Israel Finds Support In Congress

Lindsey Graham assures Netanyahu that Congress works for Israel

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Sam Rolley

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) promised that the U.S. Congress will be at the beck and call of Israel’s leadership with regard to Iran in remarks he made alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a visit to the Middle Eastern country over the weekend.

“No. 1: I wanted to come here in the most desperate way before the new Congress reconvenes, to let you and the people of Israel know that the United States Congress, above all entities in America, has your back in a very bipartisan way,” Graham said.

“The Republican Party now runs the House and the Senate, and things will be a bit different,” the GOP lawmaker said before vowing that the U.S. will take action against Iran.

Graham noted that the Senate is scheduled to vote on legislation that would strengthen sanctions against Iran if the country violates an interim nuclear agreement or walks away from talks soon after Congress reconvenes in January. The legislation was drafted by Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.).

“Mr. Prime Minister, of all the leaders in the entire world, you’ve had the most consistent message regarding Iran: Beware of the Iranians — they lie, they cheat. To those who believe the Iranians have not been trying to develop a nuclear weapon, if you come to America, you should not be allowed to drive on our highways. Clearly, this regime for years has been deceiving the international community, has been trying to pursuit, in my view, a nuclear weapon,” Graham said to Netanyahu.

The GOP lawmaker went on to say that he believes heightened sanctions are a better course of action than the diplomatic solutions being explored by the Obama administration.

“I’m here to tell you, Mr. Prime Minister, that the Congress will follow your lead,” Graham said.

In the coming months, Graham said, Congress will impose sanctions that “are real and will be re-imposed at the drop of a hat.”

“The fate of one country determines the fate of the other,” the lawmaker said.

While Graham’s remarks were certainly crafted to endear him to the Israelis and war hawks at home, he has drawn criticism from others who believe the U.S. could work with Iran in other ways.

One writer for former Congressman Ron Paul’s Institute for Peace and Prosperity wrote of Graham’s speech: “Imagine the reaction if a sitting United States Senator travelled to France, or Russia, or Saudi Arabia and assured the foreign leader that the U.S. lawmaking body would ‘follow your lead’ when it comes to a decision on whether ‘more sanctions, and stronger sanctions’ should be placed on a third country. That a U.S. government official would openly subject his own country’s policies to the national interest of another country seems to be unpatriotic by definition.”