Aaron David Miller

And you finally add to the negotiations for several rounds in Oman and Geneva that led up to the war.

You have a president that was ready to do this.

And one more factor.

When the Israelis told him, maybe this was corroborated by CIA intelligence, I don't know, that the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would be at a place at times certain, along with members of the Iranian national security elite, it was too great of a temptation, another first for the president.

And he's referred repeatedly since February 28th that I killed, we killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

In a way, you know, that might be one of the most transformative elements of this whole enterprise.

Because whatever happens to Iran, it will not be the same country after the death of this man.

He has been responsible for...

plotting, planning so much of Iranian strategy focused on death to Israel, death to the United States, the proxies.

There were calcitrants and even endorsement of the nuclear program, including the possibility at some point of weaponization.

So, no, I don't buy the notion that Donald Trump was conned into this.

He knew exactly what he wanted.

This is vintage, seems to me, Donald Trump.

And yes, Benjamin Netanyahu finally found a partner in this enterprise that he clearly wanted to happen.

I mean, it's such a depressing question, Dave.

And unfortunately, the answer, I think, is equally depressing.

And that is Secretary of State, National Security Advisor, happened to be the same person.

Unless the chairman of the Joint Chiefs is not there to recommend policy to tell the president what to do.

But unless you make it unmistakably clear that the enemy has a vote.

And that in this case, geography is destiny.