Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) criticizing the targets of retaliatory strikes carried out by the United States.
During an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” Graham downplayed the effectiveness of the strikes the U.S. carried out in Iraq and Syria in response to an attack by Iranian-backed militants in Jordan that killed three American soldiers.
The strikes reportedly left 40 dead.
However, Graham argued they did not send a strong enough signal as he argued Iran was “the weakest they’ve been” under former President Donald Trump’s administration. Now he said they are the “strongest and most provocative” since President Joe Biden took office.
“Here’s what we need to do. We need to hit something that the Ayatollah values, his leadership team, like a Soleimani, or take him out of the oil business,” Graham argued.
Watch the video below:
He went on:
“If we hit their oil infrastructure, you don’t need manned aircraft, they got four refineries, you can see from space, if you knock one of them out, they would stop this. Our American troops are in harm’s way,” he said. “If the goal is to deter Iran, you’re failing miserably. If the goal is to protect American troops, you’re not achieving your goal. If you’ve convinced Iran we don’t want a wider war, they believe you. ‘Oh, I don’t want a war with you.’ They got the message.”
The senator added, “They’re not afraid of us. They were afraid of Trump. They’re not afraid of us.”
Finally, Graham argued, “We need to change our policy.”
“People are not afraid of us, this idea of hitting hundreds of targets that don’t matter. The only Iranian we killed in Syria or Iraq is some dumba** that don’t know to get out of the way,” he continued. “We gave them a week’s notice. So, if there’s another round of strikes coming, I hope they they really will hurt Iran in their pocketbook or kill their leadership. Because if you don’t, nothing changes.”