WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and John McCain (R-Arizona) released the following statement on the United States’ policy in Syria:

"President Trump's decision to strike back against Assad for using chemical weapons against innocent civilians was a strong statement much appreciated by the civilized world. What is needed now is a strategy that secures U.S. and allied interests in Syria -- ending the conflict, dealing a sustainable defeat to ISIL and Al-Qaeda, and beginning to repatriate Syrian refugees to their homes.

"Our strategy cannot presume to separate the fight against ISIL from the Syrian people's fight against the Assad regime. They are inextricably connected. Assad is a puppet of Iran, and as long as he continues to slaughter his own people, it will be impossible to destroy the radical terrorist groups that occupy Syria and the region, and the war will never end. Nor will the threat posed by these groups to our nation.

"As part of a broader strategy, we urge the President to take greater military action to achieve our objectives, including grounding the Syrian air force and establishing safe havens inside Syria to protect Syrians. There will never be a diplomatic solution as long as Assad dominates the battlefield."

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