Levin And McCain Seek Answers From Joint Chiefs Chairman A Day After Testy Exchange At Hearing

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

By DONNA CASSATA | ASSOCIATED PRESS | 36 minutes ago

Two senior senators pressed Gen. Martin Dempsey for answers about Syria, a day after testy exchanges with the Joint Chiefs chairman over his willingness to provide a personal view of the use of U.S. military force.

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., sent a letter to Dempsey on Friday with 11 extensive questions about Syria and Afghanistan. The letter comes a day after McCain and Dempsey tangled at a congressional hearing, and the lawmaker said he would block Dempsey's nomination to a second term until he gets an adequate response from Dempsey.

The two senators said in a statement that they expected answers "as soon as possible in order to move forward promptly with the confirmation proceedings."

Among the questions was a request for Dempsey's assessment of the "costs, benefits and risks associated with training and arming vetted elements of the Syrian opposition? In your view, could such action alone be sufficient to adequately build the military capability of the moderate opposition in Syria and create the necessary conditions for the administration's stated policy objective - Bashar Assad's departure and a negotiated solution to the conflict in Syria _ to succeed?"

Read more: http://www.newser.com/article/da7kpuog2/levin-and-mccain-seek-answers-from-joint-chiefs-chairman-a-day-after-testy-exchange-at-hearing.html

[leveymg]

1. Paleocon/Neocon constellation rising as darkness descends over the Syrian horizon?

Watching the stars and sacrificing bird entrails to find a clue to U.S. policy and intentions.

[dusty trails]

2. Just one more example

McCain keeps thinking that he won the 2008 Presidential election.
I'm shocked his BBF Sen Graham didn't appear in the article, in Sen McCain's shadow.
I thought the two were connected at the waist?

[1ProudAtheist]

3. Nope.........

Linzie and the Old Fart are connected nose to anus....hence the sheet eating grin on Linzie's face all of the time.

[John2]

4. I'll tell

exactly what these two old cronies are doing. It hasn't been reported widely in the media, but the Joints Chief in Staff, came out against John Kerry, wanting to get a No Fly Zone over Syria. He was very honest in advising the President about the dangers and the costs to this country and soldiers.

John Kerry is in bed with John McCain. That is why he wanted to be Secretary of State and McCain endorsed him. Senator Levin also wants U.S. intervention in Syria militarily. They want to get him out of the way or have an excuse to. They already know his position on Syria. The President knows it too, but General Denpsey left the decision up to the President. He is a thorn in the neocons' side and the only one saving this country from a disastor. He gave the President sound military advise and that is his job.

[dusty trails]

5. My uneducated opinion

I think the only person anyone in the military should express their personal opinion to is the President.
Congressman/women asking for that personal opinion should not get it.

[bemildred]

6. So the Congress is starting to notice that their power is being usurped by the secret government?

About time.