Cotton says U.S. operation in Iran likely take weeks

Joining us now, Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who joins us from Gentry, Arkansas. Sir, it's great to have you with us. I know you are supportive of this. I'm curious if you can let my audience know what you think comes next, what they should be prepared to see and gauge for themselves, with your help, what success looks like. Sure, Major. Thanks for having me on. I thought the president laid out the objectives in his statement earlier this morning very well. First, Iran's nuclear ambitions continue. They've tried to resurrect their nuclear program after last summer's strikes. Second, Iran has a vast missile arsenal, thousands of missiles at their disposal that can target our troops in the region and in the Indian Ocean and in Europe. And they're working on missiles that could strike us here in the United States. We have to destroy that arsenal and the manufacturing capacity to replace it. And third, Iran is the world's worst sponsor of state terrorism. We have to also dismantle their terror support network to keep Americans safe. Those are three key objectives. To do all of that is going to take longer than the strikes on their nuclear program last summer. We're probably looking at weeks, not days, of joint efforts by the United States, Israel, and our Arab partners who have also been attacked this morning. But the upshot of it will be, after 47 years of waging war against the United States and the civilized world, the ayatollahs are finally going to face justice.

There is a long history of covert action within Iran from Israel. Do you believe there is US covert presence inside Iran, and with the two, a possibility of engineering something on the ground that could expedite regime change? Major, I can't comment on covert action by either the United States or Israel. Obviously, we've built up massive military power, though, that's clear to the whole world to see and Iran to see. That, right now, is what's doing the job to help destroy Iran's missile arsenal and its resurrected nuclear ambitions and dismantle its terror network.

I've been talking to people all week about this, Senator Cotton. And there is a consensus that Iran has never been weaker, weaker through its diminished capacity to affect its proxies, weaker economically, weaker domestically. So is it not true that, yes, there is a threat, but the reason perhaps to act now is because it is weaker than it ever has been. So it's not necessarily an immediate security threat to the United States, but it might be more easier to topple than ever before? Well, Major, there's no question that Iran is at one of its weakest points since the revolution in 1979. That's thanks to President Trump's authorizing the strikes against their nuclear program last summer. It's also thanks to Israel's amazing bravery and skill since the October 7th atrocity 2 and 1/2 years ago to dismantle the terror network on its own border, such as Hezbollah and Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. But the threat from their missiles in particular genuinely is imminent. As I said, they have thousands and thousands of missiles. That's what they're using to attack us, our Arab friends, and Israel today. They have many more missiles than we have missile defenses. And the balance only gets worse every single month.

Senator Tom Cotton, Chairman of the Intelligence Committee of the United States Senate, coming to us from Gentry, Arkansas. I appreciate the time, sir, very much. Thank you. Thank you.