WE'VE BEEN BEGGING TO HEAR IT,
WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM
STEPHEN COLBERT HIMSELF.
OF COURSE, HE'LL NEVER COME.
INSTEAD, WE ARE JOINED BY --
AT LEAST HE WAS BRAVE ENOUGH TO
COME AND EXPLAIN HIMSELF.
THANKS FOR COMING ON.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> Tucker: WE HAVE LEGITIMATE
NEWS ON THIS STORY, THIS COMES
FROM WRITERS.
THE DEFENSE SECRETARY ASKED
SPECIFICALLY THE QUESTION OF
ESSENTIALLY WE ON MONDAY WHEN
YOU CALLED US TRADERS.
"WE'RE STILL ASSESSING THE
INTELLIGENCE, OURSELVES AND OUR
ALLIES.
WE'RE STILL WORKING ON IT.
AS WITH THE GAS ATTACK LAST
YEAR, LAST APRIL, THE SECRETARY
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE HAS NOT
CONFIRMED THAT WE KNOW THE ASSAD
GOVERNMENT DID IT.
WHY AM I UNPATRIOTIC FOR ASKING
THE SAME QUESTION?
>> I HAVE NOT CALLED YOU A
TRAITOR, I'VE NOT CALLED YOU
UNPATRIOTIC.
>> Tucker: YOU DID.
YOU CALLED ME AND UNPATRIOTIC
THE GEOPOLITICAL NARRATIVE IN
ADVANCE OF A BLOODSOAKED REGIME.
YOU WERE ATTACKING ME FOR ASKING
THE MOST BASIC OF ALL QUESTIONS.
IT TURNS OUT THE SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE HAS THE SAME QUESTIONS.
>> YOU ARE ADVANCING PRO-ASSAD
NARRATIVE.
YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT THEIR TV.
>> Tucker: THAT'S IRRELEVANT
TO THE QUESTION.
I DON'T SEEK THAT COVERAGE.
THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE HAS
BEEN ASKED TWICE DIRECTLY AND IN
NEITHER CASE DID HE AND CONTRAST
TO PROPAGANDISTS LIKE YOURSELF
SAY WE KNOW THE ASSAD GOVERNMENT
DID THIS.
THIS IS NOT AN ANCILLARY
QUESTION.
>> HE MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT HE
IS NOT QUESTIONING THE OUTCOME
INVESTIGATIONS LIKE THAT WERE
THE UNITED NATIONS WHICH WENT SO
FAR AS TO SAY NOT ONLY DO WE
CLAIM THIS, BUT SYRIA WAS
RESPONSIBLE FOR IT.
>> Tucker: AGAIN, I DON'T WANT
THE Q&A WITH THE SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE ON THE PREVIOUS GAS
ATTACK.
HE'S ASKED ABOUT EVIDENCE.
NO, I HAVE NOT GOT THAT
EVIDENCE.
I DON'T HAVE THE EVIDENCE PRINT
WHAT I'M SAYING IS OTHER GROUPS
ON THE GROUND, THE FIGHTERS HAVE
SAID SERUM HAS BEEN USED.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE.
I DON'T HAVE EVIDENCE CREDIBLE
OR INCREDIBLE.
THAT WAS THE RESPONSE FROM THE
ACTUAL EXCHANGE.
IS HE AN AGENT OF THE PUTIN TOO?
>> I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU WOULD
SAY THAT.
THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE
GROUND IN WESTERN SYRIA, HAVE
ESTABLISHED RATHER DEFINITIVELY
THAT THIS 2017 ATTACK WAS A
SYRIAN ATTACK
>> Tucker: NOBODY IS
CONTESTING THE NATURE OF THE
ATTACK.
THAT'S IMMATERIAL.
WE CAN DETERMINE WHAT THE
CHEMICAL WAS, THE QUESTION IS
WHO LAUNCHED IT.
THAT'S THE QUESTION ON WHICH OUR
ACTION TURNS.
IF IT WAS BY REBEL GROUPS, WE
PROBABLY WOULDN'T ATTACK THE
SYRIAN ARMY IN RESPONSE.
WHO DID IT IS THE QUESTION.
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS NOT
DEFINITIVELY DETERMINE THAT.
THAT'S ALL I SAID ON MONDAY AND
YOU ACCUSE ME OF DEFENDING --
>> YOU SAID THIS WAS WAS A B
>> YOU SAID THIS WAS WAS A G
>> YOU SAID THIS WAS WAS A N
>> YOU SAID THIS WAS WAS A E
>> YOU SAID THIS WAS WAS A R
DESIGNED TO MITIGATE THE PUBLIC
OPINION ESSENTIALLY QUESTIONING
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
SUGGESTING THAT THEY HAVE MISLED
THE PUBLIC.
>> Tucker: I'M QUESTIONING
ANYONE WHO STATES A FACT.
IT IS PROPAGANDISTIC TO SAY
SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T KNOW IS
TRUE.
>> WE KNOW THE REBELS DON'T HAVE
AN AIR FORCE, WE KNOW THAT THEY
ARE DELIVERED BY CANISTERS, THEY
ARE APPEARING IN A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT PLACES WHICH IS
COMPRESSION WHICH IS WHAT YOU
NEED AND THAT IS INFORMATION
THAT IS DELIVERED TO US BY
PEOPLE ON THE GROUND.
WE DO NOT HAVE AMERICAN ASSETS
IN WESTERN SYRIA.
>> Tucker: THESE ARE PEOPLE
WITH SKIN IN THE GAME.
I AM NOT HERE TO DEFEND, I
HARDLY HAVE TO SAY THIS WITH A
RATIONAL PERSON, THE REGIME OF
ASSAD, MY INTEREST IS ONLY IN
WHAT'S BEST FOR AMERICA.
THAT'S WHY ACTORS LIKE YOU AND
ON MANY OTHER CHANNELS AND ALL
OF THE LEFT, YOU'RE HEARING
PEOPLE SAY, WHAT YOU SAID WHICH
IS UNPATRIOTIC OR IN FACT,
TREASONOUS TO ASK THESE
QUESTIONS.
HOW DO YOU COUNTER THE EFFECT OF
THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS SAYING
THE SAME THING I SAID ON MONDAY?
DO YOU THINK HE'S DISLOYAL?
THAT'S A REAL QUESTION.
>> I WILL REPEAT YOU ARE
MISCHARACTERIZING HIS REMARKS.
HE IS NOT COMING INTO QUESTION
THE EVIDENCE THAT HAS BEEN PUT
TO THE UNITED NATIONS.
IF YOU DO WANT TO GET INTO WHY
IT'S NECESSARY TO RESPOND, NOT
IN SOME VAGUE NOTIONS OF
MORALITY, THAT WE SHOULD TALK
ABOUT THAT.
I CAN AGREE THAT THE AMERICAN
PUBLIC HAS NOT BEEN INFORMED OF
THE POLITICAL CLASS AS TO WHAT
THE INTERESTS ARE.
>> Tucker: PLEASE DON'T SPEAK
OF THE POLITICAL CLASSES AS IF
YOU STAND OUTSIDE IT.
YOU ARE CLEARLY ACTING AS A TOOL
ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE WHO WANT THE
U.S. TO PROCEED WITH THE WAR AND
MAYBE WE SHOULD.
I CAN KEEP AN OPEN MIND BECAUSE
I DON'T KNOW.
AND YOU HAVE ENGAGED IN A LOT
AND OTHERS.
DON'T PRETEND TO KNOW WHAT YOU
DON'T KNOW.
NOW YOU'RE TELLING ME WHY IT'S
AMERICA'S INTEREST TO WAGE WAR
IN SYRIA.
>> NUMBER ONE, UNITED STATES HAS
TRAVELED ALL OVER THE WORLD WHEN
AMERICANS COME IN CONTACT WITH
THESE LIKE THEY DID IN IRAQ, IT
WILL AFFECT YOU THE REST OF YOUR
LIFE.
WE DO NOT WE DO SEE A FUTURE IN
WHICH CHEMICAL WARFARE HAS
BECOME THE STATUS QUO OF THE
BATTLEFIELD BECAUSE THE
UNITED STATES WILL COME IN
CONTACT.
SECONDARILY IN THE LAST 14
MONTHS, STATE SPONSORED
TERRORIST ATTACKS ON FOREIGN
SOIL, RUSSIA USING WEAPONS OF
MASS DESTRUCTION.
USING CHEMICAL AGENTS.
THIS IS A DANGEROUS NEW REALITY
I NEED TO STOP IT NOW.
>> Tucker: I COULDN'T AGREE
MORE, BUT YOU'RE ARGUING
PARALLEL TO THE REAL ARGUMENT
WHICH IS HOW DO WE RESPOND AND
WHO DID THIS?
WE KNOW THAT REBEL GROUPS HAVE
POSSESSION OF THE VIDEO OF THEM
IN POSSESSION OF CHEMICAL
WEAPONS.
IF YOU SEEK TO DETER THE USE OF
CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN THE FUTURE,
YOU WANT TO PUNISH THE PEOPLE
WHO USED THEM THIS TIME.
AS WE STATED AT THE OUTSET AND
YOU AGREED, WE'RE NOT SURE.
>> TAKING MORE PREMISE AT FACE
VALUE, THAT REBEL GROUP AND
ISLAMIST GROUPS GET THEIR HANDS
OR CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN THE
LESSON THERE IS TO PREVENT THE
IMPLOSION OF THE STATE THAT HAS
CHEMICAL WEAPONS.
IF YOU WERE TO NIP THIS IN THE
BUD, YOU WOULD WANT TO TAKE AWAY
ANY FUTURE POLICIES.
>> Tucker: I'M NOT CALLING FOR
A WAR WITH SYRIA, BUT WE ARE OUT
OF TIME ON THIS ONE POINT WHICH
IS IF YOU WANT TO HAVE AN ADULT
CONVERSATION ABOUT ADULT ISSUES,
WOULDN'T YOU AGREE THAT IT'S
HELPFUL NOT TO CALL NAMES COME
FROM A BUT TO ENGAGE WITH THE
ACTUAL QUESTION?
>> I'M NOT CALLING YOU NAMES.
I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTIONS
DIRECTLY.
>> Tucker: SELF-AWARENESS IS
NOT YOUR STRONG SUIT, BUT I
APPRECIATE COMING ON.
VERY FEW ON THE ISLAND OF WHERE
HE LIVES.
NIGEL, THANKS FOR COMING ON.
AS OF SUPPORTER, WHAT DO YOU
MAKE OF THE MOVE TOWARDS
ENGAGEMENT IN WAR WITH SYRIA?
THE COSTOMACH TO
MIKE
>> WHAT WAS THE RESULT, HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF DEATHS AND
CHAOS.
LIBYA, THE SAME.
WE GET END, WE GET RID OF A
NATIONALIST LEADER WE DON'T LIKE
AND WE OPEN A DOOR FOR ISIS AND
THAT CALLS FOR CRISIS.
OUR TRACK RECORD OF INTERVENING
BECAUSE MORALLY, WE THINK WE
SHOULD WITHOUT A PROPER STRATEGY
SHOULD WITHOUT A PROPER STRATEG
STRATEGY, WITHOUT A LONG-TERM
PLAN IS BAD.
A WEEK AGO, THE PRESIDENT SAID
WE WERE PULLED UP SYRIA.
TONIGHT, WE APPEAR TO BE ON THE
VERGE OF PERHAPS QUITE
LARGE-SCALE MILITARY ACTION
JOINING.
DO WE HAVE A PLAN QUESTION OR
COULD YOU IMAGINE IF THE SCALE
OF THE STRIKES WAS SUCH, DO WE
ACTUALLY THINK THAT WOULD MAKE
SYRIA BETTER?
WHATEVER WE THINK OF ASSAD, THEY
HAVE JUST BEATEN ISIS MILITARILY
IN THE FIELD.
>> Tucker: YET, THE ADVOCATES
FOR THIS ARE TELLING US THAT
SOMEHOW, ASSAD, HIS GOVERNMENT
HAS BEEN AT WAR WITH EXTREMISTS
FOR YEARS, WAS SOMEHOW IN LEAGUE
WITH ISIS.
WHY ALL THE LIEN?
WHAT IS THIS REALLY ABOUT?
I'M HONESTLY CONFUSED.
I KNOW LYING WHEN I SEE IT AND
IT'S GOING ON NOW IN A LARGE
SCALE.
>> I'M ALSO CURIOUS AS TO WHY
DONALD TRUMP WHO WAS SO CLEAR IN
2013 AS I WAS AS TO WHY IT WAS
NOT A GOOD IDEA TO GET INVOLVED
WITH SYRIA.
IT WAS NOT A GOOD IDEA TO ARM
THE REBELS.
QUITE WHY IT DONALD TRUMP
APPEARS TO HAVE THIS CHANGE OF
MIND, I DON'T KNOW.
IT SEEMS FOR SOME TIME THAT THE
GLOBALIST IN THE WEST NEED TO
HAVE AN ENEMY AND THEY WANT TO
HAVE A WAR.
HAVING A WAR IS THE MOST SERIOUS
DECISION ANY GOVERNMENT COULD
EVER TAKE.
IT SHOULD NOT BE DONE WITHOUT A
CLEAR STRATEGY.
I'LL GIVE A WARNING, A WARNING
TO ALL THE POLITICIANS HERE IN
BRITAIN AND MANY OF THOSE IN
AMERICA.
YOU AND YOUR CHUMS TONIGHT MAY
THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO
DO IT WOULD BE VERY CAREFUL AND
VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT PUBLIC
OPINION.
A POLL OUT IN BRITAIN TODAY
SHOWS ONLY ONE IN FOUR BRITONS
SUPPORT MILITARY ACTION AND I'LL
BET IN AMERICA, IT'S NOT A
MAJORITY EITHER.
>> Tucker: IF YOU DON'T
BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY, DOESN'T
MATTER.
LAST QUESTION, DO YOU THINK THAT
ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF WAR WOULD
BE TO DIVERT ATTENTION FROM THE
FACT THAT YOU'RE NOT TAKING CARE
OF YOUR OWN PEOPLE?
WHEN YOU DON'T, MAY BE HAVING A
WAR IS THE WAY TO CHANGE THE
CONVERSATION.
SPEAK OUT YES, IT IS, IT'S ALSO
A GREAT DEFLECTION AWAY FROM ALL
SORTS OF SOCIALISTS.
THE FIRST ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IS
TO PROTECT AND MAINTAIN THE
INTERESTS OF ITS CITIZENS.
HOWEVER HORRIBLE THINGS IN SYRIA
ARE, THEY DO NOT AFFECT DIRECTLY
AMERICAN INTERESTS OR BRITISH
INTERESTS AND I HOPE OUR LEADERS