South Carolina Senator and Republican presidential candidate Lindsey Graham stated, “I would ask the Department of Homeland Security, ‘How do we vet?’ But I think we have a moral obligation” to accept refugees from the Middle East and Africa on Tuesday’s “Special Report” on the Fox News Channel.
Graham said that the refugee crisis was due to US foreign policy because the US withdrew from Iraq and failed to support and train the Free Syrian Army and establish a no-fly zone in Syria.
After laying out his plan to dispatch 10,000 ground troops to Iraq, and an 80 to 100,000-troop force to Syria of both US and regional forces (of which the US would compose about 10% of) to eradicate ISIS and remove Bashar al-Assad from power.
When asked whether he would take more refugees from the conflict into the US, Graham said he would take more into the US. Graham added, “I would ask the Department of Homeland Security, ‘How do we vet?’ But I think we have a moral obligation.” Graham continued, that his goal is “to address why they’re coming.”
When asked how he would vet, Graham responded, “Well, first I’d start with women and children. We have a moral obligation here. We let this thing fester. Part of it is owned by us. The last time I looked at the Statue of Liberty, it had a pretty compelling statement to it.” He continued that he hopes as “the good guys” the US steps up to the plate. Graham further said if Germany will take refugees, it’s “a good statement” and said he was “appalled” by most of Europe and President Obama, who he called “the worst enemy of evil, and the worst defender of freedom I’ve ever seen.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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