Bolton, explosion, planes
© AFP/Yuri Kadobnov; Reuters/Adam Ploessl; Reuters/US Navy/Grant G. GradyNational Security Advisor John Bolton and his wish list
Fox News host Tucker Carlson blasted National Security Advisor John Bolton for his apparent love of violent global conflict, saying that for him war with Iran would be like "Christmas, Thanksgiving and his birthday" in one.

"Mercifully John Bolton doesn't command the military," Carlson said bitingly - however, the question of how strong his influence on President Donald Trump's foreign policy remains.

Although President Trump was elected in part based on his turn-away from the traditional neo-con interventionist outlook, his national security advisor pick has been as hawkish as ever since assuming office last year.


"How is a war with Iran in America's interests in any way?" Carlson asked, a pertinent question given a NYT report recently claimed Bolton ordered a plan to send 120,000 troops to the Middle East in order to "check" Iran's influence. While Trump has since refuted the report, calling it "fake news," he added that if it came to such a plan, "we'd send a hell of a lot more troops than that." He did say that, "hopefully," this will not be needed.

Tucker on Tuesday was joined by retired army colonel Douglas Macgregor, who called the situation a "manufactured crisis," noting that Iran actually serves as an ally in the main regional conflict against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS).

Despite both sides having managed to avoid any direct confrontation for years, Bolton's obsession with Iran's secret maleficence seems to rival even that of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's. Contrary to Bolton's paranoia, Macgregor asserts that Iran almost certainly wants to avoid conflict with the US "under any and all circumstances."