(page 3 of 5) View Entire Story

Given U.S. ties to Israel - highlighted again this week by the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - 58 percent of the American public is willing to use military force against Iran to halt its acquisition of nuclear weapons, according to the Pew poll.

But on Capitol Hill, Sen. John McCain, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, is calling for U.S. aid to the Syrian rebels. Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) have joined McCain in calling for the United States to immediately provide weapons, intelligence, money and supplies to the rebels - as long as they are not tied to Al Qaeda.

"What is needed urgently are tangible actions by the community of responsible nations to ensure that the Syrian people have the means to protect themselves against their attackers," the three senators wrote.

"If the community of responsible nations is to assist the Syrian people in bringing Assad's violent rule to an end, there can be no substitute for vigorous American leadership."

Previous | Next Page