00:00But the U.S. still has seasoned diplomats, military officials, generals, officials current and retired who know all of this
00:09stuff and who could advise and steer the administration.
00:13Why aren't they doing that?
00:15Well, of course, I mean, you're assuming that the administration listens to any advice, right?
00:19I mean, we know from leaked reports that General Cain, for example, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, was warning
00:25against a lot of what we're seeing now.
00:27And President Trump did not take his advice.
00:31I think we have a U.S. president who was feeling really emboldened by successes in Venezuela.
00:36And even last year, during the 12-day war, he had Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Senator Lindsey Graham in his
00:43ear, telling him that this was essentially going to be a walk in the park.
00:47And he chose to listen to that advice rather than the advice of seasoned military personnel.
00:54In terms of subject matter experts, Tom, we know that the State Department and the National Security Council staff has
01:01been really hollowed out over the last year of the Trump administration.
01:04And so a lot of those experts that you're talking about simply aren't there.
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