Carter opens door to U.S. ground support for Iraqis
- 8 years ago
U.S. Gen. Paul Selva withstood one of the most biting rebuttals of the country's ISIS strategy Wednesday when he told lawmakers the Pentagon would not impose a no-fly zone on Syria because of possible blowback from Russia and Syria.
Committee Chairman John McCain, an Arizona Republican, shot back: "I must say, it's one of the more embarrassing statements I've ever heard from a uniformed military officer, that we are worried about Syria and Russia's reaction to saving the lives of thousands and thousands of Syrians who are being barrel-bombed and massacred."
Republican members of the panel were impatient, demanding to know how the U.S. would train Syrian forces and why the administration had not enlisted the aid of Arab allies who could provide ground forces.
But even as they were on the defensive, Pentagon officials offered some news of expanding the fight against ISIS, saying they were likely to provide Apache helicopters to Iraqi forces looking to retake Ramadi from ISIS and said they were close to securing special forces help from Arab allies.
Committee Chairman John McCain, an Arizona Republican, shot back: "I must say, it's one of the more embarrassing statements I've ever heard from a uniformed military officer, that we are worried about Syria and Russia's reaction to saving the lives of thousands and thousands of Syrians who are being barrel-bombed and massacred."
Republican members of the panel were impatient, demanding to know how the U.S. would train Syrian forces and why the administration had not enlisted the aid of Arab allies who could provide ground forces.
But even as they were on the defensive, Pentagon officials offered some news of expanding the fight against ISIS, saying they were likely to provide Apache helicopters to Iraqi forces looking to retake Ramadi from ISIS and said they were close to securing special forces help from Arab allies.