‘ISIS is Not Defeated’: Lindsey Graham Rips Syria Pullout as ‘Huge Obama-Like Mistake’

Joe DePaoloDec 19th, 2018, 10:52 am

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has been on board with much of President Donald Trump‘s agenda over the past two years. (Even when he doesn’t really buy what the president is selling.) But following a major foreign policy announcement Wednesday morning, the South Carolina came out swinging against the White House.

Following reports that the president is planning a full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria (along with his proclamation on Twitter that ISIS has been defeated in Syria) Graham broke from the White House and bashed the move.

“With all due respect, ISIS is not defeated in Syria, Iraq, and after just returning from visiting there — certainly not Afghanistan,” Graham wrote, in a multi-part tweetstorm.

The Senator added, “Withdrawal of this small American force in Syria would be a huge Obama-like mistake.”

Withdrawal of this small American force in Syria would be a huge Obama-like mistake. https://t.co/atsjHUyJlB

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 19, 2018

With all due respect, ISIS is not defeated in Syria, Iraq, and after just returning from visiting there — certainly not Afghanistan.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 19, 2018

President @realDonaldTrump is right to want to contain Iranian expansion.

However, withdrawal of our forces in Syria mightily undercuts that effort and put our allies, the Kurds at risk.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 19, 2018

A decision to withdraw will also be viewed as a boost to ISIS desire to come back.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 19, 2018

.@LindseyGrahamSC on Pres. Trump’s withdrawal of U.S. troops in Syria: pic.twitter.com/KmO4bc7neJ

— Phil Mattingly (@Phil_Mattingly) December 19, 2018

In a statement, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is defending the move.

“Five years ago, ISIS was a very powerful and dangerous force in the Middle East, and now the United States has defeated the territorial caliphate,” Sanders said.