Posted on 09/18/2013 6:43:41 PM PDT by markomalley
Sen. Lindsey Graham is one of the strongest advocates of an American military strike against the Assad regime in Syria. He was unhappy when President Obama decided to seek congressional authorization for an attack, and then unhappy when his fellow lawmakers voiced disapproval of the president's plan. Graham believes the diplomatic path chosen by the administration will lead to a debacle.
Given all that, Graham now says he will work with a bipartisan group of senators to craft a resolution authorizing the president to use military force -- not against the Syrian regime but against Iran. In an appearance on Fox News' Huckabee program over the weekend, Graham argued that such a resolution is essential, because American inaction in Syria will encourage Iran to go forward with its nuclear weapon program, eventually leading toward a Mideast conflagration if the U.S. doesn't intervene.
"Look how we've handled the chemical weapons threat in Syria," Graham said. "If we duplicate that with the Iranians, they're going to march toward a nuclear weapon and dare Israel to attack them. So in the next six months, our friends in Israel are going to have to take the Iranians on, unless the United States can send a clear signal to Iran, unlike what we've sent to Syria.
"The mixed message and the debacle called Syria can't be repeated when it comes to Iran," Graham continued. "So here's what I’m going to do. I'm going to get a bipartisan coalition together. We're going to put together a use-of-force resolution allowing our country to use military force as a last resort to stop the Iranian nuclear program, to make sure they get a clear signal that all this debacle about Syria doesn't mean we're confused about Iran."
After Graham repeated his intention to draft a use-of-force resolution, Huckabee stepped in to make sure everyone understood. "Lindsey, I want to clarify," Huckabee said. "You actually are going to seek sort of a pre-emptive approval to give the president a loaded weapon so that he feels the absolute freedom and support of a bipartisan Congress to take whatever action, including military, against Iran to prevent them from having nuclear weapons?"
"That's exactly right," said Graham.
Graham knows that Congress, particularly the House, was moving strongly against authorizing Obama to use force in Syria. And that was after a chemical weapons attack that clearly violated the president's "red line" in the Syrian civil war. Given that, congressional authorization for an attack on Iran seems far-fetched at best -- a reality Graham seemed to acknowledge. "I'm going to need your help, Mike," Graham said. "I'm going to need your audience's help. Every friend of Israel needs to rally behind this endeavor. Israel feels abandoned after Syria, and I want to send a signal to Tehran and Jerusalem and Tel Aviv that we're not going to leave our friends in Israel behind. And to the ayatollahs: If you march toward a nuclear weapon, all options are on the table, including the military option."
On Capitol Hill Tuesday, Graham repeated his pledge to seek a use-of-force authorization against Iran, although he sounded a touch less assertive than in his conversation with Huckabee. "I do believe without the threat of credible military force by us, the Iranians are going to just slow-walk," Graham said, according to an account in the Hill. "So I'm trying to create the dynamic that there is bipartisan support for continued diplomacy, sanctions and the use of force as a last resort."
Linda is a real warmonger, isn’t she?
That queer bastard should be executed for treason!
That is hilarious.
chortle
Good one.
Too late in the game to do anything militarily effective against Iran’s nook program. We waited too long. Now the targets we would need to hit are too many, too well hidden and too dug in. It would be kind of like the naval bombardments of Japanese held islands in WWII. Lots of noise and very spectacular, but the Japanese troops were dug in so well they barely noticed it. Yes, we have bunker busters, but they would need pinpoint pinpoint accuracy. A near miss wouldn’t do. An attack would make Hannity wet himself (one way or another) in excitement, though.
I’d like authorization to strike Lindsey Graham.
If it had a good chance of passing, I think it would be a good idea....it would hang over their heads & make the IRI nervous.
Unfortunately, since it probably doesn’t stand a chance of passing, the lack of support is going to backfire and end up emboldening the IRI.
Lindsey Graham on the payroll of George Soros and Al-Qaeda
Any politician who supports Graham in his upcoming Senate primary....I will make sure its a political career ender. This terrorist supporter needs to go
You go fight, Grahamnesty. Stop sending other people’s children to die for your misguided goals.
So what is wrong with letting Israel whack Iran ? Does Lindsey think they will whack them too hard ?
Another angry gay man. They tend to make threats and lash out.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
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Gasping for breath .....
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
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Now THAT was funny!!!
John McCain rides dirty on Lindsey Graham
Hit Iran ...but, erase our borders -— am I confused, or is Mr. Graham (and the SC voters?)
Shut up Linda. That won’t butch you up.
I’m all for it, immediately after we nuke Saudi Arabia.
If Lindsey spent as much time and energy fighting Obama’s unconstitutional decrees as he does fighting conservatives and trying to help jihadi rebels America wouldn’t be going down the tubes quite so fast.
This is weird. What the hell is this?
NOW they come up with Iran as a target? Day late, dollar short.
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