Dear Mr. President': Evangelist Franklin Graham Pens Open Letter to Obama

Evangelist Franklin Graham penned an open letter to President Barack Obama on Thursday, imploring the commander in chief to establish "safe zones" inside of Syria, as civil war continues to displace and endanger millions of citizens.

Graham, who is the president and CEO of international relief group Samaritan's Purse, cited his four decades of experience in helping refugees in Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, in asking for specialized zones that would help those fleeing the chaos.

And he warned of what could happen if no action is taken.

"This would allow Syrians fleeing from areas of conflict inside the country to find safety, food, medicine, and shelter, and stay within their borders, nearer their homes, until a political and military settlement has been reached," Graham wrote on his Facebook page. "Most refugees that I have worked with over the years desire to eventually return home."

He continued, "As we have all seen, fleeing to another country adds great risk to their lives and exposes the refugees to exploitation by unscrupulous people who deal in human trafficking."

Graham said that creating safe zones would require the U.S. to work with its allies, with America offering a "considerable commitment" to the cause.

"Without action I believe this crisis will only escalate. Europe and the United States will be unable to handle the flood of people," he wrote. "And the long-term implications are great with the possibility of ISIS infiltrating the refugees and bringing their terrorist activities onto our shores. It is more effective, more economical, and safer to work with our partners and deal with the problem there."

Graham closed the letter by noting that he prays that God will grant Obama wisdom in deciding how to move forward.

In a previous Facebook post that was published on Wednesday, Graham warned that the "Middle East is collapsing," as people flood into Europe in a desperate attempt to find safety, and asked his followers to pray for the refugees and for solutions to the conflict.

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