Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told President Trump to ignore advisers counseling against bombing Iran as two aircraft carriers prepare for what could become a major military operation, Axios reported.
With two aircraft carriers and hundreds of warplanes preparing for potential action, top Trump advisers informed Axios that the president still has not reached a decision. He has received military options that include killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his son.
However, his team is also demonstrating some limited flexibility in negotiations with Iran. A senior official stated the United States would consider an Iranian proposal including some token uranium enrichment if it ensures no path to a bomb exists.
Graham, who maintains close ties to Trump, is leading the pro-strike faction within the president's orbit. The senator visited the Middle East earlier this week and discussed Iran with leaders of Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
"I understand concerns about major military operations in the Middle East given past entanglements. However, the voices who counsel against getting entangled seem to ignore the consequences of letting evil go unchecked," Graham told Axios.
Graham stated that after his recent regional trip he believes an opportunity exists "to bring about historic change" in Iran.
"But it's increasingly clear to me that voices opposing entanglement and the risk associated with decisive action are getting louder. Time will tell as to how this plays out," he said.
Graham added "I have a lot of respect for President Trump. He is his own man. And as with all presidents, he will be held responsible for his decisions on such weighty matters. As to me, history will be very clear as to where I stood, for better or worse."
Some of Trump's advisers are urging him to postpone strikes and continue leveraging the military threat to extract concessions. Doubts also exist among some in Trump's inner circle regarding the wisdom of launching a regime change operation in Iran.
Elected officials like Lindsey Graham pose a major threat to the America First agenda of realism and restraint by constantly advocating for military interventions that have consistently failed to achieve their stated objectives. Graham represents the previous neoconservative order of never-ending wars and regime change operations that not only make the world less safe but also create massive refugee crises that wash up on American shores, forcing taxpayers to absorb the human and financial costs of failed nation building experiments. The United States needs leaders committed to defending vital national interests rather than pursuing grandiose schemes to remake the Middle East that inevitably produce chaos, blowback, and endless entanglements draining American blood and treasure.
