'The president has bungled this beyond belief,' McCain said. McCain: 'Boots' = impeachment

Republican Sen. John McCain warned that President Barack Obama could face impeachment if he puts “American boots on the ground” in Syria.

“The fact is [Syrian President] Bashar Assad has massacred 100,000 people. The conflict is spreading … The Russians are all in, the Iranians are all in, and it’s an unfair fight,” McCain said Thursday, according to a CBS News report. “And no one wants American boots on the ground. Nor will there be American boots on the ground because there would be an impeachment of the president if they did that.”


( Also on POLITICO: Obama to address the nation on Syria)

McCain has been outspoken in his support of military action in Syria. He pushed to strengthen the Senate resolution with amendments that aimed to “change of momentum” of the Syrian civil war and supported arming vetted elements of the Syrian opposition. Those amendments were eventually included. He was critical of President Obama, however, saying he has mishandled the current situation.

“The president has bungled this beyond belief,” McCain said. “Announced that he’s going to strike and then say, ‘No, I’m going to the American Congress.’ I can’t believe how badly he’s mishandled this issue.”

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misstated McCain’s position on the Senate resolution.

CORRECTION: Corrected by: Adam Sneed @ 09/06/2013 02:56 PM CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misstated McCain’s position on the Senate resolution.