Sen. Andy Kim on Trump’s Decision to Strike Iran Without Congress Approval

>>> AS WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, IT'S UNCLEAR HOW LONG PRESIDENT TRUMP'S WAR IN IRAN WILL GO ON OR WHAT THE REAL OBJECTIVE IS.

OUR NEXT GUEST ARGUES THAT THE CONTINUED STRIKES ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

AND THE CONFLICT COULD HAVE, QUOTE, DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

ANDY KIM TELLS US HOW VOTERS ARE FEELING ABOUT THE U.S.

INVOLVEMENT IN IRAN AND WHY HE AND HIS FELLOW LAWMAKERS ARE PUSHING TO END IT.

>> YOU RECENTLY WROTE AN OP-ED CALLED HOW WE CAN END TRUMP'S NEW WAR IN IRAN.

YOU SAID CONGRESS MUST STEP IN IMMEDIATELY TO STOP THE MILITARY ACTION.

EXPLAIN.

>> BECAUSE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THEIR VOICE IS NOT BEING HEARD RIGHT NOW.

AND THAT NEEDS TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS.

THAT'S WHAT THE CONSTITUTION WAS TRYING TO PROTECT.

THAT WE ARE SENDING OUR SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN INTO HARM'S WAY FOR SOMETHING THAT IS SO CLEARLY A WAR.

EVEN THE PRESIDENT CALLS THIS A WAR.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE'S APPROVAL.

AND THIS WAS NOT.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK IS VERY DANGEROUS.

AS SOMEONE WHO WORKED IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ, WITHOUT APPROVAL FROM CONGRESS, THIS IS SETTING UP OUR COUNTRY FOR FAILURE.

>> THE PRESIDENT HAS OFFERED SEVERAL DIFFERENT EXPLANATIONS OR REASONS FOR ENGAGING IRAN RIGHT NOW.

HE SAID WE'RE GONNA DESTROY THEIR MISSILES AND RAISE THEIR MISSILE INDUSTRY TO THE GROUND.

A COUPLE DAYS LATER, HE SAID IT'S MY OPINION THEY WERE GOING TO ATTACK FIRST.

THEY WERE GOING TO ATTACK IF WE DIDN'T DO IT.

HE ALSO SAID WE NEEDED TO TOPPLE THE REGIME BECAUSE IT POSED AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO AMERICA.

AND AGAIN, LET'S SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR AUDIENCE IS HEARING THESE DIFFERENT MESSAGES.

YOU'RE A SENATOR.

YOU HAVE BETTER ACCESS.

IS THERE A BETTER BRIEFING, A CLEARER EXPLANATION THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS PROVIDING TO YOU?

>> NO.

NO.

THIS IS VERY CLEARLY THE PRESIDENT DECIDING THAT HE WANT A WAR WITH IRAN.

AND HIS ADMINISTRATION AND HE HIMSELF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO JUSTIFY THAT AND REVERSE ENGINEER AN EXPLANATION FOR THIS.

IN SOME WAYS, THIS FEELS LIKE THE 2003 IRAQ WAR IN FAST FORWARD.

IT FEELS LIKE THIS IS WHAT WE SAW IN YEARS OF THAT WAR AND JUST HOW WE SAW THE SHIFTING OF THE GOALS.

WHEN WE SAW THE MISSION CREEP.

WE'RE SEEING THAT ALL WITHIN THE FIRST EIGHT DAYS OF THIS WAR.

BECAUSE THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS NO CLEAR OBJECTIVES.

YOU KNOW, WE DON'T SEE WHAT THE END IS WHERE WE CAN SEE US PULLING OUT OF THIS.

AND THAT OPEN-ENDEDNESS IS WHAT, AGAIN, MAKES THIS DIFFERENT FROM VENEZUELA, WHICH ALSO WAS DONE BY THIS PRESIDENT.

BUT A VASTLY DIFFERENT SCALE OF WHAT WE'RE ENCOUNTERING RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A COUNTRY THE SIZE OF CALIFORNIA, TEXAS, AND NEW YORK STATE COMBINED IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT ADVERSARY HERE.

>> YOU WROTE IN OUR OP-ED ABOUT ONLY 27% OF AMERICANS SUPPORT USING MILITARY FORCE AGAINST IRAN.

WHEN YOUR OFFICE GETS THE PHONE CALLS FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS, WHAT DO YOU HEAR?

>> WHAT I HEAR FROM THE BROAD BRUSH OF PEOPLE WHO CALL INTO MY OFFICE IS THAT THEY ARE JUST CONTINUALLY SEEING THIS PRESIDENT JUST DO WHATEVER HE WANTS AND NOT CARE AT ALL ABOUT WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT.

THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WANT A GOVERNMENT THAT FOCUSES ON ADDRESSING THE COST OF LIVING THAT CHALLENGES AFFORDABILITY THAT THEY'RE FACING.

WITH THIS PRESIDENT TELLING US AS A COUNTRY WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO HELP MILLIONS OF PEOPLE KEEP THEIR HEALTH CARE COSTS FOR THIS YEAR THROUGH THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, NOW WHEN THEY SEE HIM BLOWING THROUGH THAT SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY JUST IN A MATTER OF A FEW DAYS, IF NOT WEEKS, IN THIS WAR IN IRAN.

AND SO THEY ARE VERY CLEARLY SEEING HIM BEING DECEPTIVE.

HE IS LYING TO THEM ABOUT US NOT HAVING THE MONEY AND THE CAPABILITIES TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL THESE OTHER THINGS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.

BUT HE'S TOTALLY WILLING TO DO THIS TO PUSH FORWARD IN A WAR, AGAIN, WITHOUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE'S APPROVAL.

AND THE REASON WHY HE DIDN'T GET THE AMERICAN PEOPLE'S APPROVAL IS HE KNOWS THAT THEY DON'T AGREE WITH HIM.

AND THEY DON'T AGREE WITH THIS WAR.

AND THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING IN OUR TOP PRIORITY INTEREST.

ABDOMEN THAT IS WHY THIS PRESIDENT HAS PUSHED AHEAD ALONE.

>> BEFORE YOU WERE A SENATOR, YOU WORKED IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL, AT THE PENTAGON, AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

YOU KNOW, I WONDER TO COUNTER IRANIAN TERROR GROUPS, YOU MORE THAN OTHER SENATORS KNOW THE POWER AND STRENGTH OF THE IRGC.

AND AS YOU JUST RATTLED OFF SO MANY DIFFERENT REASONS, IS THE PRESIDENT CORRECT IN SAYING THEY ARE A THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES?

AND THAT THEY NEED TO BE ERADICATED?

>> THEY ARE CERTAINLY A STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR.

AND SO IS NORTH KOREA.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I SUPPORT THE UNITED STATES GOING IN, ESPECIALLY WITHOUT CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL, AND THEN TAKING OUT LEADERSHIP IN NORTH KOREA.

YES, THEY'RE POINTING NUCLEAR WEAPONS AT MY FAMILY IN SOUTH KOREA, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IS WHAT THE UNITED STATES CAN AND NEEDS TO BE DOING AT THIS MOMENT.

YOU KNOW, I WAS AT THE MUNICH SECURITY CONFERENCE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

I SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW WHEN IT COMES TO IRAN.

LIKE AMERICA, I'VE NEVER SEEN AMERICA SO ISOLATED AND ALONE AS WE ARE NOW.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE REALLY ABDICATED OUR GLOBAL LEADERSHIP ROLE BECAUSE THE LEADERSHIP ISN'T JUST ABOUT MILITARY MIGHT.

SURE, OUR MILITARY IS INCOMPARABLE TO ANYONE ELSE.

WE HAVE, BY FAR, THE BEST MILITARY.

WE SEE THE POWER WE CAN DO.

IT DOESN'T MEAN WE ALWAYS USE IT.

IT IS A TOOL.

AND OFTEN A TOOL OF LAST RESOURCE.

BUT THIS PRESIDENT REFUSES TO ABIDE BY THIS.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE RIGHT.

I HAVE SPENT YEARS STUDYING THE IRANIAN REGIME, UNDERSTANDING THE TERROR THAT THEY BROUGHT, THE SHIA MILITIA GROUPS NETWORKED THROUGH THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE WORLD.

AND THAT KNOWLEDGE GIVES ME EVEN GREATER CONCERNS ABOUT WHERE THIS WAR COULD HEAD.

SURE, THE AMERICANS COULD AT SOME POINT, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION COULD AT SOME POINT SAY THE BOMBS AND THE MISSILES, BUT THIS NEW IRANIAN LEADER JUST IN PLACE AFTER WATCHING HIS FATHER, WIFE, AND A CHILD KILLED BY THE UNITED STATES, YOU THINK HE'S GOING TO GO EASY?

AND HE NEEDS TO PROVE HIMSELF TO THIS COUNTRY OF 90 MILLION PEOPLE HE HAS TO KEEP UNDER HIS CONTROL.

YOU THINK HE'S GOING TO BE SOMEBODY THAT JUST TURNS OVER ON THE AMERICANS?

THIS VERY MUCH OPENS THE DOORS FOR A VERY LONG AND PROTRACTED WAR.

IN THE SAME WAY, IF YOU WERE TO CALCULATE HOW DID IRANIAN FORCES AND TERROR GROUPS KILL AMERICANS THE MOST?

IT WASN'T THROUGH BALLISTIC MISSILES.

IT WAS THROUGH THESE IEDs, THROUGH OTHER TYPES OF IMPROVISE TERROR OPERATIONS.

THEY HAVE MANY TOOLS AT THEIR DISPOSAL THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE VULNERABLE TO.

I WORRY ABOUT UNLEASHING THAT UPON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

>> SECRETARY RUBIO SEEMED TO HAVE MADE THE CASE FOR KIND OF A PREEMPTORY RETALIATORY ACT, SAYING LOOK, WE KNEW THAT THEY WERE GOING TO ATTACK THE UNITED STATES IF IRAN WAS ATTACKED.

AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE BLAMED US HAD WE SAT ON THAT INFORMATION.

WHAT IS THE THRESHOLD THAT CONGRESS WANTS TO SEE BEFORE AN ATTACK OR A DEFENSIVE ATTACK CAN HAPPEN?

SHOULD IT BE AN ACTUAL ATTACK ON THE HOMELAND AGAINST SPECIFIC AMERICAN TARGETS BEFORE AN EXECUTIVE BRANCH IS ABLE TO TAKE THAT AUTHORITY?

>> WELL, FOR INSTANCE, IN THE PAST, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT THINGS THAT WE HAVE NOT ENCOUNTERED BEFORE.

WHAT WAS JUST LAID OUT BY RUBIO IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG IN TERMS OF A JUSTIFICATION FOR STARTING A WAR.

THERE ARE MANY OTHER ACTIONS THAT WE CAN TAKE, INCLUDING DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO TRY TO STOP THESE ATTACKS FROM HAPPENING OR CONVINCING ALLIES AND OUR PARTNERS NOT TO BEGIN THIS.

BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO REMOVE FORCE FROM THE REGION, FROM THREAT INSTEAD OF PUTTING MORE IN, WHICH IS WHAT TRUMP DID.

IF THIS WAS SO MUCH OF A CONCERN BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, WHY DID THEY NOT EVACUATE OUR EMBASSIES AHEAD OF TIME?

THEY ONLY DID ONE.

THEY DID BEIRUT.

EMBASSY BAGHDAD, WHICH WOULD BE FIRST IN MY MIND TO EVACUATE IF THERE WAS AN ACTUAL THREAT, AN IMMINENT THREAT OF RETALIATION.

THE FACT THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION DID NOT REMOVE OUR DIPLOMATIC OFFICERS FROM ANY OF THESE 14 COUNTRIES THAT THEY LATER EVACUATED, EXCEPT FOR BEIRUT, SHOWS THEY DID NOT THINK THERE WAS GOING TO BE AN IMMINENT THREAT.

THEY DID NOT ACTUALLY THINK THROUGH THIS.

>> SENATOR, IN YOUR TIME AT THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL AND AT THE PENTAGON AND AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT, IS THERE THE EQUIVALENT OF, I DON'T KNOW, A THREE RING BINDER SO TO SPEAK THAT SAYS HERE ARE THREE OR FOUR PLANS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH IRAN?

AND DID THE ADMINISTRATION FOLLOW ANY OF THOSE PLANS?

>> I CAN TELL, LIKE FOR INSTANCE WHAT I WAS POINTING OUT ABOUT THE LACK OF COORDINATION WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT, THE FACT THAT AMERICANS ABROAD WERE NOT TOLD TO DEPART PRIOR TO THE COMBAT BEGINNING.

IN THE 2003 IRAQ WAR, SAY WHAT YOU WANT ABOUT IT, I DIDN'T AGREE WITH IT, BUT THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION DID PUSH FORWARD TELLING AMERICANS TO GET OUT OF THE REGION BEFORE COMBAT WAS UNDERTAKEN.

YOU KNOW, THEY SET UP ALL SORTS OF EFFORTS TO TRY TO CONNECT IN WITH AMERICANS.

YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT TRUMP DID NONE OF THAT, IN FACT THE FIRST MESSAGE OF ANY CONSEQUENCE TO PEOPLE IN THE REGION, AMERICANS IN THE REGION HAPPENED 72 HOURS AFTER THE FIRST BOMBS WERE DROPPED.

SO THREE DAYS OF SILENCE, AND IT SAID DEPART NOW.

YOU KNOW, WELL HOW?

MANY OF THESE COUNTRIES HAD CLOSED THEIR AIR SPACE.

THE FACT THAT YOU SEE THAT, THAT SHOWS YOU THAT THEY WEREN'T ACTUALLY FOLLOWING THE PLANS.

WE HAVE OTHER EFFORTS IN PLACE.

FOR INSTANCE, UNDERSTANDING THE CYBER SECURITY THREATS WE COULD FACE HERE AT HOME, ESPECIALLY WITH AN ADVERSARY LIKE IRAN THAT HAS PROVEN CYBER CAPABILITIES.

THE FACT THAT THEY PUSHED FORWARD WITHOUT OUR CYBER SECURITY LEAD AT FULL STRENGTH, THE FACT THAT THEY GUTTED SISA, CUT A HUGE SWATH OF THEIR STAFF, ABOUT A THIRD OF THEIR STAFF EARLIER LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW IT SHOWS THEY ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ONE NEEDS TO CONSIDER WHEN TAKING ON A WAR OF THIS MAGNITUDE.

>> REGARDING AMERICANS GETTING OUT OF THE REGION, THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY SAID THE STATE DEPARTMENT WILL IDENTIFY WHERE YOU ARE AND PROVIDE TRAVEL OPTIONS DIRECTLY TO YOU.

THE ADMINISTRATION'S ALREADY RAPIDLY CHARTERING FLIGHTS FREE OF CHARGE AND BOOKING COMMERCIAL OPTIONS, WHICH WE EXPECT TO BECOME INCREASINGLY AVAILABLE AS TIME GOES ON.

AND THE SUCCESS OF THIS MISSION FURTHER COMES TO FRUITION.

WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT?

DO YOU HAVE CONSTITUENTS FROM NEW JERSEY WHO ARE STUCK THERE, CALLING YOU?

>> YEAH, THEY'RE STUCK THERE.

MANY ARE TRYING TO GET THEIR OWN WAY OUT BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST NOT GETTING RESPONSES.

I MEAN, LOOK, I DID PRESS SECRETARY RUBIO ABOUT THIS IN THE BRIEFING LAST WEEK.

AND THEY HAVE SINCE BEEN TAKING SOME ACTIONS.

BUT WHERE WAS THIS PLANNING AHEAD OF TIME?

AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK IS SO CONCERNING, JUST THE RISK THAT THEY PUT AMERICANS INTO.

IT WAS CLEAR THAT IT WAS AN AFTERTHOUGHT.

LIKE THEY DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.

IF WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE SPOKESPERSON YOU JUST SAID, IF THAT WAS ALL TRUE, WHY WASN'T THAT SAID ON DAY ONE OF THIS WAR?

INSTEAD, ON DAY THREE THEY SAID DEPART NOW.

YOU CANNOT COUNT ON THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO HELP YOU.

THEN SEVERAL DAYS LATER, THEY SAID OH, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO NOW.

SO IT WAS JUST A CONSTANTLY EVOLVING SITUATION WHERE YOU COULD SEE, AGAIN, THEY'RE JUST MAKING THIS UP AS THEY GO ALONG.

THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY DAY ONE PLAN FOR AMERICANS.

>> YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT OUR PLACE IN THE WORLD IS CHANGING RAPIDLY BECAUSE OF THESE ACTIONS.

SPAIN, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS REFUSED TO ALLOW THE U.S.

TO USE MILITARY BASES FOR STRIKES AGAINST IRAN.

AND THE PRESIDENT IN RESPONSE HAS THREATENED, YOU KNOW, A TRADE EMBARGO AGAINST SPAIN.

AND HOW IS THIS STRAINING THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH OUR ALLIES?

>> WELL, FIRST I'LL JUST SAY AND POINT OUT THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HAPPIEST ABOUT THE UNITED STATES AT WAR IN IRAN ARE VLADIMIR PUTIN AND PRESIDENT XI IN CHINA.

OUR ADVERSARIES ARE JUST JOYOUS RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT.

THEY WANT THE UNITED STATES BOGGED DOWN IN A WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST THAT IS TAKING AWAY RESOURCES THAT WE COULD BE GIVING TO THE FIGHT IN UKRAINE OR TO ALLIES AND PARTNERS IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION AS THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT TRUMP MIGHT SAY TO PRESIDENT XI IN CHINA NEXT MONTH.

AND WHETHER OR NOT THIS WAR, THE FACT THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS JUST TAKEN THIS ILLEGAL, UNCONSTITUTIONAL WAR IN IRAN NOW GIVES RUSSIA AND CHINA GREATER CREDENCE TO SAY THAT THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT.

YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE CRITICIZE PUTIN GOING INTO UKRAINE?

HOW CAN WE CRITICIZE XI IF HE WERE TO PUSH CHINESE FORCES INTO TAIWAN OR ELSEWHERE WHEN WE HAVE JUST TAKEN THIS TYPE OF ACTION?

NUMBER TWO IS, AGAIN, WE ARE DOING THIS ALONE.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING, LIKE I NEVER IMAGINED THAT I'D BE THINKING THAT THE 2003 IRAQ WAR COALITION WOULD BE SEEN AS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, MULTILATERALISM COMPARED TO WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW IN 2026.

WHAT'S OUR CREDIBILITY LIKE?

YOU KNOW, WE'RE BRINGING THEM ALL INTO, EVEN THE MIDDLE EAST PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE, I'VE BEEN ON THE PHONE TALKING NONSTOP WITH LEADERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST WHO FEEL COMPLETELY BLINDSIDED BY THESE APPROACHES AND ARE NOW CONSIDERING, YOU KNOW, THE UNITED STATES AS JUST A FORCE OF CHAOS NOW.

AND JUST CONTINUALLY HEDGING AGAINST US.

I EVEN HEARD ONE LEADER OF AN ALLY NATION SAY THEY ARE NOW CONSIDERING IN THEIR MEETINGS THE UNITED STATES AS A NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT.

THEY SEE US AS A THREAT TO THEIR OWN INTERESTS NOW, WHICH IS JUST SO SAD AND SCARY TO SEE AS SOMEONE WHO WORKED ON A NATO MILITARY BASE IN AFGHANISTAN, THE IDEA THAT WE ARE NOW A THREAT TO SOME OF OUR ALLIES IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE ASHAMED AT.

AND THIS DIDN'T HAVE TO BE THE CASE.

>> IRAN HAS JUST NAMED AYATOLLAH'S SON AS ITS NEW SUPREME LEADER.

DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH ABC NEWS, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SAID IF HE DOESN'T GET APPROVAL FROM US, HE'S NOT GOING TO LAST LONG.

WHAT DOES THIS TELL YOU ABOUT THE REGIME'S STABILITY, OUR DIPLOMACY, OUR ABILITY TO INFLUENCE WHAT HAPPENS THERE?

>> YEAH.

WELL, AGAIN, THAT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHERE THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT RETALIATION OR IMMINENT THREAT.

THIS WAS ALWAYS ABOUT REGIME CHANGE FOR THIS PRESIDENT AS MUCH AS SOME OF HIS CABINET IS TRYING TO COVER THAT UP, THIS IS CLEARLY ABOUT REGIME CHANGE.

THE PRESIDENT ALSO SAID SOMETHING A FEW DAYS AGO.

HE SAID THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO OF ALL THIS ACTION BY AMERICA IS IF SOMEONE AS BAD AS THE PREVIOUS AYATOLLAH IS PUT INTO POWER.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE SEEING.

WE'RE SEEING HIS SON, SOMEBODY WHO IS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE MOST BRUTAL LEADERS IN IRAN, SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN AT THE HAND OF APPROVING THE BRUTAL CRACKDOWN IN 2009 OF THE IRANIAN PEOPLE AND KILLED MANY UNTOLLED THOUSANDS OF IRANIANS.

THIS IS SOMEONE WITH PERHAPS THE CLOSEST TIES TO THE IRGC'S TERROR OPERATION IN IRAN FROM THE RELIGIOUS, CLERIC LEVEL.

SO WE ARE PUTTING INTO PLACE THE PREFERRED CANDIDATE OF THE TERROR OPERATION OF IRAN, THE CUTS FORCE.

THAT IS WHAT DONALD TRUMP HAS UNLEASHED UPON OUR WORLD.

SOMEONE WHO IS YOUNGER, SOMEONE WHO COULD VERY WELL BE IN POWER FOR SOME TIME.

I REMEMBER WHEN WE FINALLY CAPTURED SADDAM HUSSEIN.

EIGHT MONTHS INTO THE IRAQ WAR.

DID THINGS GET BETTER AFTER THAT?

DID THINGS GET LESS VIOLENT AFTER THAT?

WAS THERE LESS THREAT UPON THE AMERICAN SERVE MEMBERS?

NO, WAY MORE AMERICANS WERE KILLED AFTER SADDAM HUSSEIN'S CAPTURE THAN BEFORE HIS CAPTURE.

I WAS IN AFGHANISTAN RIGHT AROUND THE TIME THAT OSAMA BIN LADEN WAS CAUGHT.

DID THAT UNLEASH A GOLDEN AGE FOR AMERICA?

NO, THERE WAS CONTINUED VIOLENCE.

WE SAW THE DEMISE OFFAL OF ALQAEDA IN IRAQ.

DECAPITATING THE LEADER HAS NEVER PROVEN TO BE A STRATEGY THAT GUARANTEES ANYTHING BETTER.

AND ESPECIALLY WITH A COUNTRY OF 90 MILLION PEOPLE WITH THE EIGHTH LARGEST MILITARY IN THE WORLD.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD VERY WELL UNLEASH SOMETHING WORSE THAN WHAT WE'VE SEEN BEFORE IN TERMS OF IMMINENT THREAT.

IF WE DIDN'T HAVE IMMINENT THREAT BEFORE AGAINST THE UNITED STATES, WE LIKELY WILL HAVE IT NOW THANKS TO DONALD TRUMP.

>> SENATOR ANDY KIM OF NEW JERSEY, THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU.