00:00as is Iran's coordination with China, Russia, and North Korea,
00:04and Iran's ability to choke off global energy supplies,
00:10and their stockpile of highly enriched uranium,
00:13which they only built after President Trump shredded President Obama's Iran deal.
00:20Mr. Hedseth, as Secretary of the Department of Defense,
00:23you are ultimately responsible for the conduct of the Iran War.
00:27Any unvarnished review of what is happening right now in the Middle East
00:33would reveal a geopolitical calamity,
00:36a strategic blunder resulting in worldwide economic crisis.
00:41The result of Trump's war of choice is a serious self-inflicted ruin to America.
00:47It will take years and a new administration to recover from the grave damage
00:52to our standing in the world as well as our economy and our military.
00:57We must remember that 13 Americans have been killed in action,
01:01hundreds wounded, and thousands of civilians killed,
01:04including more than 100 school children.
01:07The risk of this conflict was foreseeable.
01:11I am certain that the Department of Defense knew that it was likely
01:15that in a war with Iran, Iran would create an international economic crisis
01:21by blocking the Strait of Hamus and thus stopping 20% of the world's oil.
01:27Was this existential threat considered?
01:30Apparently not.
01:32During the 60 days of Trump's Iran war, critical munitions have been expended at an alarming rate,
01:38depleting magazine levels below what is thought necessary to hold China at bay.
01:44It will take years and tens of billions of dollars to restock.
01:51A significant part of the necessary Navy and Marine force in the Pacific has been removed
01:57and sent to support the Iran war.
02:00Our support of Ukraine has suffered as supplies and defense systems are diverted to the Iran war.
02:08America has lost irreplaceable aircraft, radar systems, and strategic bases have been shown to be vulnerable.
02:17The continued, lengthy deployment of ships, equipment, and personnel has sacrificed readiness.
02:25We know what we have lost, but what have we gained?
02:28Let's consider that the regime in Tehran is still intact with new and more radical leadership,
02:37as are Iran's ballistic missile and drone forces, as is Iran's ability to rebuild their military industries,
02:49also as is Iran's coordination with China, Russia, and North Korea,
02:53and Iran's ability to choke off global energy supplies,
02:59and their stockpile of highly enriched uranium,
03:03which they only built after President Trump shredded President Obama's Iran deal in 2017.
03:14Secretary Heseth, you have been lying to the American public about this war from day one,
03:19and so has the President.
03:21You have misled the public about why we are at war.
03:26You and the President have offered ever-changing reasons for this war.
03:31You've misled the public about the progress of the war.
03:35While the military has executed this war with tactical success,
03:39the strategy has been an astounding incompetence,
03:45doing immense economic damage to America and the world.
03:49Mr. Chairman, Mr. Chairman, with the personal attack on the Secretary,
03:53he should have an opportunity to respond.
03:55He certainly will.
03:56No, no, no.
03:57It's the time you're doing it.
03:58It's the gentleman's time.
03:59He can use it as he sees fit and add an extra five seconds to Mr. Garamendi's time.
04:05You and the President are over ever-changing reasons for the war.
04:08You have misled the public about the progress of the war.
04:11While the military has executed this war with tactical success,
04:15the strategy has been an outstanding example of incompetence.
04:21This war of choice is a political and economic disaster at every level.
04:25Despite the President's promise to lower the cost of living,
04:28gas prices are up 40%, and inflation is soaring so much for lowering the cost of living.
04:35The President has got himself and America stuck in the quagmire of another war in the Middle East.
04:40He's desperately trying to extricate himself from his own mistakes.
04:44It is in America's and indeed the world's interest that he succeed in that.
04:50I yield back.
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