Pete Hegseth

It's not even just the service members. It's diplomats in these large embassies in places like Saudi Arabia and the UAE and Kuwait. There are some places where there's actually family members in the Middle East. So it's not just service members that are at risk. It is American government employees, primarily diplomatic staff.

It's also a lot of American workers in the region working in the oil industry, working in the finance industry. There are a lot of Americans that would be at risk, not just service members. And that is, again, that is something that, as you point out very well, Is often overlooked in any discussion around military was not even mentioned.

It's also a lot of American workers in the region working in the oil industry, working in the finance industry. There are a lot of Americans that would be at risk, not just service members. And that is, again, that is something that, as you point out very well, Is often overlooked in any discussion around military was not even mentioned.

It's also a lot of American workers in the region working in the oil industry, working in the finance industry. There are a lot of Americans that would be at risk, not just service members. And that is, again, that is something that, as you point out very well, Is often overlooked in any discussion around military was not even mentioned.

I mean, that is a risk with any overseas military operation. I do think this is another reason why we need to take homeland defense and homeland security more seriously. But yes, that is a real risk. I will say, backing up to 9-11 comparison is... there was a series of mistakes in both American foreign policy and American security policy that paved the road to 9-11.

I mean, that is a risk with any overseas military operation. I do think this is another reason why we need to take homeland defense and homeland security more seriously. But yes, that is a real risk. I will say, backing up to 9-11 comparison is... there was a series of mistakes in both American foreign policy and American security policy that paved the road to 9-11.

I mean, that is a risk with any overseas military operation. I do think this is another reason why we need to take homeland defense and homeland security more seriously. But yes, that is a real risk. I will say, backing up to 9-11 comparison is... there was a series of mistakes in both American foreign policy and American security policy that paved the road to 9-11.

I mean, the inability of the FBI and CIA to work together, the decision through friendly nations to fund certain groups to allow the growth of certain forces to fight communism, which at the time was probably the right decision because of the threat the Soviet Union posed. But the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

I mean, the inability of the FBI and CIA to work together, the decision through friendly nations to fund certain groups to allow the growth of certain forces to fight communism, which at the time was probably the right decision because of the threat the Soviet Union posed. But the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

I mean, the inability of the FBI and CIA to work together, the decision through friendly nations to fund certain groups to allow the growth of certain forces to fight communism, which at the time was probably the right decision because of the threat the Soviet Union posed. But the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

And one of the reasons why we're in the situation we are in the Middle East with Iran is, we have to be honest, because of the war in Iraq. Saddam Hussein was a check against Iran, is that he forced Iran to devote resources to to deterring Iraq that now Iran doesn't need to put against deterring Iraq conventionally or through their own proxies.

And one of the reasons why we're in the situation we are in the Middle East with Iran is, we have to be honest, because of the war in Iraq. Saddam Hussein was a check against Iran, is that he forced Iran to devote resources to to deterring Iraq that now Iran doesn't need to put against deterring Iraq conventionally or through their own proxies.

And one of the reasons why we're in the situation we are in the Middle East with Iran is, we have to be honest, because of the war in Iraq. Saddam Hussein was a check against Iran, is that he forced Iran to devote resources to to deterring Iraq that now Iran doesn't need to put against deterring Iraq conventionally or through their own proxies.

Now they're able to put that money into places like Hezbollah, the Houthis, and also devote more resources to its missile program and potentially its nuclear program as well too. That that is, I think, one of the things that you can't overlook when discussing foreign policy and that not enough people have the conversation about how did we get here?

Now they're able to put that money into places like Hezbollah, the Houthis, and also devote more resources to its missile program and potentially its nuclear program as well too. That that is, I think, one of the things that you can't overlook when discussing foreign policy and that not enough people have the conversation about how did we get here?

Now they're able to put that money into places like Hezbollah, the Houthis, and also devote more resources to its missile program and potentially its nuclear program as well too. That that is, I think, one of the things that you can't overlook when discussing foreign policy and that not enough people have the conversation about how did we get here?

It's like people don't want to have a conversation about how we got to where we are in Ukraine. You know, NATO expansion played a big role in that. You know, 30 years of failed American foreign policy towards Eastern Europe. the support of certain revolutions, the support of certain political figures.

It's like people don't want to have a conversation about how we got to where we are in Ukraine. You know, NATO expansion played a big role in that. You know, 30 years of failed American foreign policy towards Eastern Europe. the support of certain revolutions, the support of certain political figures.

It's like people don't want to have a conversation about how we got to where we are in Ukraine. You know, NATO expansion played a big role in that. You know, 30 years of failed American foreign policy towards Eastern Europe. the support of certain revolutions, the support of certain political figures.

There were smart people from George Kennan to even the former CIA director, whatever you think of him, Bill Burns, who warned that this stuff would happen. And again, these decisions that we make in a certain moment, very focused on one thing, have second and third order consequences that sometimes are very easy to see. that they're quite obvious.