Latest / Real Patriotism / ”I’ve been at war all my life” — Fmr Mideast Commander on Iran

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”I’ve been at war all my life” — Fmr Mideast Commander on Iran · Real Patriotism

0:00
I'd give every guy a Glock and 20
0:02
rounds. That's just one of the
0:04
surprising things I heard from my guest
0:06
in this interview, retired Admiral
0:08
Robert Harard, former deputy commander
0:11
of Sentcom. That is the American command
0:13
over the Middle East. And he is in Abu
0:15
Dhabi right now as this war against Iran
0:19
rumbles on. I wanted to get a military
0:22
viewpoint, a realistic sense of what is
0:25
happening, what the United States is
0:27
trying to do, how Iran is responding. Uh
0:30
there was a missile uh attack just 500
0:32
yards or so from where he is in his
0:35
hotel in Abu Dhabi. Get a sense of where
0:37
this is going and whether it's worth it.
0:40
He got very emotional at the end in a
0:43
surprising way to me. This was an
0:46
interview I didn't expect. Uh I I
0:48
expected something somewhat clinical uh
0:51
somewhat analytical and what I got was
0:53
that plus a tremendous heart for this
0:56
region and a sense of the possibilities
0:59
that might emerge from this war. I'm a
1:02
little bit more pessimistic, maybe a lot
1:04
than Admiral Harward, but he's a voice
1:06
well worth hearing. It's great
1:08
conversation. I hope you like it. If you
1:10
do, hit the like button, subscribe to
1:12
us. That'll help as well. But listen now
1:14
to my conversation with retired Admiral
1:17
Robert Harwood.
1:23
Admiral Robert Harwood, thank you very
1:25
much for being with us from Abu Dhabi.
1:27
Really appreciate it.
1:28
>> Good to be with you, Terry.
1:30
>> Well, let me first ask you about about
1:32
that. How are you there? What are you
1:35
seeing? How concerned are you about your
1:38
safety and the safety of the of the
1:40
people in Abu Dhabi?
1:42
Well, it's been uh it's a very uncertain
1:46
period. I mean, Abu Dhabi had been hit
1:50
before on once or two days a year or so
1:53
ago at the airports and all, but the
1:55
these are more closer to than people
1:57
realized, but I'm also struck by the
2:00
resilience of UAE and what they've done.
2:03
They have a great alarm system, so you
2:05
get alarms throughout the night. It's
2:06
almost to the point of annoying. I'd
2:08
rather just go in peace. But uh if
2:11
you're concerned and you want to be
2:12
warned and get to bunkers, you can do
2:14
all that. Uh they some of them have been
2:17
very um very well targeted. You know,
2:21
hitting where they're intended. The port
2:23
facility here was pretty uh spot-on, but
2:26
a lot of them are off the target as
2:28
well. So, we really can't validate how
2:30
well they're target. And I don't know
2:32
all the details. I just get from friends
2:35
and uh but I've lived through this
2:37
before so it doesn't disturb me but for
2:40
a lot of other people that's very
2:42
unsettling and the messaging has not
2:45
been clear for understanding and
2:47
comprehension but uh so I think it's
2:50
just uh and unprecedented that Iran is
2:54
striking out at all the JCC members. So
2:57
a lot of this adds to the uncertainty
2:59
and concern of a lot of people.
3:02
>> Yeah. Then let let let's talk about Iran
3:04
in a moment moment. But that hotel room
3:06
you're in there that is overlooking the
3:08
port and you've there's there have been
3:09
strikes what how far from you?
3:12
>> I'd say about uh half a kilometer. Uh so
3:16
near not as it's funny it's not it's not
3:19
far from the Louvre the Guggenheim all
3:22
the museums the Abraham center which has
3:25
both a synagogue a mosque and a church
3:28
all collated together right next to the
3:30
new shake shake Zed monument. Uh so
3:34
those were probably the nearest and we
3:36
could visually watch as they occurred in
3:38
the plumes and all. Uh but the most of
3:41
them have been at around the airport
3:43
outside the city, military targets so to
3:46
speak.
3:46
>> Okay. So uh you are the right person to
3:49
talk to obviously former deputy
3:50
commander of Sentcom. You know this
3:52
region well. You're there. Here we are
3:55
day four of this war. How surprised are
4:00
you at the response of Iran as as you
4:03
say attacking all the countries in the
4:06
Gulf uh and really, you know, not
4:10
backing down at all after the
4:11
decapitation attack by the United States
4:14
that that I think Trump probably
4:16
expected, you know, they'd knuckle
4:18
under.
4:19
>> Well, one I'm surprised and I'm not
4:22
surprised. I'm so surprised that they
4:24
would want to try to draw in UAE, Saudi,
4:27
Qatar, and all the others, Kuwait,
4:29
Bahrain into the fray. But then again,
4:32
I'm not surprised because this they're
4:34
done. They know they're done. This is
4:36
the end of the regime. And if they can
4:39
do anything to protect them, hopefully
4:41
this last strike efforts will help keep
4:44
them in power. Uh but again, I think
4:47
it's a lost cause. But so you can
4:49
understand if you're if you know it's a
4:51
lost cause, use everything at your
4:53
disposal and get as much credit as you
4:55
can and maybe if it's a lifeline that
4:57
can keep you going. But at this point, I
5:00
think it's a fat
5:01
>> complete.
5:02
>> Well, let's go back to the beginning and
5:04
and before the beginning, one week ago,
5:07
Donald Trump uh before the nation state
5:10
of the union address, one paragraph on
5:12
Iran, no indication,
5:15
no effort to marshall the country around
5:20
a cause, around a a conviction that this
5:23
was the right time to do this. Didn't
5:25
mention it all. basically went to war on
5:28
his own without any vote from Congress,
5:31
without even a debate in Congress
5:33
really. And so I want to know about that
5:36
decision. Did that take you by surprise?
5:39
And did the manner of it, having been
5:41
through wars before and how the United
5:44
States has gone to war in the past with
5:46
at least some consideration for the
5:49
people to to understand what's
5:51
happening? What do you think of it all?
5:54
No, I I thought it did not take me by
5:56
surprise at all. I thought was a done
5:58
deal when they the Iranian regime, the
6:02
IRGC, the Bas killed over 20, 30,000
6:06
people in a matter of weeks. That was
6:08
the point of no return. That then it was
6:10
done. It had to be. This is a regime
6:13
that had not only threatened us, our
6:16
allies, killing our people for decades
6:18
now, and we saw previous administrations
6:21
that would do nothing about it. now had
6:24
turned completely violent on their own
6:26
people. So it just justified in every
6:29
possible dimension why this regime is
6:34
needs to be held accountable not only
6:36
for the Iranian people but for the
6:38
region and the US and our allies at
6:40
large. So no, it did not surprise me at
6:42
all. I'm just shocked at how long it's
6:44
taken to do this. And I think the
6:47
ramifications are so well understood not
6:51
only now but that decades ago. And uh
6:54
you look at two points that in history
6:56
that really define this. It was 79 when
6:59
the regime came into power. And then I
7:01
go back to Obama's first policy decision
7:05
which was we're going to pivot to the
7:07
Pacific which was really we're going to
7:10
move all our assets to the Pacific. We
7:12
don't need the oil. They're on their
7:13
own. In Iran, you can continue to do
7:16
what you want to do. Add to that the
7:18
price we paid to achieve the JIPOA, the
7:22
gross amounts of money that were paid,
7:24
and then Biden releasing the sanctions
7:27
which freed up another 16 billion. So,
7:30
we have just been adding fuel to this
7:32
fire for four decades. And it had gotten
7:35
to the point where it's untenable with
7:37
the real triggering event, the mass of
7:40
Iranians who are now demanding regime
7:43
change. So that's why I was not
7:46
surprised. Uh just glad to see this
7:48
finally come to fruition. That's a
7:51
that's a persuasive and powerful case.
7:54
The president didn't really make it to
7:56
the country before doing this. That's
7:57
the point I'm raising. Uh, and it seems
8:00
to me that he's in a tough spot because
8:03
of that. Uh,
8:05
>> well, Terry, I I I take a different
8:07
approach. I think we're in a better
8:09
approach because Iran didn't there were
8:11
no indicators. There was no ind, you
8:14
know, we could get the senior leadership
8:17
because they sure weren't expecting
8:18
this. We could get the jump on them. So
8:21
in terms of deception and execution, all
8:25
of this enabled us to be in a position
8:27
now that may have taken a lot more
8:29
lives, a lot more time, and a lot more
8:32
hardware to accomplish. So that element
8:35
of surprise and execution will pay big
8:39
dividends to us down the line. Now, so
8:42
I'm not going to get into this political
8:44
or legal debate on war powers, but I
8:47
knew know from an operational
8:49
perspective, it gave us a great
8:51
advantage. Uh hopefully prevent uh
8:54
preventing more bloodshed on both sides
8:56
of the table. And I hope ultimately this
8:59
strategy will lead to bringing this to
9:01
conclusion with as little bloodshed as
9:04
possible, including the Iranian people
9:06
and our allies in the GCC.
9:09
>> Right. Well, that that now is the
9:11
challenge, right? The enemy gets a say.
9:13
Uh once a war start, events tend to take
9:16
over. And the events that we're seeing
9:18
are these significant barges, right,
9:22
against not just the Gulf States, but al
9:24
also Israel and and and US assets as
9:29
well. And I just wonder one of the
9:31
things people talk about, and there's a
9:33
question I wanted to ask you because I
9:34
have no clue about it. the inventories
9:37
of our of our missiles and our
9:40
interceptors, our ability to continue uh
9:44
to protect our own people in that region
9:47
and our allies uh given the pace of the
9:51
Iranian response. What do you think of
9:53
that,
9:53
>> Terry? I think you're right on. That is
9:55
the biggest concern as all the GCC
9:59
nations did not want us to strike
10:01
because they knew they risk these
10:03
ramifications of their people, their
10:05
facilities, their infrastructure being
10:08
stopped. So I I'm confident that in the
10:12
planning and preparation to this, the
10:14
chairman, uh the Sentcom commander, all
10:18
of them could illustrate to the
10:20
secretary of war and the president,
10:22
we've got that covered. Uh, and so let
10:25
me kind of walk you through, I think,
10:27
what the logic is. Again, I can't
10:29
confirm. I can only conjecture from what
10:32
I've experienced and went through in all
10:33
my experiences at war. And that in the
10:38
12-day war last June, part of going
10:41
after the nukes was also uh eradicating
10:44
their surfaceto-air threat. And as I
10:47
understood it, we took them to their
10:49
knees. There was no longer a
10:51
surfaceto-air threat. So we could
10:53
overfly with any aircraft to deliver
10:55
ordinance. Now that was eight months
10:57
ago. So I'm sure with Chinese maybe even
11:00
Russian assistance they tried to
11:02
reconstitute that. So in Saturday when
11:06
this kicked off I know for all air force
11:10
planning that's what we got hit first.
11:13
So I don't know I can't tell you how
11:15
much ordinance or targeting went into
11:17
that but that's been now several days
11:20
all and from what I understand the
11:22
surfacetoair threat has been somewhat
11:25
eradicated so now we can operate with
11:28
impunity over the air o over the battle
11:31
space over Iran with not only ISR
11:35
platforms strike platforms and other
11:37
assets to really build our situational
11:40
awareness and now it's a full court
11:42
press which they are accountable and
11:45
responsible for of eradicating the the
11:48
missile and drone threats. So I got to
11:51
believe this is what the president was
11:54
referring to. You ain't seen nothing
11:55
yet. It's coming out in mass that the
11:58
mass now will be directed at those
12:00
assets. And if we neutralize their
12:03
ability to project power through
12:06
missiles and drones and including the
12:09
production to develop more, then we've
12:12
neutered them. Then time is almost
12:15
irrelevant. We could take all the time
12:17
we want to go after the IRGC,
12:20
the leadership and hold them accountable
12:22
to really see a longterm
12:26
uh opportunity for stability and
12:29
security with a government that is not
12:32
in inculcated with those who have blood
12:34
on their hands. So I believe that is the
12:37
strategy and we're at the tip of that
12:39
bow wave of seeing it come to fruition.
12:42
Well, that makes sense in some ways,
12:44
obviously from what how to prosecute
12:47
this war, but I you say you're
12:49
confident. I'm not confident. When I
12:51
hear the president talk, he's giving
12:53
various war aims. He sounds like he's
12:56
winging it. Uh, in fact, and I while he
12:59
called on the Iranian people to rise up,
13:02
I I I don't see any particular plan
13:05
there. And there are voices within the
13:07
administration who said, "Okay, we we we
13:09
took out the the first wave of bad guys.
13:11
Let's find a bad guy we can deal with
13:13
kind of like we did in Venezuela. And
13:15
that's a possible endgame. Not sure that
13:17
I share. You explain it so succinctly
13:21
and clearly. I'm not sure I see the same
13:23
thing coming out of the White House.
13:25
Well, let me let me give you another
13:27
perspective then that may help you on
13:29
this. This has obviously been a combined
13:32
effort. And when I say combined effort,
13:34
it's Israel and US. there's been close
13:37
coordination, collaboration on planning,
13:40
execution and and uh intelligence. And I
13:45
could tell you when I was the deputy at
13:47
SECOM, one of my taskings and I was
13:49
spending a lot of time in Israel to
13:51
ensure they did not strike Iran at that
13:54
time. But the coordination and
13:56
collaboration was very steady. Well,
13:58
this is, you know, 13, 14 years later
14:01
where our capabilities are just
14:04
tremendously more not in only targeting
14:06
but in delivery systems and capacity and
14:10
capabilities. So, while the uh president
14:14
may times be a little uh un unclear and
14:18
some of that may be part of the
14:20
deception plan, I'll give him credit for
14:23
that because he had at least act. But
14:26
Israel has a play in strategy on this.
14:28
And I sense from some of the things I'm
14:30
watching and what's coming out of the
14:33
news and all there may be a deconliction
14:36
in terms of targeting. I sense the US
14:39
has the missile inventories, the
14:42
launchers, the facilities, the navy
14:44
forces where Israel may be more focused
14:47
on the leadership, the IRGC, what's
14:50
going on in Tehran based on their
14:52
networks and all. And so that
14:55
deconliction depending on how they flow
14:58
is important with that that either
15:01
support or supported relationship
15:03
depending on the targeting plays out.
15:05
And where that really becomes most
15:07
important is success in one of those. If
15:11
one's not meeting the objective the
15:13
ability to push capacity weapons to one
15:17
effort or the other is part of the
15:20
indicator of success. I think you're the
15:22
real indicator of success is the number
15:25
of missiles that are impacting our
15:27
bases, UAE, Qatar, Saudi and all. And I
15:31
think you're going to see that severely
15:33
diminish over the next few days as this
15:36
incredible mass is going to be directed
15:39
on the ability to to launch those
15:41
missiles. So again, this may be a
15:43
continuation of the deception, but in my
15:46
opinion and what I've seen, I believe
15:49
that is the strategy to accomplish the
15:51
the goals both Israel and the US is
15:54
looking to achieve here and I think the
15:56
Secretary of War made it very clear what
15:59
his objectives were.
16:01
>> Yes. Well, so the military, there's no
16:03
question, are capable of doing this? But
16:06
you raised the question of Israel. A lot
16:07
of Americans are asking about it across
16:09
the political spectrum. That was this
16:12
really necessary for the United States
16:15
to do or people are saying, is this
16:19
Israel's war that this is their
16:21
archeneemy, their deadly threat to their
16:23
existence. Right? Uh Iran was a a nation
16:26
of 90 million people that had as part of
16:28
its stated constitutional policy, we
16:31
will destroy the state of Israel. So
16:33
that's an existential threat to that
16:35
country. But what do you what do you say
16:37
to people who say this isn't our war?
16:42
I I just know all the friends I've lost
16:45
to the Iranians. I know what they've
16:48
done against our banking systems through
16:51
cyber. the fact that we have to protect
16:54
our officials because Iranian agents are
16:56
are trying to kill them in the United
16:58
States. I know what they funneled and
17:01
had their surrogates do in Iraq, in
17:04
Lebanon, in Yeah. and and throughout the
17:07
ages. So, yes, it's not an existential
17:10
threat to us at the moment, but
17:13
unchecked as it's been for the last 40
17:15
and 50 years, that cancer will
17:18
metastasize and it can take you down.
17:21
and its reach is broad and encompassing.
17:24
You're talking about a nation of 90
17:26
million people, hardworking people with
17:29
a lot of revenue for oil. So yeah, I do
17:32
believe this an appropriate and if we
17:34
had done this 12 years ago, it would
17:37
have been a much easier target, a much
17:40
easier problem when uh I had thought
17:43
we'd done in 12 when we first had the
17:45
evidence that they were killing our guys
17:47
in Iraq. I thought that was the
17:49
triggering point. So imagine if it's not
17:53
addressed now what we're going to look
17:55
at be looking at 10 years from now not
17:58
just on their efforts to develop nuclear
18:00
weapons but their range of their
18:03
ballistic missiles and and the strength
18:05
of their surrogates which could have
18:07
challenged not only Israel but Syria,
18:10
Jordan and the GCC. So no uh uh this had
18:15
to be addressed earlier better. another
18:17
10 years would have made this
18:19
catastrophic and we would not have been
18:22
able to deal with it.
18:23
>> That that that is a powerful case. It
18:25
remains a war of choice. And I want to
18:27
ask you that as somebody who has served
18:30
in our military, led uh our military,
18:33
the men and women in it at a time when
18:37
we chose wars that either we lost or
18:41
they didn't turn out well at great
18:43
tremendous cost in in life, in treasure,
18:46
and also in in the spirit of our
18:48
country. It seems to me the failures in
18:51
Iraq and Afghanistan, I think, are one
18:53
of the reasons we are so
18:56
divided and disappointed as Americans in
18:59
some ways. Are you concerned that this
19:01
is another forever war?
19:03
Terry, I've been at war all my life. I I
19:07
joined the Navy at the end of the
19:09
Vietnam War. I saw the first Gulf War. I
19:14
saw Kuwait. I saw Panama, Grenada,
19:18
Moadishu, invasion of Afghanistan. We've
19:21
been at war all our life. But let me let
19:24
me really what gets down to the heart of
19:27
this and it's because of and history
19:30
plays out on how this ends. Look at
19:33
Vietnam today. Did we lose that war?
19:37
Some people would say that. that a
19:39
country that is doing a lot commerce
19:42
peace in the AsianPacific region a
19:45
contributor anti-Chinese
19:48
you know uh Afghanistan there's still
19:51
millions of people who want to come and
19:53
be part of the United States so I think
19:57
uh we conflict is almost a steady state
20:00
of being I hate to say that but in the
20:03
long run I think all our actions have
20:06
led to a better world we live And I
20:08
think
20:09
>> yes, without a doubt. And I believe this
20:12
opportunity indicative of that. You got
20:15
90 million people, the third largest
20:17
oppressed country in the world who have
20:20
been held hostage by 20 250,000
20:24
thugs basically uh who have controlled
20:27
their life um devoid of life, liberty,
20:31
and the pursuit of happiness. And they
20:33
see that on the internet. They see how
20:36
UAE lives. They see al-Qaeda, they had
20:39
visas, they go there. They know what we
20:41
stand for. This is an opportunity to
20:44
change that for those people. And I
20:46
think they're prepared to move when they
20:48
have the ability to do that. So again,
20:51
once we clear the missile strikes and
20:53
are focused on the IRGC, that's when the
20:56
Iranian population can really be
20:59
empowered to come to bear. And I think
21:01
they will help and they will define what
21:04
the future government can be. and we can
21:06
help with that as well as others. But I
21:09
think that's how this how dramatic and
21:12
impactful this event is and what it
21:14
represents uh to our country and people
21:18
around the world. I mean it's a if that
21:21
occurs, it's a gamecher. The the Iranian
21:24
people, you know, it's a great ci
21:26
ancient civilization. They're great
21:28
productive people imprisoned in this
21:29
terrible tyranny all these years, but
21:32
they don't have any guns. and uh and and
21:36
the army the armed forces of Iran show
21:40
no sign of turning on the bosses turning
21:44
on their rulers. Uh what can the Iranian
21:47
people do? Are we inviting them as as
21:49
presidents have before Donald Trump said
21:52
rise up Eisenhower said that to the
21:54
Hungarians and others have said it to
21:57
other countries. Are we just inviting
22:00
disaster for them? What can they do? How
22:02
do you see it
22:04
the best case scenario and what you
22:06
think is most likely
22:08
happening in Iran if the United States
22:11
as the United States prosecutes this war
22:14
successfully? Terry, I like the way you
22:16
think. I give every guy a Glock and 20
22:18
rounds. Uh but having seen this in 79,
22:23
let me go back to because I was in
22:24
Tehran when I fell in 79.
22:26
>> Wow.
22:27
>> And uh uh I remember my father was a
22:30
naval officer. He'd been advising the
22:32
Iranian Navy since the early 60s. And
22:34
then he retired, did what I did in the
22:36
defense industry, helping them build
22:38
their navy. And what happened when it
22:41
started going bad, the Shaw used his
22:44
army to quell the population. Carter
22:47
sent over a special envoy, a senior
22:50
military member to deliver the Shaw the
22:52
message that if you use your army to put
22:55
down this revolt, we're going to pull
22:58
out. That's a human rights violation. So
23:00
the pla first place where I saw human
23:03
rights become a a national security
23:07
uh imperative that became
23:09
counterproductive and then the army
23:12
flipped. You have that same opportunity
23:15
here. These guys who are holding the
23:17
country are the IRGC 120 to 150. the
23:22
besiege, you know, numbers could can
23:24
vary, but you still have an a
23:27
professional artist, the professional
23:30
army, they're about 400 450,000. So, I
23:34
hope, and again, I do not know, but I
23:37
hope our networks and not our networks,
23:40
probably Israeli networks are talking to
23:42
those organizations. I've seen videos
23:45
where some police have already flipped
23:48
with the protesters in some cities,
23:51
including Thrron. So, you're starting to
23:53
see snippets of it right now. Uh um but
23:57
if that army flips, this thing happens
24:00
very quickly. And I do believe as we
24:03
eradicate the missile threat and they no
24:05
longer can project power, we and maybe
24:09
Israel in the lead and us as supporting
24:11
will focus on the IRGC and those guys
24:14
who have blood on their hand. And that's
24:16
going to trickle down to the point where
24:18
okay, I'm one of the guys in the ranks.
24:21
Am I going to believe what I know is a
24:23
sinking ship? No. The captain goes down
24:25
with the ship, but I want to live. So
24:27
I'm Diddy Mau flipping sides. So, so
24:31
watch what's happening with missile
24:33
capacity and and their ability to shoot
24:35
and then watch factions start turning
24:38
and flipping and I think both of those
24:40
can accelerate very quickly especially
24:43
if we achieve the first objective and we
24:47
can shift our capacity be it intel
24:50
targeting and then systems to find fix
24:54
and finish the IRGC and those
24:58
individuals are part of Terry, we've
25:00
been doing that for 30 years. We
25:02
perfected in Afghanistan and Iraq. We
25:05
can do that Iran. And as that that part
25:08
of objective builds speed, you watch the
25:12
population coales behind that. And if we
25:14
can get them guns, it may be torches, it
25:17
may be ranks, I don't know. But as I
25:20
think those are the things will show you
25:22
how quickly and things to monitor to see
25:25
where we hit that tipping point.
25:27
>> Yeah, that's fascinating. So you you are
25:30
saying that the United States will be
25:32
able can now discern who the elite top
25:36
loyal hardline troops are and who the
25:40
regular soldiers are that fill out the
25:42
army and essentially take care of one
25:45
and try and get the other to do the
25:47
patriotic thing for their country
25:49
without a doubt. Let's get the missiles
25:51
taken care of first. So that's the
25:53
priority for capacity, not only
25:56
intelligence but weaponing. Once that's
25:58
done and they can't project power, then
26:00
that capacity goes into that part of the
26:03
equation and that leads to the ultimate
26:06
overthrow collapse of the regime and a
26:09
new government coming in.
26:11
>> Just a couple more questions. One,
26:14
Secretary Pete Hagath has not ruled out
26:17
American troops on the ground. Will
26:20
there be Americans fighting in Iran?
26:24
>> Let me tell you this, Terry. I don't
26:25
know if they're Americans going to be
26:27
fighting, but there are a lot of
26:28
Americans and American Iranians who are
26:31
anxious to get back in. I'd like to
26:34
catch the end of the ski season. The
26:36
best skiing in the world is in Iran,
26:38
right outside of Tehran. But not just to
26:42
over they all want to be a part of this.
26:45
They want to be a part of the new Iran.
26:47
And listen, when this thing does go and
26:50
they become uh uh re responsible and uh
26:55
to their people, the economic boon is
26:58
going to be incredible. This region will
27:01
become one of the most prosperous in the
27:03
world. When you look at Saudi, UAE,
27:06
Qatar, and Iran having a trillion
27:09
barrels of oil reserves that's going
27:11
into building infrastructure, developing
27:14
business. It's just going to be
27:16
unbelievable. So there will be Americans
27:19
on the ground. Is that military force? I
27:22
don't know. Is it government support?
27:24
Hey, here's how you build a democracy.
27:26
Here's how you vote. Here's what a
27:28
constitutional monarchy could look like.
27:31
Here's what uh So I think at some stage
27:34
there going to be a lot of Americans on
27:36
the ground in Iran and hopefully sooner
27:38
instead of later.
27:40
>> Well, that is an incredibly positive
27:42
rosy picture. I want to close on a heavy
27:45
note though because of your service to
27:48
our country and your understanding of
27:50
war in this way. We've lost six
27:53
Americans so far and the longer it goes,
27:56
the more likely we are to lose lose
27:59
more.
28:00
What do you say to the families of the
28:02
fallen about why
28:04
their loved ones laid down their lives
28:07
in this war?
28:09
>> Because that's why they serve. They know
28:12
how important what they do is and it's a
28:15
tragedy. Your heart hurts whenever we
28:18
leave loser but at the end of the day we
28:22
all know how important it is. And so
28:24
there's no greater purpose in life. Uh
28:27
and that's why I was honored to be a
28:29
part of it for I would also say this
28:31
once more because we've become so good.
28:34
Never has our training preparation our
28:37
assets been stronger. But you look at
28:39
the war in Afghanistan and Iraq over 14
28:44
years. We lost 6,000 people. Uh tragedy
28:49
each and every one of them, but a
28:51
testament of how good we have are at
28:54
preventing those losses. And and compare
28:57
that to the 20 or 30,000 Iranians who
29:01
were killed in a matter of weeks. So
29:04
it's a very high cost. And I got God
29:07
bless the men and women who are still
29:10
willing to do that. But I think we
29:12
understand how important that is to our
29:15
nation and to the world that we have
29:18
people who are willing to do that
29:20
because no one else does.
29:22
>> We sure do. Sure do. We realize the the
29:27
courage and the character of our
29:29
military every time we're engaged. And
29:32
we're grateful for it and grateful to
29:33
you, Admiral Robert Harwood, for your
29:35
service to our country and for this
29:37
interview. It was really, really
29:38
helpful. Appreciate it.
29:40
>> Great, Terry. Thank you.
29:42
>> Thank you.