Trump Just Admitted We're Going to War With Iran

As the US Navy masses near the Persian Gulf, war with Iran seems inevitable. Trump says he prefers diplomacy, but both sides are quietly admitting that there's only one way this can end. Welcome to America Uncovered, I'm Chris Chappell. Be sure to drop an American flag in the comments below to show YouTube we've got engagement. And make sure you're still subscribed. YouTube has a habit of quietly unsubscribing people. So Iran, home of the mullahs, heart of the so-called Axis of Resistance, a militant theocracy whose slogan is Death to America. Or as President Trump described them in his State of the Union address, The world's number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far. Now, the State of the Union is many things. Sure, it's a bit of a pep rally, a chance to dunk on your opponents, a night where everyone tunes in to watch you brag about yourself. But it's more than just that. It's a statement of intent. Unlike a closed door meeting, millions of people are watching. Anything you say becomes a matter of public record. So when a president stands up in front of the entire country and says a foreign adversary is building weapons of mass destruction, that's not just rhetoric, that's a call to action. Let's back up. Last June, the US joined Israel in what was called Operation Midnight Hammer. During that operation, American stealth bombers dropped advanced bunker-buster munitions on several of Iran's key facilities, tearing them to shreds. And for a moment, it looked like the program had been set back years. But at Tuesday's State of the Union, Trump said Iran immediately started rebuilding. After Midnight Hammer, they were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons program in particular. Nuclear weapons. Yet they continue starting it all over. We wiped it out, and they want to start all over again. And are at this moment again pursuing their sinister ambitions. So here we are, right back where we started. Except now, blood has been spilled. And tensions are higher than ever. Which brings us to the negotiations. Since last year, the US and Iran have held indirect talks in Oman. And in these talks, US officials have laid out three basic demands. That Iran limit or eliminate its uranium enrichment, limit its missile programs, and stop all support for regional proxies. And what has Iran's response been thus far? No, no, and no. Now you might be thinking, OK, this is just some sort of art of the deal. Everyone starts at the extremes, and you meet in the middle. Except there is no middle here. And the reason why comes down to that second demand—limiting Iran's missiles. See, Iran's nuclear program is dangerous, but it's also theoretical. Iran doesn't have a nuke yet. But Iranian missiles? Those are very real, and they work. During last year's 12-day war with Israel, Iran fired hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israeli cities, and a significant number of them got through, in spite of Israel's missile defense. Buildings were destroyed, and around 30 people were killed. These missiles are just about the only kind of deterrent Iran has left. They can't compete with the US or Israel in terms of technology, funding, or global reach. But if Iran does get attacked, these missiles at least give them the ability to lash out. For Iran's leaders, the thought is, sure, you can hit us at any time, but we'll give you a bloody nose for your trouble. So when the US comes to the table and says, we need limits on your missile program, what Iranian leaders hear is basically, we need to disarm you. And that's why they've said Iran's missile program is non-negotiable. That's right, non-negotiable. Not, we'd prefer not to. Not, that's a tough ask. Non-negotiable. According to the Institute for the Study of War, any concession on that topic would be viewed internally as the equivalent of losing a war. But honestly, that makes sense. Iran already went through one war with Israel in the US last June. Their nuclear sites got hit. Their proxy network is in tatters. Hezbollah is gutted. Hamas is degraded. The Houthis are getting hammered. The missiles are the last thing standing between Iran and total strategic vulnerability. Of course they won't give them up. So why are we even negotiating? From Iran's perspective, the answer is pretty simple. Every week of negotiations is a week without bombs falling on Tehran. Iran used every round of talks to buy time, signal just enough flexibility to keep the US at the table and run out the clock. Ideally, past Trump's term. And from the US side? Well, these negotiations allow the Trump administration to tell the world, we tried, we really tried, but Iran left us no other choice. The US doesn't want to be seen as a trigger-happy superpower that goes around bombing countries in the Middle East. Whether it's Egypt, Jordan, or the Gulf states, America needs to uphold its image as a force for regional stability. But it's not just regional allies Trump wants to reassure. He also needs to sell the American public on the idea. In his State of the Union speech, Trump dropped this bomb. Don't mind the pun. They've already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they're working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America. That's a significant escalation. Because hitting Israel or even Europe is one thing. But missiles that can reach the continental US? That's a Homeland Defense justification. It calls on a whole different legal and political framework. And it's the kind of language that makes congressional authorization less necessary and public support easier to build. So this State of the Union wasn't just a speech. It was a closing argument. And apparently, Congress got the message. Shortly before the speech, Marco Rubio briefed the Gang of Eight on the Iran issue. These are the eight congressional leaders from both parties who receive classified intelligence briefings that the rest of Congress doesn't get, and the executive branch is legally required to notify them before major covert operations. Democrats who attended that briefing came out visibly shaken. They couldn't say what they heard, but Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer hinted that Trump was about to make the case for something big. Okay, I'd say, look, closed-door briefings are fine, but the administration has to make its case to the American people as something as important as this. Meanwhile, the US military posture tells its own story. The USS Gerald Ford Carrier Strike Group is currently steaming toward waters near Iran. While additional combat aircraft like F-35s, F-22s, and F-16s have been ordered to the region. Iran, for its part, has noticed. They're getting ready for the big one. It recently closed the Strait of Hormuz for a live-fire drill. That's the choke point through which roughly 20% of the world's oil passes. Closing it, even for a drill, is Iran's way of saying, you hit us, the whole world feels it. At the same time, Iran is looking to buy Chinese-made supersonic ship killer missiles, along with Russian-made shoulder-fired missiles. Iran's leaders have every right to be worried. If and when this strike comes, it could be all over for them. Remember that at the end of last year, massive anti-government protests erupted across the country, triggering a deadly crackdown. The regime admits to over 3,000 deaths, but human rights groups say it's much higher. Unfortunately for the protesters, the US was unable to assist them in time, so most of them went home to avoid being killed. But now that the US has its sights back on Iran, the protests are back in force. Thousands of dissidents have taken to the streets, clashing with regime loyalists and shouting, Death to Khamenei! The Iranian regime knows that a US strike could be the thing that finally breaks them. According to six current and former Iranian officials, a US strike could be the straw that finally breaks the camel's back. So the missiles aren't just Iran's deterrence against the US and Israel. They're the regime's insurance policy against its own people. Where does this leave us? Well, I'll just say this. The negotiations were never really about getting a deal. They were about building the case that you tried everything first. The State of the Union was Trump's closing argument. The briefing was the notification. And the assets are already in position. What do you think? Leave your comments below. I do read as many as I can. And I'm struggling financially to keep this show going. But you can help. Click this button to head over to my website AmericaUncovered.tv and subscribe. Once again, I'm Chris Chappell. Thank you for watching America Uncovered.