The end of American bases in Spain? Graham demands retaliation for not helping in the war

Influential Republican senator Lindsey Graham spoke in favor of reducing the number of American troops in Europe due to the fact that European allies did not help the US in the war with Iran.

– First of all, why do you need an ally who doesn't understand that a religious Nazi regime with nuclear weapons is a threat. I heard: it's not our war, it doesn't concern us. It means they don't understand what the world is like. They don't understand the threat from Iran, Graham said on Fox News after US President Donald Trump's Wednesday address to the nation.

He added that he would like to ask Trump to reassess the American military presence in Europe.

– I would move our bases from Spain because it is an unreliable country. I would think about reducing the number of our soldiers in Europe. I would think about moving these soldiers to countries that are more favorable towards the United States, said the Republican, who had already called on Trump to leave his bases in Spain.

– I never thought I'd say something like that. But I say this because they were tested. When we needed them most and when the world needed them most, (…) they gave up, the senator continued.

– They didn't just give up. They said things that will insult me ​​for the rest of my life. That it's not our problem, it's Trump's problem. And Iran armed with nuclear weapons is a problem for the world and humanity, said Graham, who, according to the American media, played an important role in encouraging Trump to go to war with Iran.

– When you deny us the ability to operate from the bases we have in your country to confront the greatest problem, the threat on the planet, the nuclear-armed Ayatollah, then we must reassess where those bases are and we must redeploy our forces. I would take some of them home from Europe and make them (Europeans) have to do more,” added the close Trump ally. He announced that Europe should work on unblocking the Strait of Hormuz and expressed his belief that NATO would now look different.

– After what they did to us… They made it harder for us. They put our people at risk. They made our pilots have to fly longer. (…) I will never look at Europe the same way again, declared Graham.

From Washington Natalia Dziurdzińska (PAP)

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