Gen. Dempsey grilled about U.S. policy in Syria

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General Martin DempseyWASHINGTON — The nation’s top military officer, Gen. Martin Dempsey, came under fire from Sen. John McCain over the issue of Syria in a testy exchange Thursday at Dempsey’s confirmation hearing.

McCain, who supports a stronger role in supporting rebels in Syria, accused the Obama administration of inaction in Syria and questioned the quality of advice Dempsey has provided to the White House over the past two years.

McCain, R-Ariz., suggested the risks of inaction in Syria outweighed risks the United States would face in engaging more actively in supporting rebels.

“We have not been inactive,” Dempsey countered.

Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee with Adm. James Winnefeld, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The two have been nominated by the White House for a second term in their positions.

The White House has said it will arm rebels, but opposition leaders in Syria say they have yet to receive those weapons and momentum is shifting toward government forces loyal to President Bashar Assad.

Dempsey later acknowledged that the “tide has shifted” in favor of Assad’s forces. He also said the momentum ebbs and flows between the two sides.

McCain expressed concerns that Dempsey’s advice on arming rebels has shifted.

“How do we account for those pirouettes?” McCain asked.

“We have adapted our approach based on what we know of the opposition,” Dempsey said.

The U.S. government has been concerned about the presence of al-Qaeda affiliated extremists within the Syria rebel groups, a factor that complicates any policy of supporting rebels.

“We wouldn’t be starting a war,” McCain, said of ramping up military support to the rebels. “We would be trying to stop a massacre that’s going on.”

Dempsey also said recent U.S. military experience should counsel caution since the introduction of military force can make things worse, an apparent reference to America’s experience in Iraq.

“Senator, would you agree that we have recent experience where until we understood how the country would continue to govern and that institutions of governance wouldn’t fail, that actually situations can be made worse by the introduction of military force?” Dempsey said.

“You and I went through this in 2006,” McCain said. McCain said Dempsey disagreed at the time with what came to be known as the “surge” strategy in Iraq, which involved sending additional forces to Iraq and changing the way troops were employed.

“I think history shows that those of us who supported the surge were right, and people like you, who didn’t think we need a surge were wrong,” McCain said.

The surge helped reduce violence in Iraq.

Dempsey said the Pentagon has provided a range of options for Syria to the White House, but which of them to pursue is a decision for elected leaders.

USA Today

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8 responses to “Gen. Dempsey grilled about U.S. policy in Syria”

  1. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    At least there they can fire the questions … but the debates (dialogues) rage on … and the ‘rebels’ are left choking in the cement-dust and waiting – while the religionist nut-bars take over. The debates are not only in the USA … and no-one seems to know what to do about Assad. Might need to wait until he chokes on his chicken.

    1. wargame1 Avatar
      wargame1

      USA and Europe are divided over this issue. They have conflict of interest as they installed the Pro Iranian Shia puppet in Iraq ,In Afghanistan ,in Libya with the direct help from Iran. Please note that Assad regime covertly helped NATO in Libya too! So it is easy to do the calculation. Taliban is emerging victorious so USA and Europe are already making a new calculation. The Israeli Neocons in USA has the most powerful lobby in US congress and most of the European countries are having the same problem of strong Zionist influence. These groups will prevent Europe and USA in taking any action against Assad.

      Obama has his place for the second time so He will do everything possible not to supply arms to the rebel. But by mouth He will do everything to create a smoke screen. Now one distant possibility is a coup like Morsi. This is due to the enraged US Army who were sent to Iraq and Afghanistan for a unjust war based on deception and then the US Embassy killing in Libya where Obama and Hilary are believed to be complicit. So it is my wild guess that a coup may very well happen in USA which will change the ball game. I would like to back up my comment with the following videos where you see some old but powerful news. Youtube Link bellow

      /watch?v=Cl6i1kdKj-g

      /watch?v=dEtM4bl8u_8

      /watch?v=UWWVy7z9w8Y

  2. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    At least there they can fire the questions … but the debates (dialogues) rage on … and the ‘rebels’ are left choking in the cement-dust and waiting – while the religionist nut-bars take over. The debates are not only in the USA … and no-one seems to know what to do about Assad.

    1. wargame1 Avatar
      wargame1

      USA and Europe are divided over this issue. They have conflict of interest as they installed the Pro Iranian Shia puppet in Iraq ,In Afghanistan ,in Libya with the direct help from Iran. Please note that Assad regime covertly helped NATO in Libya too! So it is easy to do the calculation. Taliban is emerging victorious so USA and Europe is already making a new calculation. The Israeli Neocons in USA has the most powerful lobby in US congress and most of the European countries are having the same problem of strong Zionist influence. These groups will prevent Europe and USA in taking any action against Assad.

      Obama has his place for the second time so He will do everything possible not to supply arms to the rebel. But by mouth He will do everything to create a smoke screen. Now one distant possibility is a coup like Morsi. This is due to the enraged US Army who were sent to Iraq and Afghanistan for a unjust war based on deception and then the Libyan Embassy killing where Obama and Hilary is complicit. So it is my wild guess that a coup may very well happen in USA which will change the ball game. I would like to back up my comment with the following videos where you see some old but powerful news. Youtube Link bellow

      /watch?v=Cl6i1kdKj-g

      /watch?v=dEtM4bl8u_8

      /watch?v=UWWVy7z9w8Y

  3. Igor Chingoski Avatar
    Igor Chingoski

    McCain is always frustrated with Humankind because He can’t live with that swollen cheek and He wants to make life miserable for everyone. I am sure that a root canal will solve McCain’s problem, that swollen cheek is huge!

    1. AntiFSA Avatar

      I think he is sexually frustrated. I’m sure he misses all pleasures he had in Vietnam as a POW

  4. Igor Chingoski Avatar
    Igor Chingoski

    McCain is always frustrated with Humankind because He can’t live with that swollen cheek and He wants to make life miserable for everyone. I am sure that a root canal will solve McCain’s problem, that swollen cheek is huge!

    1. AntiFSA Avatar

      I think he is sexually frustrated. I’m sure he misses all pleasures he had in Vietnam as a POW

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