Graham Campaign Press Release - Graham's Fighting "To Be Commander-In-Chief for the Finest Fighting Force in the History of the World"

Alexandria, VA - Senator Lindsey Graham appeared on FOX News' America's Newsroom this morning where he discussed the other candidates' lack of a strategy to defeat radical Islam, his plan to destroy ISIL, and why he's best qualified to be Commander-in-Chief and lead our nation's military.

Senator Graham also addressed the dangers of having a Commander-in-Chief who doesn't understand the world and the threats that face our nation today. Graham stated this morning, "I don't want to guess about it anymore. I don't want one novice replacing another novice when it comes to being Commander-in-Chief." He added, "I'm going to fight to be Commander-in-Chief for the finest fighting force in the history of the world. They've had our back, I'm going to have their back."

Watch the full interview here:

Graham On Trump's Failure To Present A Plan To Defeat ISIL: "When [The Donald] Says He's OK With Russian Involvement In Syria...[He] Doesn't Understand Syria"

"All I can say is that when he does speak about foreign policy, he doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. The way he intends to destroy ISIL apparently is to go to Syria and Iraq and invade both countries, and take their oil for our benefit to pay our wounded warriors. That's not going to destroy ISIL. That turns the whole Middle East against us. But what he did say last night was very disturbing regarding Syria. He said he was OK with Russia being in Syria militarily and fighting ISIL. I am not OK with that. Russia is supporting Assad, and Assad is the magnet of this war. Assad is a puppet of Iran. The Syrian people will never accept him as their legitimate leader. ISIL and other radical Sunni Islamic groups recruit using Assad as a tool. He's an Alawite tied to Iran. So when he says he's OK with Russian involvement in Syria, which means this war never ends, and that means the Donald doesn't understand Syria."

On A Plan To Defeat ISIL: "The Next President Needs To Be Clear As To What They Will Do. I Intend To Destroy ISIL."

"Here's what I think. I think you need to explain to the American people how you're going to destroy ISIL and what you would do in Syria. Now's the time not to guess what somebody would do as Commander-in-Chief. The one thing that I can tell you what I'll do as Commander-in-Chief is that I will rebuild our military and we will win this war. We will get a regional army together, there is nobody left in Syria to train, Bill. They have been slaughtered, and President Obama has screwed this up every way you can. The next president needs to be clear as to what they will do. I intend to destroy ISIL. There will be a ground component coming from the region, 90% them and 10% us. We're going in on the ground, and we're going to destroy ISIL, we're going to destroy the caliphate and Raqqah. We're going to take the territory back and push Assad out. If you can't say that, then you're not ready for this job and you surely don't have a plan to destroy ISIL. You should be able to say that."

On American Muslims And Other Candidates' Comments: "If I'm President, We're Going To Align Ourselves With People In The Faith And Take This Fight Against Radical Islam."

"I have a problem with any person running for president who would apply a religious test to any religious group inside of America. Mr. Carson is a fine man but the Constitution is clear here. The one thing I would tell Dr. Carson, Mr. Trump and everyone else, is that if you want to destroy Radical Islam, you have to work with people in the faith. The good news for us is that the overwhelming majority of Muslims throughout the world are not buying what ISIL is selling. They don't want to turn over their daughters over to ISIL. So if I'm president, we're going to align ourselves with people in the faith, and take this fight against radical Islam, which is a threat to the faith and to the world at large. It's ISIL vs. humanity. So Dr. Carson is not really helping the cause when he suggests that a group of Americans cannot run for president because of their faith. That's specifically prohibited by the constitution. One last thing, there are 3,500 American Muslims serving their country in uniform. I have served with them in Iraq and Afghanistan and God bless them for taking up arms to protect our country and taking the fight to radical Islam."

On His Readiness To Be Commander-In-Chief: "I Don't Want One Novice Replacing Another Novice When It Comes To Being Commander-in-Chief."

"You know, I don't know. I think he's had a heck of a record as governor, and he's a really good man...I don't want to analyze his campaign, I just want to make the case that above all others I'm the best person ready to be Commander-in-Chief on day one. I want to solve problems here at home, I'm going to destroy ISIL, and I will tell you what exactly we need to do: an American ground component in Iraq and Syria working with a region. You're not going to destroy these guys from the air. I think a lack of a clear vision in many ways is going to hurt a lot of our candidates. Mr. Trump owes it to the American people to tell us what he would do to destroy ISIL. I don't want to guess about it anymore. I don't want one novice replacing another novice when it comes to being Commander-in-Chief... I'm going to fight to be Commander-in-Chief for the finest fighting force in the history of the world. They've had our back, I'm going to have their back."