Iran Hawk Lindsey Graham Says We Need to Work With Iran to Fix Iraq

Adam Chandler
Iran Hawk Lindsey Graham Says We Need to Work With Iran to Fix Iraq

Sen. Lindsey Graham shocked and confused many by imploring the United States to work with Iran to stabilize Iraq. Just last year, Graham pushed for a resolution authorizing war against Iran if it didn't give up its nuclear program. 

Making the rounds on the Sunday shows, Graham, one-third of the notoriously hawkish/bygone "Three Amigos," compared working with Iran to American cooperation with Soviet dictator Josef Stalin during World War II. He added this:

The Iranians can provide some assets to make sure Baghdad doesn’t fall. We need to coordinate with the Iranians and the Turks need to get in the game and get the Sunni Arabs back into the game, form a new government without [Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al] Maliki.”

And here's what Graham, who sits on the Armed Services Committee, said about Iran in late November as the United States successfully concluded negotiating a temporary deal with Iranians on its nuclear program:

We’re dealing with people who are not only untrustworthy: this is a murderous regime that murders their own people, create chaos and mayhem throughout the whole world, the largest sponsor of terrorism. This deal doesn’t represent the fact we’re dealing with the most thuggish people in the whole world.”

Those in the foreign policy orbit were...surprised to say the least.

Some are arguing that Graham may be onto something, especially if stemming the aggressive offensive by the terror group ISIS in Iraq is a priority. 

In the meantime, the deal that temporarily froze work on the Iranian nuclear program expires next month. If (even more) recent history is any indication, we should expect to hear Graham advocating for a use-of-force resolution against Iran shortly thereafter.

This article was originally published at http://www.thewire.com/politics/2014/06/iran-hawk-lindsey-graham-says-we-need-to-work-with-iran-to-fix-iraq/372807/

Read more from The Wire

•   Gabby Giffords Says Gun Violence Is a Women's Issue

•   Sen. David Vitter Is Anti-Obamacare Subsidies, but Open to the Medicaid Expansion