Former IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus joins Glenn Beck with the latest information about Israel’s strikes on Iran. Lt. Col. Conricus reveals how many Iranian leaders were taken out, what the tipping point for the strike was, and whether he believes President Trump deceived Iran.
Transcript
Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors
GLENN: Friend of the program, and friend, lieutenant Colonel retired Jonathan Conricus.
John, how are you today?
JONATHAN: So far, so good. Thankful of everything happening. And happy to be on your show. And discussing about what we are about to discuss, Glenn.
GLENN: A lot of people were praying for you last night. A lot of Americans are a little freaked out. I kind of -- I'm not freaked out, but I'm very concerned.
You know, one of the things the president -- one of the things he really ran and won on is, we will stop all these endless wars.
And we don't have an end in sight for Russia and Ukraine. And this one, while this is your battle and a very important one, it is going to affect the entire world, what happened.
How -- what was the convincing evidence, if you can tell us, how close were they, to a bomb?
JONATHAN: Yeah. I think you're right. And I think the concerns of the Americans that you refer to, they are very valid. That this will affect other people in the world.
I think what Israel did had the potential to affect significant positive change in the region.
And currently, the ball is in the Iranian hands. They have now the option to choose how to respond, to what you incorrectly described as quite a magnificent and unprecedented military strike, surprise against Iran.
Taking out more than 20 of their senior leaders, conducting hundreds of strikes in -- all across Iran.
About eight, 900, a thousand miles away from Israel, we struck. And all of our pilots have come home safely, and there's many months of preparations.
And many years of collecting intelligence. Mossad. And Israeli Air Force cooperating together here.
Maybe also Special Forces on the ground.
But bottom line, this is really, I think a historic operation. That we will be studying by military experts.
But we will leave that side for a second, and address the concerns of the people. Now the Iranians have to decide, what are they going to do?
How are they going to respond? They have tried to respond by sending about 100 drones.
They have been intercepted. And we will see how the Iranians will respond. And the president correctly telling them, well, you have the options of going and making a teal. Because you the Iranians will not have a nuclear bomb.
And if you continue going downtown path of violence, then this will end badly for you.
That's what the US president is saying. Now, in terms of what the tipping point was Iran has been dark for the bomb for a long period of time.
I think the atomic agency report that verified that Iran is not only enriching uranium to weapon's grade.
And has enough material for at least ten bombs. But Iran is also in noncompliance when it comes to their obligations, to allow international supervision of their sites.
And I think that, and a lot of intelligence that I think we will have declassified in the future, was the tipping point, and at the end of the day, this has been, you know, months if not years in the making.
Iran has an open goal to annihilate the state of Israel.
They say clearly in Farsi. In their language. We know that they mean business.
And we also know that if we allow them to develop the tools to do so. They might be tempted to use them.
That's what Israel has today, started town ravel in terms of those Iranian capabilities.
GLENN: So I was a little disappointed today. Two Israeli officials. That's all it said. Axios article. That they said, President Trump was instrumental in all of this et cetera, et cetera.
But he and Benjamin Netanyahu were engaged in deception.
And I -- I read this as, I don't think Israel would have done something this massive without the United States, you know, in their corner.
But I don't think it's deceptive when the president says, you have 60 days to negotiate. And you don't want to see what happens on day 61.
I don't think that's deceptive to make plans, to go in, on day 61.
He kept giving them the same warning over and over again. Do you read that as deception? Or a negotiator that is telling you the truth?
JONATHAN: I think actually it's both.
It's deception in the good way of how to wage war. And how to capture enemy unaware of his.
And unprepared. And that is what Israel did.
Has the US president been deceptive?
No, I don't think so.
I think he's been very straightforward. Telling the Iranians time and time again, this is the best deal you can get.
You should relinquish all attempts to enrich material in Iran, and you should allow full comprehensive inspection of all of your sites, nuclear as well as weapons development.
And if you do that, nothing bad is going to happen. And we will probably free sanctions, and good things will happen to Iran. The Iranian dealership heard that, but didn't do it. And as you said, correctly, we are today on Day 61 of the presidential ultimatum, and this is what happens.
GLENN: Right. Yes. The president draws a red line and then actually meets it.
Ben Rhodes came out today and said, war is breaking out. Because Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran deal and got humiliated by Netanyahu while trying to negotiate his own.
And he will have a military parade for his birthday. This is the weakest strong man ever. Is that why this happened? Because Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran Deal?
JONATHAN: I think that sounds like a very bitter former personal influence, who, you know, was part in devising a lousy deal for America, a lousy deal for the world.
And he's bitter because the other perspective and the other line of thought is prevailing.
And I think that if we look at the current situation in the Middle East. The biggest destabilizing and terror-supporting country in the region.
That has its tentacles. Or had its tentacles in Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen, Iraq, Syria. And, of course, trying to develop nuclear weapons. Iran is now being right-sized, and put in a tight spot.
Maybe Mr. Rhodes has sympathy for the Iranian regime.
I do not.
I do not wish to see what happens if that regime is allowed to develop. Because I know that they are a genocidal and absolutely crazy regime that might do the most horrible things.
And then, of course, Mr. Rhodes probably doesn't assess it like that, because he lives far away and he isn't an Israeli. But for us, Israelis, it's as tangible, and as existential as it gets. And so to the contrary. I think just one thing.
You know, President Trump in his first presidency, he gave the brave and correct order to take out Qasem Soleimani, the very important Iranian general at the time there was an entire chorus around the world American media, blaming President Trump for escalating. Opening World War III. And all matter of all other fabricated nonsense. None of that happened.
And what President Trump did, what he ordered. And what US troops did, was to take out the most important mastermind of Iranian expansionism.
And I think today, that is also important.
Because had he been around Soleimani. I'm pretty sure the Iranians would have fared better since October 7th, and we would have a more difficult situation.
He is not around, and I give credit for President Trump for doing that. And I give credit to President Trump for supporting Israel and for working together with Israel.
Of course, keeping America's interests first and Israel's interest second. That's what the US president should be doing.
But the interest here, they are aligning. And I think we are in a very good situation. I hope good things will come. I hope prosperity. I hope freedom for the Iranian people is just around the corner.
And I hope prosperity for all the people in the Middle East is around the corner.
It can happen, because the Iranian regime was standing in between that progress.
And now, there's a different time for the Iranian regime.
GLENN: It would be amazing, if we saw the regime actually topple and the people were free.
Because the Persian people are wonderful.
Let me ask you. You know, we're seeing -- we're seeing riots on our streets. We're seeing it in Europe. It always has a communist, socialist, anarchist. And an Islamist tit to them.
The Palestinian protests are growing everywhere.
And I just look at this and say, this is our future for the entire Western world.
Should we be concerned that this activity now, green lights will be given to let's say the 8,000 terrorists that we know are here in America. Let alone all over Europe.
JONATHAN: Yeah. I think that the West, Europe to a more severe extent, and the US to a certain extent. In certain states and certain cities, mostly along the coasts, unless inside the country, perhaps barring Chicago and the few areas of the Great Lakes.
But by and large, there's a significant threat to the Western-based system of democracy, civil liberties, law and order, and it is being implemented on the ground and carried and pushed forward, by many rogue elements.
One of them being Islamists that are espousing terrorist ideologies. And that deep down, do not agree with the Judeo Christian values.
That are today governing the world. And led by free democracies.
And they are trying to import their failed system of governance. And their outlook on life. Which they brought from the Middle East. And from other places. And enforce that on free democratic societies.
And they're abusing the system. The liberties.
The freedoms, and the rights that democracies like the US and in Europe, avail people. They're marching on the streets.
Under the guise of free speech.
They are advocating violence. They are trying to undermine the social fabric of society.
They are e- spousing terrorism.
They are glorifying violence. And, of course, anti-Semitism is also in that bag of negative things.
And I think it is high time, that there's a serious debate in the US. And in the west.
I think the situation in Europe is far worse than it is in the US.
I think Americans can look at the streets of London and Paris.
And heed warning.
And say, if we want to reach a situation where the streets are dominated by the Islamists. And an order white Christian or Jew or someone who isn't a Muslim extremist.
Can't walk the streets safely, in the streets of their own country, then we better look at what's happening in Europe.
And take action before.
Now, to be clear. I am not branding all Muslims as terror supporters.
There are many great Americans who are Muslim heritage. Who are local American citizens.
Who are not e- spousing terror pessimism.
But who those do. Those who seek to undermine western democracy.
Who those seek to undermine law and order.
And a free and bright based society.
And to import dark worldviews from the Middle East.
Based on all kind of extremist ideologies, they should be met with a firm response.
And in most cases, they are not met with firm responses. And then they expand.
GLENN: Lieutenant colonel. I know you have to run.
You have to a busy day. Thank you for spending time.
Is this over now?
Or is there more to come?
JONATHAN: No. No. This is not even the end of the beginning.
GLENN: Okay. Lieutenant colonel, thank you, so much.
God bless.
