LOOK
TONIGHT,
% THE
U.S.
HOUSE
VOTES
TO
LIMIT% PRESIDENT
TRUMP'S
WAR
POWERS
IN
% THE
MIDZST
% THE
MI
DS
T
OF
STRIKES
AGAINST
% IRAN.
% IN A
MOMENT,
DEMOCRATIC MARK
% POCAN
AN
D
MIKE
GALLAGHER, A
% MEMBER OF THE HOUSE
ARMED
% SERVICES COMMITTEE
AN
D
FORMER
% MARINE WHO
WA
S A
COMMANDER O
F
% INTELLIGENCE IN IRAQ.
% HE JOINS
US
FROM
WASHINGTON BY
% PHONE.
% THANKS VERY MUC
H
FOR D
OING
SO.
% >>
HAPPY TO
BE WITH Y
OU.
% THANK
YOU.
% >>
WHY DID
YOU V
OTE
NO ON
THE
% HOUSE
RESOLUTION
T
O
LIMIT% PRESIDENT
TRUMP'S
WAR
POWERS
IN
% IRAN?
% >>
BECAUSE A
CONCURRENT
% RESOLUTION HAS BEEN
VIEWED
AS
A
% LEGISLATIVE VETO AN
D
THEREFORE
% UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
% I THINK
IT'S
A
SHAME B
ECAUSE
I
% DO AGREE
WIT
H
TH
E
INTENT OF
THE
% WAR
POWERS
RESOLUTION.
% THE
LEAD
HOUSE
PROCEED
PROPONENT FOR
IT
% WAS A
WISCONSINITE.
% SINCE
ITS
PASSAGE
IT
HAS
FAILED
% TO
ACHIEVE
ITS
NOTICEABLE GAINS.
% HAD THE
DEMOC
RATS HAD
THE
% COURAGE
O
F
THEIR
CONVICTIONS,
% THEY WOULD HAVE
SUBMITTED A
% JOINT
RESOLUTION.
% THEY DID
NOT
.
% WE ARE
TAKING
DEFENSIVE
AC
TION.
% PURSUANT
TO
ARTICLE
2,
ALLOWS
% US TO BE
I
N
IRAQ.
% THE
PRESIDENT HA
D
THE
AUTHORITY
% NEED
% NEEDED TO
DO WHAT W
AS
NECESSARY
% TO
PROTECT
OUR
TROOPS.
% >>
WHY
D
O
YOU
SUPPORT
THE
%
KILLING O
F
GENERAL
SOLEIMANI?% >> HE
WAS TH
E HEAD
OF A% TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.
% HE WAS
HIMSELF A
TERRORIST.
% HE HAS
THE
BLOOD
O
F
O
VER
600
% AMERICANS ON
HIS
HANDS AS
WELL
% AS
THOUSANDS IF
NOT
HUNDREDS OF
% THOUSANDS
OF
ARABS ACROSS
THE% MIDDLE EAST, PEOPLE TH
AT
I
WOR
K
% WITH, THAT
I FOUGHT
WITH.
% THE
CARNAGE I
N
SYRIA,
T
H
E
% GENOCIDE, I CAN'T THINK
O
F
% ANYONE WITH
THE
EXCEPTION
OF
% PUTIN
AND
ASSAD.
% HE
I
S
THE
WORLD'S
TOP
TERRORIST
% MASTERMIND.
% THE
WORLD
IS A
SAFER
PLACE
WIT
H
% HIM
G
ONE.
% WE
C
A
NNOT
LET
TERRORISTS
KILL
% OUR
PEOPLE
IN
IMPUNITY.% >>
WAS
TARVEGHTING HIM
TARGETING HIM
FOR
HIS
% PAST BEHAVIOR
OR
IMMINENT
% THREATS?%>>
BOTH.
% PRIOR
T
O
THE
MOST
RECENT
% INTELLIGENCE
REPORTING
HAD
SAID
% WE
SHOULD
NOT
HESITATE
T
O
TAKE
% THEM OFF
TH
E
BATTLEFIELD
IF THEY
% ARE
THREATENING
O
UR
TROOPS.
% IF
HE
DID
N
OT
WANT TO B
E
TAKEN% OFF
THE
BATTLEFIELD,
HE SHOULD%
HAVE
COMPLIED
WITH
THE
SANCTIONS
% THAT
SA
ID HE
WAS
NOT
T
O
LEAVE
% IRAN.
% HE
WAS
ON AN
ACTIVE
BATTLEFIELD
% WHERE
OUR TROOPS
HAVE THE
RIGHT
% TO
DEFEND
THEMSELVES.
% WE KNOW
INDEPENDENT OF
THE
% INTELLIGENCE
REPORTING
THAT
THEY
% CONDUCTED A ROCKET
EYE
TACK
ATTACK THAT
% KILLED ONE AMERICAN
A
ND
WOUNDED
% OTHERS.
% THEY ALSO
ATTACKED
O
UR
% EMBASSY.
% WE
WERE MORE TH
AN
JUSTIFIED T
O
% TAKING THE
ACTION
TO
PROTECT
OUR
% PEOPLE.
% THE EARLY
INDICATIONS
A
RE
THAT% WE
HAVE
RESTORED
SOM
E
SEMBLANCE
% OF DETERRENCE
IN
THE MIDDLE
% EAST.
% THAT'S THE
BE
ST
WAY
TO
AVOID
WAR
% AND
REDUC
E
OUR
PRESENCE,
IS TO
% HAVE A CREDIBLE
DETERNT
DETERRENT
AND A
% CLEAR RED LINE
WE'
RE
WILLING
T
O
% ENFORCE.%>>
EVEN
AFTER
RETALIATORY
% MISSILE
STRIKES
THA
T
CAUSED
N
O
% AMERICAN
CASUALTIES,
IRAN WAS
% SAYING TO
SOON
EXPECT
HARSHER
% REVENGE.
% SO DO YOU
BELIEVE
THAT
THREAT
% HAS
PASSED?
% >>
IT'S HARD
T
O
TELL WHAT IS
A
% REAL THREAT
AND WHAT
IS
JUST
%
POSTURING
FOR A
DOMESTIC
% AUDIENCE BECAUSE
SIMULTANEOUSLY
% THE
FOREIGN
MINISTER
SAID
O
N
% TWITTER THAT THEY ARE
SEEKING
% DEESCALATION.
% SO
IT'
S
T
OO
EARLY
TO
TELL.
% I
WOULD
EXPECT
IRAN
T
O
CONVERT
% TO
PROXY
WARFARE.
% THEY DO
NOT
HAVE
CONTROL OF
T
H
E
% SHIA
MILITIAS.
% WE
ARE
VERY
DILIGENT PEOPLE
I
N
% OUR GOVERNMENT WORKING
ON
THAT
% VERY
PROBLEM.% >>
IRAQ
SEEMS TO
B
E
SIGNALING
% THAT IT
W
ANTS THE
U.S. OUT
OF
% ITS COUNTRY.
% WHAT DO YOU THINK
OF THAT?% >> NO.
% I THINK
THAT
V
OTE
IN
THE
% PARLIAMENT WAS
VERY
SIGNIFICANT,
% BUT
F
OR
PRECISELY THE
OPPOSITE
% REASON.
% THEY
WER
E
BARELY
ABLE
T
O
MUSTER% A
QUORUM.
% IN
FAC
T,
T
HE
REPORTS
SUGGEST
% THEY
ACTUALLY
DIDN'T
LEGALLY
% HAVE A
QUORUM.
% THERE'S A
CARETAKER
GOVERNMENT
% THAT DOES
NO
T
HAVE
THE
LEGAL
% AUTHORITY TO KIC
K
US
O
UT.
% SO
I
JUST
WOULD
S
AY
TO
P
EOPLE
% DON'T
BELIEVE WHAT YOU
H
EAR
ON
% IRANIAN STATE
T.V.
% WE K
NOW
T
FOR
THE
73rd
DAY
% IN A
ROW,
IRAQIS
HAVE
TAKEN
TO
% THE
STREETS
TO
PROTEST
IRAN'S
% INFLUENCE IN THEIR
COUNTRY.
% SO WE HAVE
STRONG
PARTNERS ON% THE G
ROUND THAT
W
ANT TO
WORK
ON
% US.
% OUR
GOAL
IS A
FREE,
INDEPENDENT,
% SOVEREIGN
IRAQ.
% IRAN'S GOAL IS
TO
USE
THEM
F
OR
% ATTACKS
AGAINST
ISRAEL
AND SAUDI
% ARAIB
% ARABIA.%>>
I
UNDERSTAND
SOME
WERE
ALS
O
% PROTESTING
AGAINST
U.S. PRESENCE
% STILL
IN
IRAQ.
% YOU WOULD
LIKE
TO
STAY,
HAVE
THE
% U.S. MILITARY
STAY?
% >> I WOULD.
% I
THINK
WE'VE
ACTUALLY
THROUGH A
% PAINFUL PROCESS OF
TRIAL
A
ND
% ERROR
ARRIVED
A
T A
SUSTAINABLE
% APPROACH WHERE
FOR A
SMALL
% INVESTMENT
O
F
TROOPS, WE
CAN
% WORK
WIT
H
IRAQIS ON THE
GROUND.
% WE'VE HAD
SUCCESSFUL
INCREDIBLE SUCCESS I
N
% THE FIGHT
AGAINS
T
ISIS.
% A
LO
T
OF
M
Y
CONSTITUENTS WOULD
% LIKE
US
TO P
ULL
OUT
,
BUT
W
E
SAW% WHAT
HAPPENED
WHEN PRESIDENT% OBAMA PULLED OUT
.
% IF WE
CAN
COUNTER
IRAN'S
% INFLUENCE
NOT
ONLY
IN
IRAQ,
BUT
% THROUGHOUT THE REST
O
F
O
UR
% REGION,
AGAIN, AS
I
ALLUDED T
O
% BEFORE, I THINK
THAT'S
THE
B
ES
T
% WAY OVER
THE LONG TERM
TO
BE
% ABLE
TO
MOVE
MORE
OF
OUR
FORCES
% TO
MORE
IMPORTANT
THEATERS OF% THE
WORLD,
PARTICULARLY
ASIA.
% >>
W
E
NE
ED
TO
LEAVE IT
THERE.
% U.S. REPRESENTATIVE MIKE
% GALLAGHER, THANKS VERY M
UCH
FOR
% JOINING
US.
% >> THANK
YOU
.
% APPRECIATE IT.%>>
NOW
T
O
TH
E
DEMOCRATIC
SIDE OF
% THE AISLE
AND BACK
T
O
WASHINGTON
% TO
SPE
AK
WIT
H
SECOND
DISTRICT
% REPRESENTATIVE MARK POCAN.
% THANKS VERY MUCH
FO
R
BEING
HERE.
% >> THANK
YOU,
FREDERICA.% >>
WHY
DID
YOU
SUPPORT
LIMITING
% THE
PRESIDENT'S WAR
POWERS
IN
% IRAN?%>>
WELL,
HONESTLY, THIS HAS
B
EEN
% OVERDUE FROM
PROBABLY A
F
EW
% DECADES.
% THE CONSTITUTION GIVES CONGRESS
% THE SOLE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR
% PUTTING OUR COUNTRY
INTO A
WAR
% UNLESS
THERE HAS
BEEN
AN
ATTACK
% DIRECTLY
AGAINST
O
UR
COUNTRY
AND% A FEW OTHER
PROVISIONS.
% AND
IT'S
VER
Y
CLEAR
THAT
THE
% LAST COUPLE
DECADES
CONGRESS
HAS
% GIVEN UP TOO MUCH
O
F
THAT
POWER
% TO
THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
AND
% PRESIDENTS, BOTH
DEMOCRATS
AND
% REPUBLICANS, HAVE
LOOSELY
U
SED
% OLD
2001,
2002
AUTHORIZATIONS TO
% GO
INTO
WAR
FOR
OTHER
PURPOSES.
% AND
IT'
S
LONG
OVERDUE THAT
W
E
% DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
% WHAT WE SAW
T
HE
PRESIDENT D
O
% LAST
WEEKEND
WAS
ANOTHER
EXAMPLE% AN O
F
SOMEONE
NO
T
COMING
T
O
% CONGRESS AS
THEY'RE
SUPPOSED
T
O
% FOR ADVICE
AN
D
CONSENT.
% WE
JUST
N
EED
T
O
DO
T
HIS
NOT
JUST
% FOR DONALD
TRUMP,
B
UT
FOR
ANY
% FUTURE
P
RESIDENT.
% WE HAVE TO
GO BACK
T
O
W
HAT
THE
% CONSTITUTION
SAYS
AND
T
HAT
MEANS
% CONGRESS
H
AS
THAT S
OLE
POWER.
% >>
REPRESENTATIVE
GALLAGHER SAID% IT WILL
HAVE
THE
PRACTICAL
% EFFECT O
F
UNDERMINING
O
UR
% MILITARY.%WHAT
IS
YOUR REACTION TO
THAT?
% >>
THAT'S
POLITICAL
RHETORIC.
% I
KNO
W
WH
EN I
T
COMES
TO
THINGS
% THAT
INVOLVE
WAR, WE
H
AVE TO
GET
% BEYOND
OU
R
LITTLE WHAT
TEA
M
% WE'RE
O
N,
WHAT
PARTY
WE'RE
O
N
% AND
T
ALK
ABOUT
WHAT'S
RIGHT
FOR
% THE
COUNTRY.
% AND IN
THIS
CASE,
IF
YOU
A
RE A
% COEQUAL
BRANCH
O
F
GOVERNMENT,
% CONGRESS,
A
ND
CONSTITUTION
% EXPLICITLY
SAYS
IT'S
CONGRESS'S
% ROLE, WE
SHOULD GET
TOGETHER
AND
% RECLAIM
THA
T
ROLE
BECAUSE
W
HAT
% WE DON'T
WAN
T
O
HAPPEN
I
S
% PRESIDENTS
LOOSELY
USING
OL
D
% AUTHORIZATIONS TO GO INTO
WA
R
% FOR
OTHER
PURPOSES.
% FOR
EXAMPLE,
IN
THIS
CASE,
THAT
% 2002 AUTHORIZATION TO
GO
INTO
% WAR
WAS
SPECIFICALLY
ABOUT
% SADDAM
HUSSAIN
IN
IRAQ
A
ND IT
% WAS
THE
RATIONALE USE
D
B
Y
THE
% PRESIDENT THIS TIME
TO
D
O
% SOMETHING
IN
IRAQ
JUST
BECAUSE
% IT
HAD
THE
W
ORD
IRAQ.
% THAT'S NOT WHAT WAS
INTENDED BY
% CONGRESS BACK IN
2002.
% THAT'S
WHY WE
N
EED
TO,
AGAIN,
AS
% THE
CONSTITUTIONAL
AUTHORITY I
S
% GIVEN TO
CONGRESS,
TAKE THA
T
% BACK
S
O
T
HAT
ANY
PRESIDENT,
% DEMOCRAT OR
REPUBLICAN,
% UNDERSTANDS THEY HAVE
TO
C
OME
% BEFORE CONGRESS IN
ORDER
TO
D
O
% THAT.%>>
WELL,
WHAT'S
YOUR
POSITION ON
% THE
ASSASSINATION OF
GENERAL
% SOLEIMANI?%>>
WELL,
AGAIN,
I
THIN
K
ONE OF
% THE
TROUBLING
THINGS WE
H
AD
,
WE
% HAD A CLASSIFIED
BRIEFING THIS
% WEEK.
% ALSO I
WEN
T
INTO A CLASSIFIED
% SETTING AND REA
D
THE
PRESIDENT'S
% TWO-PAGE REASONS WHY
WE DID
% THIS.
% THE PROBLEM I
S
-
AN
D
IT'S
NOT
% JUST COMING
F
ROM
ME,
B
UT
IT'S
% COMING FROM
REPUBLICANS
IN
THE
% SENATE
AND
OTHERS,
THEY
DIDN'T
% GIVE
US
ANY
JUSTIFICATION.
% IT W
AS
S
AID
WE
DIDN'T
KNOW
WHERE
% OR
WHE
N,
BUT IT
WAS
IMMINENT.
% IT SHOULD BE
SOMETHING THAT IS
% ACTUALLY
F
ACTUAL.
% EVERY TIME W
E
ASKED,
WELL, WHAT
% WAS THE
IMMINENT
WARNING?
% WELL, IT
WAS
IMMINENT.
% WHAT
WAS
IMMINENT?
% IT
WAS A
WARNING.
% WE
NEED
HARD
FACTS
T
O
KNO
W I
F
% IT'S SOMETHING
T
HE
PRESIDENT HAD
% TO
D
O
OR DID HE
HA
VE
T
HE
TIM
E
T
O
% COME TO
CONGRESS
AND DO I
T.
% IN THIS
PARTICULAR
C
ASE
THAT
% ASSASSINATION HAS BEEN
% CONSIDERED
B
Y
PREVIOUS
% PRESIDENTS WHO
DID
NOT DO
IT
% BECAUSE
THE
CONSEQUENCES ARE
% SEVERE.
% WE DID
GET
SOME
BACKGROUND
WHAT
% THOSE
CONSEQUENCES COULD BE
% ACCORDING
T
O
TH
E
INTELLIGENCE% COMMUNITY AND IT
WAS A
BAD
% ASSESSMENT
WITHOUT A
REAL
% IMMINENT REASON.
% THAT'S WHY
I
THINK
AGAIN
% CONGRESS NEEDS
TO UNDERSTAND
I
S
% THE
COEQUAL
BRANCH
OF
% GOVERNMENT.
%
IT'S
N
OT
ABOUT
DEMOCRATS AND
% REPUBLICANS.
% IT'S
ABOUT
BEING
AMERICANS.
% WE
NEED
T
O
RECLAIM
T
HAT
%
AUTHORITY P
ER
THE
CONSTITUTION% THAT
CONGRESS
HAS.
% AND
I
THINK
YOU'RE
GOING TO
SE
E
% SOME OTHER
MEASU
RES
COMING
IN
% THE
COMING
WEEKS THA
T
ARE
ALSO
% GOING TO
DO THAT.
% I THINK
WE'RE
GOING TO
HAVE
% SOMETHING THAT
SAY
S
N
O
FUNDS
CA
N
% GO
TOWARDS
W
AR
W
ITH
IRAN
AND
SEE
% SOMETHING
REPEALING
THAT
2002
% ITEM, SOMETHING WE SHOULD HAVE
% DONE A
LONG ITEM
A
GO.
% >>
WHERE DO YOU
THINK
THIS
U.S.
% MILITARY ACTION
AND
REVENGE F
OR
% IT LEAVES
OUR
PEOPLE?
% >> WE ARE
WITHOUT A
DOUBTLESS
% SAFE
TOD
AY
THAN WE
WERE A
W
EEK
% AGO.
% BECAUSE B
Y
DOING
SOMETHING THAT
% IS
ESSENTIALLY
ASSASSINATING THE
% NUMBER TWO PERSON
OF
A
COUNTRY% THAT HAS
THE
EIGHTH
LARGEST
% MILITARY ON
THE
PLANET, THAT IS
% NOT A
GOOD
I
DEA
UNLESS YOU
HAD
% SOME REAL
REASON.
% AND SINCE WE
H
AVE
NOT
SEEN A
% REAL
REASON,
IT
PUTS
US
AT
% GREATER RISK.
% EVEN THOUGH
W
E
S
AW
ONE
REACTION
% FROM
IRAN,
WHA
T
WE
THIN
K
IS
% GOING TO
HAPPEN
I
S
THERE'S
GOING% TO
BE
MORE
SURROGATE
REACTIONS
% THAT
COULD HAPPEN
I
N
THE
WEEKS
% TO
COM
E
THA
T
MAK
E
THE
REGION
% LESS SAFE.
% THAT
IS
A
BAD
THING.
% IF
W
E
VE
R H
AVE
T
O
CONSIDER
% SENDING MEN
AND
WOMEN
FROM
THE
% UNITED
STATES OVER TO
THE
% MIDEAST,
THAT
HAS TO
BE
A
VERY
% THOUGHTFUL DECISION.
% THE
PRESIDENT
PROMISED
H
E
W
AS
% GOING
TO
END
EN
DLESS
WARS,
B
RING% TROOPS
H
OME,
BUT
RIGHT
NOW WE
% HAVE
15,000
MOR
E TROOPS
I
N
THE
% MIDEAST THAN
WE
DID
SIX
MONTHS
% AGO AND
THA
T'
S
NOT
GOOD
F
OR
% PEACE.%>>
J
UST
VERY
BRIEFLY
AS
WE
CLOSE% THIS OUT, A
L
OF
THIS
SAID,
I% TRUST DOES NOT MEAN
THAT
YOU
ARE
% DEFENDING SOLEIMANI?
% >> NO
.
% NO ONE IS.
% IN
FACT,
TODAY
REPUBLICANS ARE
% STARTING
TO
APOLOGIZE FOR
THEIR
% RHETORIC OF THE
WEEK
THAT
THEY
% SAID
PEOPLE
WER
E
STANDING
IN
THE
% AYATOLLAH.
% THAT'S
RIDICULOUS.
% WHAT'S IMPORTANT
IS
YOU
DON'T
% PUT THE
BLUE
OR
RED CAP
ON.
% YOU SAID WHAT IS
I
N
THE
B
EST
% INTEREST OF PEACE
I
N
THE
MIDDLE
% EAST
AND
NO
T
HAVING
T
O
SEND
% AMERICAN MEN
AND
WOMEN
OVERSEAS.
% RIGHT
NOW IT
IS
BY
HAVING
% DEESCALATION,
HAVING
DIPLOMACY
% AND I'M
HOPING
THAT'S WHAT
WE'LL
% DO MOVING
FORWARD.% >>
ALL
RIG
HT.