Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is sharing that he “could not disagree more” with former President Donald Trump regarding the withdrawal plan for all U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
“I could not disagree more with former President Trump regarding his support for President Biden’s withdrawal of all forces from Afghanistan against sound military advice,” Graham tweeted on Sunday night.
He continued, “With all due respect to former President Trump, there is nothing ‘wonderful’ or ‘positive’ about allowing safe havens and sanctuary for terrorists to reemerge in Afghanistan or see Afghanistan be drawn back into another civil war.”
Trump released a statement on Sunday where he said, “I wish Joe Biden wouldn’t use September 11th as the date to withdraw our troops from Afghanistan, for two reasons.” He added that “we can and should get out earlier” and noted the date — September 11.
“September 11th represents a very sad event and period for our Country and should remain a day of reflection and remembrance honoring those great souls we lost,” Trump said.
The former president added, “Getting out of Afghanistan is a wonderful and positive thing to do. I planned to withdraw on May 1st, and we should keep as close to that schedule as possible.”
President Joe Biden recently announced that the remaining 2,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan will be withdrawn by September 11.
With all due respect to former President Trump, there is nothing ‘wonderful’ or ‘positive’ about allowing safe havens and sanctuary for terrorists to reemerge in Afghanistan or see Afghanistan be drawn back into another civil war.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) April 19, 2021
“It is important history judge those who make these decisions fairly but firmly,” Graham also tweeted.
Graham continued in a thread of tweets:
These forces act as an insurance policy to prevent the rise of ISIS and al-Qaeda, which threaten the American homeland, as well as to prevent another Afghan civil war.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) April 19, 2021
We will see if ‘General’ Biden and ‘General’ Trump’s withdrawal strategy turns out to be sound national security policy.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) April 19, 2021
However, I very seriously doubt it as I have seen this movie in Iraq and I fear that over time Afghanistan will become worse.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) April 19, 2021
It is important history judge those who make these decisions fairly but firmly.
Graham has criticized Biden’s announcement to withdraw troops fully from Afghanistan, saying in a previous statement, “A full withdrawal from Afghanistan is dumber than dirt and devilishly dangerous. President Biden will have, in essence, cancelled an insurance policy against another 9/11.”
“A residual counterterrorism force would be an insurance policy against the rise of radical Islam in Afghanistan that could pave the way for another attack against our homeland or our allies,” the Republican senator added.