The Russian airstrikes in Syria appear to show Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “true intentions” in that country—to prop up Syrian President Bashar al Assad and maintain a strong foothold in the Middle East, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said on the Senate floor Wednesday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 27 people were killed in Russian airstrikes, including six children, in an area not controlled by ISIS, McCain said. The Senate Armed Services Committee chairman, long in opposition to President Obama’s policy in Syria, said American indecision and caution has been taken as weakness by Russia, allowing Putin to begin striking at targets that oppose Assad. Inaction in Syria “has confused our friends and encouraged our enemies,” McCain said.
Members of the House Armed Services Committee say the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile program has been set back three months due to the ongoing government shutdown. The comment is noteworthy because the JATM's status has been kept tightly under wraps.
