Journalists around the western world have praised the late John McCain for his gentlemanly ways, his support for democracy and –most recently– his support for “enduring American principles.” 

Really? Let’s have a look. 

Do those principles include his spouting a hawkish rhyme “Bomb bomb bomb– bomb bomb Iran.”  McCain pushed for the total bombing and destruction of Iran.  In the 70s, he was captured during  his 23rd mission of dropping bombs on North Viet Nam.  Hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese were killed, maimed, napalmed or terrorized by bombings  which were  part of the US’s  immoral and illegal war. 

McCain backed then-President Nixon’s bombing of Cambodia, plus the more recent US bombings of Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia and Pakistan.  He also supported the invasion and occupation of Iraq.  McCain was a good friend of the Saudi royal family; he lauded the current Saudi bombing of Yemen—which we see today has created a humanitarian disaster.  

In 2015, McCain called people who protested war, specifically Henry Kissinger’s role in bombing Laos and Cambodia, “low-life scum” and vowed to remove them from a public meeting.  

According to Mehdi Hasan, a British journalist and reporter for The Intercept, McCain  “mocked Chelsea Clinton as ugly. He made jokes about rape and spousal abuse. He famously called his Vietnamese captors “gooks” and said, “I won’t apologize for that.” He used the C-word against his wife in public.” 

And what of the fact that since January 2017, McCain voted 83% of the time in line with Trump’s positions?

If you would like sources for any of these facts, or to know more — please contact me.