LOU: AT LEAST 17 CIVILIANS, FIVE
CHILDREN DEAD AFTER RUSSIA
LAUNCHES AIR STRIKES AGAINST A
REBEL HELD PROVINCE IN
NORTHWESTERN SYRIA.
YESTERDAY PRESIDENT TRUMP WARNED
SYRIA, IRAN AND RUSSIA THAT ANY
ATTACK AGAINST THE PROVINCE
WOULD BE A GRAVE HUMANITARIAN
MISTAKE.
THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY THREATEN
TO RETALIATE SHOULD ASSAD USE
KEANE.
GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US,
GENERAL.
THE PRESIDENT.
AND YOUR REACTION TO ITS
ENFORCEABILITY AND THE
PROSPECTS.
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, HE WASN'T
SPECIFIC IN HIS STATEMENT ABOUT
WHAT WOULD CAUSE HIM TO REACT.
HE'S OBVIOUSLY OPPOSING WHAT IS
ABOUT TO BE A VERY LARGE SCALE
MILITARY CAMPAIGN TO DESTROY THE
20,000-PLUS OPPOSITION FORCES
THAT ARE IN THE PROVINCE, 10,000
OF WHICH BY THE WAY ARE AL KEI
DISA.
BUT THE QUESTION THAT PEOPLE
AND THE ASSAD WAY OF WAR AND THE
CAMPAIGNING TO KILL AS MANY
CIVILIANS.
, DESTROY AS MANY STRUCTURES AS
FORCES OUT OF THE AREA.
OUR CONCERN, STATED BY OTHER
U.S. OFFICIALS, HAS BEEN IF THEY
USE CHEMICAL WEAPONS THEN WE
WILL RESPOND.
I THINK WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS
JUST CAUTIONING THEM ABOUT
CONDUCTING ANOTHER BLOOD BATH
CAMPAIGN WHERE SO MANY PEOPLE
ARE GOING TO DIE, WOMEN AND
CHILDREN AND OTHERS.
THE RUSSIANS BY THE WAY ARE
FULLY IN SUPPORT OF ASSAD HERE.
THIS IS WHAT THEY DID WHEN PUTIN
TOOK OVER, 90 DAYS AFTER HE TOOK
OVER IN RUSSIA, HE WENT INTO
CHECHNYA.
AND USED CONVENTIONAL FORCES, A
BOMBING CAMPAIGN AND KILLED TENS
OF THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHAT THIS CAMPAIGN IS
ABOUT.
THE PRESIDENT THOUGH BEING CLEAR
THAT THE UNITED STATES WOULD
MANNER, IF THE ASSAD, AGAIN,
USES CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
HOW RELIABLE IS THE JUDGMENT ON
CHEMICAL WEAPONS?
HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU THAT WE
HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE THAT
DETERMINATION WITHOUT A DOUBT?
>> NO, I'M CONFIDENT ABOUT IT.
AND WE'VE BEEN ACCURATE AT EVERY
TIME THAT WE'VE CALLED IT.
YOU KNOW, FOLLOW ON INSPECTIONS
PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS.
SO YOU KNOW, ANY AIRPLANE THAT
TAKES OFF IN SYRIA, WE HAVE FULL
VISIBILITY OF THE THING RUNNING
DOWN THE RUNWAY, MUCH LESS WHERE
IT GOES AND WHAT IT DOES.
WE HAVE ABSOLUTE VISIBILITY OF
ALL OF THAT.
SO IF SOMETHING GOES OVER A TOWN
AND DROPS BOMBS, WE'RE WATCHING
THAT.
30 MINUTES OR AN HOUR WE'RE
HEARING THAT THERE'S CHEMICALS
THAT ARE SPLASHED ALL OVER THE
PEOPLE THERE.
SO WE KNOW WHO DID IT.
WE HAVE THEIR FINGERPRINTS ON
IT, SO TO SPEAK.
LOU: WHAT'S YOUR JUDGMENT?
WILL THE PRESIDENT'S THREAT BE
SUFFICIENT TO FORCE SUCH A
HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE?
LISTEN, THE REALITY IS THE
RUSSIANS AND THE IRANS HAVE
SUCCESSFULLY.
WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF LEVERAGE
INTO NORTHERN SYRIA TO TRY TO
DETER THEM BUT THEY'RE DEAD SET
ON DOING.
THIS THE RUSSIANS HAVE MOVED 36
ADDITIONAL AIRPLANES INTO THEIR
SHIPS OUTSIDE.
THEY'RE GOING TO USE CRUISE
MISSILES AS WELL.
THEY'RE READY TO CONDUCT A
MASSIVE CAMPAIGN HERE AND IT'S
GOING TO BE AWFUL TO WATCH.
AND MUCH MORE AWFUL TO
EXPERIENCE CERTAINLY.
LIT BE HORRIFIC LIKE WE'VE SEEN
IN EASTERN GUDA AND ALSO IN