Sen. Lindsey Graham (R. SC) wishes Obama would put troops on the ground in Syria and Iraq like he did in Africa to battle the Ebola outbreak.
October 5, 2014

Graham is on a role today trying to pressure Obama into putting troops on the ground into Iraq & Syria:

"It seems to be that the president is all in when it comes to Ebola," Graham said on CNN's "State of the Union." "I want to compliment him for sending troops to help get ahead of this in Africa. But we've got a series of half measures with ISIL. They're gonna draw this conflict out, and it will not lead to ISIL's destruction."

Obama insisted last month that he would not drag the United States into another ground war in Iraq, despite escalating aggression in the area by the Islamic State, also known as ISIL or ISIS. The president's strategy is to help Iraqi and Syrian forces in the area defeat the extremist fighters on their own.

Graham said he is confident that strategy won't work. "I think most Americans understand if we don't destroy ISIL, if they survive our best shot, that we're all less safe. And at the end of the day, you cannot destroy ISIL in Syria without a ground component."

U.S. military forces themselves are apparently less enthusiastic than the senator about putting boots on the ground. According to a recent Military Times survey of U.S. troops, more than 70 percent oppose expanding America's mission in Iraq and Syria with combat forces.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest has said Obama won't even "review or consider options" that include sending U.S. combat troops to the Middle East.

Graham will say whatever he can to get troops back in Iraq. He claimed Iraq was "in a good place" until Obama came in and screwed it all up by honoring Bush's status of forces agreement. Crowley at least didn't let him completely steamroll her with lies. She pushed him about why having more ground troops would help now when it didn't work before. Still though, pretty embarrassing for her to let Graham off the hook like that his BS.

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