Iran’s test launch of missiles Wednesday triggered starkly different reactions from John McCain, who called for a missile defense system, and Barack Obama, who urged diplomacy.
McCain said the launched missiles, including one that could reach Israel, “demonstrate the need for effective missile defense now and in the future, and this includes missile defense in Europe.”
Obama said the missile tests prove that the U.S. “should pursue direct and aggressive diplomacy with the Iranian regime, backed by tougher unilateral and multilateral sanctions.”
He added: “As these tests have reaffirmed, the threat from Iran’s nuclear program is real and it is grave.”
The Iranian test-firing of nine long- and medium-range missiles Wednesday was aimed to show that the country can retaliate against any U.S. or Israeli attack, state television in that country reported.
Gen. Hossein Salami, the air force commander of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, said the exercise would “demonstrate our resolve and might against enemies who in recent weeks have threatened Iran with harsh language,” the TV report said. Footage showed at least six missiles firing simultaneously.
McCain’s camp pointed out that Obama called the threat from Iran “tiny” less than two months ago.
“Iran, Cuba, Venezuela — these countries are tiny compared to the Soviet Union,” Obama said on May 19. “They don’t pose a serious threat to us the way the Soviet Union posed a threat to us, and yet we were willing to talk to the Soviet Union at the time when they were saying ‘we’re going to wipe you off the planet.’ ”
McCain also slammed Obama for refusing to support a Senate measure branding the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization.
“It’s my understanding that this missile test was conducted by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard,” McCain told reporters. “This is the same organization that I voted to condemn as a terrorist organization when an amendment was on the floor of the United States Senate.
“Senator Obama refused to vote, called it provocative, called it a provocative step,” he added. “The fact is, this is a terrorist organization and should have been branded as such.”
Obama spokesman Hari Sevugan said his boss is perfectly willing to affix the terrorist label to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, but objected to the amendment in question “because its language said the U.S. military in Iraq should be used to counter Iran, while in fact it has strengthened Iran.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
