McCain kicks his sidekick’s rear

Lindsey Graham is often wrong, but never in doubt. For example, Graham agrees with the Obama administration that the U.S. needs to work with Iran to help Iraq stem the tide against the current Islamist blitzkrieg.

Graham told CNN, “The Iranians can provide some assets to make sure Baghdad doesn’t fall; we need to coordinate with the Iranians.” He added, however, that there will have to be “some red lines.”

No doubt, there will be “red lines” drawn when Obama negotiates with Iran. Unfortunately, the only ones that will have meaning are those drawn by the mullahs.

John McCain, for one, isn’t buying his long-time sidekick’s line. Normally, there is no distance between “the two amigos,” but McCain quickly ripped Graham’s call for cooperation with Iran. He argued, as I have, that working with Iran would: (1) inflame sectarian tensions, (2) strengthen the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, (3) drive more Sunnis into ISIS’s ranks, (4) empower the most radical Shia militants, (5) deepen the Iraqi government’s dependence on Iran, (6) alienate U.S. allies and partners in the region, and (7) set back the prospects of national reconciliation.”

It would also likely weaken our position in negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, assuming there is any strength in our position to begin with. Other than that, working with Iran is a wonderful idea.

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