Maddow: Trump admits what the attack on Iran is really for
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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Thanks for at home for joining us this hour. Happy to have you here. How has Iran been able to hit American military targets in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia and other places? I mean, some targets for them are obvious places that anybody would be able to pick off a map, places like air bases or even U.S. embassies or consulates. But for all the damage that has been done to Iran's offensive capabilities in this war thus far, Iran has somehow also been able to hit things like, reportedly, a CIA facility in Riyadh and a naval command and control facility in Bahrain and U.S. radar facilities that are not clearly marked on any map and not obvious locations for anybody. How has Iran been able to find targets like that so they could aim their missiles and their drones at American facilities like that with such specificity?
Well, the Washington Post and the Associated Press and us here at MSNOW have all now reported that Iran has been getting help in targeting American personnel and military facilities, help from a sophisticated military ally in targeting U.S. personnel and U.S. military capabilities all over the Middle East. The Washington Post's report on this was first, and they explained it bluntly and clearly. Quote, Russia is providing Iran with targeting information to attack American forces in the Middle East. The assistance signals that the rapidly expanding conflict now features one of America's chief nuclear armed competitors with exquisite intelligence capabilities. Quote, Iran possesses only a handful of military-grade satellites and no satellite constellation of its own.
which would make imagery provided by Russia and its much more advanced space capabilities highly valuable to the Iranians. So again, this was first reported by the Washington Post, this reporting then corroborated by the Associated Press and by us here at MSNOW. The upshot is that Russia is helping Iran. Russia specifically is giving them targeting information, giving them very specific locations, using their own intelligence capabilities to give the Iranians very specific locations so they know where to attack American troops to try to kill them and where to attack American facilities in the Middle East. Russia is giving Iran that information. What should the United States do about that? Well, under the leadership of Donald Trump, the United States has decided that under these circumstances, what our response is going to be is that we're going to ease sanctions on Russia.
Ease sanctions on Russia. Trump has moved to give Russia relief from sanctions. Trump has moved specifically to let Russia sell more of its oil and gas. Get around sanctions, restrictions that might have prevented them from doing that before.
What is Donald Trump's rationale for attacking Iran?
I mean, Russia is allies with Iran, right? Russia issued a statement of congratulations when Iran chose Khomeini's son to replace him as the country's supreme leader. Congratulations, Junior! Enjoy your Ayatollahship! a close relation, a close connection to the radical and powerful Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Putin sends his personal congratulations. But, you know, Russia, as much as they might not want to see their ally put in difficult straits, Russia financially is actually really enjoying this moment. Because what does Russia have to offer the world? What does Russia have to offer the world economy? I mean, if you don't count vodka and potash, Russia basically has two industries, two things to offer the world, oil and war.
And they're using their war-making abilities, their intelligence and satellite capabilities, to help Iran kill Americans, to help Iran target and kill Americans in the Middle East.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–3:36
2
What is Donald Trump's rationale for attacking Iran?
3:36–8:53
3
How is Russia benefiting from Trump's actions in Iran?
8:53–18:59
4
How does the U.S. response to Iran's targeting of American forces play out?
18:59–38:27
5
What are the implications of Trump's military decisions for U.S. foreign policy?
38:27–39:15
Speakers
5 identifiedMore from The Rachel Maddow Show
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