US Senator John McCain led a Republican assault on Barack Obama’s handling of rising Middle East tensions yesterday, claiming American “weakness” was inviting aggression in a volatile region.
Republican challenger Mitt Romney, who hopes to oust Obama from the White House in November’s election, took a risk when he criticised the President in the immediate aftermath of a deadly attack on a US mission in Libya.
Some of Romney’s allies were initially reluctant to back their candidate up, fearing that it would be seen as distasteful to seek to make political capital out of the death of a US ambassador and three of his colleagues.
But the challenger pushed on with his attacks and yesterday was soon joined by McCain, the Republican nominee who lost to Obama in 2008, and others in accusing Obama of apologising for US values.
“What this is all about is American weakness and the President’s inability to lead,” McCain told NBC News, taking viewers on a tour of Middle East trouble spots where he believes US interests are at risk.
“Iraq is dissolving, our relations with Israel are at a tension point.
“I’d like to see the President of the US speak up once for the 20,000 people being massacred in Syria,” he said.
McCain criticised a statement released by the US embassy in Cairo, one that the White House quickly distanced itself from, that was apparently aimed at placating hostile protesters furious over a crude film that mocks Islam.
“I’m saying that the statement that was made... by the US Embassy was a very weak statement and an object proof of that is they withdrew that statement and changed it later on,” the bellicose former navy pilot said.
He added that while “it’s always a time to set aside politics” when Americans are killed abroad, Persident Obama’s hesitation to flex American muscle invites aggression from opponents and enemies.
“There is a belief in the Middle East that the US is weak and withdrawing and that’s why you’re seeing various countries and their leaders reacting, because they have to live in the neighbourhood and they believe the US is leaving,” McCain said.