Sen. Graham Worried U.S. will 'Fumble the Ball in Iraq'

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2010— -- In an exclusive interview on "This Week," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., just back from a trip to Iraq, told anchor Christiane Amanpour that he was concerned the United States was "going to fumble the ball in Iraq."

Graham voiced worry that Iraqi politician Ayad Allawi "has said that this new government is a joke. If he feels that, that's disappointing," the senator said.

"It's very important we get a government formed in Iraq that's inclusive, that represents the results of the Iraqi election, and that is a reliable partner with the United States and the region. So I've got concerns about this new government. But we need to stay effectively involved," he said.

Graham preached bipartisanship on foreign policy. He said he is in the wing of the Republican Party "that wants to work with President Obama to end it well in Iraq, to get it right in Afghanistan, contain Iran through effective sanctions."

Graham, who was elected to the House in 1994 and the Senate in 2002, warned his fellow GOP members to avoid isolationism.

"To my friends in the Republican Party who want to withdraw, you do so at your own peril," he said.

Graham warned new members of Congress earlier this month to be wary of isolating themselves.

"But one thing about the new members; it wouldn't be all bad to challenge them early on, what is your view of the world? … This idea of isolationism and economic downturn have been seen in the past," he said at the Halifax International Security Form.

"And what happens is that really bad people get a pass because you start looking inward and not outward. But the difference between now and the '20s and '30s: we've had high unemployment, we've had depressions, we've had discord at home, we've had fights in the street, we had wild swings in politics.

"But the weapons available to really bad people, evil people, are unknown in the world," he said in Halifax.

Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright appeared on "This Week" with Graham. On Iraq, she told Amanpour, "Well, it's a work in progress. I mean, there's no question about that. And every day brings a somewhat different story.

"I do think that the American government is very involved. Vice President Biden has been talking to them, as have our ambassadors, in a variety of places, so I do think that it is a difficult process," she said.

"But I think that we are going to be watching this, but they understand that we will be there, and I agree that we need to make sure that the place works," Albright added.