Graham: Iraq may "go to hell" without US troops

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham on Sunday called for a continued U.S. military presence in Iraq, and warned that pulling American troops out in 2011 would seriously jeopardize progress there.

Graham also argued that providing State Department contractors with military equipment after the withdrawal of American troops would be, essentially, creating "a mini State Department army" - and that it was the "wrong strategy."

"I'm deeply concerned," Graham said, of the situation in Iraq, during a Sunday appearance on CBS' "Face the Nation." "We're inside the ten yard line in terms of finishing job in Iraq. In 2011 all [American] troops are supposed to leave."

U.S. ground troops are slated to withdraw from operations in Iraq by the end of 2011, but a strong diplomatic presence will remain in Baghdad's Green Zone. According to a July report on the U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq, the State Department has requested additional personnel - as well as heavy military equipment like Black Hawk helicopters and mine-resistant trucks - in order to "meet its continuing security and support needs" after the troops are gone.

"I do not believe the State Department can carry on their ... mission of helping the Iraqi government and people reconstitute their society to help them build a civil society without American forces there to provide security, air power, logistical support for the Iraqi army," Graham argued. "This idea ... that we'll have a State Department army, I will not vote for that. I will not support that."

Graham argued that providing the State Department with such military capacity was a "back-up plan" and "a losing formula."

"If all military forces have withdrawn from Iraq in 2011, the State Department has come to the Congress and said, 'We're going to need over 50 mine resistant vehicles. We need a fleet of helicopters and thousands of private security guards,'" Graham said. "I think that is a losing formula. I do not believe the State Department should have an army, that that that's not the way to provide security.

"If we're not smart enough to work with the Iraqis, to have 10-15,000 American troops in Iraq in 2012, Iraq could go to hell," he added. "This is a defining moment in the future of Iraq. And the Obama administration has the wrong strategy in Libya, and in my view they're going down the wrong road when it comes to Iraq."

[noloyalisti]

This evil right winger's hell is not turning all of Iraq's wealth over to his Republican Corporation masters. That is the goal of the Tea Bag KKKlanners and the Republi CONS: complete financial domination of all the worker slaves by a few filthy rich corporations.

[pr_boxer]

Off topic, but couldn't resist Tim Pawlenty has a considerable resemblance to Gomer Pyle, wish he was as honest, however he calls himself a Republican, so we know which side of the "truth meter" he registers on.

[pr_boxer]

"Iraq going to Hell"? you kidding me Senator? where in the F do you think they've been since 2003, you arrogant snob.

[mnguyen4]

Frankly, I have had it with GOP Senators talking about us staying in Iraq or Afghanistan. The wars started by George W. Bush and the Republicans are the primary reasons why we have in Trillion dollar debt Today!

I don't care anymore about any more "civilizing" or "spreading democracy" mission in these regions. Almost 85 percent of Americans have suffered, as a result of domestic budget cuts, so that we can keep an army over there to pacify Iraq and Afghanistan.

It is time to become rational and just "nuke" these regions out of existence and leave them inhabitable for decades to come. We have spent nearly 10 years in these regions! It is time to GET OUT NOW!

[bennyblack1]

And frankly, the people of Iraq will choose its own destiny. As important as salvation is to a Christian, even Jesus tells us that if we aren't accepted, we should stomp the dust off our shoes and be on our way, without a word. Jesus tells that there is a time to quit.

It's simply, time to quit. And if Iraq goes to "hell"...after all we've done for them...that's NOT our problem. They need to figure it out. I think we can help them with air superiority and monitoring intelligence, but we can't sacrifice any more troops for them. They need to wake up and smell the coffee, and stop conspiring to destroy Christian churches.

And Christians, you must understand - it's ok to be friends with Moslems. It's ok to respect their culture. It's even ok to respect their religion, so long as you understand that their religion is incompatible with ours. When you befriend them, work with them, and allow your children to play with them, it must be as American citizens. School, fine. Work, fine. Not religion. I respect their ethics, I respect that they are commanded not to be in debt (and hold to it, we could do the same), and I respect their culture. I also know that their religion could never mix with Christianity. They don't believe in Christ.

Remember, folks, it is an Islamic duty to prosylatize and convert, just as it is a Christian duty. And if our character isn't any better than theirs, we're fools. Many are still fundamentalist Moslems - and I don't think I need to go there.

[bennyblack1]

Ya know, there's a time to live and let live. There is a time to realize that there aren't enough resources to fight everyone else's war when our own country is going to hell in a hand basket.

I don't care how high in morality a country is if it can't take care of its own people. I don't care if the United States can win every battle overseas, and yet, we give our country away to our enemies through the Socialist/Communist Democrats who prefer Karl Marx as an acceptable leader over George Washington, Hamilton, and Lincoln.

I don't see how the current administration can compare itself to ANY conservative leader when it's ideals are anti-anything-that-makes-sense. My GOD it's paying media outlets to publish lies. It's wadding up the Constitution little by little until it has NO meaning at all.

Some gay guy has bought a couple of senators to wage war on morality with only 2% of the population through legal means. Another atheist has managed to cash in on government funds to shut down anything that resembles Christianity, the belief of our founding fathers and the Christian pilgrims that desired freedom of religious tyrrany from England and King George. We have another small group - Planned Parenthood, that gains MASSIVE dollars to tell young girls that it's perfectly OK to murder her child rather than take responsibility and either raise the child or adopt the child out. Federal AND State dollars go to this (though administrators will tell you the funds are separate - they come out of the same pot).

Illegal immigrants are being granted the rights of US citizens, and President Obama tells us that our country is no better than any other *excuse me while I puke). I voted for Obama to REPRESENT our country. He presented himself as a Christian that would take our country in the right direction - but he represents the same derilicts that have been attacking our country since 9/11. And as a recruiter who was in New York a year prior to 9/11 and having a pretty good idea of the evil lurking (it was hidden, but only apparent through hacked commercial programming through the TV and radio). It started to get hairy when students told me they were being approached by people who were offering them money to betray their country. When I got back to Oklahoma, much to my surprise, our soldier in basic training and AIT were being influenced as well, since a few of them had actually asked me if I would take a million dollars to blow up a basic training unit. I told them, "no," then reported them.

And we want to give these diabolical, brainwashed people rights?!

GIMME A BREAK!!!

After they ambushed us with our own compassion in Iraq and Afghanistan, you want to send troops into Libya?

Senator, you got a screw loose! We need to protect our OWN country first. Remember that if a man can't take care of his own family, he's WORSE than an infidel - and I'd say you nutcases up there at the White House, the Democrats, and some Republicans...are worse than infidels. What government would abandon its OWN people, send its OWN soldiers to die for ANOTHER country, and leave it's own country blind-sided to attacks? (It's a Proverb out of the Old Testament). And infidel is someone who is unable to take care of himself. He is uneducated and retarded. That is the TRUE meaning of an infidel.

[dadrees-2009]

Perhaps it's time to let Iraq either go to hell,or,not on their own.

[RedWings_ninety_one]

No, I think that Iraq "went to hell," when you brought in the Indonesians to do the jobs that the Iraqis so desperately wanted to do themselves. Indonesians were brought in because 1. they were cheap, 2. they didn't know the language, 3. couldn't really question authority.

That is where Iraq went to hell.

[spacengin]

Hmmmm, the U.S. military is still in Japan, Germany and South Korea. WWII was almost 70 years ago. I would agree that the (R)s via Cheney manupulated George into the Iraq invasion. Cheney/Neocons were never held accountable for the Trillion spent and thousands of Americans and Iraqis killed over what ... the terrorism excuse was B.S.. Let's start cutting costs with getting out of the stable countries with fine economies...that would easily pay for Iraq support. Now if the Iraqis have asked the U.S. to leave, we should. They can ask the U.S. to return. Remember this, we left Afganistan after the Soviets were kicked out and we had to return which was far more costly. Hence stability and functioning institutions are important in these fledging countries. The biggest challenge is overcoming corruption and narrow minded myopic leadership. All we can do is the best we can.

[tafhdyd]

RatPackSixGun,

I am not sure if I followed all of your (D)s and (R)s but I know that I and the (D)s were for bombing Iraq based on the Lies of big (R) GW and his leader Cheney. Once the truth came out it was obvious the country was set up by theses crooks.