Additionally, Graham argued the withdrawal should accomplish two other objectives: “the enduring defeat of ISIS" and the “containment of Iran.”Graham said he understands the desire to withdraw, but criticized the lack of a plan from the US administration "as chaos.""I'm encouraging President Trump not to do what President Obama did which is just to 'get out' and not understand what happens after you get out," implored the senator.Critics argue that a US withdrawal from Syria undermines its anti-Iran policy.Graham called Assad "an Iran in another name," adding that Damascus' control of the fields would result in oil going to Tehran.“Our withdrawal cannot be a victory for Iran," he said, reiterating a plan that is not well thought out will allow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to takeover oil fields in northeast Syria.ISIS took over many oil fields beginning in late 2013 as the country was engulfed in civil war."Equally important is to protect Turkey and solve the problem we created for our Turkish allies," he said.Graham is a member of three powerful Senate committees: Foreign Relations, Budget, and Appropriations. Additionally, the lawyer by trade is chairman of the Judiciary Committee.Graham is a US Air Force veteran. He was in active service from 1982-1988 and a reserve until retiring as a colonel 2015.In early January, Erdogan reportedly refused to meet with Trump's National Security Advisor John Bolton as Turkey was threatening an offensive east of the Euphrates against the YPG.The ambassador came to Ankara with preconditions of protecting the Kurds who fought alongside the US-led international coalition to defeat ISIS, in effect the YPG.While Graham cannot directly conduct foreign policy, he and other lawmakers can affect Trump's decision as Congress holds the purse strings.

The United States is yet to pass a budget for Fiscal Year 2019 due to Trump's insistence on congressional funding for the construction of a wall on the southern border with Mexico.