U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham suggested on Tuesday that the Biden administration should shoot down Russian planes in response to the incident that happened over the Black Sea.
Speaking on Fox News’s “Hannity,” he was asked by host Sean Hannity about how the United States should respond to the provocation.
“They shot down our drone. What should our answer be?” the host asked.
In response, Graham unleashed.
“Well, we should hold them accountable and say that, ‘If you ever get near another U.S. asset flying in international waters, your airplane will be shot down.’ What would Ronald Reagan do right now? He would start shooting Russian planes down if they were threatening our assets. American foreign policy’s in free-fall,” he said.
He continued by comparing current President Joe Biden to the late comedian Rodney Dangerfield.
“Weakness breeds provocation. They know they can get away with it. Mexico is blaming us for the fentanyl crisis and Joe Biden is like a deer in the headlights. He needs to up his game quickly,” he said.
“So President Biden, you’re the Rodney Dangerfield of world leaders. Nobody respects you. And if you don’t change your game and up your game, we’re gonna have World War III.”
The irony is that, judging by the fierce response to his words, it seems like nobody respects HIM.
Look:
Maybe it’s my imagination but it Sounds like he Would like for us to go to war with Russia
— IAMJEFFERSONBRIAN (@jeffersonbriann) March 15, 2023
Chicken hawk, Lindsay has a reputation for talking tough but nobody listens to his advice, thank God
— David Conte (@Conte13V) March 15, 2023
Yeah, and then that would be the beginning of World War 3, the Drone was UNMANNED for God’s Sake!
— Andre R. Ellis (@AndreREllis1) March 15, 2023
Oh Lindsey. Last week it was Mexico, this week Russia. He never met an military encounter in some way he didn’t like .
— Sha Kley (@sbarkley) March 15, 2023
C’mon, Lindsey, read history. On Sept. 1, 1983, KAL 007 flew over Soviet territory. The Soviets shot it down killing 269 PEOPLE (not a drone). Reagan denounced it but said, “It’s important that we not do anything that jeopardizes the long-term relationship with the Soviet Union.”
— Greg, RN BSN (@gspowers) March 15, 2023
The senator’s remarks came hours after an incident over the Black Sea in which a Russian Su-27 fighter jet collided with an unmanned MQ-9 drone operated by the U.S. military.
“Our MQ-9 aircraft was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, resulting in a crash and complete loss of the MQ-9,” Air Force Gen. James B. Hecker, the commander of U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa, reportedly announced in a statement, according to NBC News.
“In fact, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash,” he added.
In a separate statement posted to the U.S. Department of Defense’s website, he accused the pilot of the Su-27 fighter jet of having behaved recklessly.
“Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on, and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner. This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional,” Hecker said.
“This incident follows a pattern of dangerous actions by Russian pilots while interacting with U.S. and allied aircraft over international airspace, including over the Black Sea. These aggressive actions by Russian aircrew are dangerous and could lead to miscalculation and unintended escalation,” he added.
NEWS: Russian Fighter Strikes U.S. Unmanned Aircraft https://t.co/3eDx3LYW6v
— Department of Defense (@DeptofDefense) March 14, 2023
All this comes about a week after Graham, responding to reports that two Americans were killed by Mexican cartels, called for the Biden administration to effectively invade Mexico to take out said cartels.
“Graham said he plans to introduce bipartisan legislation in the coming days, to designate the drug cartels as terrorist organizations. He also said he wants to introduce legislation authorizing the US military to use force to destroy Mexican drug labs,” according to Insider.
Though, in fairness, he claimed he just wanted to take out “drug labs,” not necessarily invade Mexico.
“Not to invade Mexico, not to shoot Mexican airplanes down, but to destroy drug labs that are poisoning Americans,” he said.
Listen:
But few people believed him.
Case in point:
“Not to invade Mexico, not to shoot Mexican airplanes down, but to destroy drug labs that are poisoning Americans.” – Lindsey Graham
In other words: To invade Mexico.
— Mischa Paullin (@mickmackpaullin) March 10, 2023
Senator Lindsey Graham is introducing a bill to invade Mexico and take out the cartels. As long as Lindsey is in uniform and front lines, let’s start there. @LindseyGrahamSC
— John Doe (@BernieMiller8) March 12, 2023
War monger. This is why you want to invade Mexico. You’re deep in the pockets of Military Industry. I see your angle and I just wonder where your concern for the cartels was 10-20-30 years ago. You’re bought and paid in blood money. It just depends on the $ amount.
— Burner (@WhatDaFook) March 13, 2023
Lindsey believes that we should invade our sovereign neighbor Mexico.
He is literally inviting Mexico to align with Russia and China.
For all of his years in the Senate, Graham has a very poor understanding of international relations.
— SaveTheWorld007 (@World007The) March 9, 2023
