Lindsey GrahamVerified account

American soldiers in #Afghanistan are not acting as policemen. They are the front-line defense for America against the reemergence of radical Islamist groups who wish to attack the American homeland.

To trust the Taliban to control Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and other radical Islamist groups present in Afghanistan – as a replacement for a US counter-terrorism force – would be a bigger mistake than Obama’s Iranian nuclear deal.

Any peace agreement which denies the US robust counter-terrorism capability in Afghanistan is NOT a peace deal. Instead, it is paving the way for another attack on the American homeland and attacks against American interests around the world.

Any agreement which denies the US the ability to have a meaningful counter-terrorism force capability – based on conditions on the ground for as long as needed – is a recipe for disaster.

I hope the President and his team make sound and sustainable decisions about radical Islamist threats emanating from Afghanistan – the place where 9/11 originated.