George Bush and John Bolton
Today, former U.N. ambassador John Bolton appeared on Fox News and responded. He said that while he couldn't confirm Baer's statements, he "absolutely" hoped they were true:
HEMMER: One final step here, too, that I want to take with you. You told one of our producers earlier today that you don't know if it's true - and you've made that clear in our interview here, that you don't know what the odds are or are not against that - but you hope it's true. Why do you hope it's true?Bolton's calls for strikes against Iran mirror those of other neocons, such as Bill Kristol and Michael Rubin, who also pushed for the Iraq invasion. Bolton's claim that "Iran is interfering in Iraq and is posing a direct threat to our troops" is not a reason to strike the country. In reality, both Gen. Peter Pace and the National Intelligence Estimate have confirmed that Iran is "not likely" to be a major driver of violence in Iraq.
BOLTON: Absolutely. I hope Iran understands that we are very serious, that we are determined they are not going to get a nuclear weapon capability, and unless they change the strategic decision they've been pursuing for close to 20 years, that that's something they better factor into their calculations.
Transcript:
HEMMER: The Bush administration reportedly deciding to designate Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization.
So, what does that mean, huh? Well, according to the former CIA operative Bob Baer, it means the U.S. could be gearing up to launch some sort of military strike on Iran. Bob Baer was here yesterday morning. Listen:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FORMER CIA OPERATIVE BOB BAER: Iran policy is on close hold, but the feeling is we will hit the Islamic Revolutionary Guard corps sometime next six months or so.
HEMMER: With such an - that would start another war. Is the administration up for this, Bob?
BAER: Well, it's not exactly it's a war. It's what the administration is convinced of, is that the Iranians are interfering in Iraq and the rest of the Gulf.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Well, that certainly got our attention. So we asked John Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N., for his take on that today.
Sir, good morning. Welcome back.
BOLTON: Good morning. Glad to be here.
HEMMER: Bob Baer says within six months his sources inform him that there will be a strike on Iran. Do you agree with that?
BOLTON: Well, I don't think one can tell one way or the other. I don't think there's any doubt, based on the information we have, that Iran is interfering in Iraq and is posing a direct threat to our troops.
So I think if President Bush as commander in chief believes that information is accurate, he is fully entitled to take defensive measures, which could include going after the Revolutionary Guards inside Iran. [...]
HEMMER: One final step here, too, that I want to take with you. You told one of our producers earlier today that you don't know if it's true - and you've made that clear in our interview here, that you don't know what the odds are or are not against that - but you hope it's true. Why do you hope it's true?
BOLTON: Absolutely. I hope Iran understands that we are very serious, that we are determined they are not going to get a nuclear weapon capability, and unless they change the strategic decision they've been pursuing for close to 20 years, that that's something they better factor into their calculations.
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