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Graham Campaign Press Release - On CBS' Face The Nation, Graham Says "If I'm Commander-in-Chief, We're Going After [ISIL]... Until They Are Destroyed"

August 16, 2015

Alexandria, VA - Senator Lindsey Graham appeared on CBS' Face the Nationthis morning where he discussed how he would defeat ISIL as president, the latest on Hillary Clinton's emails and his 2016 presidential run. This morning's interview with John Dickerson comes before his upcoming visit to the Iowa State Fair and a campaign swing through eastern Iowa where he will continue to discuss the threats our nation faces and his plans to keep America secure.

As highlighted in The Hill article, Senator Graham also discussed the need for more American boots on the ground in order to defeat ISIL and his concerns with Governor Bush's plan. Graham stated on Sunday, "Jeb Bush is a fine man, but his plan to destroy ISIL doesn't have a ground component. And it's really not a whole different than that over President Obama. If you're not willing to commit more American boots in the ground in Iraq... if you don't understand we'll never destroy in ISIL in Syria without a regional army of which we will have to be part, you're not ready to be commander-in-chief."

Watch the clip on Hillary's emails here:

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Graham On The Next Commander-In-Chief: "I've Got More Experience Than Anybody Running."
"I think I've got more experience than anybody running. For the last decade, I've been to Iraq and Afghanistan 35 times. 140 days on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan...Jeb Bush is a fine man, but his plan to destroy ISIL doesn't have a ground component. And it's really not a whole different than that over President Obama. If you're not willing to commit more American boots in the ground in Iraq, from 3,500 to about 10,000, if you don't understand we'll never destroy in ISIL in Syria without a regional army of which we will have to be part, you're not ready to be commander-in-chief. And really nobody on our side seems to be willing to put a plan forward that truly would destroy ISIL. And they need to be destroyed....If I'm commander-in-chief, we're going after these guys and go after them hard until they are destroyed..."

On The Other 2016 Candidates And Foreign Policy: "[I've] Been More Right Than Wrong" And "I Don't See Anybody On Our Side Coming Up With A Robust Plan That Truly Will Destroy ISIL."
"...I can tell you what I've been doing for the last decade in terms of foreign policy. I've learned from my own mistakes. I've learned from President Bush's mistakes, President Obama's mistakes. Senator McCain and myself have been more right than wrong. We've warned the president, 'Do not leave Iraq without a residual force. Help the Free Syrian Army,' three years ago when it would have mattered. We were standing by him to take action against Assad when he used chemical weapons. And the president failed to do so. I don't see anybody on our side coming up with a robust plan that truly will destroy ISIL. And if we don't hit them there, they're coming here according to the F.B.I. director and the director of national security. So on our side, I really don't see anybody..."

On His Readiness To Be Commander-In-Chief: "33 Years In The Air Force, 35 Trips On The Ground In Iraq And Afghanistan. I Know What Works And What's Not Working."
"I'm saying the last thing we need is somebody who is not ready to be commander-in-chief on day one. 33 years in the Air Force, 35 trips on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. I know what works and what's not working. President Obama's strategy to destroy ISIL is failing miserably. You can't do this from the air. The Kurds are not the ground component we need to go into Syria. Without Syria being fixed, you're never going to fix Iraq. And they're coming here."

On Hillary Clinton's Emails: "...She Was In Charge Of Benghazi Where Four Americans Died... She Failed Them Miserably..." And "I Want To See The Benghazi Emails."
"Well, number one, Congress has a role here...So there's two things. The criminal investigation should be in the hands of professionals. She said two things that are not holding water. 'I turned over all the emails related to business to the State Department.' Now, we know that Sidney Blumenthal sent her 15 emails, one about Benghazi, others about business that are not in the batch she turned over to the State Department. She said she never passed classified information on the server. Now, we know that's not true. There is a criminal investigation potentially afoot. Let the professionals do that. But she was in charge of Benghazi where four Americans died. She was in charge of their security. She failed them miserably before, during, and after. And what I can't believe: Is there not one email from Hillary Clinton or to Hillary Clinton about the attack on September the 11th or the week thereafter? If there are no emails about Benghazi to her or from her, that just doesn't sound right to me. And I want to see the Benghazi emails."

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Lindsey Graham, Graham Campaign Press Release - On CBS' Face The Nation, Graham Says "If I'm Commander-in-Chief, We're Going After [ISIL]... Until They Are Destroyed" Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/325755

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