McCain: Obama is wrong about safety of US

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said that because of President Obama’s “feckless” foreign policy, the United States is in the most danger it has been since the Cold War.

“I strongly disagree with the president’s assertion last night that America is safer,” McCain said on the Senate floor Thursday. “By no objective measurement is America safer.”

{mosads}McCain delivered his remarks after President Obama laid out his strategy to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Obama announced that the United States would lead airstrikes by coalition forces and that U.S. ground forces would not be sent to the Middle East.

McCain said he supports the actions Obama outlined in his strategy but that more needs to be done to defeat the terrorist threat of ISIS. He suggested Obama ask Congress for authorization to use military force and send special operations forces into the region.

“What the president proposed last night could possibly, if done right, could degrade ISIS, but it will not destroy ISIS,” McCain said. “Tell the American people the truth. We need to do a lot more.”

McCain blasted Obama for not leaving a residual military force behind in Iraq and not helping Syrian rebels sooner. Obama has asked Congress for authority and funding to train Syrian rebels to help fight ISIS on the ground.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) joined McCain on the Senate floor and said ISIS wants to “destroy” the U.S. way of life.

“Mr. President please be honest with the American people about what we face,” Graham said. “I’m tired of half measures. … If we take on ISIS and lose, we will unlock the gates of hell.”