John McCain Says Joint Chiefs Chairman ‘Doesn’t Have A Lot Of Credibility’

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is surrounded by reporters as he and other lawmakers walk to a closed-door meeting in the Old Senate Chamber for a showdown between Republican and Democratic leaders over presidential nomin... Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is surrounded by reporters as he and other lawmakers walk to a closed-door meeting in the Old Senate Chamber for a showdown between Republican and Democratic leaders over presidential nominees that have been blocked by a GOP filibuster, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, July 15, 2013. MORE LESS
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Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) took aim this week at Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who has drawn the ire of the Arizona Republican in the past.

A story Thursday in Politico quoted McCain expressing frustration at both Dempsey and Obama administration officials who briefed Congress on the situation in Syria. McCain said the briefings have fallen short because they lack specificity.

“One reason is because they are not specific: They are not answering many of the questions,” McCain said. “Certainly, that was the case in the Armed Services Committee. And Gen. Dempsey doesn’t have a lot of credibility.”

It’s not the first time McCain criticized Dempsey. McCain suggested in 2011 that Dempsey lacked credibility for opposing the troop surge in Iraq. In June, McCain threatened to block Dempsey’s re-nomination to head the Joint Chiefs when the general refused to give the senator his opinion on military intervention in Syria. McCain ultimately stood down and opted not to block Dempsey’s nomination

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