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Lindsey Graham Has a Message for Iran: If They Retaliate, We Will Hit What They Can’t Afford to Lose
Redstate ^ | January 4, 2020 | Nick Arama

Posted on 01/04/2020 1:54:20 PM PST by COUNTrecount

Some of the Democratic members of Congress were disturbed that they weren’t informed about the U.S. airstrike on Qasem Soleimani.

But given their reaction and their antipathy to any action President Donald Trump takes is there any wonder why they were not told? You even have Democrats like Obama’s former Secretary of State John Kerry holding private meetings with Iran basically admitting he’s telling them to “wait Trump out,” he wouldn’t be there long. It’s horrible to say, but one would have to wonder about operational security.

But one person who was advised was Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

Graham told “Fox and Friends” that IRGC leader Qasem Soleimani and Iran gravely miscalculated President Donald Trump.

From Fox News: “The intelligence was that Soleimani was orchestrating chaos in Iraq at our expense and throughout the region,” Graham explained. “The president was informed of these potential attacks and he acted. This was a defensive strike to neutralize future attacks that were planned and executed by Soleimani and the popular mobilization front: the Shiite militias in Iraq.”

Graham said Trump acted to prevent “holy hell” from occurring in Iraq and the region and Soleimani did not think the United States would take such a bold action. “He’s not dead today because of what he did in the past, he’s dead today because he miscalculated what President Trump would do regarding future attacks,” said Graham in a phone interview.

He was asked about possible retaliation by Iran for the strike.

We’ve already put crippling sanctions on them and their economy is in shambles. That’s one of the reasons Iranians have been protesting in the streets in addition to the fact that they want the mullahs out.

Graham hinted what might come next if Iran tried anything. “Their oil refineries are the last thing they have in terms of an economy,” he said.

He also emphasized it on Twitter. To the Iranian government: If you want to stay in the oil business leave America and our allies alone and stop being the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) January 3, 2020 “To the Iranian government: If you want to stay in the oil business leave America and our allies alone and stop being the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world,” he continued.

Boom. If they lose that, they know they will completely collapse and their own people will run over them. It’s also pretty hard to protect big pile refineries and fairly easy to take them out. Perfect thing to threaten.

“They are going to come after us with a vengeance if we do not reset the table quickly,” Graham explained. “And, if I were the president, I would put on the table targets in Iran — not Iraq and Syria. Economic targets that crush the economy.”

Graham said that while the United States’ maximum pressure campaign against the Iranian regime has worked, what would “take it to the next level” would be to threaten to “destroy the ability of the Iranians to refine oil and sell it.”

“The president has to convince the ayatollah that if he retaliates, our response will be greater than the market will bear,” he concluded.

And now, they know we mean it when we threaten.


TOPICS: Politics
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1 posted on 01/04/2020 1:54:20 PM PST by COUNTrecount
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To: COUNTrecount

Kerry can’t be trusted to hit the ground when he pees. He is in it for himself and operating totally outside of our government which is supposed to be illegal.
Too bad Trump does not have a Hil LIAR y list.


2 posted on 01/04/2020 2:00:02 PM PST by oldenuff35
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To: COUNTrecount

I am curious and I know it doesn’t actually matter but has Bolton said anything?


3 posted on 01/04/2020 2:00:22 PM PST by gibsonguy
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To: oldenuff35

Sometimes “accidents” happen. It would be convenient if John F’n Kerry “accidentally” was killed in an attack on another target.


4 posted on 01/04/2020 2:02:21 PM PST by EvilCapitalist (If it takes a bloodbath, let's get it over with. No more appeasement. -Ronald Reagan)
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To: COUNTrecount


Their oil refineries are the last thing they have in terms of an economy

the rubber just met the road


5 posted on 01/04/2020 2:04:16 PM PST by 867V309 (Lock Her Up)
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To: gibsonguy

Bolton tweeted support for the action. No surprise there as he has called for us to be far more aggressive towards Iran for many years.

He tweeted if you check his twitter feed:

“””
John Bolton
Verified account @AmbJohnBolton

Congratulations to all involved in eliminating Qassem Soleimani. Long in the making, this was a decisive blow against Iran’s malign Quds Force activities worldwide. Hope this is the first step to regime change in Tehran.
“””


6 posted on 01/04/2020 2:05:17 PM PST by volunbeer (Find the truth and accept it - anything else is delusional)
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To: COUNTrecount

This is an interesting threat.

If I am understanding it right Linsey Graham is saying that if Iran does anything then the US will take out the Iranian oil fields.

That’s a rather big threat. Especially since the US could do it easily. It would help Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, and the Saudis too because it would give them more customers. Knocking out refineries and pumping stations could cause Iran 15 to 30 years of problems


7 posted on 01/04/2020 2:06:31 PM PST by Fai Mao (There is no rule of law in the US until The PIAPS is executed.)
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To: COUNTrecount

...and we wont declare any war.

...and the world will laugh with us.


8 posted on 01/04/2020 2:08:29 PM PST by Delta 21 (Be strong & prosper, be weak & die! Stay true.... ~~ Donald J. Trump)
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To: EvilCapitalist
Sometimes “accidents” happen. It would be convenient if John F’n Kerry “accidentally” was killed in an attack on another target.

This is all that was left of him.


9 posted on 01/04/2020 2:09:20 PM PST by Rastus
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To: COUNTrecount

I agree with Senator Graham... Once Iranian defense assets are targeted successfully, it would be time to make water, power fuel, transportation, food etc. real tough to come by. And I pray we never have to do it.


10 posted on 01/04/2020 2:09:25 PM PST by PerConPat (A politician is an animal which can sit on a fence and yet keep both ears to the ground.-- Mencken)
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To: Rastus

“Cleanup on Aisle 5”


11 posted on 01/04/2020 2:10:46 PM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: gibsonguy

I doubt he will speak. He is very loyal to the Office of the President and the duties and obligations of the office. He will NOT speak harshly of the President’s actions in any way, shape or form.


12 posted on 01/04/2020 2:13:34 PM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: gibsonguy

https://www.foxnews.com/world/john-bolton-congratulates-those-involved-in-decisive-airstrike-that-killed-iranian-general


13 posted on 01/04/2020 2:17:39 PM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: COUNTrecount

Iran has ONE oil refinery. Cripple their economy. Bring trade and industry to a halt.Revolution in the streets. Blow up the refinery and threaten to blow up their pipelines and block their ports to prevent importing refined petroleum.

No trains. No delivery trucks. No tanks. No cars. No gas. Just angry citizens with a ton of time on their hands because there are no jobs to go to and food is running low.


14 posted on 01/04/2020 2:20:50 PM PST by Buckeye Battle Cry (Progressivism is socialism. Venezuela is how it ends.)
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To: COUNTrecount

I would knock out Bushehr.


15 posted on 01/04/2020 2:21:03 PM PST by Brilliant
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To: volunbeer

Thanks, for the most part I avoid Twitter.


16 posted on 01/04/2020 2:21:44 PM PST by gibsonguy
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To: COUNTrecount
You even have Democrats like Obama’s former Secretary of State John Kerry holding private meetings with Iran basically admitting he’s telling them to “wait Trump out,” he wouldn’t be there long

There is a special place in hell for this man Kerry.

17 posted on 01/04/2020 2:21:55 PM PST by SmokingJoe
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To: COUNTrecount

I would be disappointed if the retaliation left the Iranian Navy with a John boat and a paddle.


18 posted on 01/04/2020 2:23:08 PM PST by Salvavida
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To: Brilliant

To take out Iran, and stop most of this nonsense for a generation, you have to also take out Qatar. And that has far bigger implications than just a war with Iran.


19 posted on 01/04/2020 2:23:35 PM PST by tcrlaf (They told me it could never happen in America. And then it did....ew)
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To: oldenuff35

It is time to prosecute Horseface KERRY. The Logan Act provides the law.


20 posted on 01/04/2020 2:26:12 PM PST by chopperk (I)
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