On the recordJune 18, 2014
Yes, I will be glad to. And to put it in context, in 2008 we signed a strategic framework agreement. It was envisioned that we would negotiate a follow-on force with advisers and some special forces units to secure our Nation as well as to protect our gains. In the process of trying to get the Iraqis on board, Hillary Clinton called me to ask if my colleague, the Senator from Arizona, and I think Senator Lieberman--maybe he didn't go; I can't remember--would go over there and talk to Barzani, Allawi, and Maliki, and we said, Sure, we would be glad to. Here is what I found. I found in the meeting with Prime Minister Maliki, who was very openminded about a follow-on force--Barzani said, I will take 250,000 Americans; that was never in doubt about where the Kurds were--Allawi understood, the Sunnis understood the need for a follow-on force. It really was about the Shia politics. After we got back, Maliki said, If the other groups will do it, I will do it. But he says, What kind of force are you talking about, Senator Graham? Mr. McCAIN. This was in a meeting in Baghdad?
