HAVE TO BE PULLED FROM THIS BILL
ONCE THE LEGISLATION GETS TO THE
U.S. SENATE.
MORE ON ALL OF THAT IN A MINUTE
BUT WE HAVE GOT TO START WITH
BREAKING NEWS FROM SYRIA WHERE
THE U.S. LAUNCHED AIR STRIKES
LATE YESTERDAY.
IT WAS THE FIRST KNOWN AIR
STRIKES OF JOE BIDEN’S
PRESIDENCY.
I WANT TO BRING IN THE MAN WHO
KNOWS BEST, OUR CHIEF FOREIGN
CORRESPONDENT RICHARD ENGEL, AND
FOUR STAR GENERAL BARRY
McCAFFREY.
RICHARD, WHAT DID THE U.S. DO
AND WHY?
>> WELL, THE U.S. LAID DOWN A
MARKER.
PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS ESTABLISHING
A PRECEDENT.
HE WAS SENDING A MESSAGE TO
IRAN, ACCEPTEDINGSENDING A MESSA
SHIITE MILITIAS BACKED BY IRAN.
THEY’VE OPERATED IN IRAQ FOR
QUITE SOME TIME, ARE KNOWN TO
HAVE FIRED ROCKETS AT THE GREEN
ZONE, AT U.S. INSTALLATIONS AND
HAVE RECENTLY BEEN INTENSIFYING
THEIR ROCKET ATTACKS BOTH ON THE
GREEN ZONE AND THEN EARLIER THIS
MONTH WITH QUITE AN INTENSE
BARRAGE ON THE CITY OF ILBEAL.
THESE MILITIA GROUPS OPERATE IN
IRAQ AND SYRIA.
FOR THE LAST DECADE SYRIA HAS
BEEN IN A PRACTICAL STATE OF --
SO WHAT HAPPENED?
IN RESPONSE TO THE ROCKET I
TACKS, PARTICULARLY THE ATTACK
ON ERBIL, PRESIDENT BIDEN
AUTHORIZED A AIR STRIKE ON THE
BORDER BETWEEN IRAQ AND SYRIA
TARGETING, ACCORDING TO U.S.
MILITARY OFFICIALS, THE SAME
MILITIA GROUPS CARRYING OUT THE
ROCKET ATTACKS, DESTROYING
SEVERAL BUILDINGS, ALL IN THAT
BORDER REGION BETWEEN IRAQ AND
SYRIA.
SO A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT THE
UNITED STATES WON’T TOLERATE
MORE ATTACKS AND THAT THIS
ADMINISTRATION IS NOT GOING TO
TOLERATE ATTACKS ON THE GREEN
ZONE OR OTHER U.S. MILITARY AND
DIPLOMATIC INSTALLATIONS.
>> GENERAL, I AM SO GRATEFUL
YOU’RE HERE.
WHY SHOULD AMERICANS CARE ABOUT
THIS?
WHAT DO THEY NEED TO KNOW?
>> WELL, OF COURSE A CENTRAL
ISSUE IS IRANIAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AND HOW DO
WE REENGAGE AFTER THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION UNILATERAL
WITHDRAWAL FROM THE AGREEMENT?
THE IRANIANS ARE CHOKING TO
DEATH WITH ECONOMIC SANCTIONS.
THEY SHOULD NOT WANT WAR.
THEY HAVE DEMANDED ALL THE
SANCTIONS GET LIFTED BEFORE THEY
WILL STOP THEIR REALLY STARTED
UP AGAIN NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM.
I THINK THEY’RE USING THESE AS
RICHARD CORRECTLY POINTS OUT
THEY’RE USING THESE SHIITE
MILITIAS AS PROXY FORCES.
THEY’VE INTENDED TO USE 107
MILLIMETER ROCKETS, A VERY
DANGEROUS WEAPON, IN STANDOFF
ATTACKS.
THERE’S BEEN THREE OF THEM IN
FEBRUARY. AND SO I THINK PRESIDENT BIDEN
AND SO I THINK PRESIDENT BIDEN
AND SECRETARY AUSTAN, AND
SECRETARY BLINKEN ENGAGED,
CALLED THE PRIME MINISTER, THEY
TOOK A REALLY MEASURED
DELIBERATE ACTION IN WHICH THEY
STRUCK THE CORRECT MILITIAS BUT
THEY DID IT IN SYRIA, FURTHER
REDUCING THE INFLAMMATORY NATURE
TO THE IRAQIS.
SO PRETTY GOOD MOVE.
THESE ARE GOOD PEOPLE.
THEY’VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME,
AND I THINK THEY’RE REALLY
TRYING TO ENGAGE THE IRANIANS IN
PRODUCTIVE TALKS ON THE NUCLEAR
WEAPONS PROGRAM.
>> BUT CAN YOU?
THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS
BEEN TALKING ABOUT RESTORING
NUCLEAR TALKS AFTER SOMETHING
LIKE THIS CAN THAT ACTUALLY
HAPPEN?
>> YEAH, I THINK IT WAS -- WE
HAD TO LAY DOWN A MARKER HERE.
WE CAN’T TOLERATE WITH A VERY
THIN PRESENCE ON THE GROUND
WE’RE DOWN TO AROUND 2,500
TROOPS IN IRAQ AND A FEW HUNDRED
IN SYRIA.
WE’RE IN A VULNERABLE SITUATION
SO WE CAN’T ALLOW THEM TO USE
THESE PROXY FORCES AS A TOOL TO
FORCE US BACK TO THE TABLE.
I THINK IT WAS A VERY THOUGHTFUL
MOVE ON THE PART OF PRESIDENT
BIDEN.
THE IRANIANS HAVE GOT TO
RESPOND.
THEY HAVE NO INTEREST IN WAR.
THEY’RE STILL SMARTING FROM THE
DELIBERATE ASSASSINATION BY THE
UNITED STATES OF THE COMMANDING
GENERAL, THE REVOLUTIONARY