1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: The big question hanging over Washington, the White House, and 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: the Middle East right now is whether President Donald Trump 3 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: is seriously wang what would be one of the boldest 4 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:17,240 Speaker 1: military options of this entire conflict, sending in US troops 5 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: into a near Iranian territory to secure iran stockpile of 6 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 1: highly enriched uranium before that material can ever be turned 7 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: into a nuclear weapon. Now, there are multiple reports that 8 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: say the President is looking at all options and is 9 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: actively discussing inside the administration as the military build up 10 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: in the region continues to intensify. Reuters reported on Monday 11 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 1: that thousands of soldiers from the eighty second Airborne Division 12 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:52,600 Speaker 1: have started arriving in the Middle East, joining additional Marines, sailors, 13 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:56,639 Speaker 1: and special operation forces that are already there, and that 14 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 1: one of the potential missions under discussion is using ground 15 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: forces inside Iran to extract highly enriched uranium buried deep 16 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 1: underground now. Reuters also reported that for now, no decision 17 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:15,040 Speaker 1: has been made to send troops into Iran, even as 18 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 1: the build up increases Trump's military options now. The President 19 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 1: was asked about Iran as he was flying back to Washington, 20 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: d C. And in just twenty seconds, the President had 21 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 1: this to say. 22 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 2: They are decimated right now. They're gonna give up nuclear weapons. 23 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 2: They're gonna give us the nuclear dust. They're gonna do 24 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 2: everything that we want to do. And you know what, 25 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 2: they're going to go on and maybe have a great 26 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 2: country again. But if they don't do that, they're not 27 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 2: going to have a country. They're not even gonna have 28 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 2: a country. So she's softer in that issue. Can to 29 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 2: have other people, not too many? 30 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: You notice the President used a very clear term there. 31 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 1: They're going to give us the nuclear dust. They're gonna 32 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: do everything that we want them to do. Now, the 33 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: Democrat answer seizing on this moment as well as the 34 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: media saying why would the president even consider something quote 35 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 1: this dangerous? Well, because the uranium issue is at the 36 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 1: center of this war. The International Atomic Energy Agency director 37 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: said earlier this month that almost half of Iran's enriched 38 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:24,920 Speaker 1: uranium is up to sixty percent purity. Now that's an 39 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 1: important number for you to understand. That's just a very 40 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 1: short technical step from weapons grade, and it was stored 41 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: in a tunnel complex and is probably still there we 42 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:43,560 Speaker 1: now believe. Reuters also reported that the IAEA estimate that 43 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:47,639 Speaker 1: Iran had four hundred and forty kilograms of sixty percent 44 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:52,519 Speaker 1: enriched uranium before the attacks, which the IEA said could 45 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: provide the explosive material for roughly ten nuclear weapons if 46 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:00,079 Speaker 1: enriched furthers. 47 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 3: A leader there. 48 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 1: Also said the agency has not seen evidence that the 49 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 1: stockpile was moved and still does not know the status 50 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 1: of parts of the underground complex because inspectors have not 51 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:16,640 Speaker 1: been able to get in. That is a strategic logic 52 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: behind this debate. If you are the Trump administration, you 53 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,359 Speaker 1: can bomb facilities, you can cripple on sites, you can 54 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: destroy the air defenses, you can hit naval assets. But 55 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:34,679 Speaker 1: if a large stockpile of near bomb grade uraniums survives underground, 56 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: then the threat is not fully gone at all. That 57 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: is why this is being discussed not just as a 58 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 1: military problem, but as a nuclear security problem worldwide. Reuters 59 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 1: also reported that internal discussions have included the possibility of 60 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: sending forces deeper inside Iran for longer periods of time, 61 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 1: specifically because the material may be buried underground and also 62 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 1: very difficult to reach. That means this is not some 63 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: simple raid and leave scenario like we saw in Venezuela. 64 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:16,280 Speaker 1: It could require excavation site, security, logistics, air cover, and 65 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 1: protection against Iranian retaliation. 66 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 3: While that work is being. 67 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 1: Done, President Trump himself has been crystal clear on the 68 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 1: core objective, even if he has not publicly laid out 69 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: a specific uranium seizure plan. As I mentioned, speaking aboard 70 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 1: Air Force One, Trump said, I'm very strong on the 71 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:39,599 Speaker 1: fact that I don't want a Ran to have a 72 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 1: nuclear weapon, because if they had a nuclear weapon, they'd 73 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: use it immediately now. Trump also said that the United 74 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 1: States was talking to what he described as a more 75 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 1: reasonable regime in Ran right now, while again warning Tehran 76 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 1: to reopen the strait of our moves or face US 77 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: attacks on oil wells well as their power supply plans. 78 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 1: And the White House has formally stated that President Trump 79 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 1: has never wavered in his stance that Iran cannot be 80 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: allowed to have a nuclear weapon. So when you put 81 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 1: all of that together, the message from the White House 82 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 1: really does seem to be unmistakable. Trump's position is that 83 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: Iran cannot be allowed to keep that kind of material 84 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: that puts it near a bomb. Whether that's achieved through diplomacy, 85 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: surrender of the stockpile, or military force remains the open question. 86 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 1: Reuter is also reported on Friday, the Trump's broader piece 87 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 1: demands to Iran included dismantling its nuclear program, and the 88 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: White House official said the President is willing to listen, 89 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 1: but if Iran fails to accept the reality of the 90 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,359 Speaker 1: current moment, they will be hit harder than ever before. 91 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: At the same time, that same Reuters reports that Trump 92 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: has no plans to send ground troops anywhere at this time, 93 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 1: but he is keeping all options on the table. In 94 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: other words, the Trump doctrine is deliberately holding strategic ambiguity, 95 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:18,719 Speaker 1: publicly signaling strength and privately preparing contingencies. Now, as for 96 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 1: the Pentagon, or as some call it, the Department of War, 97 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 1: the public message has been more about capability and pressure 98 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 1: than about confirming any single operation. The Pentagon build up 99 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:36,039 Speaker 1: now includes the arrival of the eighty second airborne troops, 100 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 1: about twenty five hundred Marines over the weekend, and other 101 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 1: forces already in theater, all of which expand the presence 102 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:49,839 Speaker 1: operational menu that is again something the president wants. The 103 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 1: White House is March's first statement announcing Operation Epic. Fury 104 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 1: said Trump authorized what he called a precise, overwhelming military 105 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 1: campaign to eliminate what it described at the time as 106 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 1: the Iranian nuclear threat, destroy ballistic missile capability in capacity, 107 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 1: degrade proxy networks, and cripple Irans naval forces. That matters 108 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:18,600 Speaker 1: because it shows the administration's framework. This is not being 109 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 1: described as a limited symbolic campaign, but as a war 110 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 1: effort aimed at ending the nuclear threat decisively. Now Here 111 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 1: is the danger, and it's enormous. A mission to seize 112 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 1: uranium is far riskier than airstrikes. That is something the 113 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 1: present is having to deal with, and any use of 114 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: US ground troops, even for a limited mission, carries major 115 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 1: political and military risks as well. Troops could face Iranian missiles, 116 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: their drones, their mines, ambushes, booby traps, and prolonged exposure 117 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 1: inside hostile territory. That is something the present has to 118 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 1: weigh as well. And Reuters also report that the uranium 119 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 1: extraction option could require US per personnel to stay inside 120 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 1: Iran longer than other scenarios because the material is believed 121 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 1: to be deep underground. That means higher risk of casualties, 122 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 1: higher risk of escalation, and higher risk that a targeted 123 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 1: mission turns into a broader ground conflict, exactly the kind 124 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: of Middle East entanglement that Trump campaigned against. Again, this 125 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 1: is all of the things the President has to think about, 126 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: and that is why you're hearing about other options in parallel. 127 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:32,720 Speaker 1: We also know that there's another report that the administration 128 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:36,959 Speaker 1: has weighed seizing cart Island, which handles about ninety percent 129 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:41,200 Speaker 1: of Iran's oil exports, and has discussed operations tied to 130 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:45,320 Speaker 1: securing maritime passage near the Strait of Hormuz. Those are 131 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:48,719 Speaker 1: different missions, obviously, but they point to the same reality. 132 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:52,439 Speaker 1: The US build up is not one dimensional. It is 133 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: creating leverage for multiple possible in games, squeezing Iran economically, 134 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: force open ship lanes, or if all else fails, move 135 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 1: to physically secure the nuclear material itself. 136 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:09,199 Speaker 3: So where does that leave us right now? 137 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:13,719 Speaker 1: The fact is the President wants multiple options, and what 138 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:17,079 Speaker 1: we do know is that the IAEA says a significant 139 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 1: amount of RAN sixty percent rich uranium, likely remains underground 140 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 1: at its site. President Trump's own words show a view 141 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:30,400 Speaker 1: denying a RAN a nuclear weapon a non negotiable. And fourth, 142 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: the administration is still signaling that diplomacy is possible even 143 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 1: while preparing for harder options. I wanted to keep you 144 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: updated on this because I think it's important, and obviously 145 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:43,319 Speaker 1: a lot's happening quickly. 146 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 3: One thing is for sure. 147 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 1: The President wants to figure out what he's going to 148 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 1: do as fast as possible. He wants us to get 149 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 1: out as quickly as possible as well, and he wants 150 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:56,320 Speaker 1: to have a world where Ran doesn't have a nuclear weapon. 151 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: Donald Trump has come out talking about who he's talking 152 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 1: to in Iran, the new regime they are in place, 153 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:07,199 Speaker 1: and the President also making it very clear if they 154 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,560 Speaker 1: do not agree with the negotiations with America, we will 155 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 1: blow up their power infrastructure easily. They better make a deal. 156 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:19,960 Speaker 1: President Trump suggesting in a message on Monday morning that 157 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:22,960 Speaker 1: a new and more reasonable regime has taken over Iran 158 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 1: and is talking with Washington, DC. He warned yet again, 159 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: he is willing to obliterate Iran's energy infrastructure his exact words, 160 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 1: if the talks do not lead to a durable agreement. 161 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:38,840 Speaker 1: Trump made the declaration a message on his website True 162 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 1: Social What remains of the Iranian government after the elimination 163 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 1: of the Supreme Leader, has repeatedly denied Trump's claim that 164 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 1: it is in conversations with the American government, while also 165 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 1: stating that it has responded to America's proposals, which would 166 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 1: be impossible without a conversation. 167 00:10:58,240 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 4: Now. 168 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:02,440 Speaker 1: President Trump smiling through that in a statement saying that 169 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 1: not only is America pursuing regime change in Iran, but 170 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: the regime change has already happened, saying the United States 171 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 1: of America's in serious discussions with a new and more 172 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 1: reasonable regime to end our military operations in Iran. He 173 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:20,839 Speaker 1: followed up that comment with a threat. Great progress has 174 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:23,480 Speaker 1: been made, but if for any reason a deal is 175 00:11:23,520 --> 00:11:27,440 Speaker 1: not shortly reached, which it probably will be, and if 176 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 1: the Hormuz Strait is not immediately open for business, we 177 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 1: will conclude our lovely state in Iran by blowing up 178 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 1: and completely obliterating all of their electric generating plants, oil wells, 179 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:46,719 Speaker 1: and carg island, and possibly all desalization plants, which we 180 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:49,840 Speaker 1: have purposely not yet touched. 181 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:50,440 Speaker 3: Quote unquote. 182 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: The President went on to say this will be in 183 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: retribution for our many soldiers and others that Iran has 184 00:11:57,559 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 1: butchered and killed over the regime's seven year reign of terror. 185 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 1: Thank you for your attention to this matter. Now President 186 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 1: Trump is seriously weighing also a military operation, we're being 187 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:13,440 Speaker 1: told to extract nearly one thousand pounds of highly enriched 188 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 1: uranium from Iran. And While the Iranian government has not 189 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 1: responded directly to Trump's statement at press time, the Foreign 190 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:25,319 Speaker 1: Ministry spokesman confirmed on Monday that Iran had received and 191 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:30,760 Speaker 1: was contemplating negotiation messages from the United States. At the 192 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:36,839 Speaker 1: same time, that individual also dispairs the proposals as being unrealistic, illogical, 193 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:41,679 Speaker 1: and excessive, but his statement nonetheless confirmed the existence of 194 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:45,440 Speaker 1: some form of communication between individuals and power in Iran 195 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 1: and the White House. Specifically, Donald Trump quote, our position 196 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 1: is clear. We are under military aggression. Therefore, all our 197 00:12:55,800 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 1: efforts and strengths are focused on defending ourselves, according to 198 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 1: translation by the Saudi outlet there the government of also 199 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:08,200 Speaker 1: Pakistan claimed last week that it was mediating talks between 200 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 1: America and Iran, handing Tehran a fifteen point proposal from 201 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:16,840 Speaker 1: the White House. Trump shortly thereafter claimed that Iran quote 202 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:19,520 Speaker 1: gave us most to the points, and that he would 203 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 1: be asking for a couple of other things. The president 204 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 1: also announced that he would not target any energy infrastructure 205 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,320 Speaker 1: Iran through April the sixth. That would be Easter Sunday, 206 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 1: talks are ongoing and despite erroneous statements to the contrary 207 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:36,319 Speaker 1: by the fake news media and others, they are going 208 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:39,200 Speaker 1: very well. The president said, thank you for your attention 209 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 1: to this matter. He also claimed that Iran was begging 210 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 1: for a deal, contrary to the declarations in Iranian state media, 211 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:51,680 Speaker 1: clearly to keep the people in Iran in line. Also 212 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 1: indicating the existence of talks and those talks actually being 213 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 1: very real, was the head of the International Atomic Energy 214 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 1: Agency is the IAEA, who told Italian media on Wednesday 215 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:07,400 Speaker 1: that talks about the Iran war would take place in 216 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 1: Pakistan as early as this passed weekend. Another example of confirmation. 217 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:16,760 Speaker 1: Three weeks of war have left their mark, which caused 218 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 1: a lot of damage affected Iran's economic, energy and productive infrastructure. 219 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 1: This will make the conversation quote a little bit different now. 220 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:30,360 Speaker 1: Pakistan did host talks on the Iran war this weekend, 221 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 1: but reports indicated that neither Iran nor the United States 222 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:38,800 Speaker 1: of America quote participated. Instead, the event offered an opportunity 223 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:42,080 Speaker 1: for Pakistan to discuss the war with officials from Saudi 224 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 1: Arabia and Turkey, as well as Egypt. Now, according to 225 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 1: the Egyptian Foreign Minister. The objective of the talks is 226 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:53,160 Speaker 1: to de escalate tension and encourageing negotiating process between Iran 227 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 1: the United States of America to spare the region comprehensive chaos. 228 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:01,520 Speaker 1: The Pakistani government also added that while Iran did not 229 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:05,840 Speaker 1: directly participate, Pakistani officials had a phone call with the 230 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 1: Iranian Foreign minister to discuss Tehran's position. Now, most of 231 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 1: Iran's response to the current hostilities by the United States 232 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: has been to target its neighboring countries with missile and 233 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 1: drone attacks, including Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Other countries Irana's 234 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:27,720 Speaker 1: bomb include Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, Israel, Cyprus. Iranian officials 235 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 1: have claimed the strikes are intended to target American and 236 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 1: Israeli sites, but in reality they are targeting a variety 237 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 1: of civilian sites instead, including energy facilities in many of 238 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 1: the Gulf states, which brings us to a one on 239 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 1: one interview done on Good Morning America on Monday morning 240 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 1: with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. I think it's incredibly 241 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:52,960 Speaker 1: important you hear what Marco had to say. Take a 242 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 1: listen to the interview. 243 00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 5: Would be on mister Secretary, thank you for joining us 244 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 5: this morning. Let's talk about the president's comments overnight talking 245 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 5: about taking the oil on carg Island. How would he 246 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 5: do this? Why would he do this? Won't it take 247 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 5: ground troops? 248 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 6: Well, first of all, it's important to remember the objectives 249 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 6: of this operation from the very beginning, where we were 250 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 6: going to We are destroying Iran's navy. We are destroying 251 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:17,880 Speaker 6: their ability to their missile launchers by a significant percentage. 252 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 6: We're going to wipe out their defense industrial base, meaning 253 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 6: their ability to make new missiles and new drones in 254 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 6: the future. Because opposed a great threat to the region. 255 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 6: This Iran that you're seeing now, this is Iran at 256 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 6: its weakest point. Imagine them two years from now if 257 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:33,000 Speaker 6: they had thousands of more missiles, the thousands of more 258 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 6: missile launchers and factories to make even more. That was 259 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 6: an unacceptable risk. It needed to be addressed, and President 260 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 6: Trump is addressing it now. They are making threats about 261 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 6: controlling the hormone straits and perpetuity, creating a tolling system 262 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 6: and the like. 263 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 7: That's not going to be allowed to happen. 264 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 6: And the President has a number of options available to 265 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 6: him if he so chooses to prevent that from happening. 266 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:55,400 Speaker 6: In happening, obviously, I'm not going to discuss what those 267 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 6: options are, and we're not going to discuss military tactics. 268 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 6: The Department of War would be in charge of those things. 269 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:02,960 Speaker 6: I'd refer you to them, but obviously they're not going 270 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:05,080 Speaker 6: to discuss it with you either. But there is a 271 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 6: way forward here to achieve our objectives. We are going 272 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:10,359 Speaker 6: to achieve our objectives in a matter of weeks, not months. 273 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 5: Well, let's talk about taking the oil, because the President 274 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 5: laid out that objective last night, and taking the oil 275 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:17,159 Speaker 5: will take ground troops, won't it. 276 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 6: Well, again, the Iranians are threatening that they're going to 277 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 6: set up some permanent system in the Straits of Hormuz 278 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 6: where they get to decide who goes through international waterways. 279 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:28,159 Speaker 7: That will never be allowed to happen. 280 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:29,920 Speaker 6: By the way, the rest of the world should take 281 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:31,919 Speaker 6: note of that they have more at stake there than 282 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 6: we do. We get very little of our energy in 283 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 6: this country coming through the Straits of Hormones. 284 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:37,560 Speaker 7: The rest of the world gets a lot more. 285 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 6: That said, the President has several options at his disposal, 286 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:44,440 Speaker 6: and the Department of Wars preparing optionality for the President 287 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:47,480 Speaker 6: for this and various other contingencies that might arise. That's 288 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:50,480 Speaker 6: what always needs to happen situations like this. But what 289 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:52,439 Speaker 6: I want the American people and the people watching this 290 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:55,439 Speaker 6: broadcast to know is that fundamentally what this is about 291 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:57,600 Speaker 6: is the destruction of their air force, which has been 292 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 6: largely achieved, the destruction of their navy, which has been 293 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:03,960 Speaker 6: largely achieved, the destruction of their factories that they make 294 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:06,399 Speaker 6: all these weapons with, which is we're well on our 295 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:09,440 Speaker 6: way to achieving. And a substantial reduction in the number 296 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:11,800 Speaker 6: of missile launchers that they have so that they cannot 297 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:13,720 Speaker 6: continue to threaten their neighbors in the future. 298 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:15,200 Speaker 7: All of those objectives are. 299 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 6: Being met ahead honor, ahead of schedule, and should be 300 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 6: able to achieve in a matter of weeks. 301 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:24,200 Speaker 5: As you're speaking, though, the President is expanding the objectives. 302 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:25,920 Speaker 5: Just a couple of minutes ago, he put out his 303 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 5: post on True Social saying that we're in discussions now 304 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:31,920 Speaker 5: with a new and more reasonable regime in arom But 305 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:35,280 Speaker 5: he also added that if those discussions don't yield fruit, 306 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 5: the United States will blow up and completelybliterate all of 307 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:42,160 Speaker 5: their electric generating plants. All their oil wells and carg 308 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 5: island and possibly all desalinization plants which we have purposely 309 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 5: not yet touched, is what he said. That's a great 310 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:49,640 Speaker 5: expansion of the objectives. 311 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 6: Well, well, I think the first point the president makes 312 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 6: is he prefers the pomacy. As I said, those efforts 313 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 6: are nascent. There is messages being relaid back and forth, 314 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 6: some conversations going on, including through intermediary and. 315 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:01,479 Speaker 7: He always prefers that. 316 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:04,520 Speaker 6: Look, if the Iranian regime had come forward at any 317 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:06,400 Speaker 6: point in the past and said we're going to walk 318 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 6: away from our nuclear ambitions, We're going to do nuclear 319 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:11,879 Speaker 6: energy the way every other country in the world, primarily 320 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:13,919 Speaker 6: almost every other country in the world does it, and 321 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:15,760 Speaker 6: that is through a peaceful means in which you bring 322 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:17,080 Speaker 6: in the fuel and it's. 323 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 7: Supervised and so forth. 324 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 6: We're going to stop supporting terrorist groups across the region. 325 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:22,439 Speaker 7: Look at this region. 326 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:24,960 Speaker 6: Every single terrorist group in this region has a link 327 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:28,400 Speaker 6: to the Iranian regime. Every single one the houthis Hes, 328 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:32,160 Speaker 6: belah Hamas, the Shia militias that are attacking everyone out 329 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 6: of a rock, every single one of these groups and 330 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 6: all the destabilization in this region tracks directly back to 331 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:40,119 Speaker 6: the Iranian regime. Those things have to be addressed, and 332 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 6: if Ron had been willing to address to us in 333 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:43,960 Speaker 6: the past, we wouldn't be having this interview on this 334 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 6: topic right now. Their refusal to do so, and they're 335 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:50,640 Speaker 6: continuing move towards one day acquiring a nuclear capability. These 336 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:54,400 Speaker 6: people are lunatics. They are insane. They are religious zelots 337 00:19:54,440 --> 00:19:56,680 Speaker 6: who can never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon 338 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:59,119 Speaker 6: because they have an apocalyptic vision of the future and 339 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 6: all of their neighbors that, by the way, which is 340 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:03,199 Speaker 6: why all of their neighbors have been supportive of the 341 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 6: efforts work. 342 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:06,359 Speaker 5: You call them lunatics with the President just had this 343 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:08,480 Speaker 5: post where he says we're in discussions with a new 344 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 5: and more reasonable regime. Let me try to pin you 345 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 5: down on that. Who is this new and more reasonable 346 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:16,919 Speaker 5: regime is The United States is in direct contact with them? 347 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 6: Well, I'm not going to disclose to you who those 348 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:20,879 Speaker 6: people are because if probably would get them in trouble 349 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 6: with some other groups of people inside of Iran. Look, 350 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:25,679 Speaker 6: there's some fractures going on there internally, and at the 351 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 6: end of the day, I think that if there are 352 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:30,200 Speaker 6: people in Iran who now given everything that's happened, are 353 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:32,720 Speaker 6: willing to move in a different direction for their country. 354 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:35,159 Speaker 6: That would be great. Imagine in Iran that and instead 355 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:38,960 Speaker 6: of spending their wealth billions of dollars supporting terrorists or weapons, 356 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:41,480 Speaker 6: had spent that money helping the people of Iran, you 357 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:44,080 Speaker 6: have a much different country. So we are always hopeful 358 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 6: that that would exist over there. It's unfortunate. The people 359 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 6: of Iran are incredible people. The people who lead them 360 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:52,159 Speaker 6: this clerical regime that is the problem. And if there 361 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 6: are new people now in charge who have a more 362 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:56,360 Speaker 6: reasonable vision of the future, that would be good news 363 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 6: for us, for them, for the entire world. But we 364 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:02,040 Speaker 6: also have to be prepared for the possibility, maybe even 365 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:04,320 Speaker 6: the probability that that is not the case. 366 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 5: But they are. Is that the case or is it not? 367 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:08,720 Speaker 5: I'm just trying to get some clarity on that. 368 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:10,800 Speaker 6: Well, what I mean is, yeah, Look, so you have 369 00:21:10,840 --> 00:21:13,120 Speaker 6: people that are saying some of the right things privately. 370 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:15,160 Speaker 6: Obviously they're not going to put it out in press releases, 371 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:16,880 Speaker 6: and what they say to you or put out there 372 00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 6: for the world doesn't necessarily reflect what they're saying in 373 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 6: our conversations. 374 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 7: But at the end of the day. 375 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:23,320 Speaker 6: We have to see that these people end up being 376 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:25,119 Speaker 6: the ones in charge, seeing if they're the ones that 377 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:26,040 Speaker 6: have the power to deliver. 378 00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:28,120 Speaker 7: We're going to test it. We are hopeful that that's 379 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:29,720 Speaker 7: the case. There are clearly people. 380 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:33,080 Speaker 6: They are talking to us in ways that previous people 381 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:35,320 Speaker 6: in charge and Iran have not spoken to us in 382 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 6: the past. Some of the things they're willing to do, 383 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:39,040 Speaker 6: some of the things they're saying they're willing to do. 384 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:40,440 Speaker 7: Obviously they have to go do it. 385 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 6: We're going to test that proposition very strongly because we 386 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:47,199 Speaker 6: always prefer to settle things through negotiation and diplomacy, but 387 00:21:47,359 --> 00:21:49,159 Speaker 6: we also have to be prepared for the fact that 388 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:51,439 Speaker 6: that effort might fail. That we are dealing with a 389 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:54,080 Speaker 6: forty seven year old regime that still has a lot 390 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:57,080 Speaker 6: of people involved in it who aren't necessarily big fans 391 00:21:57,119 --> 00:21:58,200 Speaker 6: of diplomacy or peace. 392 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 5: And if it fails, the war expands. What's that up, sorry, 393 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:04,359 Speaker 5: if it fails, the war expands. 394 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:07,920 Speaker 6: Well, the war is at this operation, okay, And that's 395 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:11,000 Speaker 6: what this is. It's about very specific objectives. The President 396 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 6: laid them out on the first night of the operation. 397 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 6: I'll repeat them to you now because I hear a 398 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:16,160 Speaker 6: lot of talk about we don't know what the clear 399 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:18,440 Speaker 6: objectives are here. They are, you should write them down. 400 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:21,400 Speaker 6: Number one, the destruction of their air force. Number two, 401 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:25,480 Speaker 6: the destruction of their navy. Number three, the severe diminishing 402 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 6: of their missile launching capability, and number four the destruction 403 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:31,199 Speaker 6: of their factory so they can't make more missiles and 404 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:33,679 Speaker 6: more drones to threaten us in the future. All of 405 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:36,159 Speaker 6: this so that they can never hide behind it to 406 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:39,440 Speaker 6: acquire a nuclear weapon. That was our objective from the beginning, 407 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 6: that remains our objective. 408 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:41,119 Speaker 7: Now. 409 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:43,159 Speaker 6: We are on pace and in fact the head of 410 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:45,280 Speaker 6: schedule in some of those things, and we are going 411 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:47,199 Speaker 6: to achieve those things in a number of weeks, not 412 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:48,200 Speaker 6: in a number of months. 413 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 5: Mister check Jury, thanks for time this morning. 414 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:53,159 Speaker 1: It's really interesting to see how much the media is 415 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 1: willing to change, alter, and lie to you to try 416 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:59,239 Speaker 1: to make you think that somehow what we're doing in 417 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:02,399 Speaker 1: Iran is a failure when clearly in reality it's a 418 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,919 Speaker 1: massive success already, and the Secretary of State making it 419 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 1: very clear that Trump Doctrine is working. Over the last 420 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:13,840 Speaker 1: thirty days, the United States and Israel have carried out 421 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:18,480 Speaker 1: more than eleven thousand strikes against Iran military infrastructure. We're 422 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:22,399 Speaker 1: now learning from the White House translation, this mission the 423 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:26,680 Speaker 1: President is doing is working. The strikes have been against 424 00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:33,879 Speaker 1: Iran's military infrastructure that include missile systems, naval assets, weapons depots, 425 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:38,199 Speaker 1: and systemically dismantling the regime's ability to threaten the region 426 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 1: and more importantly, threaten US the US. And now President 427 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:47,360 Speaker 1: Trump is signaling very clearly that this war is nearing 428 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:52,440 Speaker 1: its end. He said this directly, This won't last much longer. 429 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:58,120 Speaker 1: Why because Iran has been in his words, significantly debilitated 430 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:02,080 Speaker 1: their military capability. He has been crippled. Their ability to 431 00:24:02,119 --> 00:24:07,080 Speaker 1: launch sustained attacks has been severely reduced, their leverage gone. 432 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:11,080 Speaker 1: And now because of the overwhelming show of force, something 433 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 1: else is happening behind the scenes that matters just as 434 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 1: much as the bombs and the strikes. Iran is really 435 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 1: feeling the pressure. The White House is now saying negotiations 436 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:25,960 Speaker 1: are progressing quickly. That is something that the White House 437 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:29,480 Speaker 1: has said that the media can't believe, and Democrats don't 438 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:32,560 Speaker 1: want you to believe because they want this to be 439 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:35,520 Speaker 1: a quagmire. They want this to be a never ending war. 440 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: They want to use it politically to hurt President Donald Trump. Now, 441 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 1: after weeks of decisive military action, the regime the chance 442 00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:46,880 Speaker 1: death to America is now signaling they may be willing 443 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 1: to come. 444 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 3: To the table. 445 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:51,040 Speaker 1: That doesn't happen, by the way, by accident, and it 446 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:54,720 Speaker 1: doesn't happen by weakness from President Trump either. This happens 447 00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:58,160 Speaker 1: because Donald Trump made it clear the United States while 448 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:02,359 Speaker 1: he's in charge, leads through strength, not through appeasement or 449 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:06,879 Speaker 1: sending pallats of cash like the Obama administration did. And 450 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 1: President Trump is also making it clear there is a deadline. 451 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:15,720 Speaker 1: Iran now has until early April to comply, and if 452 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:17,920 Speaker 1: they don't, the President has also made it very clear 453 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 1: what comes next will be even more devastating. Now let's 454 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: talk about the strategy a little bit more, because this 455 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:28,119 Speaker 1: is where this administration is drawing a very sharp contrast 456 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:31,439 Speaker 1: to the past. Number one, they've said they are not 457 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:34,679 Speaker 1: in favor of an endless war, and number two, the 458 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:38,360 Speaker 1: Trump administration has made it clear this is not nation building. 459 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:41,359 Speaker 1: This is decisive action, the White House says, with a 460 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:46,639 Speaker 1: clear objective to eliminate the threat, force a resolution, and 461 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,119 Speaker 1: then get the hell out. In fact, President Trump is 462 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:52,280 Speaker 1: already saying that once a job is done, the US 463 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:55,159 Speaker 1: can step back, and even the straight of Hormuz, one 464 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:57,720 Speaker 1: of the most critical shipping lanes in the world, will 465 00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 1: stabilize once Iran backs down. That's called understanding leverage, and 466 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:06,439 Speaker 1: that's called understanding power as well. Now let's also not 467 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:10,560 Speaker 1: forget this. Israel is fully aligned with a strategy. They 468 00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:13,919 Speaker 1: see this moment for what it is a historic opportunity 469 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 1: to eliminate what they've called next essential threat to them, 470 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:21,720 Speaker 1: and together the US and Israel now have total air superiority, 471 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:26,159 Speaker 1: and Iran's ability to project power is collapsing in real time. 472 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:30,359 Speaker 1: Even Israel is starting to put timelines on their own action, 473 00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:33,680 Speaker 1: saying they believe that they have about two more weeks 474 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:37,880 Speaker 1: of strikes and then they will probably end up wrapping 475 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:42,280 Speaker 1: things up. Israel even said in another statement today they 476 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:46,119 Speaker 1: are prepared for strikes for several weeks to come, but 477 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:49,359 Speaker 1: they understand that the window is also closing, and this 478 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:54,320 Speaker 1: was not about actual invasion, Israeli's military spokesman saying on 479 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:58,280 Speaker 1: Tuesday that Israel is prepared to keep operating for several 480 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 1: weeks to come. Minister hinted that the war against Iran 481 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:05,760 Speaker 1: was definitely beyond the halfway point, as it has now 482 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:08,920 Speaker 1: entered its fifth week. We are prepared to keep operating 483 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:11,280 Speaker 1: for weeks to come if need be. We have the 484 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:14,280 Speaker 1: targets for that, the munitions for that, demand power for that, 485 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:17,760 Speaker 1: and it's up to the leadership to decide, is what 486 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:21,880 Speaker 1: was said from Israeli's government. The Israeli Defense Force said 487 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:25,200 Speaker 1: on Tuesday that all of it's critical and essential targets 488 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:29,200 Speaker 1: in Iran will have been destroyed by Passover, which begins 489 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:33,680 Speaker 1: on Wednesday. The IDF to find critical targets as Iranian 490 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:38,439 Speaker 1: weapons that directly threaten Israel, including key elements of its 491 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:43,280 Speaker 1: nuclear program, while essential quote unquote targets are key elements 492 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:47,520 Speaker 1: of the Iranian military industrial complex that do not pose 493 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:52,000 Speaker 1: an imminent threat by themselves, such as satellite launch facilities. 494 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:55,840 Speaker 1: So you add all this together, and critical and essential 495 00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 1: targets make up about thirty to forty percent of the 496 00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:03,640 Speaker 1: bombing objective set by Israeli leadership before the operation began. 497 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:07,959 Speaker 1: The IDF said it would be possible to declare victory 498 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:11,760 Speaker 1: after eliminating the remaining critical and essential targets, but it 499 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:16,439 Speaker 1: would prefer to continue degrading Iran's military industrial complex to 500 00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 1: weaken the regime. This goal seems consistent with Israel's hint 501 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:24,240 Speaker 1: that a few more weeks of air strikes are obviously 502 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:29,040 Speaker 1: being planned. Israeli warplane struck major rane and weapons factories 503 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 1: in Tehran over the weekend, including plants that manufacture key 504 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:34,320 Speaker 1: ballistic missile. 505 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:36,960 Speaker 3: Components and drone engines. 506 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:40,000 Speaker 1: As well, The IDF said it was also able to 507 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 1: destroy several of Iran's temporary command centers, eliminating high ranking 508 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: officers who were inside, as well as some of Iran's 509 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:52,800 Speaker 1: remaining anti air weaponry. On Friday, the IDF set a 510 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:57,600 Speaker 1: massive attack involving over fifty warplanes, inflicted severe damage on 511 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:03,120 Speaker 1: their heavy water reactor and enrichment facility that produced yellow 512 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 1: cake uranium powder for nuclear fuel. Netnyahu even said on 513 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:11,440 Speaker 1: Newsmax on Monday that the operation in Iran is beyond 514 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:14,760 Speaker 1: the halfway point in terms of mission success, although he 515 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:18,120 Speaker 1: did not say or wish to put a schedule on 516 00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:22,360 Speaker 1: the remainder of the war. We've already degraded their missile capabilities, 517 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:27,040 Speaker 1: destroyed factories, and eliminated key nuclear scientists, he noted, praising 518 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:30,280 Speaker 1: the steady progress of the mission so far. 519 00:29:31,120 --> 00:29:34,000 Speaker 4: We're into this war just over a month. Now, you're 520 00:29:34,040 --> 00:29:39,000 Speaker 4: the war Prime Minister, and I think i'd like to 521 00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:42,800 Speaker 4: understand what you feel you've achieved Israel in the United 522 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 4: States working together so far in this war. And when 523 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:49,160 Speaker 4: do you think we might see light at the end 524 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:51,080 Speaker 4: of the tunnel mission accomplished. 525 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:54,280 Speaker 8: Look, if you remember what happened before the war, Iran 526 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:56,720 Speaker 8: was the great bully of the Middle East and the world. 527 00:29:56,760 --> 00:30:03,120 Speaker 8: It was the prime sort of state terrorism across many continents, 528 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 8: including in the Western Hemisphere, including by the way, with 529 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:11,160 Speaker 8: Venezuela and with others. And they killed and named more 530 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:14,480 Speaker 8: Americans than any other force in recent decades. Thousands and 531 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:19,080 Speaker 8: thousands killed and maimed in Afghanistan by Iranian IED's. They 532 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:22,160 Speaker 8: bombed your embassies. They tried to kill President Trump twice 533 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:25,640 Speaker 8: or so, trying to kill them. Most importantly is they 534 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:30,480 Speaker 8: chant death to America. They also say death to Israel. 535 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:34,560 Speaker 8: But they say America is the great Satan. They're religious 536 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 8: zealots and they have to wipe out Western culture led 537 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 8: by America, and Israel is considered the little Satan because 538 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 8: we're just standing in their way of conquering the Middle East. 539 00:30:44,880 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 8: Which is their preliminary step of getting to America and 540 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 8: hitting America. So this is a regime that has been 541 00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 8: targeting America for forty seven years. It's their rezone, detroits, 542 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:03,080 Speaker 8: their reason for being. They're completely ideological fanatics who are 543 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 8: not necessarily responsive to, you know, the careful calculation of 544 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:10,160 Speaker 8: costs and benefit. So they do things that other countries 545 00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:13,080 Speaker 8: don't do. You have countries that are adversarial to you, 546 00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:17,280 Speaker 8: But I don't hear North Korea chanting death to America. 547 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:20,000 Speaker 8: I don't hear China chanting both Korea. 548 00:31:20,040 --> 00:31:20,800 Speaker 7: I don't hear Russia. 549 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:23,320 Speaker 8: You know, these are all countries which you have which 550 00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:27,640 Speaker 8: are adversarial to you, but they're not seized by this fanaticism. 551 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:31,680 Speaker 8: But Iran is. So. Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons 552 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:34,080 Speaker 8: and the means to deliver them to every American city. 553 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:36,680 Speaker 8: And this is what this is about. Preventing them from 554 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 8: having this intercontinental ballistic missiles with nuclear weapons to tip them, 555 00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:47,360 Speaker 8: which could threaten the life of every American. That's why 556 00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:50,480 Speaker 8: President Trump chose to act to prevent them from doing this. 557 00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 1: Now you can obviously hear they're from ben Renette Yahoo 558 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:56,760 Speaker 1: that he understands he has a mission that he's trying 559 00:31:56,760 --> 00:31:59,080 Speaker 1: to accomplish. That mission is a little bit different than 560 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:01,880 Speaker 1: the US's mission. It may take a little bit longer 561 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:03,240 Speaker 1: for him to be able to do what he needs 562 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:06,080 Speaker 1: to do to protect his people, and clearly the President 563 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:09,560 Speaker 1: understands that. What's also interesting is what we said earlier 564 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:10,920 Speaker 1: today on Fox News Channel. 565 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:12,760 Speaker 3: Take a listen to Brian Mask. 566 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:16,680 Speaker 1: He's the Republican from Florida, the House Foreign Affairs Chairman, 567 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:18,720 Speaker 1: and this is what he had to say about what's 568 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:21,480 Speaker 1: happening not only on Wall Street, but also the price 569 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:23,920 Speaker 1: of crude oil and the strait of Horror Mouz, as 570 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:26,800 Speaker 1: well as Donald Trump's outline for what he's trying to do. 571 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:29,840 Speaker 9: So let's bring in now our House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman, 572 00:32:30,040 --> 00:32:33,720 Speaker 9: Florida Republican, Brian Mast. Welcome to you, sir. First, I 573 00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:35,800 Speaker 9: want to ask you about the breaking news that seems 574 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:38,720 Speaker 9: to be sending markets much much higher at this moment. 575 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:42,080 Speaker 9: The Dow up nine hundred and twenty points. It's a 576 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:44,560 Speaker 9: big turnaround for where it was earlier today, and it 577 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:48,000 Speaker 9: seems to be hinging on this report to reports, one 578 00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:50,280 Speaker 9: from the Wall Street Journal, one from the New York Post, First, 579 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:53,360 Speaker 9: the Wall Street Journal reporting that President Trump is telling 580 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:57,440 Speaker 9: AIDS reportedly that he's willing to end the war without 581 00:32:57,600 --> 00:33:01,720 Speaker 9: fully reopening the Strait of Horror. Is the concern, apparently 582 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:05,280 Speaker 9: from the President is that this would push the Epic 583 00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 9: Fury operation past its six week deadline. I want to 584 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:10,360 Speaker 9: get your thoughts and your reaction first to that. 585 00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:12,160 Speaker 3: A couple of reactions. 586 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:14,480 Speaker 10: Just Number one, the President had outlined a goal from 587 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:16,760 Speaker 10: the beginning. He's trying to stay within the parameters of 588 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:19,520 Speaker 10: what he outlined. Number Two, you have, of course, golf 589 00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:22,120 Speaker 10: partners in the golf partners in the region that are 590 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:25,240 Speaker 10: unwilling to see the Straits of Hormuz be this toll 591 00:33:25,320 --> 00:33:28,479 Speaker 10: road for a run where they can simply charge for 592 00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:30,320 Speaker 10: anything that goes in or out of there. They're not 593 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:33,280 Speaker 10: going to allow that to take place. And so there's conversations, 594 00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:35,760 Speaker 10: debate everything going on with that as well. And if 595 00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:39,200 Speaker 10: the United States accomplishes its mission of destroying every single 596 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:42,200 Speaker 10: piece of Iranian military hardware, the drones, the Navy, the 597 00:33:42,240 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 10: Air Force, the ballistic missiles, everything that can reach out 598 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:47,480 Speaker 10: and touch us, as has been our goal, then we've 599 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:50,480 Speaker 10: essentially controlled the straits in the way that we decided 600 00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:52,320 Speaker 10: from the onset that we wanted to control this. 601 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:55,760 Speaker 1: It is very clear that Wall Street and also the 602 00:33:55,800 --> 00:33:58,640 Speaker 1: rest of the world is reacting to President Donald Trump 603 00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:01,240 Speaker 1: making it very clear he does not believe this war 604 00:34:01,320 --> 00:34:04,440 Speaker 1: is going to last that much longer. He also believes 605 00:34:04,440 --> 00:34:08,520 Speaker 1: that we are accomplishing our mission, and that is about 606 00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:12,320 Speaker 1: safety and security. We'll see what happens in the days ahead, 607 00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:14,840 Speaker 1: and we'll cover it all for you. Make sure you 608 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:17,400 Speaker 1: share this podcast with your family and friends, put it 609 00:34:17,480 --> 00:34:20,920 Speaker 1: up on social media wherever you are, and we appreciate 610 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:21,879 Speaker 1: you listening every day. 611 00:34:21,920 --> 00:34:23,680 Speaker 3: We'll see you back here tomorrow.