Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Thursday that withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan would be a “high risk strategy” that could pave “the way toward a second 9/11.”
“Like in Syria, troop withdrawal should be based on conditions on the ground,” he said in a statement. “The conditions in Afghanistan – at the present moment – make American troop withdrawals a high risk strategy. If we continue on our present course we are setting in motion the loss of all our gains and paving the way toward a second 9/11.”
I have just returned from Afghanistan and can say – without hesitation – ISIS-K remains a direct threat to our homeland and they would dramatically benefit from a reduced American troop presence. https://t.co/P3jgqF4MfY
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 20, 2018
Multiple media outlets reported Thursday that the Trump administration is considering a major drawdown in the number of U.S. military personnel stationed in Afghanistan.
“I have just returned from Afghanistan and can say – without hesitation – ISIS-K remains a direct threat to our homeland and they would dramatically benefit from a reduced American troop presence. Our Afghan partners are incapable of subduing the threat posed by ISIS-K alone. In addition, our intelligence capability and military might cannot be replaced by any other regional ally when it comes to subduing ISIS-K in Afghanistan or Pakistan,” Graham said. – READ MORE