WASHINGTON, Safar 12, 1436, Dec 4, 2014, SPA -- U.S. Senator John McCain said on Thursday he is blocking President Barack Obama's nomination of Anthony Blinken as the country's number two diplomat, citing sharp disagreement with the nominee's past statements on Iraq. "He's totally unqualified," the Republican senator told Reuters, when asked why he was holding up Blinken's nomination to be deputy Secretary of State. "He's the guy who said we're leaving behind the richest, safest Iraq in history. Look it up," McCain said, referring to Blinken's reassuring comments two years ago about the decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq. -- SPA 21:42 LOCAL TIME 18:42 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w