McCain visits Libya, calls on US to arm rebels (VIDEO)

U.S. Senator John McCain visited Libya's eastern rebel stronghold of Benghazi Friday and called on the United States to recognize the rebels as the sole legitimate voice of the country.

McCain, who was one of the first and strongest proponents of a military offensive against Libya's defiant leader, Muammar Gaddafi, urged NATO to step up its air campaign against Gaddafi's forces and pushed for more support of the rebels, Al Jazeera reports.

"I would encourage every nation, especially the United States, to recognize the transitional national council as the legitimate voice of the Libyan people," McCain said to reporters in Benghazi. "They have earned this right and Gaddafi has forfeited it by waging war on his own people."

McCain is the highest level American politician to visit Libya since the uprising began two months ago.

The senator warned that a prolonged stalemate in Libya could lead to the emergence of Islamic extremists.

He said the United States and NATO should support the rebels in their fight against Gaddafi by supplying them with weapons, the Telegraph reports.

"I've just come from a hospital where I saw the dead and the dying, and it argues for us to help them and get this thing over with and Gaddafi out," he said.

However, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, said Thursday the United States will not be sending weapons to the rebels.

McCain's visit comes a day after the United States said it will deploy Predator drones to fight Gaddafi's forces.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said use of the unmanned drones had been authorized by President Barack Obama and would give "precision capability" to the military operation.

Libyan rebels have been battling Gaddafi's troops since February but have recently made little headway despite U.N.-mandated air strikes by NATO war planes.