Mixed Messages on War with Iran

0:00Good job, but Kevin coming up on that, I mean Ryan coming up on that given that most Americans don't see what the problem is about showing ID to vote when we have to show ID to do anything and everything else. Even the communist in New York said people wanted to help shovel snow and have two pieces of identification, I still don't know why that is the case. Jonathan Savage is here, which means we're going to have some good, clear information from our great Fox News correspondent and WJR contributor Jonathan, always a pleasure. Always put in the pressure on me, aren't you? I call it like I see it and you've never let us down. I'm not sure what the president's thinking when he does things like this, but this isn't the first time. Apparently, in a phone interview with CBS News yesterday afternoon, President Trump said the US war with Iran could almost be over.

1:02Yes, he said the war is very complete pretty much and that the US is far ahead of schedule. The Iranian, the Israelis also say things were ahead of schedule. He made a number of remarks yesterday to President Trump, he did a number of interviews. He told Republican lawmakers that this was a short-term military operation. He went on to say, we've already won in many ways, but we haven't won enough. That might suggest things are going to go on a little bit longer. And also on true social, he warned that death, fire and fury will rain upon Iran if it stops the flow of oil through the strait of horror murs. Again, perhaps suggesting that he's willing to keep going, depending on how events unfold. We should also remind ourselves that war secretary Pete Higgs has promised that things were only just beginning on Friday in another CBS interview, although today, Secretary Higgs has said it's the president whose foot is on the throttle. So I think that it's fair to say that President Trump would like things to end pretty quickly.

2:07However, it's not entirely clear how close they really are to that happening, especially now there's a new supreme leader in Iran who, by all accounts, all the evidence is pointing to him being at least as hard-line as his father. Jonathan, think of this. We have heard that that he was at least as hard-line as his father. But now look where he is. He lost his wife, his mother, his father. I'm not sure. He lost a lot of people so far. He's not going to say, oh, well, I think I'll just throw in the towel now. This guy's in it till he's dead. And I don't know why he wouldn't isn't saying it because maybe they're not supposed to say something like that. But don't you agree that if he was a hard-liner before this, now he's untouchable? He also lost a son, Mojtaba, Hamanei, and he was known as much as he was known, which wasn't very much for being very closely linked to the Revolutionary Guard, which is the

3:09internal security force that suppresses dissent with an iron fist, also close to the spy network, the intelligence agencies of Iran. He knows all about the deep state there. He knows about confronting external and internal threats. It does the new Supreme Leader. And bear in mind that the role of Supreme Leader is actually meant to be a religious one in this theocracy. There's a lot more to him than just as a religious leader. So yes, he's there for life. This is meant to be a job for life. You're meant to do until you die. He's only the third Supreme Leader Iran has had since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. But President Trump warns that the 56-year-old won't last long. And Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz calling him an unequivocal target as well. Perhaps then Paul is no surprise that we haven't seen him. He's not made any public appearance or comment or statement. Certainly not sticking his head above the parapet at this point.

4:10He was in the shadows before he was the Supreme Leader. He never gave an interview or public speech then, very few photos or videos. We may not seem him for some time. There are reports actually he would injured and Secretary Hexas was unable to confirm those reports. So there's so little that we know about his status or his goals, his identity, his philosophy, and putting together the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle as you and I have been doing. You know, I think you alluded to this. Maybe it came right out and said it. Jonathan Savage, Fox News correspondent, W.J. contributor. This guy, and I'm not even going to try to say his name because it's inconsequential to me and he won't be around long enough for it to matter. But this son of the second Khomeini is said to be at the heart of the thousands of their fellow people, the Iranians that were slaughtered by Iran. He was said to be basically in charge of that.

5:12Have you heard that? He certainly would be very high up, very well connected and he would certainly know all about what was happening based on what we know of him. He didn't have a political title, but everybody who knows about Iran would know that he was very well connected to the security forces. So yeah, that is why we're hearing people in Iran saying he's going to be worse than his dad. And the celebrations that we saw from people after the death of his father, Ali Khomeini, we've also seen people shouting out of windows death to Murshtaba. So they're not celebrating his ascension, the way they celebrate his father's death. On state TV, they have shown videos of people celebrating his appointment in the streets. Some of these will be organized by the state and there will be a minority people in Iran who are full-throated behind the Islamic Republic as they have it.

6:17But this is someone who is not likely to change or make things any freer for the people of Iran. I'm still stunned, Jonathan, that we haven't seen more women, noticeably the squad and Democrats in general, stand up for the fact that women for the first time in 47 years in Iran have the potential opportunity to actually be treated like human beings again. You would think that would grab their attention and they'd be all for that, but I haven't heard a thing from the outstanding Democrat women who are always outstanding talking about other issues. Look, I can't talk to American politics, I'm not best please to talk about that, but I can talk about how the role of women is being highlighted right now by the Iranian women's soccer team in Australia playing in an Asian cup tournament. They've just played their final match of that tournament and their participation has

7:18been very much in the spotlight because of how they responded in their first game, refusing to sing the national anthem. Their national anthem, they refused to sing the Iranian national anthem so you know where they stand. And then in other games they were singing some of them and saluting. The crowd who were there to see them, the Iranian fans who were there to see them were smuggled in the flag of the old Iranian nation rather than the current flag. And it would appear that the women on the team bus, the coach, were giving SOS hand signals through the window. Now, five of them have been granted asylum in Australia. The rest were offered, some of them decided they want to go home because they were worried about reprisals on their family, worried to stay in Australia. There was a horrible sight of one being dragged by her collar onto the team bus and people who were standing protesters on front of the bus trying to stop it from leaving.

8:20So you know, this is all going to put the plate of Iranian women in the spotlight. And yeah, let's see who stands up for them and who caused that out. Very good point. I hadn't seen any of that and I really appreciate you pointing that out. Like I said at the beginning of our conversation, we're going to get a great report from our Fox News correspondent and WJR contributor extraordinaire, Jonathan Savage. See my buildup wasn't too big. You delivered. Yeah, I tend to do well under pressure. Let's do it that way. You always do a good job. Be careful out there and thanks, Jonathan. Take care, Paul. Good to speak to you. Nice to speak with you. 1228 at 760 WJR.