US Senator John McCain called on Monday for the United States to repeat the Libyan scenario in Syria

US Senator John McCain called on Monday for the United States to lead airstrikes against Syria’s armed forces to protecthe ‘rebels and civilians’ there, much as it did in Libya last year.

He said the stakes were much higher in Syria, and that the United States should act without the approval of the United Nations, but with the support of Arab and other allies.

The previous Republican presidential nominee John McCain said the US “should seek the active involvement of key Arab partners, such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar and willing allies in the European Union, NATO and Turkey”.

The Arizona Senator also claimed that any such effort would require taking out Syria’s air-defense systems. "We're the only ones who can do that," he boasted.