Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. — holding up a Senate vote on a funding bill to keep the government open — raised the hackles of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Thursday by suggesting yanking troops from Afghanistan would help solve budget issues.
Graham taunted Paul in a tweet.
"He just called for the immediate withdrawal of all forces from Afghanistan as a way to give the U.S. military a pay raise. Fortunately, only 'General' Paul — and the Taliban — think that's a good idea."
In another tweet, Graham, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, warned the "last time we ignored Afghanistan, we got 9/11."
Graham's jabs followed Paul's appearance earlier Thursday on Fox News' "Your World," where he argued keeping troops in Afghanistan was running up the nation's military tab.
"We've had enormous amount of spending, we just have too much war," Paul said. "We'd have a lot more money, and I could give a raise to every soldier out there if we'd just come home from Afghanistan. It's time to come home. There is no military victory there."
The Pentagon has estimated the war in Afghanistan will cost $45 billion in 2018, The Hill reported.