In his scathing criticism of President Joe Biden’s handling of the Iranian-backed proxies that killed three American soldiers in the Middle East last week, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., spared no details.
“People are not afraid of us,” Graham said on “Fox News Sunday.” The concept of striking hundreds of targets is meaningless. The only Iranian we killed in Iraq or Syria was some dunderhead who was oblivious to his surroundings.
“We gave them a week’s notice, so if there’s another round of strikes coming, I hope they really will hurt Iran in their pocketbook or kill their leadership because if you don’t, nothing changes.”
Graham praised the targeted attack by former President Donald Trump on Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard. He referred to Soleimani as the “Gen. George Patton” or “Gen. Dwight Eisenhower” of Iran, citing his actions against proxies who were nearly inciting aggression against cargo vessels in the Middle East.
Graham advised, “This is what works: Hit something they value.” “One blow was enough to kill Soleimani. He was Eisenhower and Patton to them. All that remained was a burning automobile and a ring finger. It was successful. They returned inside a box.
“They were the weakest they’ve been, and now they’re the strongest and most provocative.”
Graham expressed regret at Biden’s lack of resolve in his Middle East foreign policy, saying that “our American troops are in harm’s way.”
Graham went on, “You’re failing miserably if the goal is to deter Iran.” “If safeguarding American soldiers is the objective, you’re falling short of your goal.
Iran will believe you if you can persuade them that you do not wish for a larger war. I hope we don’t get into a conflict. They understood the message. We don’t terrify them. Trump was the source of their fear.”
As a Gulf War veteran and top member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Graham was certain that Biden did not require congressional consent in order to defend “our troops in the field.”
He then added, “Every commander in chief has the ability to protect our troops.” “The reason they are there is to stop ISIS from returning. Simply put, they’re not on vacation there. They are not residing in the Middle East. Their purpose is to ensure that we are not attacked here by ISIS or al-Qaida.
“Iran is attempting to force us from the Middle East, and our answer is insufficient to the challenge. They don’t think or worry that we will attack their leadership or their oil infrastructure, which is what matters most to them.”