Page 17 - Air Controllers News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

>> we have not. >> not told them yet. >> he left the door open for a small number of american troops working as forward air controllers to assist in calling in air strikes to help iraqi forces. >> i agree the -- there are points on the battlefield where the president embed software would make them more capable. >> the administration says there are no plans for more u.s. forces. >> in order for us to succeed long term in this fight against isil we have to develop local security forces that can sustain progress. >> reporter: almost one year in to the american involvement, questions about whether...

But a major problem, getting fighters willing to promise to only fight isis in syria, not syrian president bashar al assad's reseem. senator john mccain furious at the pentagon for what he views as a failure to protect the syrians. >> i would like to have answers to the questions. will we tell them that we will defend them against bashar al assad's barrel bombing? will we tell them that? >> we have not told them that. >> reporter: the joint chief chairman leaving the door open for a small number of american troops working as forward air controllers to call in u.s. air strikes to help the force...

>> thaur >> thank you, ari, i appreciate it. developing now, defense secretary ashton carter and general martin dempsey have been facing some pretty tough questions on the strategy to beat back isis. they are testifying before the senate armed services committee, chairman john mccain, who has been highly critical of the president's strategy including syria. >> isil is not 10 feet tall. it can be and must be defeated. but that will never happen if we continue to delude ourselves about our current campaign. we mentioned we are currently training about 60 fighters. i got to tell you, after four y...

>> listen to the president's interview. listen to the word we and wonder who he is talking about, last week. president obama reacted said quote, i don't think we're losing. we'll have to ramp up but not just training but also commitment and we better get sunni tribes more activated than they currently have been. we've eight months into what we already anticipated to a multi-year campaign. senator john mccain slammed the president's approach on "meet the press" on sunday. no surprise there. here he is. >> we need forward air controllers. we need special forces. we need to have more of those kin...

Charles said, this is an increasingly fictitious government who does not run akrot the country. maybe we should do all of the things that chashls suggest but the next question is because of the one raised by senator mccain forward air controllers. the thing about forward air controllers is they are forward. you mentioned they might be killed or wounded. they also might be captured. i want you to think about that. the first time isis captures an american isis is a little bit pregeneva in its treatment. that will be a horrific choice for the american government. >> you know i just wanted to come...