MARTHA MACCALLUM (HOST): Brad, what is your reaction to this?
BRAD BLAKEMAN: It made me sick to my stomach. The humiliation of American soldiers at the hands of a bitter enemy, who now the president believes we've somehow brought to the table and are going to, all of sudden adhere to the norms of international law and then they do this to us, on the eve of what the president wants us to believe is a record-breaking re-approachment to Iran? This is a disgrace. Not only to the deal that has been made with them but also to the disgrace of how this president sees the world.
[...]
BLAKEMAN: This video was clearly released by Iranians to embarrass us. It makes us look like a bunch fools. And it also tell us the relationship that this president and this government has with Iran. The fact that they treated this president on the eve of this historic breakthrough agreement tells you everything you need to know about how they think of us. And by the way, Alan, this is a good indication as to how this agreement is going to be honored in the breach.
ALAN COLMES: Well we don't know that to be true. We have all kind of strictures in place to make sure the agreement is honored.
BLAKEMAN: You can't trust them as far as you can throw.
COLMES: And again I have not heard from those who oppose the deal what the better pathway is. If you had a better idea or --
BLAKEMAN: Strength.
COLMES: Or a better way to deal with it. When you say strength, should we start a war? You want to go after their military facilities?
BLAKEMAN: No, we do what the Israelis would do.
COLMES: What is the better idea?
BLAKEMAN: When they violate agreements, just like the Israelis do, we take out their bases --
[CROSSTALK]
COLMES: What do you think strike is? That's a war. That's a wartime end.
BLAKEMAN: No. That's called peace through strength. If they don't act --
COLMES: No, it's called war.
MACCALLUM: Alan, I understand Brad's point here. You know there's middle ground in all of these things. There is diplomacy. There is strength. There is action at some times when it's appropriate and this idea that it's always all or nothing seems to be something that is popular but not really -- it's not history. It's not the way things work, Alan.
