Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., suggested Tuesday morning that the Obama administration should leave another empty chair at Tuesday’s State of the Union address to honor the thousands of Syrians who have died in Syria, an event McCain blamed on President Obama.
McCain noted on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that first lady Michelle Obama will leave an empty chair to honor gun victims on Tuesday night. But McCain blamed President Obama’s “feckless” foreign policy for the death of thousands of Syrians, and said those victims should also be recognized.
“I’d like to see another empty chair for the 250,000 Syrians that have been slaughtered, barrel-bombed and starved to death and tortured by Bashar Assad, thanks to his failed policy,” McCain said. “Because of a feckless policy of leading from behind, deciding not to arm the Free Syrian Army over the recommendations of his national security team, including Hillary Clinton.”
“There are several moments in history, and that was a seminal moment, when we lost the confidence of the countries in the Middle East, and also our friends and allies,” he said.
McCain also said another empty chair might be kept for the four Americans being held by Iran, who Obama has also failed. One of those is Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, and McCain stressed this recommendation to MSNBC commentator and Post columnist Eugene Robinson.
“You might want an empty chair for those people who are being held hostage in Iran, including the brave and wonderful Washington Post reporters,” he said.
