Graham to Obama: Expand Iraq airstrikes or risk terrorist attack

WASHINGTON — A leading Republican says he worries an American city could soon be a terrorist target if the U.S. military fails to turn back Islamic militants on the march in Iraq and Syria.

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told “Fox News Sunday” that the extremist Islamic State group poses a real threat and urged President Barack Obama to expand limited airstrikes that began last week in Iraq.

A close Obama ally, Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, agrees Islamic militants are a growing threat to the United States. But he tells NBC’s “Meet the Press” that Americans don’t have an interest in ramping up current military actions.

The United States last week launched airstrikes against Islamic fighters who have rampaged across northern and western Iraq.