>> LET'S FORGET NATIONAL
SECURITY EXPERT JASON
BEARDSLEY, HE'S THE NATIONAL
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE
ASSOCIATION OF THE U.S. NAVY.
JASON, GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH
SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY
BLINKEN SAYS HE BELIEVES
ACCUSATIONS THAT RUSSIA IS
COMMITTING WAR CRIMES IN
UKRAINE. LET'S TAKE A LISTEN.
>> VERY CREDIBLE REPORTS
DELIVERED ATTACKS ON
CIVILIANS, WHICH WOULD
CONSTITUTE A WAR CRIME. WE'VE
SEEN VERY CREDIBLE REPORTS
ABOUT THE USE OF CERTAIN
WEAPONS.
>> SO HE'S ECHOING WHAT WE'RE
ACTUALLY HEARING FROM
UKRAINIANS FIRSTHAND IF THE
U.S. BELIEVES THE REPORTS ARE
CREDIBLE. WHAT SHOULD THE U.S.
DO ABOUT IT. WHAT ARE THE
OPTIONS?
>> WELL, THIS IS A PRETTY
TOUGH, PLACE THAT THE UNITED
STATES GOT ITSELF INTO BECAUSE
WE'VE SAID VERY VOCIFEROUS
LEE, WE ARE NOT PUTTING TROOPS
IN THE CONTACT AND WE'RE NOT
GOING ENFORCE THE NO FLY ZONE.
THE MOST YOU'VE SEEN FROM THE
WHITE HOUSE AND THIS HAS BEEN
A CONSISTENT MESSAGE. IS THAT
WE MAY SUPPLY LETHAL MUNITIONS
OR WE MAY HELP IN THE
HUMANITARIAN CAUSE. BUT EVEN
ONCE THEY COME TO CONCLUSION
THAT THERE MAY BE WAR CRIMES
COMMITTED THE STATE DEPARTMENT
HAVE MUCH WIGGLE ROOM BASED ON
WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE AND
SAYING TO DO MORE THAN WHAT
THEY'VE ALREADY DONE
SANCTIONS, A DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT HERE'S WHERE THEY CAN
START. WE CAN START BY
STOPPING THE PURCHASE OF
RUSSIAN OIL THAT'S GOING ON
EVERY DAY AND FEELING WHAT THE
RUSSIANS ARE DOING ON THE
GROUND. THAT WOULD BE THE
FIRST MOVE THAT I WOULD LOOK
FOR. HERE'S SOMETHING ELSE
HAPPENING THAT SORT OF
INTRIGUING. THE U.S. IS
EXPLORING HOW TO US AND SOVIET
ERA FIGHTER JETS TO UKRAINE TO
HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT'S THE
STRATEGY BEHIND THIS. WHY NOT
JUST SEND MORE MODERN AMERICAN
JETS.
>> WELL, THIS IS A SORT OF AN
INDIRECT SORT OF SUPPORT. SO
POLAND IS OFFERED A PLACE.
RUSSIAN AIR OR SOVIET BIGS IN
THE HANDS OF UKRAINIANS. WHAT
THEY WOULD LOOK FOR IS UNITED
STATES TO GUARANTEE BACK
FILLING THOSE AIRCRAFT WITH 6
TEAMS OR SOMETHING MORE MODERN
FOR THE UNIT. UNITED STATES
ARSENAL THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD
DEAL EVEN THOUGH THERE. SO WE
WE'RE STILL FLYING SOVIET
AIRPLANES AS WELL. SO IF WE
CAN GET IN QUITMAN LETHAL
MEANS ESPECIALLY FOR AIR
REINFORCEMENT TO THEY'VE BEEN
PRETTY GOOD AIR DEFENSE ON
THEIR OWN. THEY JUST NEED TO
GEAR THE EQUIPMENT DOESN'T
MATTER THAT A LITTLE BIT OLD.
THEY NEED TO TAKE CONTROL OF
THEIR SKIES IF WE'RE NOT GOING
TO DO IT THE THAT WE BEING THE
UNITED NATIONS OR NATO. THE
LATEST WE'VE HEARD OF THE
SITUATION THERE, SENIOR U.S.
MILITARY OFFICIAL SAYS ABOUT
95% OF THE COMBAT POWER THAT
RUSSIA HAD INITIALLY LINED UP
ALONG THE BORDER FOR ALL THOSE
WEEKS HAS NOW BEEN MOVED INTO
UKRAINE. WE KNOW THIS INVASION
IS TAKING LONGER THAN RUSSIA
PLAN. BUT HOW MUCH LONGER DO
YOU THINK UKRAINE CAN CONTINUE
TO HOLD OUT AND FIGHT. WELL,
UKRAINE CAN HOLD OUT FOR QUITE
A LONG TIME. WE SAW THAT IN
IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN WITH
OVERWHELMING SUPERIOR NUMBERS
FORCES EQUIPMENT, LOGISTICS.
THE UNITED STATES IS BOGGED
DOWN FOR 20 YEARS, BOTH IN
BAGHDAD AND KABUL AND AS YOU
CAN SEE, THE HARASSMENT, THE
INTERDICTION, THE GUERRILLA
WARFARE INSURRECTION CAN GO ON
FOR DECADES. WHAT THE RUSSIANS
DID WAS GAMBLED, THAT THIS
WOULD BE A QUICK STRIKE. THEY
WOULD GET IN THERE AND CAUSE
THE GOVERNMENT TO INSTALL A
PRO-PUTIN GOVERNMENT THAT DID
NOT HAPPEN. NOW THEY'RE
STRETCHED OUT. THEY HAVE TO
SUPPLY EVERY ONE OF THOSE
TANKS WITH FUEL. THEY HAVE TO
SUPPLY THE TROOPS WITH FOOD
MEDICAL AID THAT IT'S
DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY IN THE
INTERIOR PORTIONS. THAT'S WHY
YOU'RE SEEING A LOT MORE
SUCCESS IN THE EAST WHICH WAS
ALREADY SORT OF NOMINAL SO WE
ARE RUSHING CONTROL OF THE
DONBASS REGION AND IN THE
SOUTH WHERE THEY CAN SUPPLY
FROM CRIMEA AND FROM THE
OCEAN. THAT'S ANOTHER THING
THE UNITED STATES CAN DO IS
PATROLLING THE HIGH OUTSIDE
THE DARDANELLES STRAITS IN
TURKEY AND IN THE BLACK SEA.
WE'VE GOT AMERICAN VESSELS
THAT ARE STEAMING FROM THE MET
THAT DIRECTION AND THAT'S A
GOOD WAY TO PUT PRESSURE ON A
ALL RIGHT. JASON BEARDSLEY,
THANKS SO MUCH FOR ANALYSIS.