Republicans blast Obama’s Syria policy

Republican presidential candidates panned President Obama’s plan to send 50 Special Operations forces into Syria on the Sunday shows this week.

Ben Carson said the Syria plan is a “move in the right direction,” but still neglects the role that Russian President Vladimir Putin is playing in the conflict.

{mosads}“My much, much, much bigger plan involves Putin and Iran also,” Carson said on ABC’s “This Week.” “Those are the forces that are propping up the Assad regime, even though Putin came in there and said he was going to fight ISIS, he’s really fighting the anti-Assad forces.”

The retired neurosurgeon added that American should implement a no-fly zone to protect Syrian rebels opposed to the Assad regime.

Carly Fiorina described the president’s plan as “too little, too late” and blamed devolving stability in the region on the dearth of American leadership.

“I think this is a reflection of the reality that when America does not act, when we do not lead, as we have not in the last three years under this president, our options become very constrained, and the situation becomes more dangerous,” she said.

“I’m glad he did this, but we still do not have a strategy in Syria, we still do not have a strategy to deal with ISIS,” Fiorina added.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said the move will be interpreted as a sign of weakness by America’s enemies and said it has “no chance of success.”

“Sending 50 American Special Forces into Syria in the eyes of ISIL shows that Obama is not all-in, it is a sign of weakness to ISIL,” Graham said.

He also called Secretary of State John Kerry “a completely delusional man” for continuing to take the Russians and Iranians at their word.

“I see Russia and Iran mopping the floor with Obama and Kerry,” Graham said.