Republican senators criticise US-Russia deal over Syria

Two Republican senators have criticised the US-Russian deal to bring Syria’s chemical weapons under the control of the international community. John McCain and Lindsey Graham described the agreement reached in Geneva on Saturday as “a provocative weakness”.

“The deal does nothing to solve the real problem in Syria,” the senators said in a joint statement. “The conflict has cut short the lives of 110,000 people and displaced millions from their homes. It has destabilized our friends and allies in the region and encouraged Iran and its terrorist agents.” It has also, they added, provided a safe haven for thousands of Al-Qaeda affiliated extremists.

McCain and Graham expressed their fears that friends of the United States, as well as its enemies, will view the deal as “a provocative American weakness”.