WEBVTT - Fauci's Fifth Symphony 0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:03.720 Welcome to today's podcast sponsored by Hillsdale College. All Things 0:00:03.800 --> 0:00:06.440 hilldalet Hillsdale dot ed or. I encourage you to take 0:00:06.480 --> 0:00:08.920 advantage of the many free online courses there, and of 0:00:08.920 --> 0:00:11.280 course I'll listener to the Hilldale dialogues, all of them 0:00:11.280 --> 0:00:14.560 at q for Hillsdale dot com or just Google, Apple, 0:00:14.920 --> 0:00:19.320 iTunes and Hilldale. Good morning, Laurie, I mean Race America. 0:00:19.520 --> 0:00:22.400 I'm Joe Hewitt, Thank you for listening. I'm joined at 0:00:22.400 --> 0:00:25.040 the top of the program by former United States Senator 0:00:25.120 --> 0:00:29.680 Jim Talent, member the Reagan Foundations Institute for the Study 0:00:29.720 --> 0:00:32.360 of War, and I want to know, Jim, off the top, 0:00:32.479 --> 0:00:35.440 what do you expect to happen tonight after Iran try 0:00:35.479 --> 0:00:38.120 to sneak attack on our trips in Jordan last night. 0:00:38.840 --> 0:00:41.479 Well, I expect we're going to punish them again, you, 0:00:42.360 --> 0:00:45.440 I mean, look, the purpose of the mission was to 0:00:45.440 --> 0:00:48.839 destroy their power as a nation state to dominate the region, 0:00:49.400 --> 0:00:51.760 and we did that. I mean, their military powers broken, 0:00:51.920 --> 0:00:56.480 their economy is on its knees. What they have is 0:00:56.600 --> 0:01:00.520 essentially the power of a subnational movement to threaten coast shipping. 0:01:00.600 --> 0:01:03.360 So we have a problem we have to manage. The 0:01:03.400 --> 0:01:06.800 President is managing by tightening the economic screws with the 0:01:06.840 --> 0:01:11.560 blockade and by disproportionately punishing them whenever they attack, while 0:01:11.600 --> 0:01:13.880 also saying, look, we're willing to talk if you guys 0:01:13.880 --> 0:01:15.520 want to be serious. And I think we're going to 0:01:15.560 --> 0:01:19.560 see that strategy continue, and I think it's a good one. 0:01:20.240 --> 0:01:22.959 They're just digging the hole in deeper. You're doing more 0:01:22.959 --> 0:01:24.520 and more damage to themselves. 0:01:24.800 --> 0:01:27.920 The President called Trey y inks that Fox is this morning, 0:01:28.040 --> 0:01:30.600 and then Trey immediately went on Fox and Friends. Here's 0:01:30.640 --> 0:01:32.360 a bit of that report. Cut number one. 0:01:33.440 --> 0:01:36.480 Yeah, guys, good morning, President Trump. Reacting to that Iranian 0:01:36.520 --> 0:01:40.520 attack on US forces overnight and Jordan, President Trump tells 0:01:40.560 --> 0:01:43.760 Fox News about Iran, we are going to beat the 0:01:43.800 --> 0:01:45.440 effing s out of them. 0:01:45.720 --> 0:01:49.400 He went on potent talent that that's the essence there. 0:01:50.000 --> 0:01:52.400 How long do you think the beating will go on for? 0:01:54.320 --> 0:01:55.960 I guess until morale improves. 0:01:56.320 --> 0:01:56.880 Yeah. 0:01:56.960 --> 0:02:02.440 In other words, you know, I think it's they're trying 0:02:02.520 --> 0:02:05.320 to continue to be relevant in the region. And of 0:02:05.320 --> 0:02:08.360 course they're relevant on a low level now, but remember 0:02:08.400 --> 0:02:13.919 six months ago they were feared throughout the region. So 0:02:14.000 --> 0:02:16.200 they're trying to be relevant and they're trying to leave 0:02:16.240 --> 0:02:18.200 her enough money out of US and out of the 0:02:18.200 --> 0:02:21.040 West to begin to rebuild. Well, they're not going to 0:02:21.080 --> 0:02:24.519 get the ladder. And what they're doing is they're engaging 0:02:25.240 --> 0:02:27.320 on the wrong side of an equation, if you will. 0:02:27.320 --> 0:02:30.880 In other words, they're being hit disproportionately compared to the 0:02:30.960 --> 0:02:33.120 damage that they're doing to us. I think the President 0:02:33.200 --> 0:02:36.600 understands that, and so I think he will continue this 0:02:36.720 --> 0:02:40.400 tactic until they decide for the sake of the regime. 0:02:40.520 --> 0:02:43.679 You and this, I'll digress on that a moment. I 0:02:43.760 --> 0:02:46.960 think what the President is is figuring is that this 0:02:47.120 --> 0:02:50.160 is irrational even on their own terms. In other words, 0:02:50.480 --> 0:02:53.120 what they should be looking for on their terms is 0:02:53.160 --> 0:02:55.920 to stabilize the regime, and they need to be able 0:02:55.960 --> 0:02:57.960 to sell oil at a minimum in order to do that. 0:02:58.280 --> 0:02:59.520 I suspect he would. 0:02:59.360 --> 0:03:02.240 Probably still give them that deal in the short term, 0:03:02.560 --> 0:03:05.640 lifting the sanctions if they actually allow us straight to 0:03:05.639 --> 0:03:08.400 go unimpeded, and then we would deal with the rest 0:03:08.440 --> 0:03:09.799 of the problem after November. 0:03:09.919 --> 0:03:11.680 So let's see if they wake up to that. 0:03:12.400 --> 0:03:16.120 Two more data points. A drone hit a US gas 0:03:16.200 --> 0:03:19.959 storage tanker at the Egyptian port. I can't remember the 0:03:20.040 --> 0:03:23.000 name of the port in a possible expansion of the war. 0:03:23.080 --> 0:03:25.520 That's from the time of Israel. And here is Secretary 0:03:25.520 --> 0:03:27.880 of War hag Seth earlier today cut number two. 0:03:31.480 --> 0:03:32.480 Good afternoon, everybody. 0:03:32.800 --> 0:03:35.560 It's good to be here at US Central Command. Edwald Cooper, 0:03:35.880 --> 0:03:37.320 the commander of Syncom, was. 0:03:37.280 --> 0:03:39.880 Going to be here with me. We just got done 0:03:40.320 --> 0:03:41.600 with detailed briefings. 0:03:41.840 --> 0:03:43.920 But of course he is busy. 0:03:44.120 --> 0:03:48.160 Because Sentcom Central Command will be busy tonight because President 0:03:48.160 --> 0:03:50.760 Trump said, we will be hitting Iran hard, and we 0:03:50.840 --> 0:03:54.600 will be because Iran has a chance to make a 0:03:54.640 --> 0:03:58.240 good deal, a great deal, to codify what they said 0:03:58.240 --> 0:03:59.600 they've been willing to do, and they. 0:03:59.480 --> 0:04:00.560 Haven't been to do it. 0:04:00.680 --> 0:04:04.320 So, as President Trump said, they've been tap tac tap it. 0:04:04.400 --> 0:04:06.560 You can see when someone's trying to tap tac tap 0:04:06.600 --> 0:04:09.120 on a deal. Instead, they're going to have tap tap 0:04:09.200 --> 0:04:12.400 tap bombs dropping on key facilities in Iran from. 0:04:12.240 --> 0:04:13.640 The United States of America. 0:04:13.720 --> 0:04:16.440 And that's not because we want to restart anything. 0:04:16.440 --> 0:04:17.400 We don't have to restart. 0:04:17.960 --> 0:04:20.479 It's because we are The War Department is prepared to 0:04:20.520 --> 0:04:23.520 set the terms to ensure that we get the kind 0:04:23.520 --> 0:04:25.440 of deal President Trump expects. 0:04:26.040 --> 0:04:30.400 So Jim Tallan that I'm uneasy with that because I'd 0:04:30.400 --> 0:04:33.440 like to go back to a three or four week 0:04:33.520 --> 0:04:37.960 campaign to hit every asset the IRGC has. Admiral Montgomery says, 0:04:37.960 --> 0:04:41.839 they own construction companies and energy companies. I'd like to 0:04:41.839 --> 0:04:45.320 blow up their pipelines that they are selling some oil through. 0:04:45.480 --> 0:04:50.159 I'd like to hit some power stations serving IRGC facilities, 0:04:50.200 --> 0:04:54.479 and of course Pickaxe Mountain with every MOA B we have. 0:04:55.760 --> 0:04:58.640 That's my target list, Admiral Montgomery, it's basically his. I 0:04:58.720 --> 0:05:00.719 just stole it from him. Do you think we'll go 0:05:00.800 --> 0:05:02.800 that far and do this more than one night? 0:05:03.080 --> 0:05:05.840 Well, look, I tend to agree with you. 0:05:05.960 --> 0:05:08.719 The only distinction I would make is to the extent 0:05:08.839 --> 0:05:12.599 we can, I would try and distinguish between targets that 0:05:12.760 --> 0:05:17.599 primarily serve the people of Iran and targets that are 0:05:17.640 --> 0:05:20.719 tied into the IRCG network. 0:05:20.760 --> 0:05:21.520 Now that's. 0:05:23.240 --> 0:05:26.440 That's difficult because they have their tentacles all throughout the 0:05:26.440 --> 0:05:29.039 Iranian economy. But I think at some point we're going 0:05:29.120 --> 0:05:31.359 to have to play that card, and I think the 0:05:31.400 --> 0:05:33.720 time is approaching. I tend to agree with you on it, 0:05:34.720 --> 0:05:37.800 and because we have a bunch of other options also, 0:05:38.400 --> 0:05:40.200 you know, for one thing, you notice they have not 0:05:40.320 --> 0:05:41.479 struck the Israelis. 0:05:41.839 --> 0:05:44.360 That tells you something, doesn't it. It shows that they're afraid 0:05:44.360 --> 0:05:45.160 of the Israelis. 0:05:45.200 --> 0:05:48.159 And my guess is that the Israelis would be willing 0:05:48.200 --> 0:05:50.080 to join in on this if we ask them, and 0:05:50.120 --> 0:05:52.240 I think the other states in the region are getting 0:05:52.240 --> 0:05:55.920 to the point where they wouldn't mind that. So we 0:05:55.960 --> 0:06:00.120 have other options. We could go on escort duty. You 0:06:00.120 --> 0:06:02.320 know the difficulty there. We can do it. It's going 0:06:02.400 --> 0:06:04.359 to take a lot of destroyers to do that. And 0:06:04.400 --> 0:06:07.279 as you and I have talked about for a long 0:06:07.320 --> 0:06:09.760 time now, you it would really be nice if we 0:06:09.839 --> 0:06:12.800 had a bigger navy so we didn't have to stress 0:06:12.839 --> 0:06:14.480 readiness in situations like this. 0:06:14.640 --> 0:06:16.880 But at some point. 0:06:16.720 --> 0:06:18.400 We're going to have to move to other options, and 0:06:18.440 --> 0:06:22.120 I suspect the first one is to attack the infrastructure 0:06:22.120 --> 0:06:23.120 in the way you suggest. 0:06:23.960 --> 0:06:26.560 On School of Ward today with Aaron McLain, Admiral Montgomery 0:06:26.640 --> 0:06:29.360 said it will take twenty six destroyers to actually run 0:06:29.520 --> 0:06:33.920 escort missions through the straight and through the red scene, 0:06:34.000 --> 0:06:38.040 narrows band, whatever it is. He also said about the latter, 0:06:38.640 --> 0:06:42.440 if there's any game left in NATO, they should be there. Now, 0:06:42.720 --> 0:06:44.960 there's not much game left there, he said, maybe one 0:06:45.040 --> 0:06:47.640 or two destroyers in Great Britain, one or two in France. 0:06:48.279 --> 0:06:50.840 Spain's got some, but they're not playing it along. I 0:06:51.080 --> 0:06:57.360 was kind of shocked at how calcified NATO's navy has become. 0:06:57.480 --> 0:06:58.920 It doesn't exist. 0:07:01.120 --> 0:07:02.720 Yeah, I think the British have. 0:07:02.920 --> 0:07:06.479 The last time I checked, I think they list like 0:07:06.680 --> 0:07:09.840 sixty sixty five ships in their navy. They had almost 0:07:09.920 --> 0:07:13.000 three times that when they fought the Falklands War, and 0:07:13.160 --> 0:07:17.640 most of those ships are patrol craft. They don't have 0:07:17.720 --> 0:07:21.160 even the shadow of an expeditionary navy, and they were 0:07:21.160 --> 0:07:23.560 the ally that we could always count on in situations 0:07:23.600 --> 0:07:26.560 like this. So this points out another problem. We have 0:07:26.640 --> 0:07:30.040 too small a navy and our European allies basically don't 0:07:30.040 --> 0:07:33.480 have a navy. So yeah, they have been helpful, like 0:07:33.840 --> 0:07:38.080 in helping the Ukraines, but basically you it's almost not 0:07:38.240 --> 0:07:38.840 worth it. 0:07:39.480 --> 0:07:40.560 And you're right. 0:07:40.680 --> 0:07:44.520 I mean I would never contest what Mark Montgomery says anyway. 0:07:44.640 --> 0:07:46.400 So we need a couple dozen destroyers there. 0:07:46.440 --> 0:07:49.720 We only have about eighty three, and we never built 0:07:49.720 --> 0:07:53.800 the frigates that I wanted to build ten years ago. 0:07:54.960 --> 0:07:57.120 But we're doing it now. I just did a column 0:07:57.120 --> 0:08:00.880 on the maritime plans of the administration, and it was 0:08:00.920 --> 0:08:05.360 in National Review, the comprehensive Plan to rebuild the maritime industry, 0:08:05.400 --> 0:08:07.080 which is what we have to do in order to 0:08:07.120 --> 0:08:10.240 rebuild the navy, and the administration's taking it on. I'm 0:08:10.360 --> 0:08:15.000 very impressed. I'm cheerleading. It's not going to be easy. 0:08:15.040 --> 0:08:18.120 The plan isn't perfect, but they've actually recognized the problem 0:08:18.120 --> 0:08:19.600 and they're trying to do something about it. 0:08:19.680 --> 0:08:22.760 So we get more shipyards. We're going to have more ships. 0:08:23.080 --> 0:08:26.520 Well, let's close by going back to Iran. I think 0:08:26.560 --> 0:08:30.440 they've done a big miscalculation and opened the door for 0:08:30.600 --> 0:08:33.720 us to invite Israel back in. And they're not going 0:08:33.800 --> 0:08:36.160 to open that door very often. But it would be 0:08:36.160 --> 0:08:40.000 wonderful to see Israel, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Uae, and Bahrain 0:08:40.480 --> 0:08:43.520 all join in tonight. What are the odds of that. 0:08:46.040 --> 0:08:49.720 Well, they've each struck Iran, or most of them have 0:08:49.800 --> 0:08:54.920 struck Iran separately. The diplomacy is underway. We see this 0:08:55.040 --> 0:08:58.439 nuclear agreement with the Saudis. The whole region is moving 0:08:58.600 --> 0:09:02.280 in the direction of an equilibrium led by the United 0:09:02.320 --> 0:09:06.760 States and where most of the coercive forces is applied 0:09:06.800 --> 0:09:09.560 by the Israelis going forward, so it would be very 0:09:09.640 --> 0:09:12.320 much of a piece with that. And I think the 0:09:12.360 --> 0:09:15.320 region's getting to the point with Iran that they got 0:09:15.360 --> 0:09:18.559 with Hamas, which is how we got that agreement and 0:09:18.960 --> 0:09:21.760 how we got the hostages returned. Basically, they all said, 0:09:22.000 --> 0:09:25.040 we've had it with you. We want to develop this region. 0:09:25.120 --> 0:09:29.959 We need stability, we want decent relationships with the Israelis 0:09:30.000 --> 0:09:32.720 and among the different countries, and you're the big problem. 0:09:32.760 --> 0:09:35.840 And I think they're reaching that conclusion where Iran is concerned. 0:09:36.040 --> 0:09:38.800 So you can see that Iran is digging the hole 0:09:39.000 --> 0:09:42.199 deeper and deeper and deeper, and they can't get out 0:09:42.200 --> 0:09:43.360 of the one that they're in now. 0:09:44.000 --> 0:09:47.120 And it's a great opportunity to actually have the de 0:09:47.280 --> 0:09:51.360 facto alliance operate together. And I don't know if yes 0:09:51.679 --> 0:09:53.800 are open to that, but if they did that, that 0:09:53.840 --> 0:09:56.520 would be a turning point in the region. I'm sort 0:09:56.520 --> 0:09:59.160 of optimistic. I don't know what to think. Last quick, 0:09:59.640 --> 0:10:03.120 did you you today? Poor guy? 0:10:03.240 --> 0:10:04.479 I saw some clips. 0:10:04.679 --> 0:10:08.480 Yeah, he was he was wrong about everything, and now 0:10:08.520 --> 0:10:10.439 we know why he was wrong about everything. It was 0:10:10.520 --> 0:10:13.360 because he was more worried about his press than he 0:10:13.480 --> 0:10:17.400 was actually learning the science or listening to the scientists 0:10:17.400 --> 0:10:18.280 who are trying. 0:10:18.000 --> 0:10:20.440 To tell him. You know you. I don't want to 0:10:20.520 --> 0:10:22.280 criminally prosecute. 0:10:21.720 --> 0:10:23.960 The guy, he's to five years old, but I do 0:10:24.120 --> 0:10:26.760 think I do think we're entitled to the truth. 0:10:27.640 --> 0:10:29.199 That's what I want from him, and. 0:10:29.160 --> 0:10:32.600 I denize them in the world him. Yeah, immunize them 0:10:32.679 --> 0:10:35.200 up to the president and it can get done. Jim 0:10:35.320 --> 0:10:39.480 Talent can be followed on Twitter at x at Jim 0:10:39.520 --> 0:10:42.600 Talent and not to recommend and follow. Thank you, Jim. 0:10:42.679 --> 0:10:45.880 Coming right back with Noah Rothman from National Review. Stay tuned, 0:10:48.480 --> 0:10:53.040 buga back America. I'm you Hewitt, and I'm joined now 0:10:53.080 --> 0:10:57.080 by Noah Rothman, senior writer for National Review. Noah, of course, 0:10:57.360 --> 0:11:01.559 is sometimes the host of the Review podcast, often a 0:11:01.640 --> 0:11:04.640 guest on the Commentary podcast, and he was listening to 0:11:04.679 --> 0:11:07.920 the conversation with Jim Talent that we just had. So Noah, 0:11:07.960 --> 0:11:11.640 your reaction to our conversation with Jim. 0:11:12.120 --> 0:11:15.080 I don't think I can improve on what Jim said. 0:11:15.320 --> 0:11:18.280 I share just about every one of his assessments and 0:11:18.360 --> 0:11:21.640 his caution about the prospect of opening up the targeting, 0:11:22.320 --> 0:11:27.840 the number of targets to include civilian purely civilian infrastructure, 0:11:27.920 --> 0:11:32.480 although as he's noted correctly, it's hard to separate that 0:11:32.600 --> 0:11:36.959 which is purely civilian from that which supports defense industries 0:11:37.000 --> 0:11:39.840 as well as industries that the IRGC generates revenue from 0:11:39.840 --> 0:11:43.439 and profit from that are civilian but nevertheless support the regime. 0:11:44.920 --> 0:11:49.000 This surprise attack that we saw yesterday, the assessment in 0:11:49.080 --> 0:11:51.640 Western press is that it is purely aimed at the 0:11:51.720 --> 0:11:54.840 United States, and I'm not so sure. I really think 0:11:54.960 --> 0:11:57.840 there's a domestic audience for this sort of thing, especially 0:11:57.920 --> 0:12:00.360 in keeping with what we've heard of these reports that 0:12:00.440 --> 0:12:05.040 the IURGC put the kaibosh on this Omani produced proposal 0:12:05.240 --> 0:12:09.480 to settle this strait of Hormus with some Marianean control, 0:12:09.520 --> 0:12:11.559 but not nearly as much as they want. The IRGC 0:12:11.760 --> 0:12:14.080 reportedly intervened in that process, and we don't know how 0:12:14.120 --> 0:12:17.360 close it got. There's opacity here, but for the IURGC 0:12:17.520 --> 0:12:21.319 to execute this attack in order to probably restart hostilities 0:12:21.320 --> 0:12:23.880 which appear eminent. You know, it makes you wonder whether 0:12:23.920 --> 0:12:28.160 they believe returning to hostilities is advantageous for them, in 0:12:28.200 --> 0:12:31.280 part because so many elements of the civilian leadership inside 0:12:31.320 --> 0:12:33.360 Iran are now saying what Western analysts have been saying 0:12:33.400 --> 0:12:35.040 for a long time, that the value of this strait 0:12:35.080 --> 0:12:38.679 diminishes every single day that we keep it closed. Paradoxically, 0:12:39.160 --> 0:12:41.080 we need to increase traffic through the strait if we 0:12:41.120 --> 0:12:44.320 want to maintain control over it, and that's not what's happening. 0:12:44.400 --> 0:12:47.439 So the divisions between civilian leadership and the ERGCRE is 0:12:47.440 --> 0:12:49.920 spilling out into the streets in ways that have become 0:12:49.960 --> 0:12:52.360 more public than they previously were, and I feel like 0:12:52.360 --> 0:12:54.120 you can't separate this attack from that dynamic. 0:12:54.640 --> 0:12:56.640 There are two other data points, so I have becomment 0:12:56.679 --> 0:13:01.240 on immediately after the surprise attack or a couple hours after, 0:13:01.760 --> 0:13:04.559 Iergyz put out a statement saying we're willing to stop 0:13:04.600 --> 0:13:07.360 firing right now, let's go back to the negotiating table. 0:13:08.080 --> 0:13:11.600 So there may be some idiot in the IERGT who 0:13:11.600 --> 0:13:14.480 thinks they can get away at embarrassing Trump during Lindsay's 0:13:14.520 --> 0:13:19.120 funeral when Neno and Velenski is in town and not 0:13:19.240 --> 0:13:23.640 have him notice, and then drone hit the US storage 0:13:23.679 --> 0:13:27.720 tanker in the Egyptian point Port. Today, I don't know 0:13:27.800 --> 0:13:30.880 that the Mosaic Defense hasn't deprived them of command and 0:13:30.920 --> 0:13:34.320 control of everything, so that it's really the least common 0:13:34.360 --> 0:13:37.400 denominator of nutterery that's driving Iran right now. Either way, 0:13:37.400 --> 0:13:39.080 I think we've got to hammer them, and hammer them 0:13:39.120 --> 0:13:39.880 a lot. 0:13:40.960 --> 0:13:43.760 Yeah, I agree, and I don't know who knows. 0:13:43.760 --> 0:13:44.319 You might be right. 0:13:44.360 --> 0:13:47.160 We were concerns back in April that the mosaic strategy 0:13:47.160 --> 0:13:51.440 would prevent something like a period on this campaign because 0:13:51.480 --> 0:13:54.760 there would be elements with command and control on the 0:13:54.800 --> 0:13:57.920 field level that have autonomy to execute a tax at 0:13:57.960 --> 0:14:00.400 their will. And that may still be true true, but 0:14:00.720 --> 0:14:01.440 you got to think. 0:14:01.280 --> 0:14:02.440 It's backfiring at this point. 0:14:02.480 --> 0:14:06.080 You noted when your conversation with mister Talent that the 0:14:06.080 --> 0:14:10.319 Golf States are increasingly engaged in this campaign and increasingly 0:14:10.360 --> 0:14:13.360 open about being engaged in this campaign. It's still taboo 0:14:13.720 --> 0:14:16.120 for the UAE or at Bahrain, for example, to admit 0:14:16.160 --> 0:14:19.360 that they're executing strikes on Iranian targets inside Irana, though 0:14:19.360 --> 0:14:22.240 they are, but it's no longer taboo for Saudi Arabia, 0:14:22.280 --> 0:14:24.840 for example, to announce that it's participating in this campaign 0:14:24.840 --> 0:14:27.680 by proxy, not only against the Huthis in Yemen, which 0:14:27.760 --> 0:14:29.920 they began engaging with about a week and a half ago. 0:14:30.560 --> 0:14:35.360 But now overnight attacks on Iranian proxy forces inside Iraq 0:14:35.440 --> 0:14:38.680 by the United States and Saudi Arabia acknowledged openly. 0:14:39.000 --> 0:14:40.040 That's a big development. 0:14:40.280 --> 0:14:42.560 That's not something that would have happened a month ago, 0:14:43.000 --> 0:14:45.120 and it's the sort of thing that accretes around all 0:14:45.160 --> 0:14:48.000 all the problems that Iran is experiencing are coming together. 0:14:48.040 --> 0:14:51.440 The Strait is losing value, capital is fleeing to the 0:14:51.440 --> 0:14:54.840 path of least resistance to diminish the utility of the Strait, 0:14:55.200 --> 0:14:58.520 and the Golf States are not responding as Iran would 0:14:58.520 --> 0:15:01.800 have hoped by hedging their and not necessarily aligning with 0:15:01.840 --> 0:15:04.560 the United States and making accommodations with Iranian power in 0:15:04.600 --> 0:15:07.600 the region. They're actively opposing it. All of this is 0:15:07.640 --> 0:15:10.040 combining to create a lot more pressure on the regime 0:15:10.600 --> 0:15:12.720 then you hear about in the Western press. To read 0:15:12.760 --> 0:15:15.040 the Western press, time is on Iran side. I don't 0:15:15.080 --> 0:15:16.680 know if the Iranians agree. 0:15:17.600 --> 0:15:20.920 So there are a couple options here to the president. 0:15:20.960 --> 0:15:24.800 One he could do one big night, which is the 0:15:24.880 --> 0:15:28.360 minimum I think that's going to happen with many targets hit. 0:15:28.760 --> 0:15:31.680 Or he could say we're doing this for thirty days, 0:15:31.880 --> 0:15:36.160 We're going to take out basically Admiral Montgomery's target list, 0:15:36.200 --> 0:15:40.200 which is extensive and detailed and very thoughtful because the 0:15:40.280 --> 0:15:43.360 man has run convoy operation through the Strait of Horror 0:15:43.400 --> 0:15:45.240 moves and has a long naval career and ended up 0:15:45.240 --> 0:15:48.320 as a two star, So we can go anywhere on 0:15:48.360 --> 0:15:52.440 that line. If the President announces it and explains it 0:15:52.440 --> 0:15:55.160 to the country, does it hurt him politically? Does it 0:15:55.240 --> 0:15:56.760 matter at all what he does? 0:15:58.720 --> 0:15:59.120 I don't know. 0:15:59.160 --> 0:16:01.640 That's a great question. I think whether it matters or not, 0:16:01.720 --> 0:16:05.600 he should. He should announce to the nation what he's doing, 0:16:05.840 --> 0:16:08.440 what is expected of the American people, what burdens they 0:16:08.440 --> 0:16:11.600 are expected to bear, and what benefits we will accrue 0:16:11.640 --> 0:16:15.280 from this campaign at very degrees of success. He should 0:16:15.320 --> 0:16:17.080 be honest with the American people. I think there's a 0:16:17.120 --> 0:16:19.280 real trust deficit here. I don't think the President has 0:16:19.320 --> 0:16:21.840 trusted the American public enough to level with them about 0:16:21.840 --> 0:16:23.840 what this campaign was going to entail. And I think 0:16:23.840 --> 0:16:27.080 the American public have repaid that lack of trust in kind. 0:16:27.480 --> 0:16:29.560 So yeah, I think it would benefit the President to 0:16:29.640 --> 0:16:32.400 be open and forthright about what he's planning to do. 0:16:32.560 --> 0:16:34.520 To the extent he knows what he's planning to do 0:16:35.040 --> 0:16:37.600 you know there's opacity here in many different directions, one 0:16:37.600 --> 0:16:39.960 of them being we know that there are shortages of 0:16:40.000 --> 0:16:44.040 defensive ordinance American defensive ordinance, and maybe we're calibrating our 0:16:44.080 --> 0:16:46.560 attacks and signaling in much the same way that I ran. 0:16:46.600 --> 0:16:49.280 By the way, is calibrating its attacks and signaling so 0:16:49.400 --> 0:16:53.360 that we don't restart a full scale exchange a volley 0:16:53.400 --> 0:16:56.720 of ballistic missiles that would overwhelm regional defenses and our 0:16:56.760 --> 0:16:59.560 own defenses. Maybe that's part of the calculation. I can't 0:16:59.600 --> 0:17:01.320 say for I think it's quite likely. 0:17:01.760 --> 0:17:06.360 Yeah, when I heard that these missiles, you remember Churchill's 0:17:06.359 --> 0:17:09.960 famous quote that in wartime truth is so precious it 0:17:10.040 --> 0:17:13.040 must be surrounded by a bodyguardable lies. So I really 0:17:13.080 --> 0:17:15.920 don't believe anything about anyone saying what we have gotten 0:17:15.920 --> 0:17:19.400 a stockpile because it's classified. So I just don't believe it. 0:17:19.760 --> 0:17:23.840 I am not opposed though to I heard Mark Montgomery 0:17:23.920 --> 0:17:26.720 say today he is certainly've got more than one hundred 0:17:26.760 --> 0:17:30.120 thousand jay dams. That's a lot of bombs, a lot 0:17:30.160 --> 0:17:31.440 of bombs that can go down. 0:17:32.640 --> 0:17:35.679 We don't use any problem with offensive weapons. Yeah, our 0:17:35.720 --> 0:17:40.120 offensive ordinance, standoff munitions, cruise missiles for example, that might 0:17:40.119 --> 0:17:40.920 be a big problem. 0:17:40.960 --> 0:17:41.440 Who knows. 0:17:41.520 --> 0:17:43.320 I mean, we've heard some leaks about that, so I 0:17:43.760 --> 0:17:45.880 don't have enough information to say one way or the other. 0:17:46.200 --> 0:17:49.200 But I know we don't have any problem with gravity. 0:17:49.200 --> 0:17:51.679 Bombs like that are fitted with Jadam kits. We have 0:17:52.160 --> 0:17:54.639 plenty of those, and over the top munitions is the 0:17:54.640 --> 0:17:56.439 sort of thing that we can deliver once we've depleted 0:17:56.440 --> 0:17:58.280 their air defenses, which we know how to do, have 0:17:58.400 --> 0:18:01.119 done and can do again. Likewise, I don't know how 0:18:01.119 --> 0:18:03.720 many missile out defensive ordinance we have, how many interceptors 0:18:03.760 --> 0:18:06.080 we have. But there was some talk a while ago 0:18:06.160 --> 0:18:08.399 about how Iran has still has seventy percent of its 0:18:08.400 --> 0:18:11.560 ballistic missile capabilities. Well, yeah, they had one hundred percent 0:18:11.560 --> 0:18:14.240 of their ballistic missile capabilities at the outset of Epic Fury, 0:18:14.560 --> 0:18:17.480 and those missiles launches slowed to a trickle because we 0:18:17.480 --> 0:18:20.280 were interdicting the launches. We were locking those missiles up 0:18:20.280 --> 0:18:22.480 in their bases, closing off the way for them to 0:18:22.480 --> 0:18:25.919 get out, or hitting the launchers when they launched one launch. 0:18:25.680 --> 0:18:26.840 And that was all you got out of it. 0:18:26.880 --> 0:18:28.560 We can do that again, but it would be a 0:18:28.560 --> 0:18:31.040 sustained campaign. And I don't know if the President has 0:18:31.080 --> 0:18:33.360 the stomach for it or not, but if he does, 0:18:33.400 --> 0:18:35.320 then he should come to the American people and explain 0:18:35.400 --> 0:18:38.000 what's going to happen, why, and what they're going to 0:18:38.000 --> 0:18:40.120 be get out of it, but also what they're going 0:18:40.160 --> 0:18:42.000 to endure in the interim. 0:18:42.640 --> 0:18:45.280 Great advice, Noh C. Rothman, good to talk to you 0:18:45.359 --> 0:18:47.840 is always thank you for joining me. Follow Noah on exit, 0:18:47.880 --> 0:18:52.040 Noac Rothman, and of course listen to the Editors podcast, 0:18:52.080 --> 0:18:54.919 on which no appears frequently, and follow me to the 0:18:54.960 --> 0:18:58.440 next segment. Don't Go Anywhere, America. We've got lots coming up, 0:18:58.440 --> 0:19:04.359 including Sarace Bedford, Victor Davids Hanson, Mary Katherine Ham, Senator Fisher, 0:19:04.440 --> 0:19:07.200 Senator Houstaid. Big day here on the Hugh Hewitt Shows, 0:19:07.200 --> 0:19:09.200 and Don't Go Anywhere, Stay tuned right where you are. 0:19:09.359 --> 0:19:14.479 I'll be right back. Welcome back, America. I'm Hugh hewittt. 0:19:14.520 --> 0:19:17.800 Sara C. Bedford is with the Washington Examiner. Sarah, what'd 0:19:17.800 --> 0:19:22.399 you make of the Rand Paul hearing with doctor Fauci today? 0:19:24.080 --> 0:19:26.560 It was kind of surreal after spending so many years 0:19:26.640 --> 0:19:29.879 listening to Fauci go on and on speak endlessly in 0:19:29.880 --> 0:19:32.520 front of any camera that would have him. To hear 0:19:32.600 --> 0:19:35.879 him shut down like that, It's not surprising, giving what 0:19:35.960 --> 0:19:38.760 we've learned from his diary and the type of exposure 0:19:38.760 --> 0:19:40.840 that he might have had if he did attempt to 0:19:40.840 --> 0:19:43.600 answer the questions, but it was nonetheless jarring to see 0:19:43.680 --> 0:19:45.080 him clamp down like that. 0:19:46.080 --> 0:19:49.800 So was it at all sympathy inducing for him? 0:19:52.359 --> 0:19:53.480 I certainly don't think so. 0:19:53.560 --> 0:19:57.080 I mean, he's the furthest thing from a sympathetic character 0:19:57.600 --> 0:19:59.479 if you just look at the way he comes across 0:19:59.520 --> 0:20:01.719 in his die, right. This is not someone who was 0:20:01.960 --> 0:20:05.000 motivated by public service. This is not someone who even 0:20:05.000 --> 0:20:07.720 seemed to be primarily motivated by science. 0:20:08.160 --> 0:20:11.320 It was someone who was motivated by fame and. 0:20:12.680 --> 0:20:16.639 Appearing before the largest number of audiences possible, and consumed 0:20:16.640 --> 0:20:18.600 by his personal grievances with other. 0:20:18.440 --> 0:20:19.320 People in the government. 0:20:19.359 --> 0:20:22.560 I mean, he comes off like a meglomaniac in his diary, 0:20:22.640 --> 0:20:26.000 and so, you know, I think optically it looked really 0:20:26.080 --> 0:20:28.120