McCaskill: Can't Rule Out Putting U.S. Boots on the Ground in Syria

During an April 28 appearance on Face the Nation, Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) said she could not rule out the option that the U.S. will have to put boots on the ground in Syria.

McCaskill appeared alongside Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA). When both she and Chambliss concurred that chemical weapons had been used in Syria–they differed only in their opinion regarding who ordered the use of those weapons–host Bob Schieffer asked: “Do either of you at this point think there’s a chance that we would have to put U.S. troops in there, or that we would want to?”

“I don’t think you ever want to rule it out, because I think this… thing has really deteriorated,” McCaskill responded. “And it’s not really at a tipping point, so I don’t think you ever want to say ‘absolutely not.’ Obviously, we don’t want to do that unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

Chambliss said he did not agree with McCaskill. He said the U.S. could take “affirmative action” using cruise missiles, F-22s, and B-2s that “can take out the anti-aircraft missiles they are using.” He said such action would enable Syria’s neighbors to do what must be done to end the violence without leaving it up to the U.S. to solve this conflict.