Sen. John McCain said Tuesday that NATO is needed more than ever, and said President-elect Trump would do well to remember all the young Europeans who died fighting in Afghanistan under NATO’s command after the United States asked for their help following the Sept. 11 attacks.
Speaking on CNN, McCain said Trump’s comments that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is obsolete and his occasional consideration of withdrawing from the alliance is disrespectful to NATO troops who fought in Afghanistan. McCain said they went because the U.S. was attacked, not because their countries were attacked.
“We should never forget that,” McCain said.
McCain said Trump’s acquiescence toward Russia since his election has been troubling and urged him to get tougher on Russian President Vladimir Putin. He called Putin a war criminal that has overseen the bombing of hospitals and the slaughter of civilians during the Syrian civil war.
McCain cited the invasions of Ukraine and Georgia as signs the Russians are getting comfortable flexing their muscles, and said the United States needs to stand up to them.
“The advantage that we have held for the last 70 years is now being eroded as the Russians and Chinese have increased their capabilities,” McCain said. “We need NATO more than ever, and we’re facing a long-term battle against Islamic extremism, which we clearly have not won.”
McCain was noncommittal on how he would vote on the approval of Secretary of State-designee Rex Tillerson.
Tillerson has a close relationship with Russia from his time as Exxon Mobil CEO, and that gives McCain pause. He said Putin’s record makes him worry about any American who is close to him.
“I question the recipient of a friendship award with Vladimir Putin,” McCain said, alluding to an award Putin gave Tillerson.
However, McCain praised Trump’s promise to increase defense spending and hoped to work with some of his Cabinet appointees, like retired Marine Gen. James Mattis and retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, up for secretary of defense and homeland security respectively.
McCain said Trump needs to push Congress to end sequestration to increase military spending and end President Obama’s shrinking of the military.
“Barack Obama has basically harmed our military in terms of readiness capability in every way, particularly in morale,” McCain said.
While McCain is skeptical of some of Trump’s picks for the Cabinet, he said he’s worked in the past with Mattis, Kelly and incoming National Security Adviser retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn. That gives him hope.
“I have a very close relationship with Gen. Mattis and Gen. Kelly, I respect Gen. Flynn a great deal. A lot of people who are going to be around the president I have known for many years,” he said.
“I want to work with the president, I know I can work with the secretary of defense and the secretary of homeland security and others, because I have in the past.”
