Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has some definite thoughts about the Russian military aircraft that destroyed a U.S. military drone over international waters.
He believes that the Biden Administration should start shooting the Russian jets down.
U.S. European Command said that two Russian fighter jets were interacting with a $32 million unmanned MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea. One of the fighter jets hit the propeller of the drone and that forced the United States to down the aircraft into the sea.
“They shot down our drone,” Fox News host Sean Hannity said to Graham during an interview Tuesday night. “What should our answer be?”
“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,’” Graham responded. “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.”
“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,” Graham continued. “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.”
U.S. European Command issued a report that the Russian Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 recklessly.
“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,” said U.S. Air Force Gen. James B. Hecker.
“In fact, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash. U.S. and Allied aircraft will continue to operate in international airspace and we call on the Russians to conduct themselves professionally and safely,” Hecker added.
