Graham Attacks Santorum, Gingrich on 'Sound Bite' Afghan Positions
Sen. Lindsay Graham attacked two Republican presidential candidates for trying to make a sound bite out of the Afghanistan exit strategy, imploring them to listen to the generals on the ground and back the withdrawal.
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Graham called out Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum for trying to make a new Afghan policy that differs from that of Gen. John Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force.
“We don't need a bunch of politicians trying to create a military exit strategy,” Graham said. “We're withdrawing from Afghanistan. The question is how. Do we listen to General Allen or do we listen to politicians who are trying to get a sound bite?”
Graham called for a bipartisan agreement backing Allen’s plan for withdrawal. He said Romney has backed Allen’s plan, and hopes President Obama follows suit. He went further by imploring the president to do an Oval Office address explaining the American policy definitively.
“Tell us why Afghanistan is important,” he said. “It is the center of gravity in the battle in the War on Terror. It's the place we're attacked from, where the 9/11 attackers had safe haven. It's important we get it right.”
