For an additional perspective, we turn now to John Bolton, the National Security Advisor

in President Trump's first term, Ambassador Bolton, it's good to have you on the program.

You have consistently maintained that eliminating the Iranian regime is the only way to end

the nuclear threat.

Is this specific military action by the U.S. and Israel, is it justified in your view?

It's totally justified. Whether it's carried out in a successful way on many different aspects

is open to question. But to me, the case to eliminate this not only proliferation-minded barbaric regime, but to eliminate

its international terrorist threat is ample justification for doing what the president has

announced.

I don't think you need to make an argument that the threat is imminent.

The threat is bad enough as it is.

Judgments of eminence can be wrong. I think we're perfectly entitled to do it. I think

it is a war of choice, as most wars are. And I think it's something that if it were explained

to the American people, they would support. That hasn't happened yet, and that's one of the

things that troubles

me. But the objective of overthrowing the regime is critical because the regime has consistently

shown it will not abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons, and it will not abandon its use of terrorism

and its support of terrorist proxies. If anybody wants peace and stability in the Middle

East, this regime has to go. On this being a war of choice, as you said, you heard Senator Warner

say that the U.S. is following Netanyahu's timing on this, which is what Secretary Rubio

suggested yesterday before seeking to clarify it today. Is the U.S. driving this strategy, or is the U.S.

being drawn into Israel's longstanding campaign against Tehran?

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