A call for interventionism: McCain and Graham
Jul 06, 2011

Congressional Records statements in support of Libya military operations
July 5, 2011

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ):

The fact is this conflict would have been over if we had taken a leadership role and declared a no-fly zone when the rebel forces were on their way to Benghazi. The fact is, if the United States had used the full weight of its air assets in this conflict, Qadhafi would be gone now.
. . .
When my colleagues ask what American national security interests are at stake, look at the man's past actions and look at what he has promised to do if he is able to stay in power; and that is, to pose a direct threat to the United States of America's vital national security interests.
. . .
The last time the Congress of the United States of America engaged in cutting off funding was at the end of the Vietnam war. Whether historians or people happen to acknowledge it, a lot of bad things happened after we cut off funding in Vietnam. Amongst them was millions of Vietnamese put in reeducation camps and thousands slaughtered. So I would caution my colleagues about actions of Congress which prohibit certain actions on the part of the administration.