Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) became the highest ranking member of the U.S. government to cross the borders of Syria since the beginning of the bloody civil war more than two years ago, the Daily Beast‘s Josh Rogin reports:
McCain, one of the fiercest critics of the Obama administration’s Syria policy made the unannounced visit across the Turkey-Syria border with Gen. Salem Idris, the leader of the Supreme Military Council of the Free Syrian Army. He stayed in the country for several hours before returning to Turkey. Both in Syria and Turkey, McCain and Idris met with assembled leaders of Free Syrian Army units that traveled from around the country to see the U.S. senator. Inside those meetings, rebel leaders called on the United States to step up its support to the Syrian armed opposition and provide them with heavy weapons, a no-fly zone, and airstrikes on the Syrian regime and the forces of Hezbollah, which is increasing active in Syria.
McCain also met with U.S. troops serving in Turkey for Memorial Day:
Glad to visit troops at our Patriot missile site in southern #Turkey today #MemorialDay twitter.com/SenJohnMcCain/…
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) May 27, 2013
With @usairforce just before taking off from #Turkey – thank you for your service! #MemorialDay twitter.com/SenJohnMcCain/…
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) May 27, 2013
