04.11.24

Sullivan: “Put Iranian Spy Ships at the Bottom of the Ocean” to Re-establish Deterrence in the Middle East

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC),emphasized the urgent need to re-establish deterrence with regard to Iran and their terrorist proxies in an interview onThe Hugh Hewitt Radio Show this morning. Sen. Sullivan has repeatedly called for a stronger response to Iranian aggression in the Middle East, urging the Biden administration to take action against Iranian spy ships supplying targeting intel against American warships in an exchange with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General C.Q. Brown at a SASC hearing on Tuesday. Sen. Sullivan also emphasized the implications of President Biden’s proposal to cut military spending in an increasingly dangerous world and the importance of supporting Israel’s effort to destroy Hamas.

SULLIVAN: The Biden Administration’s Appeasement Policy With Iran Continues

HUGH HEWITT: I listened to your exchange with Secretary Austin yesterday or the day before when you asked him, why are we allowing an Iranian Intel ship to provide targeting data for American ships like the Carney and others and the Eisenhower and to the Houthis and not doing anything about it? I didn't hear his answer. I'm just curious, do you think we will sink that ship soon? Because we should.

SENATOR SULLIVAN: We should. We absolutely should. And, you know, I've been pressing this issue for months now. And to me, it's just a classic example of the weakness of the Biden administration. I know these military officers. And, you know, I said it there. Even Secretary Austin, when he was in uniform, he hated the Iranians. And yet, we don't bring any pain to the Iranian regime.

The Biden administration’s appeasement policy with regard to Iran continues. And to me, Hugh, as I mentioned in that hearing and I pressed him again in the classified setting—I said this is not rocket science. The Iranian navy is targeting our Navy. Why don't we put those Iranian spy ships at the bottom of the ocean quickly? And I guarantee you we’ll start to reestablish deterrence.

I think our military is ready to do it. To be honest, I think our military wants to do it. And I think they're not getting permission to do it. And let me just mention one other thing-- I talked to the CNO of the Navy a couple weeks ago, Chief of Naval Operations. I said, Admiral, how worried are you? You know, the USS Carney took 30 missiles the other day, missiles and drones, 30. They had to shoot them all down. What if one of those flips through?

We're going to have sailors and marines swimming with sharks in the Red Sea. And we're not doing anything to deter this. It's nuts. I think the military wants to do it. They could do it in a minute. Heck, in two hours, they could sink the whole Iranian navy. And I don't think they're be given. I don't think they're given the green light by the president who's weak.

SULLIVAN: Iran is Paying No Price at All in this War in the Middle East

HEWITT: Now, Senator, I've got a son, a son in law and a nephew on active duty in the Navy. To my knowledge, none of them are in harm's way right now, but they have been on the receiving end before of Iranian missiles. One was at al-Assad when they unleashed the barrage there. I don't know what parents and people on the on Carney think, but are you hearing from them because the friends and family and spouses and children of the sailors on the Carney and the Eisenhower have got to be wondering exactly what you said-- When are we going to stop this?

SULLIVAN: Well, you're exactly right. It's the Carney, it's the USS Eisenhower. Think about that Hugh, it's an aircraft carrier, right?

HEWITT: 5000 people.

SULLIVAN: There are Marines and sailors on Eisenhower from every state in our great nation. So, look, I'm hearing from the military and again, you know, the Biden administration's cutting military every budget. This is something else hard pressed by Secretary Austin and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs on in the hearing two days ago.

Every budget, Biden puts forward has significant inflation adjusted cuts. But I'm hearing from the military members that, of course, they understand what deterrence is. And with the Iranians-- look, everybody from Thomas Friedman, who's no conservative, have been saying to others, have been saying Iran is paying no price at all in this war in the Middle East.

Think about it. You don't have the Houthis without Iran. You don't have Hamas without Iran. You don't have Hezbollah without Iran. And Biden won't touch the Iranians either with kinetic action, military action, or, just as important, and I do not trust the president directly on this—you've got to re-impose sanctions on their oil and gas regime at the end of the Trump administration.

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