Paul Pillar: America Should Not Fight Israel's War

A veteran CIA analyst says Israel's attack on Iran was unjustified and that America should not support its war on the latest Just Asking Questions episode.

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Paul Pillar: America Should Not Fight Israel's War

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What's America's role in Israel's war with Iran? Just asking questions.

U.S. forces aren't directly involved in the war with Iran…yet. But those of us who remember the 2003 Iraq invasion can't help but be struck by some of the unsettling similarities: A terrorist attack acting as an inciting event a year and a half earlier, sensational but unverified claims of weapons of mass destruction imminently falling into the wrong hands, the promise of a swift and decisive victory over a cruel and corrupt regime.

There are hugely important differences between then and now, but today's guest will offer the long view. He's someone who understands first-hand how military intelligence is used and abused to justify war. 

Paul Pillar was a CIA analyst for 28 years, serving as the executive assistant to the CIA director from 1989 to 1991 amid the Gulf War and later rising to become the chief analyst and deputy director of the agency's Counterterrorist Center. Today he's a nonresident senior fellow at Georgetown's Center for Security Studies and a nonresident senior fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. 

We discuss what the Trump administration knew and when about the Israeli strike on Iran, why Pillar urged President Donald Trump to "condemn" the strike, whether or not regime change is the primary goal of this war, what Trump's likely next steps are, and how the dissent of Trump supporters like Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon is likely to affect the outcome.

Mentioned in the podcast:

"Trump says he doesn't want Israel to attack Iran, but strike 'could very well happen,'" by Lazar Berman

Statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio

Trump on Truth Social: The U.S. had nothing to do with the attack on Iran, tonight. If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before. However, we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict!!!

"How Trump Shifted on Iran Under Pressure From Israel," by Jonathan Swan, Maggie Haberman, Mark Mazzetti, and Ronen Bergman

U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel: Overview and Developments since October 7, 2023

"Trump must condemn Israeli acts of illegal, naked aggression," by Paul Pillar

Trump on Truth Social: UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!

Trump on Truth Social: We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran. Iran had good sky trackers and other defensive equipment, and plenty of it, but it doesn't compare to American made, conceived, and manufactured "stuff." Nobody does it better than the good ol' USA. 

June 10 statement for the record by General Michael "Erik" Kurilla, commander for U.S. Central Command, concerning Iran's nuclear program

Mike Huckabee's text to Trump

Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant

"Initial US intelligence suggests Iran was surprised by the Hamas attack on Israel," by Zachary Cohen, Katie Bo Lillis, Natasha Bertrand and Jeremy Herb

• Producer: John Osterhoudt

Comments

[damikesc]

A Washington Post reporter is tweeting out exact coordinates of successful Iranian strikes. How that is different than being a spotter for artillery barrages is up to you.

[Fat Rush Limpcock (King of the Conservatives)]

Donnie is definiely racheting up the warmongering. Maybe it is all bullshit as is his style.

Something tells me the Peanuts will be making all kinds of excuses for him.

[Marylandman, Battling for Truth Justice, and the American Way]

No faggot. This is all YOUR fault. Your moronic master, Biden, is responsible for all of this.

Show some, grace for once and just kill yourself. It’s not like a Soros worshipping Marxist, such as yourself, has a right to exist.

[Sam Bankman-Fried]

The Abraham Accords started all of this by making Hamas desperate. Netanyahu’s incompetence also played a big factor…but Netanyahu magically became Alexander the Great on 10/8. Such a head scratcher. 😉

[Uncle Jay]

"The Abraham Accords started all of this by making Hamas desperate."

The Abraham accords made a terrorist organization desperate?
For what?

[Sam Bankman-Fried]

Because the Arab world was moving forward without including the Palestinians in future plans…that made the Palestinians desperate.

[Incunabulum]

America shouldn't.

But if Israel is going to blow up the Iranian government then should the US not support them considering Iran is trying to destroy us too?

I mean, everyone was all in on Ukraine vs evil Russia.

[Fat Rush Limpcock (King of the Conservatives)]

considering Iran is trying to destroy us too

Cite?

Iran didn't even retaliate when the US military shot down an Iranian passenger jet with over 200 people on board.

[Marylandman, Battling for Truth Justice, and the American Way]

So now you’re an apologist for the Iranian regime. I suppose nothing is too low for a child rapist like you.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

Ironically after claiming everyone supporting trump loves putin... shrike is on the same side as... Putin.

[Fat Rush Limpcock (King of the Conservatives)]

Fuck you. Iran is inept. The neocon plan was always to invade Iran just like Iraq was overthrown. Falsely accusing them of WMD is the prelude again.

[damikesc]

Indeed. Worst case scenario --- Israel is doing something basically everybody wants to have done.

[Fat Rush Limpcock (King of the Conservatives)]

You Dick Cheney neocon.

[Marylandman, Battling for Truth Justice, and the American Way]

You Sorosite child rapist.

[Sam Bankman-Fried]

Invading Iraq was super dumb…but striking Iran makes perfect sense.

[Marylandman, Battling for Truth Justice, and the American Way]

Not Shrike. He love the Iranian regime. In his mid, they’re the good guys.

[A Thinking Mind]

I'm fine if the USA is actually standing back and allowing things to play out. What's happening instead is that Israel is the aggressor in this conflict, and the US is protecting against Iran's retaliatory strikes. We're subsidizing Israel's war by defending them, in the same way we shouldn't be subsidizing the defense of Germany or Sweden.

Get the US completely out and then I'm happy with rooting for Israel. But it means they have to suffer the consequences of any blowback.

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

With Iran supplying the Houthis wh9 have been launching rockets at civilian centers for years... notnsure Israel is the aggressor here.

Iran is also tied to the Israeli bus terrorism a few months back.

[Incunabulum]

Iran started this war years ago.

[Marshal]

Iran has been paying people to attack us for going on 50 years. All we're doing is matching them, and now they're finding out we're better at it than they are.

[Dillinger]

>>U.S. forces aren't directly involved in the war with Iran

full stop.

[Sam Bankman-Fried]

Netanyahu and Bari Weiss and Ben Shapiro and the neocons are attempting to manipulate Trump into joining the fight. Trump is wisely ignoring their deceptions.

[AT]

What's America's role in Israel's war with Iran? Just asking questions.

Oh come on Zach, you're better than that. You framed that question like those mouthbreathing retard coworkers of yours (Emma, Jacob, Jack, Robby, etc.) would have.

It's not Israel's war with Iran. It's Iran's war with their Great Satan. Which includes Israel, America, Canada, and most of the European nations (at least the ones they haven't de facto already conquered).

Israel could wipe Iran off the map any time it wanted. But they don't. They exercise restraint, tolerance, dare I say hope. The only times they pull back on that is when Iran presents a clear and present threat. Iran, on the other hand, makes no bones whatsoever about the fact that they want to brutally murder every single Israeli, American, European - and eventually even their Russian and Chinese backers - at the first opportunity they can. They are radical fundamentalists, and they genuinely believe that doing so will accelerate the return of their Madhi. In the absence of the Madhi, the Wilayat al-Faqih will lead Islam in his stead, leaving (literally!) his seat open for him (they literally leave an empty chair for him at their political meetings).

(Also, if you're unfamiliar with the Wilayat al-Faqih, think Denethor from LOTR.)

It's not Israel's war with Iran. It's Israel curb-stomping those Iranian SOBs any time it's necessary. What's America's role in that?

To support them. And help them if needed. If we can reassert a Shah Pahlavi type person there, and Make Iran Great Again, great. If we have to kill them all, then so be it.

[JohnZ]

Go back to your little shiva. Your attempts at propaganda are not working.
We all know what's really happening and its Isreal who is facing the real danger. But then I could care less.
F*** Israel!

[Marylandman, Battling for Truth Justice, and the American Way]

Fuck off nazi. And you do care. You’re excited at the idea of a another Jewish holocaust.

[AT]

For whom do you think I'm propagandizing?

Stating facts is not propaganda.

Also, tell the truth, you never even heard the term "Wilayat al-Faqih" before today, did you. 😀 😀 😀

Because you're an organ-grinding monkey, comfortable and insulated in your blue-state bluesky ignorance. Am I right?

[Uncle Jay]

The terrorist state Iran has said many times it wants to destroy Israel and have built nuclear facilities to back up their threats.
If you're stupid enough to believe Iran built these nuclear sites for peaceful purposes, then I'll sell you a bridge I have in Brooklyn.
Cash only.

[Fat Rush Limpcock (King of the Conservatives)]

Neocon V. 2.0. Just like Iraq had WMD?

You were no doubt a Bush/Cheney supporter.

[JFree]

It's a bit too late for Reason to pretend the US hasn't been up to its fucking neck in Israel's wars. Once you are complicit in genocide, what red line are you queasy about?

[JesseAz (Prime Meanster of Sarcasia)]

When would you say your hatred of all jews started?

[Incunabulum]

Which genocide? The ones the Palestinians have been attempting to do? The one the Iranians have been attempting to do?

Or the ones the US has actually done?

[JohnZ]

JEWSA! JEWSA! JEWSA! America is Israel's biatch and the president will do what he's told OR ELSE!
American soldiers have been fighting Israel's wars for nearly half a century and the only thing the American taxpayers have gotten for it is debt and coffins of American soldiers.
We need a real president who will tell Israel to bugger off , order AIPAC out of the country or face imprisonment, close down our embassy in Jewrusalem and arrest the neo-cons, the entire lot of them. The same goes for any one in congress who is doing Israel's bidding.
Israel is the Zionist vampire squid with its tentacles around America's throat and unless we eventually do something about it, this nation is finished.
Col. MacGregor is correct :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pO0-49_oCk
This man makes more sense than nearly anyone else in Washington.

[Marylandman, Battling for Truth Justice, and the American Way]

Ok Misek.

And refuted.

[Neutral not Neutered]

Bush Jr went into to Iraq for a couple reasons. Not really what the main stream thinks as why they did.

People screamed they went for Oil an Haliburton. And immediately, yes yes it was for oil and greedy capitalists.

But hold on, that wasn't it.

There were some incredibly large depots full of munitions getting closer to expiry and so many amazing new weapons that completely outdo what is in place. Hundreds of billions to decommission and destroy. Or they can be dropped. And the hundreds of billions spent on the new munitions and weapons.

But that was not all.

Would you if you had the power and were in a position to, go after the person who tried to assassinate your Daddy?

[Sam Bankman-Fried]

Bush was a globalist with a heart bigger than his brain…he invaded Iraq because the global middle class needed cheap oil to continue expanding. The Bush family for decades believed making China great again was the quickest way to expand the global middle class…and sure enough Bush’s last foreign trip was a victory lap at the 2008 Beijing Olympics to say “mission accomplished”.

[Incunabulum]

Except those replacement munitions don't actually exist because they still don't work and we're not actually replenishing the expended stock.