Judging Freedom - Judge Andrew Napolitano - Alastair Crooke : Israel and Trump Still Want War.

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Oct. 13, 2025 - Judging Freedom - Judge Andrew Napolitano

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Alastair Crooke : Israel and Trump Still Want War.

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	Hi everyone, Judge Andrew Napolitano here for Judging Freedom.
	Today is Monday, October 13th, 2025.
	Alistair Crook will be with us in just a moment on no matter what they say.
	Do Netanyahu and Trump still want more war.
	But first, this.
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	And now is the time.
	Alistair, good day, dear my friend, and welcome here.
	Thank you as always for accommodating my time schedule.
	Before we get to President Trump's attitude about war and some bizarre things he said about Vietnam and Afghanistan, about which you've written uh so eloquently.
	Let's address uh briefly the uh events in Jerusalem today.
	What is your take on this uh Donald Trump, Steve Whitkopf, Jared Krishner, Tony Blair, Gaza deal.
	Is this real peace or is this just an act?
	I think let's change it a little bit and say, I think it's quite important, what's happened, and very important, very important in a human way for the families and for the people who will be released, and the the Palestinians will, well, not all of them that were originally um indicated seem to be likely to be released.
	But it was important.
	Is it a peace deal?
	No.
	It is a ceasefire.
	And there's a vast difference between a ceasefire and a peace deal.
	And so the ceasefire is a limited part of it, and most of this is happening, and it's a big show, and it's, you know, reality TV, and everyone claims success.
	Um the real the problem is that the that's phase one of uh an agreement.
	Phase two and phase three were really never properly defined, ready never properly thought through, ready never properly agreed.
	So what happens when we get to the end of phase one is going to be very moot.
	Um, because phase two calls for a new um security force, that it'll come into Gaza.
	It calls for Hamas to be disarmed.
	Um, and I don't think that Hamas are going to be disarmed.
	I don't think they are going to agree to the other elements of, I mean, the broad, I mean, they're not clearly defined.
	They don't agree that Gaza should be run um by foreigners.
	They say it has to be run by Palestinians, which is natural enough.
	And I think what is quite significant is that uh Hamas in going to Shal Sheikh, where this agreement with um Witkoff uh and uh Kushner was agreed, I mean, was backed by everyone, including Palestinian jihad.
	All of the factions of Gaza um realized, you know, perhaps, you know, holding hostages, yes, it gave them a liver leverage, but you know, perhaps it was time to let that go.
	It was a diminishing return, if you like.
	So I think uh yes, what we are going into is a pause.
	And I think for many think of it, and one very senior Iranian official said, you know, uh, yes, we may be having a ceasefire in Gaza, but it is linked, and it is also about the end of a ceasefire somewhere else in the Middle East.
	And so Kwaat in Gaza was preparing the ground, in his view, um, for a likely um military action against um Iran.
	And I think this is why we've seen this whole exercise being done quite so hastily.
	I mean, it's it's a sloppy job, you know.
	It was taking an old paper and then sort of beefing it up a little, but it was sloppily done and hastily done.
	Why the haste?
	Well, in my experience, um the Israelis just do not like flying um in bad weather.
	I mean, I was in Lebanon in 2006 with the war there, and you know, when the clouds come down on the hills, when the mists start and the rain is heavy, the Israelis don't like to fly.
	So if there's going to be an attack, military attack on Iran, um, then I think it is got to be before the end of November.
	Otherwise, um both Trump and Netanyahu will have to wait till next spring.
	And who knows what the situation will be by next spring.
	So that's the choice they have, I think.
	That if they want to do uh uh military attack on Iran, they have to get on with it quickly.
	And that's why they wanted to have quiet in Palestine, because they didn't want Palestine to explode.
	I think I remember long ago, an American senior American official said to me, listen, when we attack Iran, as we will eventually, when we attack that, the first thing we've got to do is to pacify Hezbollah and Lebanon, attack in South Lebanon, and to make sure Gaza remains quiet, so that the concentration can be on what happens in Iran and the war in Iran.
	And that's the reason I think there's quite a lot of haste, whether it'll happen or not before, because end of November is not so far off, or whether it'll be postponed uh till later.
	But don't forget we are at the pro point where the JCPOA ends, and there's a blank slate.
	And Trump is going to write on that blank state, and he's already indicated what he wants to write on it.
	And he said very clearly, and also um Tom Barak uh said it, you know, it's great what's happening in Gaza, it's great what's happening in the region, but but you know, we still have work to do.
	We still have to cut the head off the snake.
	That's Iran.
	All right.
	Uh we're um uh watching uh scenes not quite in real time, but just a few minutes ago uh in and around Jerusalem as the uh hostages uh have the Israeli hostages have come home.
	There will, of course, be no such media coverage of the Palestinian hostages coming home, and the principal Palestinian hostage, Mr. Bergudi, whose name was the first on the list, apparently was secretly uh removed from the list by uh Prime Minister Netanyahu, after the Americans and after Hamas and after the Arab leaders uh had agreed to the list.
	I don't know how we can get away with that, but he gets away with a lot.
	Uh before we jump to Trump, I just like to uh people to understand that in a way the release of Mawana is very important symbolically.
	I know Mawan Baguti, at least I knew him uh when I was in in that area um uh as a leader then, and he was a prominent leader before his arrest and imprisonment.
	But what I hear and what I believe is um he's has suffered long spells of solitary confinement, and they've taken a severe toll uh on him, both psychologically and physically.
	And so I don't think he's going to be coming out as a really if he does come out as a sort of you know strong man uh for the Palestinians.
	I don't think any one of the Palestinians are thinking in that way.
	Um but of course they want him to be released.
	Uh another question about uh Netanyahu today, before we Trump to jump to President Trump's rather odd statements about war uh over the weekend.
	Uh Netzinyahu has yet to defeat the Palestinians.
	He has made a cultural, economic, and political mess of Israel.
	He has caused the whole world, including the majority of the United States, to question the morality of the Zionist apartheid uh project.
	I guess he needs another war.
	Exactly.
	Uh and you know, the this is, I mean, underestimated uh the toll that has been taken.
	You've lay laid it out very precisely, but the toll on Israel, I mean, is the fact, I mean, you know, there were three ambitions set by Hassan.
	For for this um for the resistance, if you like, uh, in Israel.
	One was to exhaust Israel militarily.
	Now, it hasn't been completely cheap, but it's been partly achieved.
	Uh the second one uh was to destroy the cohesiveness of society, or of to destroy, if you like, um the cultural uh structures uh that gave uh longevity to Israel as the idea,
	but the most important one was to put into question um uh really um not only the moral basis of Zionism, but the practical basis of Zionism.
	Is there any practical way of running a state on apartheid line lines where you privilege one uh community, one group of people over another with whom you share the same land?
	And there's never been a solution to that if they will not assimilate into uh a state.
	And so I think one can say at the end of it, you know, the the pressures and this the tensions that you see um being imposed uh on Israel and Netanyahu are almost exploding.
	And I think um, you know, this is this is what we are going to see.
	And the final part of this, the final and most important part of what's happening, is that Israel utterly depends on the United States financially and militarily.
	We all know that.
	But that's changing, and you know that better than me.
	I'm miles away.
	But you know what's happening amongst young Americans, right?
	Both the MAGA group and also amongst Democrats.
	And you know, it's a big breach taking place.
	Now, I think with Trump, I listened to the what the Mega young MACA people are saying.
	And I mean, whether you agree with it or not, I mean, they're saying that, you know, the story about who killed Charlie Kirk.
	It doesn't add up.
	It's a lie, it's a cover-up.
	He wasn't killed by Levinson.
	Um, there was clearly because there's no evidence to back it up.
	It's just another narrative.
	And they're very angry about that.
	And who are they blaming?
	Well, they are saying, you know, we talk about Epstein.
	Now we talk about Charlie Kirk.
	The covers up.
	When are we going to get the honesty out of this?
	And so, and they are turning increasingly against Israel, partly because of this, and partly because they feel, you know, the American amendment on free speech is being attacked by Israel.
	It's being bought.
	The amendment, US amendment, constitutional amendment for free speech is being bought by extremely wealthy businessmen in the United States.
	And that is angering them.
	So there's a big breach coming with Trump.
	Yes, okay, we have the release of hostages today.
	And no doubt that will give him a Philip, but not much of one.
	I was talking to someone who knows the people in Gaza last night, really in intimately in touch with them.
	Yes, but they're not, they don't expect the war to end.
	They know it's not going to end.
	It's going to go on.
	And so does Hamas.
	Hodas, so does Hezbollah, and so does Iran expect, you know, that this was a sort of calming of the situation.
	And let's see what else is happening.
	And what else is happening?
	That everywhere else, everything is changing all at once.
	Huge change in the Chinese position towards uh uh America.
	I know that the markets are probably going to go up a bit because the markets are in a frenzy.
	But what China did about rare earth really has the ability, if it is pursued, if it's taken seriously, that will be lights out for the AI, the American AI project, because it's not only putting controls, export controls on rare earth, it's on the machines that mine the earth.
	It is on the machines that cut chips, and it is on the smart uh batteries which allow American drones to fly.
	I mean, a really major, that's why the markets collapse.
	And then you have at the same time, in parallel with in Russia in Moscow, that a very senior official, I know you've heard this already on earlier element, but Ryubkov, a senior diplomat, deputy foreign minister, told the Duma formally and said, listen, it's over.
	Ankara didn't work.
	We got nothing from the Trump people.
	Nothing at all.
	Even in the smallest elements of normalization, nothing.
	No flights, no return of diplomatic properties, nothing came out of this.
	We've drawn a line under it, no more discussions, more, no more technical committee meetings.
	It's finished.
	We are going on with a military campaign, and we are stepping it up.
	And so we're going to have escalation, I believe, I'm sure that this will result in escalation, is escalation by Russia on the one side.
	We can only see very clearly what's happening in Potrovsk and other towns which are close to falling, will be a major change.
	A military change is taking place there, as well as, of course, the destruction of 60% of the gas supply.
	Over these last few days, Russia has destroyed 60% of the gas supply.
	Many parts of Russia have no electricity and have no gas is their start.
	Many parts of Ukraine have no gas and no electricity as they're going into winter.
	So there's escalation, and I think we will see further the Financial Times yesterday or today is hyping the idea that there was, you know, there's been such destruction of refineries in Russia that this is really hurting Russia.
	And this is this is just the story, you know, that um has been put out now.
	The new narrative is no longer that Ukraine is winning, because that's just not feasible to go ahead with.
	So the uh Western narrative is now look, actually, you know, by going on with the war, Putin is eating his own economy.
	It's getting weaker and weaker because it's getting more militarized.
	And if only we just keep the Ukraine project kicking over on life support, that'll eat away at the Russian economy, and Putin will have to be will be removed from office.
	It's it's before you even ask me, this is total dilution, of course.
	Uh I'm going to uh play President Trump from yesterday talking about Tomahawks.
	But before I do, I'm going to tell you the question I'm going to ask you at the end of this clip, and that is did anything good or positive come from the Anchorage Alaska summit.
	But first, Chris, number nine.
	We talked about weapons, and the weapons are sent to NATO, and NATO then sends us to Jack They face for info, and uh they would need more weapons, and we're looking into doing that.
	We we hope we're gonna be able to provide them.
	They'd like to have tomahawks to step up.
	They'd like to have tomahawks.
	We talked about that.
	And so uh so we'll see.
	Well, I don't know.
	I may I might have to speak to Russia, to be honest with you about Tomahawks.
	Do they want to have Tomahawks going in their direction?
	I don't think so.
	I think I might speak to Russia about that, in all fairness.
	I told that to President Zelensky, because Tomahawks are a new step of aggression.
	You're saying that you will speak to Putin first and I might talk to him.
	I might say, look, if this war's not gonna get settled, I'm gonna send them tomahawks.
	I may say that if the war is not settled, that we may very well do it.
	We may not, but we may do it.
	I think it's appropriate to bring up the immediate Russia response from Mr. Lukashenko number six.
	I think we need to calm down in this regard.
	I've told you, perhaps, that our friend US President Donald has his own tactics for working on the most pressing issues.
	He pressures certain authorities and people.
	Acts harshly, then he eases off and steps back.
	So we shouldn't take it literally.
	As if the missiles will start flying tomorrow.
	He understands it shouldn't happen.
	And it won't come to this.
	That's how I understand the situation.
	Knowing him a little as a person, so everything will be fine.
	Russia is advancing on the front.
	I speak responsibly because I can see what is happening every day.
	This could lead to Ukraine disappearing as a state.
	Just look at Ukraine's mad neighbors to the West.
	The forces and states that already see themselves in Western Ukraine.
	They are ready to seize part of Ukraine as it was before World War II.
	You understand what we are talking about.
	That is why there is such fierce fighting there.
	I would like the Ukrainian president to hear my words and realize that only the Slavic states can bring happiness to Ukraine.
	That is why we need to sit down and reach an agreement.
	That of course was the president of Belarus, who's a dear friend of President Putin.
	That was not the official Russian response.
	So back to my original uh question.
	Did any positive step towards peace come out of the Anchorage Alaska summit between President Trump and President Putin?
	No, no, not substantive.
	But I do think all the same, um, that it was important um that uh that uh Trump recognized the standing of Putin that gave him esteem, that gave him, if you like, the the the standing and bearing.
	Um and I think that was probably all that came from it.
	But it it is quite important because I've got very long experience of you know this process of uh completely um you know besieging and isolating a person and demonizing them and calling them all these names, uh has certainly self certain self-fulfilling aspects to it.
	So I think that was uh good, but quite clearly From what we hear, the promise that we thought we had, and which Putin obviously thought he had, um, that um uh that Russia would get on and finish the war, um, and that um Russia and the US wouldn't escalate, um, uh, hasn't happened.
	And, you know, with uh with with these uh with these tomahawks and other things, other missiles, long-range missiles.
	I mean, what the Financial Times clearly a leaks document for a political purpose.
	But what it was saying was um that the that actually Trump has been increasing the amount and level of intelligence to Ukraine so that the missiles they fire at refineries and deep into Russia can move around uh Russian uh air defenses and radar uh and strike the target more easily.
	And that's all American intelligence, not European intelligence.
	And the Financial Times actually makes that clear.
	Is the United States at war with Russia?
	Yes, clearly.
	I I mean, you're uh of course.
	You are at war at a low level, low, low states of um uh uh of actual combat, but you're clearly at war with Russia.
	Uh and that is where uh and the the whole of that statement you meant was if you like, sort of saying, oh well, the Europeans can buy tomahawks and they can send them into Russia.
	Well, let's be clear.
	The Tomahawks are not really frightening Russia, even if they gave them to the Ukrainians.
	I mean, they would they're 40 years old, they're slow, they're not hypersonic, uh, they're subsonic, um, they are big, slow old missiles, and the Russians will probably shoot down almost all of them, one or two may get through.
	This is not going to be a game changer because the game changer is taking place now, actually in Donbass and on the borders, where the game is changing and changing today.
	And there's no good people saying, oh, well, there's nothing we don't see much.
	Well, look again, because it is changing dramatically.
	And so what Lukashench said, and he said, I'm not trying to be uh to scare people, but he said, you know, it's getting close to the point where there will not be a Ukrainian state left.
	And I'm saying this, you know, to my friends in Ukraine.
	If you don't, if you continue in the route you're doing, I mean, this is going to end up in a disaster for you.
	So I think that was I think what he said was quite important, and he he didn't really hypen.
	And we are living in a period where fear is being heightened and heightened and heightened.
	But it's nearly all public relations and bluff.
	And look what happens.
	Oh, guess those frightening Lithuania drones over Lithuania.
	Uh, what did they what did they turn out to be?
	Uh there was nothing.
	The drones that were supposed to be on the ship that the French um, if you like, arrested.
	There were no drones.
	What were they seeing in Denmark and other parts of Europe?
	They all turned out um to be, and this is what they're now admitting, they all turned out to be, you know, young people who are fascinated in drones, and mean drone drone addicts who were have playing around with the authorities and daring each other to fly them near airports.
	But there were no evidence of Russian drones at all.
	All of this is hype, and I think really too what Namashenko was saying was, you know, uh also um these tomahawks are really hype.
	Um and it's dangerous in the sense that I think we're moving into a new era of escalation.
	Escalation will come in Russia, I think, by the United States.
	Maybe bits of Europe will do something stupid, probably.
	But also the main thing is also we're getting close to that clear point where China may have taken the decision to pop the uh artificial intelligence bubble and therefore the stock market in the US.
	Um, not deliberately to create a huge financial crisis, um, but because they needed to send something very, very plain and clear to the United States.
	And I think Trump is probably going to back down completely on this.
	Whether the Chinese, you know, the Chinese are really angry now.
	They said they've had enough, because this whole crisis was triggered by the by Trump and the Commerce Department putting the 50% on if you like export controls that they'd had on tariffs.
	They said anyone, any entity that is 50% owned or more has all the um uh export controls on it, as well as the threat of a hundred percent uh tariffs uh if you were simply exporting to America and you were on the list that the BIS holds.
	So he deliberately put them on that uh list, and that would have had big impact on China's um own technological development.
	And so China has sent a very clear reminder.
	Listen, you know, your your whole tech enterprise is really fragile.
	So don't play around with matches.
	Alistair Crook, thank you, my dear friend, uh, for your analysis across the board.
	I still need to talk to you probably next week about Trump's misunderstanding of the nature of war, but you're spot on with all of this analysis on these events that are taking place right under our eyes and noses this morning.
	All the best to you.
	We'll see you next week.
	Thank you, my friend.
	Thank you indeed.
	All the best to you, Judge.
	Thank you.
	A busy day for you coming up at nine o'clock this morning.
	Ray McGovern at 11 o'clock this morning, Max Blumenthal at 11:30 this morning, Larry Johnson at two o'clock.

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