GOP hawks talk war after big win

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- The Republican hawks have heard the clarion call of a midterm election that put the GOP in charge of both houses of Congress, and they're ready for battle.

GOP Senate leaders have met to discuss strategy in reshaping U.S. foreign policy and are considering arming Ukraine's military, stepping up U.S. aid in the fight against Islamic State militants, and challenging China's "continued encroachment in the south China Sea," said Arizona Sen. John McCain.

The senator has huddled with Republicans Bob Corker and Richard Burr, the likely incoming chairmen of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Select Committee on Intelligence.

While the new crop of GOP senators are reliably hawkish, not all Republicans are pleased about the rightward bent.

"Republican control of the Senate = expanded neocon wars in Syria and Iraq. Boots on the ground are coming!" tweeted Ron Paul, the isolationist dad of similar-thinking Sen. Rand Paul.

McCain said his first order of business as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee will be to end the budget rule sequestration, which requires the U.S. military to cut its budget across the board.

"I want to start an examination of our policies in the world and then find out whether we have the capability to meet these expectations," he said.