PRETTY MUCH ACROSS THE BOARD.
MEANWHILE, WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT
THE LATEST STORY AROUND FOREIGN
POLICY AND THAT IS JOHN KERRY IS
UNDER FIRE.
SPECIAL CLIMATE ENVOY KERRY
DENYING ALLEGATIONS THIS MORNING
THAT HE INFORMED THE IRANIAN
FOREIGN MINISTER OF COVERT
ISRAELI MILITARY OPERATIONS
WHILE SERVING AS PRESIDENT
OBAMA’S SECRETARY OF STATE.
IN LEAKED AUDIOTAPES, IRANIAN
FOREIGN MINISTER SAID THAT KERRY
SHOCKINGLY INFORMED HIM THAT
ISRAEL ATTACKED IRANIAN TARGETS
IN SYRIA OVER 200 TIMES.
KERRY IS FACING CALLS TO RESIGN
FROM HIS POSITION AS PRESIDENT
BIDEN’S CLIMATE CZAR.
JOINING ME NOW IS RETIRED FOUR
STAR GENERAL, STRATEGIC ANALYST
GENERAL JACK KEANE.
IT’S GREAT TO SEE YOU THIS
MORNING.
THANK YOU HE VERY MUCH FOR
JOINING US PARTICULARLY ON THIS
VERY TROUBLING STORY.
FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LOVE TO
KNOW HOW YOU SEE THIS, WHETHER
OR NOT JOHN KERRY PICKED THIS
INFORMATION UP BECAUSE WE WERE
SPYING ON ISRAEL TO BEGIN WITH.
WE GET THIS INFORMATION FROM
ISRAEL AND HE PASSES IT ON TO
IRAN?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS
AN ALLEGATION.
WE DON’T KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL
TRUTH IS.
WE DO KNOW THE FOREIGN MINISTER
IN DOING HIS ORAL HISTORY ON THE
ADMINISTRATION HE’S SERVING
MAKES A NUMBER OF STUNNING
REVELATIONS AND CERTAINLY THIS
IS ONE OF THEM.
PRESIDENT ARE WE REALLY SUR --
BUT ARE WE REALLY SURPRISED
HERE?
THIS IS THE SAME JOHN KERRY WHO
DURING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
WHEN HE WAS OUT OF OFFICE WAS
COZYING UP TO THE IRANIANS
DURING THAT TIME AND UNDERMINING
U.S. POLICY.
IN OTHER WORDS, HE WAS TELLING
THE IRANIANS-THIS IS WHAT WE GOT
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND
THE SECRETARY OF STATE, THAT
THIS WAS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
HE WAS TELLING THE IRANIANS
TO-NOT TO FOLLOW -- GO ALONG
WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION,
WAIT IT OUT AND A NEW
ADMINISTRATION, OBVIOUSLY A
DEMOCRATIC ONE, WOULD COME IN
AND BE MORE FRIENDLIER TO YOU.
THAT WAS COMPLETELY
UNPRECEDENTED.
WE HAVE NEVER HAD ANYBODY DOING
ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN TERMS OF
UNDERMINING FOREIGN POLICY.
DISAGREEING WITH FOREIGN POLICY
TO BE SURE BUT UNDERMINING IT
WITH A FOREIGN POWER THAT’S
SOMETHING ELSE AGAIN.
SO I DON’T THINK WE’RE
SURPRISED.
WE DON’T KNOW TRULY WHAT THE
FACTS ARE.
BUT WE JUST CAN’T BE SURPRISED
BY WHAT IS HAPPENING AND
CERTAINLY IT’S WORTHY OF AN
INVESTIGATION TO TAKE A LOOK AND
SEE WHAT REALLY DID TAKE PLACE
HERE.
MARIA: YEAH.
WE’RE WAITING FOR MORE
INFORMATION.
WHAT WE KNOW RIGHT NOW IS THAT
THERE ARE NEW LEAKED AUDIOTAPES
AND THE AUDIO APPEARS TO REVEAL
THAT KERRY AND OF COURSE WE KNOW
THAT KERRY ALONG WITH MANY
OTHERS FROM THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION ARE NOW ON
BIDEN’S FOREIGN POLICY TEAM, HE
IS THE SPECIAL CLIMATE ENVOY.
HE DI DIVULGED THE DETAILS OF 20
CLAN200ISRAELI MILITARY OPERATIO
TAKEN AGAINST MILITARY TARGETS
IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
HE’S ALWAYS BEEN OBVIOUSLY
COZYING UP AS YOU SAY TO THE
IRANIANS.
IF THIS IS CONFIRMED, WHAT AN
INCREDIBLE DISGRACE.
IF THIS IS CONFIRMED, SHOULD HE
STEP DOWN, IN YOUR VIEW?
>> WELL, I THINK IT WAS
CONFIRMED.
THERE WOULD BE NO DOUBT ABOUT
IT, HE WOULD BE ASKED TO STEP
DOWN.
I DON’T SEE HOW THE
ADMINISTRATION COULD HAVE
ANYBODY SERVING THEM IN ANY
CAPACITY WHATSOEVER WHO
COMMITTED SUCH AN EGREGIOUS
VIOLATION.
WHAT HAPPENED HERE WITH THE
LEAKING OF THE TAPES IS THEY’RE
ALSO TRYING TO DISCREDIT THE
FOREIGN MINISTER ZARIF WHO HAS A
HEAVY HAND IN THE NEGOTIATIONS
THAT THE IRANIANS ARE DOING AND
THESE ARE THE HARD-LINERS AND HE
IS CONSIDERED TO BE A MODERATE.
THE HARD-LINERS DON’T WANT TO
GIVE AN INCH TO THE UNITED
STATES APARTMENT OUR ALLIES OVER
THE RETURN TO THE NUCLEAR DEAL
AND BELIEVE ME, WE ALL HAVE A
LOT OF CONCERN IN TERMS OF THE
DIRECTION THESE NEGOTIATIONS ARE
TAKING AS THE UNITED STATES IS
ABOUT TO LIFT SANCTIONS ON IRAN
IN RETURN FOR IRAN’S FULL
COMPLIANCE WITH THE DEAL.
IF THEY LIFT ALL THE SANCTIONS
AND DON’T TRY TO IMPROVE THE
DEAL, WE SQUANDERED A
SIGNIFICANT STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITY HERE AND I THINK IT
WILL BE CONSIDERED A SIGNIFICANT
FAILURE IF THAT DOES OCCUR.
MARIA: YOU KNOW, YOU’VE GOT TO
EXPLAIN HOW IT IS THAT THE U.S.
IS NOW BACK CONSIDERING GETTING
BACK INTO THIS IRANIAN NUCLEAR,
ALL THE WHILE U.S. AND IRANIAN
WAR SHIPS HAVING A TENSE
ENCOUNTER IN THE PERSIAN GULF
EARLIER THIS MORNING.
A GROUP OF SHIPS DEMANDED BY
IRAN’S REVOLUTIONARY GUARD
SWARMED TWO DIFFERENT U.S. COAST
GUARD SHIPS ON PATROL IN THE
PERSIAN GULF, CUTTING IN FRONT
OF THEM, FORCING THE SHIPS TO
MAKE ABRUPT STOPS TO AVOID
POSSIBLE COLLISIONSES.
THE ENCOUNTERS WOULD BE THE
FIRST INCIDENT BETWEEN THE TWO
NATIONS IN OVER A YEAR, GENERAL.
THIS AS JOE BIDEN IS NEGOTIATING
AND TRYING TO GET US BACK INTO
THE IRAN DEAL.
BY THE WAY, WE SHOULD POINT OUT
THERE WAS A MEETING ON THIS A
WEEK AND-A-HALF AGO.
THE U.S. WASN’T INVITED.
IT WAS CHINA, RUSSIA, IRAN,
TALKING ABOUT THE IRAN DEAL.
WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON THIS NEAR
COLLISION IN THE PERSIAN GULF?
>> THIS IS, AS YOU SAID, IT’S
DONE BY THE REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS
AND THEY WORK FOR THE SUPREME
LEADER.
THEY’RE NOT A PART OF THE NORMAL
MILITARY ORG. OF ANY --
ORGANIZATION.
WHAT I THINK HAS TAKEN PLACE IS
A COUPLE THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, THIS USED TO BE A
PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR IN THE PAST.
IT WAS DONE MOSTLY BECAUSE IT
GETS A LOT OF PRESS, IT’S DONE
MOSTLY FOR OUR ALLIES IN THE
REGION WHERE IRAN IS
DEMONSTRATING TO THEM, IT, WE’RE
THE MAJOR POWER IN THE MIDDLE
EAST.
THE UNITED STATES IS A FOREIGN
INTERVENTIONIST.
LOOK AT US, WE CAN INTIMIDATE
AND HARASS THE UNITED STATES AT
WILL HERE.
OUR ALLIES DON’T BUY INTO IT.
THEY DON’T SEE THE UNITED STATES
AS BEING WEAKENED AS A RESULT OF
THIS.
THEY KNOW WHO THE REAL MARITIME
POWER IS IN THE PERSIAN GULF TO
BE SURE.
BUT WHY NOW?
I THINK ALSO HERE --
REVOLUTIONARY GUARD, VERY
HARD-LINERS IN IRAN, ELECTION
COMING UP IN JUNE.
I THINK THIS IS BEING DONE TO
PUT MORE PRESSURE ON THE IRANIAN
NEGOTIATORS TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT
THEY THE TAKE A VERY HARD-LINE
STAND DEALING WITH THE UNITED
STATES, MUCH AS THEY DID BACK IN
2015.
THEY WANT TO SEE A REPLAY OF
THAT WHERE THE UNITED STATES
COMES OUT OF THIS DEAL HAVING
GIVEN UP ALL OF THE SANCTIONS OF
IRAN AND LOSING ALL THE LEVERAGE
THAT WE HAD.
THE MOMENTUM IN THE MIDDLE EAST
HAS TURNED AGAINST THE IRANIANS
AND THAT IS WHAT IS REALLY
REGRETTABLE AND UNFORTUNATE, THE
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION DOESN’T USE
ALL THAT LEVERAGE THAT EXISTS IN
THE MIDDLE EAST AS A RESULT OF
THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS, THE
NORMALIZATION WITH ISRAEL.
WHY ARE THOSE ARAB COUNTRIES
NORMALIZING RELATIONS WITH
ISRAEL?
BECAUSE OF THE THREAT OF IRAN.
THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A
FORMATION OF AN ARAB NATO.
THAT’S WHAT’S AT STAKE HERE.
THERE’S HUGE LEVERAGE AGAINST
THE IRANIANS AND WE SHOULD USE
IT TO OUR ADVANTAGE TO PROTECT
OUR ALLIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
MARIA: SO DO YOU WORRY THAT THE
ABRAHAM ACCORDS, THOSE FIVE
COUNTRIES THAT HAVE SAID YES, WE
WILL NORMALIZE RELATIONS WITH
ISRAEL, AS A RESULT OF THE
UNITED STATES, MIKE POMPEO DOING
THIS NEGOTIATING OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL YEARS, ARE THOSE ABRAHAM
ACCORDS IN JEOPARDY IF THE U.S.
GETS BACK INTO THE IRAN DEAL?
>> IT’S GOING TO PUT HUGE
PRESSURE ON IT FOR SURE.
THE ARABS CAME TOGETHER WITH
ISRAEL AS A RESULT OF THE
INVITATION OF THE UNITED STATES
TO JUST DO THAT.
THE UNITED STATES IN THE NAME OF
PRESIDENT TRUMP IN JULY OF 2017
TOLD THE ARAB STATES THAT HE
WOULD STAND AGAINST THEM DEALING
WITH THE STRATEGIC THREAT OF
IRAN.
THAT KIND OF STRENGTH NOW THAT
OUR ALLIES ARE LOOKING AT THE
NEGOTIATIONS AND BELIEVE ME,
NONE OF THE ARAB STATES OR
ISRAELIS AGREE WITH THE
NEGOTIATION T’S THAT ARE GOING
ON BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THE
UNITED STATES WILL GIVE UP THE
FARM, SO-TO-SPEAK, WILL GIVE UP
ALL OF THESE SANCTIONS AND HAVE
NOTHING IN RETURN.
WAS WHAT WE WANT IN RETURN IS TO
CURB THE BEHAVIOR IN THE HE
REGION.
THAT’S WHAT THEY WOULD SAY
NUMBER ONE, STOP THEIR PROBLEMS
HEY WARS AND -- PROXY WARS AND
CERTAINLY PROHIBIT THE
DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION OF
BALLISTIC MISSILES AND ANY TIME,
ANYWHERE WITH INSPECTIONS TO BE
SURE.
IMPROVEMENT CAN BE MADE HERE.
WHETHER THE UNITED STATES HAS
THE MENTAL TOUGHNESS TO DO THAT
REMAINS TO BE SEEN AND THAT’S
THE CONCERN OUR ALLIES IN THE
REGION HAVE, MARIA.
MARIA: I COULD IMAGINE.
WE’RE STILL TRYING TO -- QUICKLY
ON CHINA, WE ARE STILL TRYING TO
GET ALLIES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND
THE CHINA THREAT.
BUT I HAVEN’T SEEN ANY TOUGH
POLICY AGAINST CHINA EITHER.
WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE
CURRENT FOREIGN POLICY?
WE ARE COZYING UP TO OUR
ADVERSARIES, LIKE IRAN, AND
CHINA.
>> IC THE BIDEN ADD -- I THINK
THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAVE
DONE MUCH BETTER DEALING WITH
CHINA.
THEY HAVE TAKEN A STAND.
THEY HAVE MET WITH OUR ALLYS IN
THE REGION TO DEAL WITH CHINA,
TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE’RE
UNITED IN PUSHING BACK ON CHINA.
THE FIRST FOREIGN PRESIDENT THAT
BIDEN MET WITH WAS THE PRESIDENT
OF JAPAN, CERTAINLY PRIME
MINISTER OF JAPAN, EXCUSE HE ME,
AND HE GOT AN EARFUL ABOUT
CHINA.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAVE BEEN
OUT IN THE REGION DOING MUCH THE
SAME THING.
I THINK THEY’RE MOVING IN CHINA.
THEY GOT THE MESSAGE.
A LOT HAS CHANGED IN FOUR YEARS
SINCE DEALING WITH CHINA.
WE STILL HAVE TO SEE IF THEY
HAVE THE TOUGHNESS TO CONFRONT
CHINA, WHEN CHINA’S AGGRESSION
STARTS TO SPILL OVER MORE THAN
WHAT ITS IT CURRENTLY IS, IT WIL
HAPPEN, DEALING WITH TAIWAN AND
THE SOUTH CHINA SEA.
THAT HE REMAINS TO BE SEEN.
RIGHT NOW, THE RHETORIC AND
POLICY IS GOOD.
WE’LL SEE IF THE TOUGHNESS IS
THERE.
MARIA: STEP ONE MIGHT BE TO TRY
TO PUT THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE ON
THE CORONAVIRUS AND BRING UP
THE ISSUE, WHERE DID THE
CORONAVIRUS ORIGINATE, XI
JINPING.
THAT SUBJECT APPARENTLY HAS NOT
COME UP.
PETER DOOCY ASKED JOE BIDEN THE
QUESTION A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, HE
SAID NO, NO, NO, THAT HASN’T
COME UP.
GO FIGURE.
GENERAL, IT’S GOOD TO SEE YOU
THIS MORNING.