Lindsey Graham says he'll walk the streets of Ramadi

At a dinner for the South Carolina Republican Party, the senator says he'll take to thoroughfares once used for a parade by insurgents.

Published May 15, 2007 3:05AM (EDT)

Sen. John McCain's recent walk through a Baghdad market was supposed to demonstrate just how much progress has been made in Iraq. Of course, that was until the high level of security -- including an entire company of soldiers and attack helicopters -- required for the Arizona Republican's brief trip was revealed.

McCain's experience apparently hasn't deterred another prominent Republican senator from planning a similar demonstration, though. At the South Carolina GOP's Silver Elephant Banquet here in Columbia, S.C., Monday night, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., promised to make a walk of his own.

Speaking off the cuff to a Marine who had earlier been given birthday wishes by South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, Graham asked the Marine whether he had ever been deployed to Iraq. The answer was that, in fact, the Marine had been stationed in Ramadi, a city in Iraq's Sunni Triangle. Graham replied, "Well, Ramadi's a lot different than it was last year, thanks to the Marines that went. You can walk down the streets of Ramadi. I'm going there in July, and I'm going to walk down the streets where the insurgents had a parade. We're making progress, and it's undeniable."


By Alex Koppelman

Alex Koppelman is a staff writer for Salon.

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Iraq John Mccain R-ariz. Lindsey Graham Middle East