00:00Mr. Secretary and General King, let me begin by thanking the men and women of
00:05the United States military for their service and their bravery. I recognize
00:09that our service members have performed with extraordinary courage and tactical
00:13skill and they've done incredible things that our country has asked them to.
00:18Their professionalism and selfless service are not in question and never
00:22have been. What is in question is the purposes and the strategic direction of
00:28this war. Mr. Hetseth, as Secretary of the Department of Defense, you are ultimately
00:33responsible for the conduct of the Iran war. Any unvarnished review of what is
00:40happening right now in the Middle East would reveal a geopolitical calamity, a
00:46strategic blunder resulting in worldwide economic crisis. The result of Trump's
00:52war of choice is a serious self-inflicted ruin to America. It will take years and
00:58a new administration to recover from the grave damage to our standing in the
01:03world as well as our economy and our military. We must remember that 13
01:09Americans have been killed in action, hundreds wounded, and thousands of
01:12civilians killed including more than a hundred school children. The risk of this
01:18conflict was foreseeable. I'm certain that the Department of Defense knew that it
01:24was likely that in a war with Iran, Iran would create an international economic
01:29crisis by blocking the Strait of Hamus and thus stopping 20 percent of the
01:34world's oil. Was this existential threat considered? Apparently not. During the 60
01:42days of Trump's Iran war, critical munitions have been expended at an alarming
01:47rate, depleting magazine levels below what is thought necessary to hold China at bay.
01:53It will take years and tens of billions of dollars to restock. A significant part of
02:01the necessary Navy and Marine force in the Pacific has been removed and sent to
02:07support the Iran war. Our support of Ukraine has suffered as supplies and defense
02:14systems are diverted to the Iran war. America has lost irreplaceable aircraft, radar
02:21systems, and strategic bases have been shown to be vulnerable. The continued lengthy
02:28deployment of ships, equipment, and personnel has sacrificed readiness. We know
02:35what we have lost, but what have we gained? Let's consider that the regime in Tehran is
02:42still intact with new and more radical leadership, as are Iran's ballistic missile and drone forces, as
02:52Iran, as is Iran's ability to rebuild their military industries. Also, as is Iran's coordination with China,
03:01Russia, and North Korea, and Iran's ability to choke off global energy supplies. And their stockpile of highly enriched
03:11uranium, which they only built after President Trump shredded President Obama's Iran deal in 2017.
03:23Secretary Heseth, you have been lying to the American public about this war from day one, and so has the
03:30President. You have misled the public about why we are at war. You and the President have offered ever-changing
03:38reasons for this war. You have misled the public about the progress of the war. While the military has executed
03:46this war with tactical success, the strategy has been an astounding incompetence. Doing immense economic damage
03:56to America, to America, and the world. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Chairman, with the personal attack on the Secretary,
04:02he should have an opportunity to respond. He certainly will. Thank you.
04:05No, no, no, no, at the time you're doing it. It's the gentleman's time. He can use it as he
04:09sees fit,
04:10and add an extra five seconds to Mr. Garamendi's time. Thank you. You and the President have
04:15ever-changing reasons for the war. You have misled the public about the progress of the war. While the military
04:21has executed this war with tactical success, the strategy has been an outstanding example of
04:28incompetence. This war of choice is a political and economic disaster at every level. Despite the
04:35President's promise to lower the cost of living, gas prices are up 40 percent, and inflation is soaring
04:41so much for lowering the cost of living. The President has got himself and America stuck in the
04:47quagmire of another war in the Middle East. He's desperately trying to extricate himself from his
04:52own mistakes. It is in America's and indeed the world's interest that he succeed in that.
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