Sean Hannity Show - Best of Sean Hannity: Israel Visit - 5.29

May 29, 2017 - Sean Hannity Show

34:25

Best of Sean Hannity: Israel Visit - 5.29

Sean is off today, but The Best of Sean Hannity brings listeners back to Hannity's visit to Israel. If there was ever a time to stand up to terrorism and help an old friend, now is the time! In this Best of Sean Hannity Podcast, Sean sits down with Bibi Netanyahu to get an update on the future of Israel. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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	Sean Hannity Show.
	We just came back from an amazing trip to Israel.
	One of the highlights was literally showing how small a country this is.
	Joining us now is the Prime Minister, who I was going to have on Friday's program, but obviously we got delayed with other issues.
	Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for taking time today.
	How are you, sir?
	It's great to see you.
	Well, I'm fine, Sean.
	It was wonderful to see you in Israel.
	It's good to talk to you today.
	You know, that helicopter ride, I don't know if you had a chance to watch the program, but when you actually see it up close and you see that when we take off from Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean and we go up the coast and you're looking out your window and you can see the borders and you can see where Israel's enemies are,
	just like in 2014 when I was in Gaza and you look out in towns like Sarot and where they've been hit with 10,000 rockets in 10 years from Gaza, it is the most precarious, defensible, most precarious and dangerous situation on the face of the earth.
	It's scary to me.
	Yeah, let me try to give your audience a feeling for the size of Israel.
	If you fly across the United States from the East Coast to the West Coast, it'll take you about five hours, all right?
	All right.
	If you fly from the west coast of Israel to the eastern border of Israel, it'll take you on that same airplane five minutes.
	You got that?
	Five minutes across Israel.
	Five minutes.
	With, you know, so five hours compared to five minutes.
	So Israel is a small country, an exceedingly small country.
	It's about the size of New Jersey.
	But it is a very powerful country, among other things, because of the spirit of our people, the courage of our soldiers, and the friendship that we enjoy with the American people and the help of the United States.
	We appreciate that very much.
	Israel is a forward position for the United States and for the Western world, for Western civilization.
	You know, if you look at it, you say there's the United States, you know, there's Europe, then you get to Israel, and it sort of stops at that point.
	I mean, there are other friends of the United States, and I'm, you know, very glad that there are governments in our region in the Middle East who are friendly with the United States.
	But Israel is the only place where both the people and the governments, the government and the people, are solidly pro-American, solidly pro-Western, solidly rooted in our common values of democracy and freedom.
	And that's the strength of Israel.
	Our values and our willingness to defend those values.
	And when we defend ourselves, we also defend our common civilization against our common enemies, the enemies that are called militant Islam.
	You know, Mr. Prime Minister, you can see that inclusiveness just when you go to the old city in Jerusalem, where you have a Jewish sector and you have an Armenian sector and you have a Christian sector and you have a Muslim sector.
	All in, what, how many square miles are we talking about?
	We're all in the world.
	About one square mile.
	One square mile.
	Less.
	Less.
	And so all of these religions, you know, are included in this historic land, which is Israel and Jerusalem.
	Indeed, it is.
	But they are.
	But I have to say that in all the thousands of years of Jerusalem's history and in all the centuries since the rise of the great monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the only time that people of these three faiths could worship freely in their respective religious sites has been under Israel's sovereignty.
	When Israel became the sovereign of Jerusalem, when Israel became responsible to maintain peace and tranquility for the holy sites, that's when you've had that kind of unfettered access and that kind of religious freedom.
	And, you know, that's no small thing in the Middle East, where you have militant Islamists butchering other Muslims, butchering Christians.
	Christians are under tremendous assault in the Middle East.
	You know, the fact is that the only place where those rights are guaranteed and where Christians are guaranteed a thriving future is in the state of Israel.
	And today, this year, we're marking 50 years of the liberation of Jerusalem and 50 years of religious freedom in this holy city.
	What is the percentage of Arabs that actually vote in Israeli elections for those that don't know how inclusive Israel as a country is?
	Well, people don't know that, you know, of Israel's 8 million citizens, over a million, close to a million and a half, are actually Arab citizens.
	And they're the ones who, you know, they vote for our parliament.
	They vote in our elections.
	They serve in the government.
	They serve in the Supreme Court.
	People don't know that.
	And they're probably, look, in the Middle East, I don't think that's very common to have that kind of thing.
	Israel is a genuine democracy.
	Mr. Prime Minister, it's maligned terribly, but it is, in fact, a beacon of liberty and human rights in an otherwise fairly dark region.
	I don't disagree with that at all.
	Let me ask you, I thought the best speech, and I've known you for well over two decades of my life now, going back a long time, and I've known you when the first time you were prime minister.
	I've known you since that time.
	Now that you've taken, you may end up being the longest consecutive serving prime minister in Israeli history following Ben-Gurion.
	But I guess the best speech I think you ever gave was here on American soil when you came to talk and speak out against this horrible Iranian deal, and that is $150 billion taxpayer dollars going to Iran.
	They spend their centrifuges, questionable, questionable inspections, 25 days' notice, the right to partner with Russia to build missile defense, build their conventional weapons.
	It was a horrible deal.
	You tried to warn America.
	President Obama was very angry that you came here and spoke that way.
	But I thought it was one of your best speeches.
	You know, I went back and I looked at Bill Clinton.
	He promised that when he gave North Korea $4 billion, they wouldn't get nuclear weapons.
	Well, they got them.
	And President Obama and Susan Rice and John Kerry said once they drew the red line in the sand with Syria, they got rid of all their chemical weapons.
	We know that's not true.
	To me, this deal will facilitate a nuclear-armed Iran unless they're stopped.
	What is your warning to the people of this world?
	Look, I spoke about this with President Trump and with Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, who was just here.
	I think we see eye to eye.
	I don't think I know we see eye to eye, that Iran is not the solution to the problems of the Middle East, but in many ways the main problem.
	Because most of all the countries in the region are suffering from Iranian aggression, and to have this Iran that is the foremost sponsor of terrorism in the world, to have this terrorist state walk into a nuclear arsenal, which is what this agreement ultimately paves, is obviously a big mistake.
	And yes, I took that message to the American Congress.
	I had many areas of agreement with President Obama, but I also have some disagreements.
	And this was a very strong area of disagreement because I think that a nuclear Iran threatens the future of my country, and I felt obligated to speak about it.
	This agreement does not obligate Israel.
	We will do anything that we need to do to make sure that this terrorist regime that calls death to America, death to Israel, that harms, harasses U.S. ships, that's killed U.S. soldiers in Iraq, that stamps on American flags, and threatens to eradicate my state.
	I'll do everything in my power to make sure that this regime does not have nuclear weapons.
	Well, I think it's a simple mathematical equation.
	A squared, nuclear weapons.
	B squared in the arms of radical Islamic mullahs, the number one state sponsor in the world, equals a potential holocaust.
	And I don't use that word lightly in our time.
	And I know you talked about it this weekend.
	Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is with us.
	He'll stay a few minutes longer on the other side, 800-941-Sean, toll free telephone number.
	All right, as we continue with the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu continues with us.
	My next question to you is, you know, one of the maybe a positive outcome of President Obama's really bad deal is it has brought Israel closer.
	A new alliance is emerging in the Middle East with Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, with the Egyptians, the Jordanians.
	And if you add America to that equation, it seems to me that there is an alliance strong enough to stop Iranian hegemony in the region and to stop their pursuit of nuclear weapons.
	There's no question the countries in the region see as I do that Iran is the greatest threat to the peace and tranquility of the region.
	There is very broad agreement of that.
	And if before I was the only one speaking out loud, there are others who are saying that openly.
	And again, there's a clear change in the American position, a very welcome change that President Trump has enunciated.
	Look, today is Holocaust Day, Holocaust Remembrance Day.
	And my responsibility as the Prime Minister of Israel is to make sure that such tragedies never repeat.
	I think this is obviously something of vital interest to me and my people, but I think it's also something of vital interest to the world, to America, and to all civilized people.
	Iran seeks to dominate the world.
	Iran seeks nuclear weapons.
	Iran is also building submarines, satellites, precision-guided missiles, and many, many other weapons.
	And it is arming terrorists left and right.
	It is threatening, it is trying to conquer Yemen.
	It is in Iraq.
	It is in Syria.
	It has killed many, many Americans.
	It is supporting Hezbollah and Lebanon.
	This is an all-purpose terrorist state.
	It also hangs gays.
	It kills opposition leaders, hangs them from cranes.
	It tortures journalists.
	Iran is a bad deal.
	It's a bad regime.
	It should not be allowed to have nuclear weapons.
	And yes, it is creating a change in our part of the world because, as I told you last week, for the first time in my lifetime, many of the Arab states are thinking differently about Israel, not as their ally, enemy rather, but as their indispensable.
	Let me ask you about that.
	Because you said to me in this interview, I want peace, I've been to war.
	And you said that in the case of the Palestinians, they need to prove that they want peace.
	And Mahoud Abbas, for example, says one thing about the blood of Israelis when he is in the Middle East, and he'll be coming to see the president soon.
	And I am fairly certain that he will tell the president just the opposite and won't be reiterating those things he says when he's back home.
	So my question to you is: you know, is there another option besides land for peace?
	Because you barely have defensible borders now.
	Is there an option to partner, say, with the Emirates or the Saudis, and perhaps President Trump can broker that deal?
	I think there are many possibilities in the region, and I'd love to be able to speak to President Trump about that, continue the conversation we've had.
	As far as the Palestinians are concerned, as far as Israel is concerned, nobody wants peace more than Israel because we know the cost of war.
	I know the cost of war.
	I lost my older brother in the war on terrorism.
	He fell while leading the Israeli rescue mission to Antebe to release 103 Israeli hostages.
	It succeeded, but he was the lone military casualty of this great rescue mission.
	I myself was wounded in trying to successfully rescuing.
	You were shot in the shoulder, I remember, yeah.
	No, it wasn't in the shoulder, it was in my arm, and I still feel it.
	But from friendly fire, too.
	But we burst into a Sabina airplane in order to liberate Israeli and other passengers who were held hostage by four terrorists, four Palestinian terrorists.
	And we were able to overcome them.
	So, you know, if you face death, if you've experienced death, of your loved ones and fallen comrades, you know the cost of war.
	And therefore, you know, nobody wants peace more than Israel.
	The people of Israel yearn for peace, pray for peace, and are ready to do a lot for peace.
	One thing they're not ready to do is give land which is then turned not for the purpose of peace but turned against us as a base to attack us.
	You've already tried that.
	That is unfortunately what has happened in the past.
	We yielded territory, but we gave the land.
	We didn't get peace.
	We got thousands of rockets fired in the cities of Israel.
	And we don't want to have that happen again.
	The Palestinians, you know, they speak peace to foreign audiences, but to their own people, they say, you know, we have to dissolve the state of Israel, knife Israelis.
	We can't accept a Jewish state.
	And I'm talking about, unfortunately, their leaders.
	I'd like to see that change.
	If it changes, if they accept Israel genuinely, you know, we could have a brilliant future for both Israelis and Palestinians.
	How can Abbas speak of peace with us, with Israel, and at the same time pay terrorist murderers, okay, who are in our jails, and he's paying them stipends.
	He's paying the families of dead terrorists.
	$300 million a year or thereabouts.
	Hundreds of millions of dollars a year over a decade.
	That's a billion dollars going to pay terrorists who are hell-bent on murdering Israelis.
	So I'd like to see a change in that.
	These are the kinds of, you know, I have no conditions on meeting, on talking.
	That's fine.
	But if you really want to see a change, a move towards peace that Israelis would embrace and would be enthusiastic about, is to see a real change in the Palestinian policies.
	You know, if someone paid anyone who murdered Americans by a sliding scale, the more Americans they killed, the more money they got, which is what the Palestinian Authority is paying these Palestinian killers, Wouldn't you expect to see a change if they said they professed they wanted peace?
	Well, I believe that— I want peace.
	The Palestinians should stop paying terrorist murderers.
	That's the way to get to peace.
	And that's the law of the land.
	Mr. Prime Minister, it was an honor to see you.
	It was great to be back in your country.
	Incredible hospitality by everybody.
	It is also great to have you back here.
	We look forward to when you are back in the States.
	And thank you so much for all the time and your generosity.
	Thank you, sir.
	Thank you, John.
	Always a pleasure to talk to you.
	Thank you, sweet.
	All right, 800-941 Sean, toll free telephone number.
	want to be a part of the program.
	Jeff Sessions when we get back as we continue.
	Taylor Force was an outstanding young American with a distinguished record of service at the military academy and then overseas.
	He was what every parent could hope their son could be.
	We're going to make sure that the record that he put together is remembered by Americans and is a positive force for change in the world.
	The taxpayer dollars are no longer going to subsidize the murder of American citizens or Israeli citizens.
	And that Palestinian people are no longer subsidized with American money in a leadership that encourages this kind of brutal murder with graduated payments for the more and worse mayhem that these terrorists wreck.
	So the Force family has my commitment, has all of our commitments, that we're going to do everything in our power to make this bill into a law to commemorate Taylor's memory and to ensure that his sacrifice is not forgotten and that it has a lasting positive legacy in the world.
	All right, 24 now till the top of the hour.
	Very emotional Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas.
	Now he serves on the Armed Services and Intelligence Committees.
	He served in Iraq himself, the 101st Airborne, and in Afghanistan with the provincial reconstruction team.
	And also joining us is Stuart Force.
	Now, Stewart's son, Taylor, was a former U.S. Army officer, West Point graduate.
	He was part of Vanderbilt University, their tour group that was visiting Israel.
	I talked about this with Prime Minister Netanyahu last week.
	He was brutally stabbed and killed by a Palestinian terrorist.
	The Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmoud Abbas, and their Fatah faction praised the terrorists as a heroic martyr.
	By the way, Donald Trump is meeting with this guy on May 3rd, and the Palestinian Authority has never condemned the attack, a terrorist attack.
	Now, what I got into with the Prime Minister of Israel is the fact that the U.S. government gives about $700 million a year to the Palestinian Authority.
	And of that $700 million, they spend about $300 million.
	According to the Palestinian Authority's online budget, they shell out the same amount or that amount of money, $300 million a year, to the families of jihadists.
	They build in their town squares, literally, quote, so-called works of art for the people that kill either Israelis or Americans.
	Now, the Taylor Force Act would cut off funding to the Palestinian Authority if they continue this policy.
	It is now the stated law of paying money, monetary rewards, to terrorists and their surviving family members.
	Anyway, Senator Tom Cotton is back with us from Arkansas.
	Stuart Force is with us.
	It was his son, Taylor, who this legislation is designed to honor.
	Welcome both of you to the program.
	Good afternoon, Sean, and I appreciate so much you having me on.
	It's a great honor to speak with you.
	I spoke at length with the Prime Minister of Israel about this very issue in light of the leader of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, is meeting with President Trump on May 3rd.
	And the Prime Minister of Israel was adamant that if there's any chance of peace, one, there's got to be a recognition of Israel's right to exist, number two, stop paying monetary rewards to terrorists and their surviving family members.
	Doesn't that have to be a fundamental basic starting point?
	I would think so, Sean.
	I can't imagine negotiating with anybody about anything knowing that they have laws that provide for killing your citizens.
	I cannot believe that you could start with that in effect.
	I think it's just when all the facts came out to us after we lost Taylor, and I heard and read what was going on, I was appalled that that is going on in this day and age.
	The contract killing with an open, open-ended contract, I could not understand it.
	But you know why?
	Because it's not comprehensible.
	Because there's no sense behind this that American money is going to a group that kills Americans and Israelis, and they're rewarding the terrorists and their families.
	Because that is insanity by definition.
	And it's got to end.
	By the way, I'm pretty certain, I know President Trump pretty well.
	I think once he gets made aware of the magnitude of this, I think he's going to say no more money until you stop this.
	I think that would be a first good step.
	And from everyone I've had the opportunity to speak with, I agree that they are more and more aware of how ludicrous the whole situation is and how you can't go forward with that in place.
	I hate that we're that my wife and I and daughter have spoken to so many people that have been so concerned.
	We never in our lives imagined that like anything would this happen to anyone in our family, but we agree it has to stop.
	It just cannot continue.
	And it's not a partisan issue.
	I help people, and whether they're Democrat, liberal, independent, Republican, just the situation, it's not a part of your belief.
	It's just not right.
	You're right.
	It's not right.
	Hey, Sean, this is Tom Cotton.
	Hey, sir.
	I wanted to add.
	It's good to be on with you, as always, but it's an especial honor to be on with you with Stuart.
	Mr. Force, it's good to hear your voice.
	Thank you, Senator Cotton.
	I appreciate what you're doing for this so much.
	I can't tell you.
	Yes.
	And Sean, your instinct is right, because I've seen this repeatedly now, both in Congress and with Arkansans.
	Decent people cannot imagine the facts at hand.
	They cannot imagine that we give the Palestinian Authority hundreds of millions of dollars, and the Palestinian Authority gives what's essentially bonus payments to the families of terrorists who commit the kind of heinous crime that happened to Taylor Force.
	When you bring that to them, sometimes you have to actually show them the laws, show them the Palestinian laws, show them the budgetary accounts which are freely available in the open source domain to get them to realize that this is in fact true, that this is not a myth.
	And I, for one, am confident once the President understands and appreciates what's happening with your tax dollars that we can put an end to this and that we can pass the Taylor Force Act through the Congress for his signature.
	Sean, I'm so happy that you raised this with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and I'm so grateful that Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke forcefully about the need to end.
	Did you see us talking about this?
	Did you see the quotes of Abbas that he uses when he's at home versus what I know he'll probably lie to and tell the president?
	Sean, it's so important that Prime Minister Netanyahu weighed in on this matter, that we have to stop what are essentially bounty payments to the families of dead terrorists.
	And his support removes one of the very last objections that anyone in the United States could have.
	Because if the Prime Minister supports this legislation and this effort to try to stop U.S. taxpayer dollars from going to the families of dead Palestinian terrorists, I can't imagine any senator or congressman voting against our legislation.
	So I'm encouraging the president to raise this matter with President Abbas during their meeting next week and say very simply to him, look, if you don't stop this practice, you will no longer receive this money.
	We're not asking them for some pie-in-the-sky lion laying down with the lamb scenario.
	We're not asking them to try to eliminate all anti-Semitic feelings from their society.
	We're asking them to do something within their control.
	Stop taking our money and giving it to the families of dead terrorists if you want to keep our money.
	Have you gotten any Democratic support, Senator?
	A lot of Democrats have been supportive but quietly.
	One reason why we couldn't pass this legislation in previous years is that the Obama administration plainly did not support it, did not want it coming to the floor, and Democratic senators did not want to vote on it.
	But with President Trump in the White House, who I believe will support the legislation, with the endorsement of Prime Minister Netanyahu, I think it's a horse of a different color, and I suspect that we will be able to pass this.
	What about Chuck Schumer?
	Have you ever talked to Chuck Schumer about it?
	I haven't personally talked to him about it.
	But, you know, Senator Schumer likes to prevent his caucus from having to take votes on things that might be tough for them.
	Again, it's hard for me to imagine anybody saying this is tough, but ultimately it's Mitch McConnell that schedules the floor.
	And Senator McConnell can bring this to the floor with the President's support, now with the endorsement of the Prime Minister as well.
	I think you'd see a large and bipartisan vote if we have a vote on the floor.
	Let me ask you this.
	They have confirmed themselves that this is actual law under the Palestinian Authority, correct?
	They must pay the families of terrorists and terrorists that survive.
	It's in black and white.
	It's Palestinian Authority and Law.
	And the more heinous the attack and crime, the bloodier it is, the more money the families receive.
	It is a straight incentive for terrorists to kill innocent civilians like Taylor Force to try to make sure their family is cared for.
	Mr. Forrest, Stuart Force, tell us about your son, Taylor.
	Oh, gosh.
	Your program's not long enough, Sean, for me to tell you all about Taylor.
	I believe it.
	I believe it.
	But we were just very fortunate that we have two good kids.
	And he, at an early age, decided that West Point would be a goal.
	He went to the Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, where people like Roger Stauback had gone to school in their efforts to obtain appointments to the various service academies.
	And it was a good academic and pre-military background.
	And he enjoyed, well, I guess you'd have to say mostly endured his four years at West Point because it's quite a grueling regimen that they go through.
	But my father, his grandfather, had graduated in 47, and so he had an ideal and an idea of what to expect, and he was excited.
	And when he graduated, he went to field artillery to serve the two tours, a year in Iraq and nine months in Afghanistan.
	And, you know, I would want to mention one thing.
	I know people have a tendency to use the word hero, and Taylor was a very modest and humble person, even though he achieved a lot.
	But he always cringed when somebody would call him a hero.
	Well, he felt the real heroes were those that were wounded or gave their lives.
	Yeah, but he was willing to risk his, so he fits in that category.
	It's the same thing to me in many ways.
	It's not the same thing.
	I mean, anybody that's willing to risk it, that is a level of heroism and courage.
	He viewed himself as a patriot more than a hero, Sean, but it was something he felt very strongly about and being there for his men.
	And it honestly wasn't about him.
	And it's just a tragedy that situations like this happen.
	It takes so many promising young people, not only Americans, but Israelis and other visitors to Israel in a situation like this.
	It's just a shame, and we're incredulous about the whole.
	Well, first, I just want to say on behalf of so many people, I'm so sorry, Mr. Force, for your loss, your son Taylor.
	And I truly send the sympathy of a very sympathetic audience here.
	And we want to wish you and your family the very, very best.
	And so sorry you have to go through this.
	And Senator Cotton, thank you for what you're doing on this.
	And I know you're fighting a good fight every day.
	Is that health care bill in the House going to work through the Senate and get done, you think?
	Sean, over the last few weeks, I've decided not to hazard guesses about what's going to happen on the floor of the House.
	But whatever happens, I want to make sure that we pass legislation that repeals Obamacare and provides all Americans with affordable and quality insurance.
	No exceptions and no excuses.
	Do you like the changes that the Freedom Caucus was able to get?
	I haven't seen the text, but from the reports I've seen and my conversations with some of my friends there, they're moving in the right direction.
	Obviously, the Senate will take up any bill that comes here and put our own stamp on it.
	But the ultimate goal that we share with those in the House is making sure that insurance is affordable for everyone, no matter how you get your insurance.
	Yeah.
	Mr. Force, thank you so much for being with us.
	You're in our thoughts and prayers.
	Your son was indeed a hero.
	God bless you and your family.
	I know how hard that must be for you every day.
	This insanity of paying money to the Palestinian authorities so they can shell it out to the families and jihadists and their survivors is insanity.
	And I'm going to make sure in the next interview with President Trump that I ask him about this.
	Thank you so much for being with us.
	As we continue, final moments here with Sarah Carter, Senior National Security Correspondent for Circa.com, retired Air Force Captain Joni Marquez.
	Karen Vaughan, she lost her son Aaron, a Navy SEAL.
	This was in this important extortion 17 case, where in fact that we had Americans engage with eight Taliban that were heavily armed, and two of them ended up surviving.
	And while they had an opportunity to engage and kill those two combatants, permission was denied.
	As a result, 30 Americans, including 17 Navy SEALs, were killed.
	Joni, I mean, Captain Marquez, this was all preventable.
	There's no doubt in your mind you had these two fighters in sight and you could have killed those engaging Americans and killing Americans.
	Absolutely, Sean, and that's what's so disgusting about all of it.
	You know, I've been living with this hell for about six years of my life now.
	And I also would like to set the record straight on something.
	I apologize, Sarah, again, for not being clear on this because of nerves or whatnot from two months ago.
	But the actual enemy that took out the helicopter wasn't co-located with the 12 men that that force gained up to be.
	They were probably another mile, a mile and a half away in some other building.
	So the two weren't even related in that regard.
	Oh, my goodness.
	I apologize for making myself clear on that.
	No, no, no.
	You offer no apologies.
	You were doing your job, and you were doing everything possible to keep our guys safe.
	And had you been able to do your job without these ridiculous rules of engagement, Karen Vaughan's son, Aaron, would be alive today.
	And Karen, if it was me, I'd be apoplectic every hour of every day.
	I'd never get over this.
	You know, Sean, it's something I really have to monitor and control in myself, not to be angry.
	What I want now, the productive thing to feel now, is a desire for accountability because only through that can we receive the change that we need to make sure another American son or daughter does not die to these reckless criminal rules of engagement.
	And that's the goal here.
	There's nothing I can do to bring Erin back.
	I do want accountability for the people who made the decisions that night.
	Joni, when you hear more of her story, you will be even more stunned at what's about to come out because that was just the first thing that went wrong that night, Sean, and it just kept getting worse from there.
	And, you know, I had an admiral turn around to the grieving parents.
	It's a debriefing, and one of the dads asked, why didn't we just use a drone strike on the guys that the SEALs were coming in to interdict that night?
	And Admiral Harward turned around and put his hand on my knee.
	I was sitting right behind him, and he said, because we want to win the Afghans' heart and minds.
	And so basically, if I was as strong as I am today on that day, I probably would have punched the guy in the face because he's looking at parents and wives sitting there grieving unimaginably over the deaths of their sons and their husbands.
	And that's his thing is we cared more about the Afghans than we cared about your loved ones' life.
	And that's exactly what's going on, and it has to stop.
	Sarah, I'm going to give you the last word here because we're running out of time.
	Well, I think the next step, Sean, is really going to be whether or not the Trump administration is going to take a good look at this and say, you know, what do we need to do to ensure that this never happens again, not on their watch, and that they can put into action rules of engagement that are reasonable, that don't tie the hands of our troops, our airmen, and that save lives instead of take lives.
	And I think that is going to be the most important thing to come out of this.
	Joni's bravery, Karen's bravery, the bravery of all the families that have spoken up and the loss that they've endured is something that we all as Americans have to remember and not be afraid to seek the truth and find it and not be afraid to tell it.
	Can I add one final word, Sean?
	Yeah, really quick, Karen.
	We're out of time.
	However a parent feels, let them fight or bring them home, Sean.
	Let them fight or bring them home.
	I agree wholeheartedly.
	We're not going to fight, bring them home.
	I agree.
	Thank you, Sarah Carter.
	Thank you, Karen Vaughan.
	You're in our prayers.
	And many, many thanks, Captain Joni Marquez, for your courage in speaking out so we can prevent this ever from happening again.

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