Sen. Lindsey Graham said Thursday that President Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria is a surrender in the fight against terrorism.
“This will be seen by the entire world as a decision not based on sound military advice, but a decision based on frustration, and all of our allies are scratching their head right now,” Graham, R-S.C., said, adding that the British don’t know where to go now. “In this war, you will not win it by giving up. This is an akin to surrendering.”
Graham told reporters that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has opposed Trump’s move, and said ISIS has not been defeated yet despite the president’s declaration on Wednesday.
[Related: Lindsey Graham rejects Trump, says US adversaries ‘ecstatic’ about Syria withdrawal]
“He thought that the time was not right to leave,” Graham said of Mattis. “He told me without any hesitation that ISIS had been hurt badly, that the change in strategy to be more aggressive had paid off, but they’re not defeated and that a replay of Iraq is very likely.”
Graham, who was flanked by Sens. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Bob Menendez, D-N.J., the ranking members on the Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, respectively, said all three were looking to sign up co-sponsors for a resolution calling for the president to reverse course.
“Christmas came early to Russia,” Menendez told reporters, pointing to their comments of support for Trump’s decision.
Trump on Thursday continued to talk up his move to withdraw nearly 2,000 troops from Syria and the fight against ISIS, citing supportive comments from the likes of Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.
