Abdulkabir Khurram: Lindsey Graham Was a Strong Supporter of the War in Afghanistan
Abdulkabir Khurram, former chief of staff to Hamid Karzai, responded to the death of Lindsey Graham, the Republican U.S. senator, stating that he was one of the main figures advocating for the continued U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan.
Khurram wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) page that during Graham’s visits to Kabul, he sometimes appeared in military attire to meet with the then-president. According to Khurram, Graham emphasized strategies based on force, and these meetings often ended in tension.
According to Karzai’s former chief of staff, in one meeting, Graham proposed the establishment of more prisons, which met with opposition and led to a dispute.
Khurram also referred to the senator’s positions on other global developments, noting that Graham insisted on continuing support in the Ukraine war until Russia suffered a strategic defeat. He was also a strong proponent of the United States’ maximum pressure policy against Iran and at various times emphasized intensifying sanctions and limiting Tehran’s regional influence.
Lindsey Graham had repeatedly opposed the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan over the past years and called for the continuation of Washington’s military presence in the country. In 2019, he visited Kabul and met with Ashraf Ghani, the then-president, and Abdullah Abdullah, the CEO of the National Unity Government, to discuss the peace process and the future presence of American troops.
