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The Paris attacks, for which the Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility, have changed the willingness of many Americans to support more US troops going to Iraq and Syria, Sen. John McCain (R) of Arizona argued Wednesday morning.

Senator McCain and his GOP colleague Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina have called for 20,000 additional US troops to be sent 鈥� 10,000 to Iraq and 10,000 to Syria 鈥� to help wage war against IS.

鈥淏efore Paris, I鈥檇 probably think that we can鈥檛 get the numbers,鈥� in terms of both support from the American people and subsequent votes by Congress, McCain said.聽

Since the Paris attacks, however, Americans are more likely to back such a move, along with the lawmakers who represent them, he posited Wednesday at a breakfast hosted by the Monitor.

Yet for that to happen, President Obama must make a case to the American people, says McCain, who just returned from three days in Iraq traveling in a congressional delegation with Senator Graham.

This includes explaining 鈥渢he threat, the extent of it, and what we need to do,鈥� he added. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one thing to say, 鈥榃e need more troops.鈥� It鈥檚 another to say, 鈥楬ere鈥檚 why we need more troops.鈥� 鈥�

There has been no shortage of McCain and GOP colleagues, including Graham, decrying the threat.聽

IS is the 鈥渇irst terrorist organization in I don鈥檛 know how long that has a base,鈥� McCain warned, adding that 鈥渢hey鈥檙e working on chemical weapons in Raqqa,鈥� the de facto capital of IS in Syria.

At the same time, there are some promising developments in the US military campaign against IS, McCain acknowledges.聽

For starters, the Iraqi city of Ramadi, long a Sunni stronghold, 鈥渋s now surrounded鈥� by Iraqi forces waging a campaign to oust IS. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 pretty clear that Ramadi will fall,鈥� McCain said. Precisely when 鈥渄epends on the activities of the Iraqi military, which has been very, very slow鈥� to go into the city.

The cities that have been occupied by IS for months are a particularly risky venture for Iraqi forces, which are planning to wage urban warfare in cities that have been booby-trapped by IS troops, he adds.

Although many IS forces are leaving the cities, that doesn鈥檛 solve the problem. 鈥淭here are only a few hundred鈥� IS forces left in Ramadi right now, 鈥渂ut the place is a deathtrap, as you know,鈥� McCain says.

Still, the Iraqi military has made strides in cities like Erbil and Baghdad. What鈥檚 more, due to aggressive US targeting of IS fighters, 鈥渢he inflow of Europeans in particular鈥� to the region is 鈥渘ot nearly as large as they were a year ago.鈥�

During his trip to Iraq, McCain said, 鈥渆very Iraqi military leader鈥� told him 鈥渙ff the record鈥� that they want 鈥渕ore American participation鈥� in the war against IS there.

Publicly, however, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Tuesday that although he would welcome more US-provided weapons, Iraqi forces are capable of defeating IS without the help of foreign troops, including those from the United States.聽

Mr. Abadi called for 鈥渇ull respect to Iraqi sovereignty鈥� in this matter.

McCain responded that because Iranian-backed Shiite militias oppose US participation on the ground, Iraqi leaders, including Abadi, cannot publicly call for US troops.

鈥淭he Iranians do not dictate to Abadi, but they are a brake on Abadi鈥檚 ability to exercise other options,鈥� he said.

鈥淚n our meeting with [Abadi], he was much more agreeable to having increased US participation,鈥� McCain added Wednesday.聽

鈥淭he Shia militias have said, we will not accept an American permanent base in Iraq,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ho in their right mind would not want an American presence in Iraq? Nobody but Iranian-controlled people.鈥�

So, what to do when Iraqis publicly oppose the presence of US troops? 鈥淚 think in the short term there鈥檚 going to be a lot of 鈥榳ink wink, nod nod,鈥� 鈥� McCain said.