00:00Pete Hegseth testified this week before the House Armed Services Committee.
00:04If you haven't watched it, I would definitely check it out.
00:07He could not answer basic questions about how much this war has cost American
00:14taxpayers.
00:16He could not answer or take accountability for the war crimes that he has committed.
00:20And he could not answer questions about what sort of plan there is moving forward,
00:26what the strategy is and what the end game is.
00:28There's a reason I've introduced articles of impeachment against Secretary Hegseth.
00:34There are six articles and I urge my colleagues to join me.
00:39Mr. Secretary and General King, let me begin by thanking the men and women of the United
00:44States military for their service and their bravery.
00:47I recognize that our service members have performed with extraordinary courage and tactical
00:52skill and they've done incredible things that our country has asked them to.
00:56Their professionalism and selfless service are not in question and never have been.
01:02What is in question is the purposes and the strategic direction of this war.
01:07Mr. Hegseth, as Secretary of the Department of Defense, you are ultimately responsible for
01:12the conduct of the Iran war.
01:15Any unvarnished review of what is happening right now in the Middle East would reveal a geopolitical
01:22calamity, a strategic blunder resulting in worldwide economic crisis.
01:27The result of Trump's war of choice is a serious self-inflicted wound to America.
01:33It will take years and a new administration to recover from the grave damage to our standing
01:39in the world as well as our economy and our military.
01:43We must remember that 13 Americans have been killed in action, hundreds wounded, and thousands
01:49of civilians killed, including more than 100 school children.
01:53The risk of this conflict was foreseeable.
01:57I'm certain that the Department of Defense knew that it was likely that in a war with Iran,
02:03Iran would create an international economic crisis by blocking the Strait of Hamus and
02:08thus stopping 20% of the world's oil.
02:11Was this existential threat considered?
02:15Apparently not.
02:16During the 60 days of Trump's Iran war, critical munitions have been expended at an alarming
02:22rate, depleting magazine levels below what is thought necessary to hold China at bay.
02:29It will take years and tens of billions of dollars to restock.
02:34A significant part of the necessary Navy and Marine force in the Pacific has been removed
02:41and sent to support the Iran war.
02:43Our support of Ukraine has suffered as supplies and defense systems are diverted to the Iran
02:50war.
02:51America has lost irreplaceable aircraft, radar systems, and strategic bases have been shown
02:58to be vulnerable.
02:59The continued, lengthy deployment of ships, equipment, and personnel has sacrificed readiness.
03:07We know what we have lost, but what have we gained?
03:11Let's consider that the regime in Tehran is still intact with new and more radical leadership,
03:19as are Iran's ballistic missile and drone forces.
03:23As Iran, as is Iran's ability to rebuild their military industries.
03:30Also, as is Iran's coordination with China, Russia, and North Korea.
03:35And Iran's ability to choke off global energy supplies.
03:40And their stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which they only built after President Trump shredded
03:48President Obama's Iran deal in 2017.
03:54Secretary Heseth, you have been lying to the American public about this war from day one.
03:59And so has the President.
04:01Secretary Heseth, you have misled the public about why we are at war.
04:05You and the President have offered ever-changing reasons for this war.
04:10You've misled the public about the progress of the war.
04:15While the military has executed this war with tactical success, the strategy has been an astounding
04:22incompetence.
04:24Mr. Chairman, Mr. Chairman, with the personal attack on the Secretary, he should have an
04:32opportunity to respond.
04:34Secretary Heseth, you have misled the public about the progress of the war.
04:39Well, the military has executed this war with tactical success.
04:42You and the President have ever-changing reasons for the war.
04:46You have misled the public about the progress of the war.
04:49However, while the military has executed this war with tactical success, the strategy has
04:53been an outstanding example of incompetence.
04:58This war of choice is a political and economic disaster at every level.
05:03Despite the President's promise to lower the cost of living, gas prices are up 40 percent
05:07and inflation is soaring so much for lowering the cost of living.
05:12The President has got himself and America stuck in the quagmire of another war in the Middle
05:16East.
05:17He is desperately trying to extricate himself from his own mistakes.
05:21It is in America's and indeed the world's interest that he succeed in that.
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