TALK ABOUT A NUCLEAR DEAL.
THE TALKS WILL EXTEND INTO NEXT
MONTH.
LET’S BRING IN FORMER C.I.A.
STATION CHIEF DAN HOFFMAN.
DO YOU THINK THE AYATOLLAHS DO
SMELL WEAKNESS IN THE WHITE
HOUSE?
>> I THINK THAT THERE ARE A
LITANY OF CONCERNS ABOUT THE
NUCLEAR DEAL WITH IRAN STARTING
WITH THE FACT THAT THIS DEAL
DOESN’T ADDRESS IRAN STATE
SPONSORSHIP OF TERRORISM WHICH
INCLUDES THEIR ATTEMPT TO
ASSASSINATE OUR FORMER NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISOR JOHN BOLTON.
IT DOESN’T DEAL WITH THEIR
BALLISTIC MISSILE PROGRAM AND
THE FACT THAT WE FOUND URANIUM
AT THREE PREVIOUSLY UNDISCLOSED
FACILITIES IN IRAN AS THE
PRESIDENT REFUSES TO DISCUSS AS
PART OF THIS DEAL.
BUT THE OVERRIDING CONCERN IS
THAT THERE IS NO CHANCE THAT
ANY SUCH DEAL COULD BE
INCORPORATED INTO A TREATY.
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS
OPPOSE IT.
THAT MEANS THE DEAL IN AND OF
ITSELF IS UNLIKELY TO PRODUCE
WHAT WE WANT.
IRAN IS A NUCLEAR THRESHOLD
STATE RIGHT NOW.
EVEN IF A DEAL WERE SIGNED WITH
THE NUCLEAR SUNSET CLAUSES IT
WOULD INCREASE THE TIME BEFORE
IRAN COULD HAVE A NUCLEAR
WEAPON TO A COUPLE OF YEARS.
THERE IS A LOT OF CONCERN OUT
THERE AND MOSTLY ALSO FROM THE
ISRAELIS WHO HAPPEN TO LIVE IN
THE BACKYARD IN THE MIDDLE EAST
AND RIGHTLY SO.
>> Trace: NOBODY IS MORE
CONCERNED AS THE ISRAELIS.
THE DEFENSE MINISTER PLANS TO
VITS.
THE PURPOSE OF THE VISIT IS TO
CONVEY A CLEAR MESSAGE
REGARDING NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN
THE POWERS AND IRAN ON THE
NUCLEAR AGREEMENT.
AN AGREEMENT THAT WILL NOT
RETURN IRAN’S CAPABILITIES
YEARS BACK AND WILL NOT LEAVE
IT LIMITED FOR MANY YEARS TO
COME IS AN AGREEMENT THAT WILL
HARM GLOBAL AND REGIONAL
SECURITY.
HE IS NOT ALONE.
THERE IS A LOT OF AGREEMENT ON
THAT EXACT STATEMENT.
>> THERE IS.
AND LOOK, I THINK PART OF THIS
DISCUSSION THAT HAS TO TAKE
PLACE IS WHAT IS OUR PLAN?
THE ISRAELIS HAVE LAUNCHED
ATTACKS ON IRAN’S NUCLEAR
SCIENTISTS, MOST NOTABLY BACK
IN NOVEMBER OF 2020.
THE DIRECTOR OF IRAN’S NUCLEAR
PROGRAM.
IT HASN’T STOPPED IRAN.
WHAT IS OUR POLICY THAT WILL
INSURE THAT IRAN DOES NOT EVER
HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON
CAPABILITY?
I THINK THAT’S SOMETHING WE
NEED TO BE DISCUSSING WITH THE
ISRAELIS AS WELL.
>> Trace: JENNIFER GRIFFIN
TALKED TO THE FORMER GENERAL
MCKENZIE.
GET YOUR TAKE.
>> IF THE U.S. SIGNS THE IRAN
NUCLEAR DEAL AS IT LOOKS LIKE
THEY ARE GOING TO AND SANCTIONS
RELIEF IS PROVIDED, WHAT IMPACT
WILL HAVE IT ON A IRANIAN
REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORP?
>> ADDED FUNDING TO FURTHER
SUPPORT THEIR MALIGN ACTIVITIES
ACROSS THE REGION.
>> THAT’S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
IRAN IS SUPPORTING PROXY
MILITIAS IN YEMEN AND IRAQ AND
PROPPING UP SYRIA AND REMEMBER
THAT IF WE REMOVE SANCTIONS ARE
IRAN RUSSIAN OIL WILL FLOW TO
IRAN AND THEY CAN RESELL THE
OIL AND HELP RUSSIA’S WAR
EFFORT IN UKRAINE.
IT IS INTERCONNECTED.
THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION NEEDS
TO FACTOR IN ALL OF THESE
POTENTIAL RAMIFICATIONS OF WHAT
IS FOR SURE CONSIDERED TO BE A
BAD DEAL AMONG NOT JUST
REPUBLICANS, BUT DEMOCRATS AS
WELL.
>> Trace: 10 SECONDS LEFT.
I WANT TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS
QUICKLY ON THE U.S. WARSHIPS
SAILING THROUGH THE STRAIT OF
TAIWAN FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE
NANCY PELOSI WENT THERE.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS?
>> WELL, CHINA CONSIDERS TAIWAN
TO BE A BREAKAWAY PROVINCE AND
CONSIDER THE TAIWAN STRAIT TO
BE PART OF ITS TERRITORIAL
WATERS AND WE’RE TRYING TO
DEMONSTRATE THAT FREEDOM OF THE
SEA AND NAVIGATION IS STILL IN
HOLD.
CHINA IS TRYING TO INTIMIDATE
NOT US AS MUCH.
I THINK THEY CAN’T REALLY DO
THAT.
BUT POTENTIAL AISLES IN THE
REGION OF OURS AND DISSUADE
THEM FROM SUPPORTING TAIWAN.
THEY WANT TO ISOLATE TAIWAN.
TAIWAN IS A FLASH POINT ON THE
FAULT LINE BETWEEN DEMOCRACY
AND CHINA’S DICTATORSHIP.