President Barack Obama on Sunday defended the deal that his administration reached with Russia to remove Syria’s chemical weapons stash. Speaking on ABC’s “This Week,” the president rebuffed critics, including Sen. John McCain (R- Ariz), who say the accord gives Russian President Vladimir Putin too much power. Obama said the deal to disarm President Bashar Assad will go further than U.S. military strikes could have in removing the threat they pose. “If that goal is achieved, Obama said, "then it sounds to me like we did something right. The president also said Putin is "protecting" Assad, but added that said he’s told Putin that “we both have an interest in preventing chaos... As long as Mr. Assad's in power, there is going be some sort of conflict there.” Appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” McCain blasted Obama for not doing more to support the rebels trying to topple Assad from power and pointed out that Putin hasn’t acknowledged that the Assad regime has used chemical weapons. “There is not a seriousness on the part of the Russians,” he said.
