Sen. John McCain said Monday that “American inaction” is to blame following news that Russia is flying military supplies to Syria using Iraqi and Iranian airspace.
“Russia is now engaged in a dangerous military buildup in Syria, which has been supported by supply flights through Iranian and Iraqi airspace, despite expressions of ‘concern’ from Secretary [of State John] Kerry and other administration officials,” he said in a statement. “Russia’s doubling down on the murderous Assad regime is yet another example of how this administration’s feckless foreign policy has emboldened our adversaries and diminished our standing in the world.”
Earlier on Monday, Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said Russia’s military buildup in Syria in support of that nation’s president is “unhelpful,” but said Defense Secretary Ash Carter has no plans to speak with his Russian counterpart.
Davis said all communications with Russia are happening solely through diplomatic channels, noting that Secretary of State Kerry has had two recent conversations with his Russian counterpart.
Davis said the Pentagon is watching the situation closely and has seen indications that Russia is establishing a forward air operating base near Latakia, Syria. He repeatedly declined to get into the specifics of the buildup they were seeing, but said that there are no fighter jets on the ground.
“We have said before that we would welcome Russian contributions to the overall global effort against [the Islamic State], but that things that continue to support the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, particularly military things, are unhelpful and risk adding greater instability to an already unstable situation,” Davis said.
A New York Times report posted Monday said Russian planes were flying military supplies and personnel to Syria using Iraqi and Iranian airspace.
When asked if the U.S. had requested that the Iraqis close their airspace to Russia, Davis referred to remarks State Department spokesman John Kirby made last week that the U.S. has asked its allies “to ask those questions themselves of the Russians — about their intent.”
