Lindsey Graham Doesn't Really Care If Americans Want To Go To War Or Not

Newly-minted a presidential candidate, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) wants to go to war even if the American people don't want it.

During an appearance on "Fox and Friends" Thursday morning, Graham, who is known for his hawkish foreign policy views, said that he would not hesitate to take military action in Iraq and Syria.

"Everything President Obama has tried to do has blown up in his face. We're less safe today," he said. "I'm trying to tell the American people and the Republican primary voter that the only way I know how to defend this country is to send some of us back to Iraq and eventually to Syria to dig these guys out of the ground, destroy the caliphate, kill as many of them as you can, hold territory and help people over there help themselves."

Pressed by co-host Steve Doocy on how he could sell that message to an American electorate skeptical of war , Graham said that those who disagreed with him simply shouldn't support him.

"Well don't vote for me. Don't vote for me because I'm telling you what's coming. Barack Obama 's policies of leading from behind are gonna allow another 9/11," he said. "They're large, they're rich, they're entrenched. If I'm president they're gonna be poor, small and on the run. And that means we've gotta work with the regional forces that exist, go in on the ground and destroy this caliphate."

Graham, who launched his presidential campaign on Monday , ranks towards the bottom of the quickly growing field of Republican presidential contenders.