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>>> IS THE ALLEGED IRANIAN PLOT
TO KILL IS SAUDI AMBASSADOR PART
OF A MURDEROUS PATTERN?
DAVID IGNATIUS REPORTS THAT --
HAS LINKED IRAN TO THE *** OF
ANOTHER SAUDI DIPLOMAT GUNNED
DOWN IN PAKISTAN.
LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON
WITH SENATOR JOHN McCAIN.
THANKS FOR COMING IN.
ZPL THANK YOU, WOLF.
>> IF WE BELIEVE AND I DO, WHAT
DAVID IGNATIUS WRITES, HE'S AN
EXCELLENT REPORTER.
HE WAS HERE YESTERDAY.
IT LOOKS LIKE A PATTERN IS
EMERGING.
DO YOU SEE A PATTERN OF IRANIAN
AUTHORITIES WANTING TO KILL
SAUDIS?
>> YES, AND MAYBE LARGER THAN
THAT.
WE'VE SEEN A PATTERN OF
TERRORIST ATTACKED ORCHESTRATED
BY THE IRANIAN AND QUDS FORCE IN
PARTICULAR ORCHESTRATED ATTACKS
IN OTHER CAPITALS.
THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE
EXPORTS OF THE MOST LETHAL
I.E.D.s.
SUPPORTING TERRORIST
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE HAMAS AND
HEZBOLLAH.
THEY'RE TRYING TO ORCHESTRATE
EVENTS IN BAHRAIN AS WE SPEAK
AND ALSO MEDDLING IN
AFGHANISTAN.
SO, THERE'S A LONG PATTERN HERE
OF ATTEMPTS TO EXERT IRANIAN
INFLUENCE IN THE REGION AND
AROUND THE WORLD AND THE THING
THAT SURPRISES ME VERY QUICKLY,
IS ONE, THE HAND FISTEDNESS OF
IT BECAUSE THEY'RE USUALLY
PRETTY EFFICIENT IN THESE
AKSIVITIES.
AND SECOND, TO THINK THEY COULD
GET AWAY WITH IT.
THAT'S KIND OF DISTURBING WHEN
YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
>> BUT DO YOU HAVE A GOOD
UNDERSTANDING WHY THEY WOULD
WANT TO KILL AMBASSADOR
AL-JUBEIR HERE IN WASHINGTON AS
THIS INDICTMENT SAYS AT A
RESTAURANT A LOT OF AMERICANS
COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE
PROCESS?
>> WELL, THERE'S THE COMPETITION
AND TENSIONS IN THE REGION
BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES SAUDI
ARABIA AND IRAN HAS BEEN THERE
FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
GOOD EVIDENCE OF THAT AS, BUT
THERE IS ACROSS THE BOARD
COMPETITION AND TENSIONS BETWEEN
THE TWO COUNTRIES AND THE
IRANIAN VIEW IN PARTICULAR THEIR
MONEY AS A GREAT IMPEDIMENT TO
THEIR ABILITY TO EXERT THEIR
INFLUENCE IN THE REGION AND THEY
WANT THAT AND THEY'RE WILLING
TO -- OBVIOUSLY DO WHATEVER THEY
CAN TO ACHIEVE IT AND BY THE
WAY, WHAT ABOUT WHEN THEY GET
NUCLEAR WEAPONS, WOLF?
THEY PROBABLY WOULDN'T LAUNCH
ONE AT THE UNITED STATES, BUT
DON'T YOU THINK THERE'S A GREAT
RISK THEY MIGHT AFFORD A NUCLEAR
WEAPON TO ONE OF THESE TERRORIST
ORGANIZATIONS THEY SUPPORT?
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK THE UNITED
STATES SHOULD DO ABOUT THIS
RIGHT NOW?
>> I THINK THE PRESIDENT SHOULD
GO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION AND
TELL THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, GIVE
THEM THE CHRONICAL OF ACTS OF
TERROR THAT THE IRANIAN HAVE
CARRIED OUT.
THEIR INTERFERENCE,
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEATHS OF
YOUNG AMERICANS AND THEN I WOULD
DO PROBABLY WHAT THE PRESIDENT
IS DOING.
I'D CALL GENERAL PETRAEUS, OUR
NEW DIRECTOR OF THE CIA AND
OTHERS AND SAY WHAT KIND OF
COVERT ACTIVITIES CAN WE ENGAGE
IN HERE?
WHAT CAN WE DO?
AND FRANKLY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT
THEY ARE, BUT I WOULD BE
EXPLORING THOSE OPTIONS AND OF
COURSE, GOING TO THE U.N. FOR
THE SANCTIONS AGAINST THEIR
CENTRAL BANKS SO THAT ANYBODY
WHO DOES WITH IRANIAN CENTRAL
BANK CANNOT DO ANY BUSINESS WITH
US.
PROBABLY MAYBE EXPECTING MORE
FROM RUSSIA AND CHINA IN THE WAY
OF STRONG ACTION IN THE U.N.
IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE IRANIAN
NEED TO BE DISCIPLINED BEFORE
THEY ACHIEVE NUCLEAR STATUS IN
MY VIEW.
>> HERE'S WHAT SURPRISES ME.
I'LL LET YOU WEIGH IN BEFORE WE
MOVE ON.
THE SAUDI REACTION, OR SHOULD I
SAY THE LACK OF REACTION, THEY
HAVEN'T SEVERED DIPLOMATIC
RELATIONS WITH IRAN.
DONE ANYTHING IN TERMS OF THE
COMMERCIAL RELATIONSHIP, THEY
HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING ASSUMING
THEY BELIEVE THIS U.S.
ALLEGATION THAT THE IRANIAN
WANTED TO KILL THEIR AMBASSADOR
HERE IN WASHINGTON.
DOES THIS SURPRISE YOU AT ALL?
>> A LITTLE BIT, BUT YOU KNOW,
THE SAUDIS DO BUSINESS IN
DIFFERENT WAYS THAN WE DO.
FOR EXAMPLE, THEY ARE --
FINANCING A LOT OF ACTIVITIES IN
THE REGION, WHICH ARE DIRECTLY
COUNTERED TO THE IRANIAN TO
COUNTER IRANIAN AMBITIONS AND
THEY HAVE ENGAGED IN OTHER
OPERATIONS, WHICH WOULD CAUSE
DISCOMFORT OR DIFFICULTIES FOR
THE IRANIAN IN THE REGION, SO
YOU KNOW, IT'S A VERY KIND OF A
BUSY SITUATION OVER THERE, BUT I
AM SURE THEY ARE CONTEMPLATING
SOME KINDS OF ACTIONS.
>> I THINK YOU'RE PROBABLY
RIGHT, BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN
ANYTHING YET.
BEFORE I GET TO JOBS AND OTHER
POLITICAL ISSUES, WHAT DO YOU
MAKE OF THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION'S DECISION TO
SEND 100 U.S. TROOPS TO UGANDA
TO DEAL WITH THE WRIS IS WITH
THE WARLORDS.
YOU'RE THE RANKING MEMBER OF THE
ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE.
>> WELL, THE LARGE RESISTANCE
ARMY IS ONE OF THE MOST
ATROCIOUS AND BARBARIC
ORGANIZATIONS IN HISTORY.
THEY HAVE CARRIED OUT
UNSPEAKABLE ACTS AND ARE
DESTABILIZING THE REGION.
IT'S SO TERRIBLE.
IT'S HARD FOR US TO EVEN TALK
ABOUT, BUT SO, I THINK THAT
ACTIONS NEED TO BE TAKEN TO HELP
THESE COUNTRIES COMBAT
PARTICULARLY UGANDA AND ITS
NEIGHBORS, TO COMBAT THIS LRA,
BUT I WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL
THAT WE DON'T GET INTO ANOTHER
LEBANON OR SOMALIA.
I'M NOT SAYING WE WILL, BUT
WE'VE GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL AND
I THINK IT REQUIRES MORE
CONSULTATION WITH CONGRESS AND
WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AGAIN.
YOU DON'T WANT TO GET IN
SOMETHING YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF,
SO I CERTAINLY APPLAUD THE GOAL.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE AND I
THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SHOULD
KNOW MORE AS TO HOW WE'RE GOING
TO DO IT.
REMEMBER, WE SENT PEACE KEEPERS
INTO PLACES BEFORE THAT ENDED IN
TRAGEDY.
>> WE'LL HAVE MORE COMING UP.
LET'S MOVE ON TO SOME OTHER
ISSUES.
YOU BEAT MITT ROMNEY FOR THE
REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL
NOMINATION FOUR YEARS AGO.
WHAT'S HIS WEAKNESS RIGHT NOW?
WHAT DO YOU SEE?
>> I DON'T KNOW, WOLF, I THINK
HE'S BEEN RUNNING A VERY GOOD
CAMPAIGN.
I RAN A BETTER CAMPAIGN IN 2008
BECAUSE OF THE EXPERIENCE I HAD
IN 2000.
AFTER I WON THE NOMINATION IN
2008, NO ONE HELPED MY CAMPAIGN
MORE THAN MITT ROMNEY DID.
HE WAS THERE EVERY TIME WE ASKED
HIM TO BE THERE.
I THINK HE HAS RUN A VERY
INTELLIGENT CAMPAIGN.
I THINK HE HAS A VERY STRONG
POSITION IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, BUT
IF YOU AND I HAD BEEN CHATTING
TWO OR THREE WEEKS AGO AND I
WOULD HAVE SAID HERMAN CAIN IS
AHEAD, YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT I
WAS SMOKING SOMETHING FAIRLY
STRONG, SO THERE'S A LOT OF
THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN BETWEEN
NOW AND PROBABLY THE FLORIDA
PRIMARY OR AFTER THAT.
TO DETERMINE WHO OUR NOMINEE IS,
BUT I THINK THAT THE ROMNEY
CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN MAINTAINING A
STEADY STRAIN AND IT'S PUT HIM
IN A GOOD POSITION, BUT I'M NOT
PREDICTING.
>> ARE YOU READY TO ENDORSE?
>> NO.
>> NOT YET.
LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE CONSERVATIVES, SOME TEA
PARTY ACTIVISTS.
IF HE GETS THE NOMINATION, WILL
HE BE ABLE TO UNIT ALL THE BASE
OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY?
>> I THINK HE WILL.
I DON'T HAVE ANY DOUBT ABOUT
THAT.
I'M VERY CONFIDENT OF THAT.
NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF HIS
QUALITIES, BUT THE FACT IS, YOU
KNOW, THIS COUNTRY IS VERY, VERY
DISSATISFIED AND THEY'RE NOT
JUST DISSATISFIED WITH THE
PRESIDENT.
THEY'RE NOT TOO HAPPY WITH
CONGRESS IN CASE YOU NOTICED THE
13% APPROVAL RATING.
WE WORK A LITTLE HARDER, MAYBE
WE CAN GET IT DOWN TO SINGLE
DIGITS.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT JOBS.
YOU AND SOME FELLOW REPUBLICAN
SENATORS INTRODUCED LEGISLATION
TO CREATE MILLIONS OF JOBS.
ARE YOU, DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE
WHAT YOU INTRODUCED YESTERDAY
HAS A CHANCE IN THIS GRIDLOCK OF
WASHINGTON, D.C. RIGHT NOW TO
GET PASSED?
>> I THINK THE FIRST THING IT
DOES IS IT HOPEFULLY WOULD
REMOVE THE PRESIDENT'S LINE FROM
HIS RHETORIC THAT CONGRESS
DOESN'T HAVE A PLAN.
ALL OF THE REPUBLICAN SENATORS
AND OUTSIDE GROUPS AND HOUSE
MEMBERS I'M CONFIDENT THE
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY WILL
SUPPORT THIS LEGISLATION.
SECOND OF ALL, THE PRESIDENT'S
JOBS PLAN IS MORE OF A SAME.
IT'S STIMULUS, TOO.
YOU NOTICE THE DEFICIT IS SECOND
HIGHEST IN HISTORY WAS ANNOUNCED
TODAY AND THAT IS ANOTHER AMPLE
PROOF THAT THE PRESIDENT'S IDEAS
OF GOVERNMENT CREATING JOBS
INSTEAD OF BUSINESS CREATING
JOBS, IS NOT SUCCESSFUL, NEVER
HAS BEEN OR WILL BE.
AS SOME OF US SAID WHEN WE
INTRODUCED THIS LEGISLATION AND
SENATOR RAND PAUL AND I AND
OTHERS, THIS SHOULD BE A REASON
FOR US TO SIT DOWN TOGETHER AT
LEAST WORK TOGETHER, FOR
EXAMPLE, REFORMING THE TAX CODE.
I MET NO ONE THAT DOESN'T
BELIEVE WE OUGHT TO REFORM THE
TAX CODE.
NOW, THERE'S A LOT OF
DIFFERENCES IN HOW, BUT AT LEAST
WE SHOULD FIND COMMON GROUND ON
SOME OF THESE ISSUES, FOR
EXAMPLE, REPATE RATING THIS 1 HN
4 TRILLION THAT'S OVERSEAS.
I THINK THERE'S AREAS WE SHOULD
FIND AGREEMENT ON AI THINK THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE REALLY
DEMANDING THAT.
>> ARE YOU LIKING OR NOT SO MUCH
HERMAN CAIN'S SO-CALLED 999
PLAN?
>> WELL, I HAVEN'T EXAMINED IT
CAREFULLY, BUT IT APPEARS IT IS
A TAX INCREASE FOR SOME MIDDLE
INCOME OR LOWER INCOME AMERICANS
AND I'M -- WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO
HEARING HIS EXPLANATION.
I'M NOT CONDEMNING IT, BUT I
CERTAINLY WOULDN'T FAVOR THAT.
>> ANY FINAL PIECE OF ADVICE AS
FAR AS THE NEXT DEBATE IS
CONCERNED FOR RICK PERRY, THE
GOVERNOR OF TEXAS?
HE SEEMS TO BE HAVING SOME
TROUBLE WITH THOSE DEBATES.
>> IT SOUNDS RATHER SIMPLISTIC,
BUT MY ONE BIT OF ADVICE TO BE,
TWO THINGS TO DO.
ONE, GET SOME REST.
WHEN YOU'RE TIRED, EVERY TIME I
MADE A SERIOUS MISTAKE
POLITICALLY AND I'VE MADE THEM,
IT'S BEEN WHEN I'M TIRED.
AND THE SECOND THING IS GET
SOMEBODY IN THERE WHO WILL GIVE
IT A GOOD SCRUBBING.
WILL PLAY THESE INDIVIDUALS,
ROMNEY FOR EXAMPLE AND REALLY
PUT IT TO YOU SO THAT YOU'RE
PREPARED FOR ANY QUESTION THAT
COMES UP.
I THINK BOTH OF THOSE WOULD HELP
HIM.
>> EXCELLENT ADVICE.
>> BY THE WAY, SINCE I LOST, I'M
NOT SURE HOW GOOD MY ADVICE IS.
>> WELL, YOU MAY HAVE LOST THE
GENERAL ELECTION, BUT YOU DIDN'T
WIN, NOWHERE.
LOT OF PEOPLE WERE WRITING OFF
YOUR CAMPAIGN AND YOU WENT ON TO
WIN THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL
NOMINATION.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY RATHER
IMPRESSIVE.
