would be a major international incident if Senator McCain had been killed or captured and could very well have drawn the US into a conflict they otherwise may not have entered. In addition, in my view, he is informally making foreign policy pronouncements, at least to those he favored with a visit, by the simple fact he met with them. Maybe there is nothing like "seeing for yourself" but only if you actually have a say in any decision that is about to be made.
 
Calm down, Sec. of State John Kerry has already been engaging in talks with the FSA through Salim Idris, likely whom McCain met with, for some time. It probably has more to do with the upcoming peace conference.

The EU just lifted its ban on supplying weapons to the opposition, following renewed reports of Assad using chemical weapons in the Qusair fighting.

BBC News - EU lifts arms embargo on Syria rebels
 
TheDemSocialist said:
With people that tie themselves to Al-Nursa who is basically a part of Al-Qaeda, yes. Who wouldnt?
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The Free Syrian Army does not associate with Al-Nusra. Al-Nusra does not operate under the FSA command structure and they've actually engaged in skirmishes with each other over disputed territory.

Though, to the poorly informed such as yourself, they may appear to be one and the same.
 
TheDemSocialist said:
Uhhh i believe i pretty much said i believe the "US should stay out of this civil war". Miss that? Meaning that i believe we should not pick sides in this conflict and not get involved.
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Why? So the Islamist extremists you continually warn us about continue to eek out a larger share of influence within the opposition? No thank you. I'd rather work to minimize theirs and increase the power and influence of the more moderate factions that are more aligned with US interests and values.
 
WCH said:
McCain is an idiot. I wonder who gave him the OK to go there?

As much as I detest Obama, Thank God McQueeg wasn't elected POTUS.
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he doesn't need anyone's OK...why would he? and whose permission would be needed?

additionally, we shouldn't get involved in their civil war.
 
CanadaJohn said:
Good evening 2M - it would be a major international incident if Senator McCain had been killed or captured and could very well have drawn the US into a conflict they otherwise may not have entered. In addition, in my view, he is informally making foreign policy pronouncements, at least to those he favored with a visit, by the simple fact he met with them. Maybe there is nothing like "seeing for yourself" but only if you actually have a say in any decision that is about to be made.
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Truth in advertising: I believe we should be doing more in Syria. I fear the moment for really effective action may have passed, but better late than never.:cool:
 
Perotista said:
I hope we stay out of it too. I also hope that Senator McCain received the blessing from the Obama administration to do what he did or at least informed them of his intentions. Senators do not make foreign policy, the president does.
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but the fact that this old coot can sneak into the country should tell us that we can go in grab Assad and get out without anyone noticing ...
 
Jack Hays said:
Truth in advertising: I believe we should be doing more in Syria. I fear the moment for really effective action may have passed, but better late than never.:cool:
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Do you think he got the WH O.K. to go in? If not, do you think he should have first?
 
Jack Hays said:
Truth in advertising: I believe we should be doing more in Syria. I fear the moment for really effective action may have passed, but better late than never.:cool:
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If Obama and Clinton hadn't been at least marginally supportive of Assad in the beginning, the US may have been able to handle the situation similar to Libya, but Clinton famously referred to Assad as someone she and America could work with. Besides, Syria does have a strong ally in Russia.

Going into Syria or controlling the outcome from afar was never going to be easy but you're right in that sooner rather than later was the only chance. From what one sees on the news, there's nothing left there to save - let the Russians take over and spend trillions rebuilding it if they want to.
 
windowdressing said:
but the fact that this old coot can sneak into the country should tell us that we can go in grab Assad and get out without anyone noticing ...
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Perhaps you been watching too much TV. It is quite one thing to sneak into rebel held territory where the welcoming mat is out and they want you to come for a visit. It is another thing to sneak into government territory where he probably would have been shot on site or captured. Aasad I would be has plenty of body guards around him, around his palace or residence and in Damascus.
 
CanadaJohn said:
If Obama and Clinton hadn't been at least marginally supportive of Assad in the beginning, the US may have been able to handle the situation similar to Libya, but Clinton famously referred to Assad as someone she and America could work with. Besides, Syria does have a strong ally in Russia.

Going into Syria or controlling the outcome from afar was never going to be easy but you're right in that sooner rather than later was the only chance. From what one sees on the news, there's nothing left there to save - let the Russians take over and spend trillions rebuilding it if they want to.
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The point is that the destruction of the Asad regime would be a strategic defeat for both Iran and Hezbollah.:cool:
 
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