Sen. Graham calls for boots on the ground in Syria

Sen. Graham calls for boots on the ground in Syria

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) says the United States should have a substantial level of military presence inside Syria to lead the ground offensive against ISIL terrorists.

“This idea that we’re never going to have boots on the ground in Syria is fantasy. All this has come home to roost after the last three years of incompetent decisions,” he said on “Fox News Sunday.”
Graham, a fierce critic of President Barack Obama on foreign policy, said the White House was “delusional” in its strategy about ISIL.



The senator said the United States should lead the military campaign against the terrorist organization controlling large parts of Syria and Iraq.
“I will not let this president suggest to the American people we can outsource our security and this is not about our safety,” Graham said, referring to the Obama administration’s efforts to build a coalition of allies against ISIL.
“There is no way in hell you can form an army on the ground to go into Syria to destroy [ISIL] without a substantial American component,” he added.
During a televised speech last week, Obama said his strategy to confront ISIL would not entail ground forces in a combat role.
US surveillance planes and drones are gathering intelligence in Syria in preparation for airstrikes there.
Some defense and intelligence officials have questioned whether an air campaign alone will be sufficient to destroy the ISIL group.
On Friday, Obama threatened to target Syria’s air defense system if President Bashar al-Assad ordered his forces to shoot down American planes entering Syrian airspace.
The United States will not coordinate its airstrikes with the Syrian government, US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday.
US forces have conducted more than 150 strikes across Iraq since August 8.