Post date: Apr 24, 2011 2:46:54 PM
U.S. Senator John McCain says Libya conflict nearing stalemate and pushes for increased U.S. role in air strikes.
CAIRO, EGYPT (APRIL 23, 2011) NBC - U.S. Senator John McCain said on Sunday (April 23) the United States should a greater role in the air strike strategy in Libya.
McCain welcomed the deployment of unmanned Predator drone aircraft for Hellfire missile attacks on the
forces of leader Muammar Gaddafi, but said the battle between Gaddafi's troops and rebel forces was reaching a stalemate."This is a pretty bloody situation and it has the earmarks of being a stalemate. Now we hope that Gaddafi will crumble from within but hope is not a strategy and its pretty obvious to me that we need a -- even though I was glad to see the Predator now in the fight -- it's pretty obvious to me the United States has got to play a greater role in the air power side," McCain said, speaking from Cairo to NBC's talk show "Meet the Press."
On Friday (April 21), McCain became the highest-profile Western politician to visit Benghazi, where rebels who control eastern Libya have set up a government.
He expressed impatience with Washington's cautious use of military power and said the United States should deploy ground attack aircraft and recognize the rebel government.
Obama and the leaders of France and Britain say they will not stop their air campaign, now in its second month, until Gaddafi is removed from power. But the bombing has so far failed to tip the balance of power against Gaddafi's forces.
Since the initial days of the strikes, Obama has ordered his troops to take on a backseat military role, reluctant to become embroiled in a third war in a Muslim country and leaving ground strikes to Washington's NATO allies.