Geopolitical Tensions Fly During Panel on American Interests

DAVOS, Switzerland - The World Economic Forum is usually considered a big networking event, where high-powered people schmooze in relatively cozy comfort.

But at a discussion on the future of American power here, panelists came out swinging.

Perhaps it was to be expected. Set on one end of the stage (seated in an apparently uncomfortable chair) was Senator John McCain, the Republican from Arizona and an outspoken defender of American interests; on the other end was Aleksei K. Pushkov, the head of the foreign affairs committee for Russia’s lower house of Parliament.

And the two men, along with former Representative Jane Harman of California and Prince Turki al-Faisal of Saudi Arabia, clashed repeatedly from the start, especially on the continuing bloodshed in Syria. After Mr. McCain assailed the attacks by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, he and others questioned why Russia still supplied the administration with weapons.

“Russia, please stop supplying Assad with weapons,” Mr. McCain said.

Mr. Pushkov responded that the Assad administration is still recognized by international authorities, before criticizing the violence wrought by rebels. He later contended that roughly 60 percent of the Syrian population supports Mr. Assad, believing the current president to be the lesser of two evils. (Prince Turki all but rolled his eyes and sighed, “Come on.”)

Later on, the Russian lawmaker argued that the thousands of deaths taking place in Iraq were the direct result of American intervention, and specifically the Iraq war of 2003.

But Prince Turki noted Russia’s own military maneuvers, including actions in Ossetia and Chechnya, and concluded that the United States and Russia each had helped contribute to flare-ups of global instability.

“We have the bear and the eagle here,” he jested. “Eventually, we’ll be in danger from both.”

The sniping didn’t stop there. Mr. McCain also trained his fire on President Obama, particularly for refusing to take stronger action against Mr. Assad for using chemical weapons. His comments drew support from Prince Turki, a former Saudi intelligence chief who has already criticized the United States for the same thing.

“There was no consultation on the stopping of [air] strikes that were going to take place,” the prince said. “It causes a loss of confidence.”

Edward Snowden also prompted another bout between the sitting legislators. Intelligence gathering was the norm for modern nations, Mr. Pushkov said, but the sheer volume collected by the National Security Agency pushed the matter into wrongdoing.

Mr. McCain brushed the accusation off as nonsense. Instead, he focused on what he described as Mr. Snowden’s broken oath and the damage he had done to American interests by disclosing intelligence agencies’ plans.

To the senator, the United States’ main problem was that it was not active enough on the world stage, leaving room for others to fill that void.

Still, several panelists in general said that America’s government was doing plenty of damage to the United States all by itself.

“What’s happening with America is a fascinating spectacle,” Prince Turki said. “It’s a lesson in what not to do.”

Ms. Harman, who left Congress in 2011, repeatedly lamented what she called a “toxic partisanship” that had consumed Washington.

The panelists even traded barbs with members of the audience. When Kathy Gong, the founder of a Chinese investment firm, asked why the United States was always interfering, Mr. McCain took the opportunity to criticize China. He listed the military moves in the South China Sea, crackdowns on political dissidents and other actions that constitute restrictions on freedom.

“You are causing a rising of tension,” he told Ms. Gong.