Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) released the following statement regarding reports late last week that General Salim Idriss, the head of the Free Syrian Army, has been forced to flee Syria:
“Reports today that General Salim Idriss, the head of the Free Syrian Army, has been forced to flee Syria are deeply disturbing. This setback suggests that the conflict in Syria is taking another dark turn for the worse. Moderate opposition groups are losing power and credibility on the ground in large part because the Obama Administration has continually failed to provide them with any meaningful assistance that could counter the influx of thousands of Hezbollah troops into Syria and increased support to the Assad regime from Iran and Russia. As a result, extremists are filling the void, and entire sections of Syria, stretching deep into Iraq, are now effectively safe havens for Al-Qaeda.
“This catastrophe is a direct result of the absence of American leadership. The deteriorating conflict in Syria continues to grow into a threat to U.S. national security interests, and unfortunately the Administration has no realistic policy to address it. To protect U.S. interests and prevent extremism from flourishing in the region, we must support the democratic aspirations of the Syrian people and provide moderate leaders with the assistance they need to succeed.”
