Senator McCain criticises US foreign policy in the Middle East

US Republican Senator John McCain has criticised US Secretary of State John Kerry’s performance in the Middle East, arguing that US influence in the Arab world “has never been this weak”.

According to the Middle East News Agency, McCain told the US government sponsored Al-Hurra TV channel that: “The US image today is the worst I have ever seen in my life,” describing US policy towards Egypt as a “non-existent”.

McCain said: “America does not have any foreign policy towards Egypt, absolutely no policy, no strategy, only withdrawals from all files. But if the US withdraws, the results will be bad in the Middle East and in the whole world.”

McCain said he felt deeply disappointed with Secretary Kerry’s performance, whether towards Syria, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan or the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Interestingly, Kerry is a member of the board of directors for Al-Hurra TV.

McCain said “all of these files have miserably failed. The US influence in the Arab world has never been this weak. The administration has failed in the Middle East in every possible way. We lost influence, we lost power. We are seen as helpless.”