‘Why Hasn’t Iran Surrendered Yet?’: Jeff Merkley SHOUTS At Hegseth, Caine After Four Months of War

[00:00:00]I I think there was a a sense that the the president expressed at the start of the war uh that the US military power was overwhelming and would likely produce unconditional surrender quickly by by Iran. Uh and that obviously hasn't happened. Was it your opinion as as well? Did you feel like the the our military force could produce an an unconditional surrender in quick order?

[00:00:28]>> Sir, I won't uh I with due respect, I won't share my private advice to the president. What I will assure you and the American people is I always speak truth to power and offer um an accurate assessment of what my assessment is of both our readiness the plans and activities that might be undertaken, the associated risks, and the secondary and tertiary considerations that go with those opinions or options.

[00:00:54]>> Uh thank you. So, you feel like the various risks that the Iran would closest could possibly close straight even despite the destruction of their navy, that the possibility of assassinating their political leaders and their military leaders could produce a strengthened hardline and weaken the reformers that uh Iran would have the ability to sustain its ability to attack sites throughout the Middle East that uh the initial requirements of the war could surely deplete our uh basically high-end standoff munitions that uh this could affect our our relations with our allies. All those worth factors well considered in this decision to go to war.

[00:01:36]>> Sir, I as I said, [clears throat] I won't opine on or share my private advice to the president.

[00:01:41]>> asking about your vice president, I'm asking you. Did you understand these issues or have these become revelations as the war has unfolded?

[00:01:47]>> Sir, my job is to understand all of the considerations that go into the carefully considered use of military power.

[00:01:54]>> Let Let ask you this then. I I understand why you don't want to respond, but these are these are all massive risks that seem to be poorly weighed in the in the beginning of this misadventure.

[00:02:07]Currently, there are reports that we have hit the Bonji desalination plant that provides water to about 20 villages or about 10,000 people, and we also damaged the desalination plant at Qeshm Island. Were these deliberate targets by the United States?

[00:02:24]>> Sir, I'm not aware of those as being particular targets, nor am I aware of those reports, and I'll have to go back and get back to you on that.

[00:02:32]>> If you could, I'd appreciate that. You are aware that infrastructure that civilians rely on to survive is not generally considered legitimate military targets.

[00:02:39]>> Sir, as you know, we have a robust process which considers a target that goes through a system that looks at a variety of considerations to include what you're alluding to around both purely civilian or dual-use targets. I have trust and confidence in CENTCOM that they're looking at the range of those things on a daily basis.

[00:02:59]>> like you are assuring us that we will, the United States, not target, even in retaliatory sense, of infrastructure that's generally considered to be primarily for civilian survival.

[00:03:13]>> Sir, as I mentioned, we have a robust process, and you know, we have the most professional military force in the world that follows the >> have you say yes, because this is international law, if you understand the international law.

[00:03:26]>> I do, sir. I've got a lot of lawyers that help me understand it.

[00:03:28]>> Thank Thank you.

[00:03:29]>> Yes, sir.

[00:03:30]>> And you'll Will you get back to us on that question of whether we targeted the desalination plants, and if so, if if so, why?

[00:03:38]Um my time's up, but I do want to express encouragement to look at what the negotiators have put forward or advisors as to whether a 10-day break could facilitate returning to dialogue that might find a path forward.

[00:03:58]>> Senator Hyde-Smith.

[00:04:01]>> Thank you, Madam Chairman, and I want to thank all three of you for being here today.

[00:04:05]I am going to direct my first question to Secretary Rollins, and again, I want to commend you publicly for the outstanding job you're doing at USDA.

[00:04:16]You know, this is my world. As former Ag Commissioner, I hear from a lot of producers in Mississippi, and they are so pleased with your performance, and that is just truly genuine right there.

[00:04:29]But, I'm pleased to see the administration's supplemental request as far as producers, because before I comment on that, I just want the entire committee and administration to take note of the tremendous timber losses as well in places like Mississippi due to winter storms and the tornadoes we've had there. It is significant, and I certainly look forward to working with you um with the uh concerns of the timber sector.

[00:04:57]Regarding this supplemental, you know, our row crop producers, as you've mentioned in your opening remarks, uh they are truly in a serious situation.

[00:05:08]I've talked to multi-generation farmers back home who are the best of the best that did not even plant this year because they could not make the numbers work.

[00:05:20]And producers in Mississippi and nationwide, you know, we continue to face these economic conditions. They're not going away anytime immediately or soon, but we've seen the commodity prices drop and the input costs just go through the roof.

[00:05:37]If we want the next generation to stay on the land, Congress, we're going to have to take this opportunity to provide this critical market assistance for our farmers and enact policies that build structural demands for commodities like the Buy American Cotton Act that year-round E15.

[00:06:00]All of which would make the paths better, more favorable for these producers going forward. But, I appreciate the administration's effort to this date, including the farmer bridge assistance program that was so valuable, implementation of the updated farm safety net with working families tax cut act, and now the supplemental request before Congress. But, will you speak to why it's critical for Congress to act swiftly to pass this supplemental and the need for us to pass legislation that drives the demand for farmers' products?

[00:06:38]>> Yes, thank you, Senator, for your kind words. A couple of really important points. Number one, as we work to open the markets around the world, and we're seeing, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, uh just extraordinary numbers.

[00:06:49]That $50 billion agricultural deficit we inherited a year and a half ago is now down into the 20-ish billion. We expect it to go down significantly this year.

[00:06:58]Uh again, the highest price we've seen in over a year in corn is today, and soybeans is today, etc. Your point, Senator, about opening up the domestic markets is really important, whether that's E15, renewable fuel standards.

[00:07:11]Obviously, the RVOs came out, which is a reason for the drive up uh in some of our row crop prices in the last month, which is really important. But, also, as I mentioned, bringing the cost of inputs down. We are expanding fertilizer. The largest ammonia plant, we're going to break ground in Louisiana in 2 weeks.

[00:07:27]Reshoring, bringing back to America real fertilizer production. And then also, the long term. We We got to figure out how we are We are doing these supplementals and these bridge payments, which we have to do for these farmers to survive. But, what we're seeing is just survival, and we're seeing a lot of the input companies, equipment, seed, fertilizer make record profit. So, we've got to be able to dig into that as well.

[00:07:50]But, as of today, ensuring that we can keep these farmers farming while we're opening the markets, while we're bringing down the cost of inputs, is paramount for a secure America, and that's why this is so important today.

[00:08:03]>> Thank you very very much for that. And, Secretary Hicks, uh thank you for being here and the amazing job that you're doing. I have the utmost respect for you, your team, and what you're accomplishing.

[00:08:14]But, I as well am committed to ensuring that our war fighters have all the tools necessary to accomplish the mission in Iran and whatever else that they need to defend our nation's interest. The supplemental request is in line with that goal, and I'd like to shift my conversation right now quickly to shipbuilding, which is extremely important to the state of Mississippi and our country's ability to protect itself.

[00:08:42]The President's FY 2027 budget requests funding for one DDG-51, while Navy leaders have said their goal remains to build two destroyers a year.

[00:08:54]And, at the same time, the department is exploring options for using allied shipyards and overseas fabrication in future naval construction, which raises questions about the long-term role of the American naval industrial base or shifting work away from domestic shipbuilders.

[00:09:11]Shipyards like Ingalls in Mississippi, which I would love to invite you down to there, it is amazing and the thousands of suppliers and small businesses they support, they need the confidence that the work will be there so they can invest in new facilities, hire and train skilled workers, and expand capacity that we will need in the future. Will you help or talk to us about the department's short- and long-term shipbuilding plan and how it gives industry the confidence to invest.

[00:09:41]>> Um, you just you just made the case for this generational investment because of the underinvestment Senator in shipbuilding in the previous administration. Just static, flat, bureaucratic, slow. Uh, we're having to revitalize that industry and one DDG is a reflection of a backlog in capability.

[00:09:57]So, as we ramp on more capacity, those numbers of DDGs that were course of our navy will go up as we grow that force.

[00:10:05]>> [music] >> Subscribe to Oneindia and never miss an update.

[00:10:12]Download the Oneindia app now.

[00:10:13]>> [music]