McCain: 'Disengagement' policy led to attacks

Sen. John McCain said Sunday that there's "no doubt" the attacks last week on U.S. posts overseas were "extremists," a result of what he said was America's foreign policy of "disengagement."

"Most people don't bring rocket-propelled grenades and heavy weapons to a demonstration. That was an act of terror, and for anyone to disagree with that fundamental fact I think is really ignoring the facts," McCain said on CBS's "Face the Nation." "Now, how long it was planned and who was involved, but there was no doubt there was extremists and there's no doubt they were using heavy weapons and they used pretty good tacticts: indirect fire, direct fire, and obviously they were successful."

He said terrorists are acting due to a change in U.S. foreign policy.

"Prior to 9/11, we had a policy of containment. Then after 9/11, it was a confrontation with the terrorists and Al Qaeda. Now it's ddisengangment," he said. "We're leaving Iraq. We're leaving Afghanistan. We're leaving the area. The people in the area are having to adjust and they believe the United States is weak, and they are taking appropriate action."

He said that terrorists used an anti-Islamic film trailer to fuel the attacks, but that the attacks were preplanned.

"Let's point out this wasn't a video that caused this. It's a fight, a struggle in the Arab world between the Islamists and the forces of moderation. And they want America disengaged," McCain said.

He added: "And by the way, I predict to you there will be many, many videos that will be out there. It was the Islamists, radical Islamists, advertising and pushing this objectionable, hateful video to incite the forces that would then bring about their assumption of power. That's what this is all about."