Sen. Lindsey Graham is gone, and with him goes a voice that Washington cannot easily replace. He was 71 and had just come home from Ukraine, one of many trips he made in the years since Russia’s invasion.

A Strong Advocate for US Interests

Graham actually understood the intricate nuances of foreign policy. He knew the Middle East and understood Iran’s regime and why they’d never relinquish their weapons or reform their rogue rhetoric. He advocated for support of Ukraine in its war with Russia.

He was one of the few lawmakers who could translate complex intelligence reports into plain language for the American people. Graham was also one of a very small number of people who had President Donald Trump’s ear on national security, and he used it to push for policies that prioritized American security.

A Steadfast Supporter of Israel

Graham’s support for the Jewish state was steadfast and rooted in an American brand of foreign policy as a matter of strategic science. He understood that Israel is America’s forward operating base for Western civilization in the most contested neighborhood on earth.

A strong Israel deters Iran, stabilizes the Persian Gulf, protects shipping lanes, and signals to every adversary from Beijing to Caracas that the US does not abandon its friends. Graham refused to negotiate with the mob and believed moral clarity was itself a national security asset.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.