© Nancy Wiechec / Reuters
Sen. John McCain, who faces a tough a primary fight in Arizona this year, told reporters Thursday that President Obama was “directly responsible” for the horrific shooting in Orlando because of his alleged inability to defeat the Islamic State terror group and withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. Omar Mateen reportedly pledged allegiance to ISIS during his shooting rampage early Sunday morning at a gay nightclub in Florida that left 49 people dead and 53 others injured.
The senator later added in a statement: “I misspoke. I did not mean to imply that the President was personally responsible. I was referring to President Obama’s national security decisions, not the President himself. As I have said, President Obama’s decision to completely withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq in 2011 led to the rise of ISIL. I and others have long warned that the failure of the President’s policy to deny ISIL safe haven would allow the terrorist organization to inspire, plan, direct or conduct attacks on the United States and Europe as they have done in Paris, Brussels, San Bernardino and now Orlando.”