Lindsey Graham Makes The Case For Strike On Iran

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia -- A leading U.S. senator on defense issues says any military strike on Iran to stop its nuclear program must also strive to take out Iran's military capability.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who sits on the Armed Services Committee and the Homeland Security Committee, said Saturday the U.S. should consider sinking the Iranian navy, destroying its air force and delivering a decisive blow to the Revolutionary Guard.

He says they should neuter the regime, destroy its ability to fight back and hope Iranians will take a chance to take back their government.

His remarks stunned many in the audience at the Halifax International Security forum.

Graham told the audience that newly elected conservatives would back "bold" action against Iran, reports Agence France Presse:

If President Barack Obama "decides to be tough with Iran beyond sanctions, I think he is going to feel a lot of Republican support for the idea that we cannot let Iran develop a nuclear weapon," he told the Halifax International Security Forum.

"The last thing America wants is another military conflict, but the last thing the world needs is a nuclear-armed Iran... Containment is off the table."

The Obama administration, through top military officials, has made it clear that all options are on the table.

Comments

[ElCojonuAgain]

09:53 PM on 12/26/2010

Hey LINDSEY ( very masculine name ).
Now that they've done away with DADT, why don't you reenlist to go over there ?
By the way, where are we gonna get the money for a THIRD war ( or a FOURTH if we have to get involved in Korea ).
Don't you just love these ' guys '.

[Opening Shares]

11:50 AM on 11/25/2010

Seeing this listed as "HOT ON TWITTER" made me think that "neutering Iran" could be a thinly veiled reference to using depleted uranium. Being as radioactivity makes people sterile and all that.

[Scorpiaux]

12:36 PM on 11/21/2010

As others have said, Lindsey Graham's proposed war will be super expensive. Not only that, Iran is unlikely to sit there and get bombed by us without retaliating. Such a response by Iran would probably be asymetrical and would undoubtedly inflict a lot of pain on us by the use of rogue states as well as newly created adversaries. Expect to see our cities bombed. Can we really expect any winners to come out of this?

[Loxinabox]

12:48 PM on 11/17/2010

Thank goodness Obama brought the troops home and closed Guantánamo Bay just as he promised all of us! I mean if he had not done those things those evil Repubs would try to pretend he is just as bad as they are! Thank you Mr. President for keeping your word we trust you...

[Confused1]

12:05 PM on 11/17/2010

Not to worry, Lindsey "light in the Loafers" Graham is not even going to come close to even winning his Primary in 2012. he barely got elected last time and the only reason he won is because his opponent was a worse choice (if you can conceive that). He does not represent the people of SC, he only represents his own selfish interests and retaining his office.

[Loxinabox]

12:45 PM on 11/17/2010

What do you Dems have against gay people? What did they ever do to you? Your kind continue to prove it by using homophobic sayings like teabagger why?

[Vajara]

10:27 AM on 11/17/2010

Why not impeach this reckless senator for creating an environment around the world that is built on Mass Destruction?

[Loxinabox]

03:48 PM on 11/17/2010

The White House rewrote crucial sections of an Interior Department report to suggest an independent group of scientists and engineers supported a six-month ban on offshore oil drilling, the Interior inspector general says in a new report.In the wee hours of the morning of May 27, a staff member to White House energy adviser Carol Browner sent two edited versions of the department report’s executive summary back to Interior. The language had been changed to insinuate the seven-member panel of outside experts – who reviewed a draft of various safety recommendations – endorsed the moratorium, WASHINGTON (AP) "The Obama administration blocked efforts by government scientists to tell the public just how bad the Gulf oil spill could become and committed other missteps that raised questions about its competence and candor during the crisis, according to a commission appointed by the president to investigate the disaster." Just like Obama and the Democrats lying again and not caring about the environment. I say take BP ,Halliburton and Obama and his administration that did this to us and throw them all in jail. Well Dems should people who commit crimes like this against America go to jail? Lets see if any of you care about America

[wowisdabomb]

10:08 AM on 11/17/2010

the only thing Gram is lacking is a rainbow on his missile.. lol.

[newamericanliberal]

09:19 AM on 11/13/2010

Oh Lindsey, ever since the Rethug machinery tried to label you as homosexual for working with the democrats you have been trying to be a tough guy. Dont give in to the pressure, speak your mind and dont be silly.

NAL

[booki]

07:49 PM on 11/11/2010

is there some test......... we the people, ......... can give to pols
to test their mental stability...
at least an IQ test.

[ZeraLee]

03:29 PM on 11/11/2010

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Lindsey Graham: the new face of tyranny.

I wonder how many new terrorists he recruited with his arrogance and big mouth, and how someone with no apparent understanding of the significance of international diplomacy as a major contributor to national security got placed on the committee overseeing the department of homeland security.

Invading Iran was pushed to the edge of the table when Bush used their help to invade Afghanistan. He removed it from the table completely when he decided to invade Iraq instead. President Obama has strengthened the embargo against Iran, but a statement like this from a sitting US Senator could seriously undermine that. It certainly knocks our moral superiority down a peg of two.

[Benhor]

06:27 AM on 11/11/2010

I hear the beating drums of war. Then Iraq now Iran.
The war drums are beating again and the “official” rhetoric is in full flower.
Remembrance holds a key to the future, Perle-Wolfowitz Doctrine all over again....!!!!!

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3981196,00.html
www.euronews.net/2010/11/08/us-rejects-israel-s-threaten-iran-call/
http://www.countercurrents.org/pa-hassan061004.htm

[gingershot]

10:55 PM on 11/10/2010

Lindsey is probably merely responding to commands from his President, Mr Netanyahu

Harkening to his master's voice, the Chinese crested starts yapping:

Robert Dreyfuss at The Nation nails Lindsey's profile:

Indyk:
(Bibi) is much more of a Republican than a Likudnik," meaning that Netanyahu closely identifies with the GOP and he has good relations with Republicans in Congress. Noting that Netanyahu recently stepped up his rhetoric calling for a military attack on Iran, Indyk suggested that Netanyahu was sending an unsubtle signal to Republicans to START TALKING UP THE ISSUE.
What Netanyahu means, said Indyk, is to tell Republicans: "Come on, guys! It's time to get much tougher on Iran."

"Netanyahu feels new confidence," said Indyk, since the Republicans took over the House, and he believes that Congress will be behind him even more strongly. As a result, during the current round of sniping over new Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Netanyahu felt brash enough to respond nastily to American criticism.

(Bibi) is dealing with a president who's politically weakened. A lot of his friends in Washington are Republicans. He feels more comfortable with them, so he just feels that he's got a freer hand here."

http://www.thenation.com/blog/156363/netanyahu-bolstered-gop-gains

[Charlie Seattle]

06:28 PM on 11/10/2010

In his recent book Dubya says that he considered and planned an attack on Iran but he mispelled it on the attack order.

Iraq... Iran, Tomato... Tomatoe.

Ya, shake your heard, like it could not have happened.

[jimpager]

05:07 PM on 11/10/2010

Dear Mr Graham,

With all due respect...that's the craziest notion I have heard this year and with the T-baggers, Birchers, Birthers, and other nut jobs on the far right, that is saying something. OK we do what you say...

1. America bombs Irans nuclear sites
2. Iran stops oil shipments to the West the next day
3. Iran closes straights of Hormuz
4. Price of oil goes from $85 to $300/barrel instantly
5. Europe doesn't support America
6. NATO is undermined
7. Venezuela and Russia suspend external oil shipments
8. Oil hits $350/barrel
9. Iranian agitators in Iraq multiply terrorism in Baghdad, Basra, and Kirkuk
10.The United Nations general assembly votes a bill condemning the US action-America kills the bill in the security council
11. US Navy declares the straights open and sends a fleet through.
12. Iran launches volley fire of Golem missiles at the US fleet. Most are shot down but one hits and sinks a US Destroyer
13. The US Air Force reduces the Golem missile sites to a halflife of 2500 years.
14. Iran mines the straights and sinks a supertanker at narrowest point
15. Oil hits $400/barrel
16. US and western economies rollover in depression
17. Gold hits $2000 / ounce
18. Libya and Nigeria suspend oil sales to the west
19. Oil hits $450/barrel
20. America launches crossborder ground assaults into Iran
21. Iran and the Russian army cross and take Kirkuk

Now what smart guy?

[ReHuff]

12:45 AM on 11/11/2010

I suspect our military planners have analyzed high probability scenarios similar to yours. What's your 22-30 guess?

[jimpager]

12:10 PM on 11/11/2010

Let's see...less probable, not impossible, and assume relatively rational people in control...

22. With Iraq afire with insurgent activity, and US strike forces already inside Iran with stretched lines of supply, America's army is pinned down...Russians consolidate Kirkuk with massive construction of SAM sites, forward deploy tactical nukes to Kirkuk, claim a petroleum sharing agreement with the Iranians. and move additional Russian ground forces inside Iran opposite Baghdad and Basra.

23. Taliban lightsup Afghanistan pinning down US troops there.

24. Iran launches missile strike on Israel. Israel bombs (nukes?) Mecca.

25. The Shia countries announce support for the Russian/Iranian alliance. Saudi cancels oil to the west. World oil market shuts down.

26. Chinese announce support for the Russian/Iranian alliance
announce ownership of the Spratleys(sp?), and threaten Taiwan and Singapore

27. A cuban mig blows into US airspace at 50 feet and lands at Homestead AFB(threat).

28. US begins airstrikes on Kirkuk--Russian and American planes are shot down, Russian sam sites are blown to hell, US Marines move to threaten Kirkuk, and massed Iraqi Islamic insurgents over-run an outpost and slaughter an American Infantry Company.

29. North Korea hits Seoul with low-yield nuke and massive casualties.

30. Russians and Iranians are slaughtered in Kirkuk by American airpower. The oil fields are destroyed. Russia sends America an ultimatum. If US enters Kirkuk with ground forces, the Russians will nuke the American Army. Russian nuclear forces on full alert. America at DEFCON 2.

[Roland19]

08:45 AM on 11/09/2010

Usually I like to listen to what Senator Graham has to say, but in this case I don't think he could be more wrong. I believe the US should never engage in "pre-emptive strikes." Defend ourselves, yes: Act as the aggressor, no.

[Loxinabox]

01:20 PM on 11/17/2010

Yeah America could handle a nuke attack with "acceptable loses" "gentlemen you can't fight in here this is the war room!" keep those coming I love the classics.