The American people NEED to understand this: Lt Gen Keith Kellogg

. >> Sandra: I'M SANDRA SMITH. >> Gillian: I'M. GILLIAN TURNER. "THE STORY" STARTS NOW. >> Martha: I'M MARTHA. MACCALLUM AND THIS IS. "THE STORY.". YOU SAW PRESIDENT TRUMP WRAPPING. UP HIS COMMENTS MOMENTS AGO. HE'S HEADED BACK NOW TO THE. WHITE HOUSE WITH A BUSY. AFTERNOON LINED UP AS WELL AS HE. GETS BACK THERE. WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT IRAN AND. HIS NEXT MOVE WITH REGARD TO. IRAN, HE SAID HE IS QUOTE, CLOSE.

TO MAKING A DECISION ON A QUOTE, MASSIVE ATTACK. AND THAT THAT ATTACK WOULD BE. BIGGER THAN ANYTHING THAT WE. HAVE SEEN BEFORE. SO FAR ON IRAN AND WE HAVE BEEN. BACK AND FORTH AT DIFFERENT. JUNCTURES IN THIS BATTLE BUT. WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST 12 DAYS. THIS ESCALATION OF TARGETS ALL. ALONG THE STRAIT AND SOME. INTERIOR TARGETS AS WELL THAT. HAVE BEEN GOING AT THEIR. CAPABILITY TO DOMINATE THE. STRAIT OR TO HAVE ANY CONTROL. OVER THE STRAIT AT ALL AND.

EXTEND BEYOND THAT SO WE WILL. KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THAT. THE PRESIDENT CONTINUES TO SAY. THAT TEHRAN WOULD LIKE A DEAL. BUT THEY HAVE NOT DEMONSTRATED. THAT THEY ARE READY TO MAKE ONE. THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED ENOUGH. PAIN YET FROM THE PRESIDENT AND. THAT FROM AN AXIOS REPORT. FOXCONN CONFIRM THAT FOR THE. FIRST TIME THIS NEW WAVE OF. STRIKES THAT I WAS JUST. MENTIONING, DURING THEM THE. UNITED STATES DEPLOYED A B-1. BOMBER WHICH IS CAPABLE OF. CARRYING TWO DOZEN MISSILES. THERE IS A LOOK AT THE B-1.

LANCER THAT WAS USED FOR THE. FIRST TIME IN THIS BATTLE. AGAINST IRAN OVER THE COURSE OF. THIS WEEK. THIS IS A VERY HEAVY POWER. MACHINE THAT YOU SEE THAT IS NOW. BEING PUT TO USE BY THE. UNITED STATES MILITARY AND ITS. SIGNALS IN MANY WAYS A NEW PHASE. OF THIS OFFENSIVE AGAINST IRAN. SO MEANWHILE ON CAPITOL HILL, REPUBLICAN TIM SHEEHY FROM. MONTANA WHO'S BEEN AN. INTERESTING SENATOR TO WATCH ON.

THIS STORY AND HAS DEFINED. HIMSELF TO A GREAT EXTENT IN. TERMS OF SPEAKING OUT ABOUT IRAN. SERVING AS A NAVY SEAL AND HE. MAKES A STRONG CASE TO KEEP. FIGHTING AND FINISH THE JOB. WATCH. >> LOVED DONALD TRUMP OR HATE. HIM, LOVE HIS POLICIES, HATE. I.C.E., LOVE I.C.E., THERE'S. NEVER BEEN A SINGLE PRESIDENT. WHO HAS STOOD UP TO IRAN AND HIT. BACK FOR 47 YEARS OUR TROOPS AND. OUR FAMILIES HAVE BEEN ABSORBING. ATTACK AFTER ATTACK AFTER ATTACK. ALL OVER THE WORLD.

AND THEIR RADICAL IDEOLOGY DOES. NOT STOP AT THE PERSIAN GULF OR. TEL AVIV, THEY WANT TO DO THIS. EVERYWHERE. IT'S A GLOBAL RADICAL IDEOLOGY. AND I CAN PROMISE YOU BEING. SOMEONE OVERSEAS WEARING THE. UNIFORM, WHEN YOU ARE FIGHTING. FOR YOUR COUNTRY, YOU DON'T CARE. WHAT PARTY IS IN OFFICE BUT YOU. ARE FIGHTING TO DEFEND YOUR. COUNTRY. YOU SEE YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. STABBING YOU IN THE BACK TELLING. YOU THAT YOU'RE FAILING AND. FAILED EVERY GOAL IN THE WAR IS. WHAT I JUST HEARD. LAST TIME I CHECKED WE WIPED.

THESE BASTARDS OUT AND AN. OCCASIONAL MISSILE STRIKE AND. BOASTS IN THE STRAIGHT, THAT'S. NOT MILITARY STRENGTH BUT THE. FAILINGS OF A FAILED EMPIRE. SO I ENCOURAGE OUR COLLEAGUES ON. BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, WHATEVER IS POLITICALLY. CONVENIENT OR WHATEVER PLAYS. WELL ON TWITTER OR FACEBOOK, THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE DEPLOYED. RIGHT NOW STANDING ON THAT WALL. WITH A LOADED WEAPON WHO. VOLUNTEERED TO DEFEND OUR. COUNTRY AND OUR WAY OF LIFE. >> Martha: STRONG STATEMENT. FROM TIM SHEEHY. LET'S BRING IN KEITH KELLOGG,

FORMER ASSISTANT TO THE. PRESIDENT AND SPECIAL. PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY FOR UKRAINE. NOW CO-CHAIR OF AMERICAN. SECURITY AT THE AMERICA FIRST. POLICY INSTITUTE. ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US, GENERAL. NO DOUBT THOSE SENTIMENTS ARE. AMONG THOSE THAT YOU CAN RELATE. TO. WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO WHAT. THE SENATOR HAD TO SAY THERE? >> I THINK I COULD LISTEN TO HIM. ALL DAY LONG. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. WHAT HE GETS AT, HE UNDERSTANDS. WAR AND WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND WE ARE.

TRYING TO GET ACROSS TO THEM IS. THAT THIS IS A WAR RIGHT NOW. THAT IS SERIOUS BUSINESS BUT. PART OF BEING AT WAR, YOU HAVE. TO BREAK THE OPPONENT, THE. ENEMY'S WILL TO FIGHT AND I GET. GREAT CONCERNS THAT WE HAVEN'T. REALLY GOTTEN TO THAT POINT. WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT AND WHY. IS THAT IMPORTANT? THE PRESIDENT WROTE A GREAT BOOK. CALLED ART OF THE DEAL AND ONE. OF THE THINGS HE MENTIONED WHEN. YOU GET TO NEGOTIATIONS, THE USE. OF LEVERAGE AND HOW DO WE GET. LEVERAGE OVER THEM RIGHT NOW?

IT IS A THEOCRATIC REGIME. THEY HAVE CAUSED DEATH TO. AMERICANS. IF YOU ARE TAKING SOMETHING LIKE. KHARG ISLAND WHICH IS 90% OF. THEIR ECONOMY OR THE COMMAND AND. CONTROL IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ. AS WELL, IT'S NOT BECAUSE I. THINK IT'S GREAT TO GO AND GET. INTO A FIGHT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN. THERE AND I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS. BUT THE FACT IS I WANT TO GIVE. THE PRESIDENT LEVERAGE SO YOU. GET TO A POINT WHERE YOU ARE. GOING TO BREAK THEIR BACK NOT. ONLY MILITARILY WHICH WE HAVE. DONE AND THE SENATOR WAS RIGHT. ABOUT THAT BUT BASICALLY BREAK.

THEIR BACK ECONOMICALLY AS WELL. AND THEN YOU CAN HELP THE. IRANIAN PEOPLE RISE UP. WE ARE NOT GOING TO INVADE IRAN. WE SHOULDN'T INVADE IRAN. WE SHOULD PROBABLY HELP THEM. WHEN THEY ARISE AND DO. SOMETHING. GIVE THEM ARMS OR GIVE THEM THE. AMMUNITION. HELPING THEM OUT FIGURING OUT. WHAT TO DO BECAUSE RIGHT NOW. THERE ARE GROUPS IN IRAN THAT. ARE RESISTING THE REVOLUTION AND. WE HAVE NOT REALLY GIVEN THEM A. LOT OF SUPPORT. SORT OF LIKE WE DID IN. AFGHANISTAN WHEN WE SUPPORTED.

THE PEOPLE AGAINST THE TALIBAN. THE SOLDIERS THERE. WE HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING AND. WHY IT GIVES A PRESIDENT. LEVERAGE. DOES THAT MEAN THERE IS RISK? YES, THERE DOES. THERE IS RISK TO HAVING TO DO. THIS BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER. IS THAT PEOPLE NEED TO. UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A WAR AND. WAR INVOLVES RISK AND WE NEED TO. BE TAKING THAT RISK ON AND I. THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. IS CAN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HEAR. THIS? LET THE PRESIDENT GO IN FRONT OF. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND TELL.

THEM. LOOK, THIS WHOLE IDEA ABOUT NOT. HAVING A NUCLEAR IRAN IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. IT WILL TOTALLY DESTABILIZE THE. REGION. REMEMBER A FEW YEARS AGO. MOHAMMED, THE CROWN PRINCE OF. SAUDI ARABIA SAID IF IRAN GETS A. NUCLEAR WEAPON, WE ARE GOING TO. GET A NUCLEAR WEAPON. THEN YOU REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM. AND IT'S NOT FOR THIS GENERATION. AND NOT FOR US, MARTHA BUT FOR. OUR KIDS AND OUR GRANDKIDS. THE PRESIDENT OF THE. UNITED STATES HAS DONE GREAT IN.

THIS AND HE CAN CHANGE THE. MIDDLE EAST FOR GENERATIONS TO. COME. LOOK WHAT HE JUST DID WITH THE. SAUDIS ON GETTING THIS NUCLEAR. DEAL. THEY ARE WILLING TO JOIN IN TO. THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS AND THAT IS. SOMETHING THAT WAS UNHEARD OF. FOR, FIVE OR SIX OR SEVEN YEARS. AGO BUT THAT'S WHAT IT WILL TAKE. AND I THINK HE CAN DO IT BUT WE. HAVE TO HAVE THE WILL TO TAKE. THAT HARD NEXT STEP AND WHAT. DOES THAT MEAN? HE HAS GREAT MILITARY ADVISORS. HE HAS GREAT INSTINCTS AND I.

THINK IF I CAN SAY SOMETHING TO. HIM RIGHT NOW, ITS. MR. PRESIDENT, FOLLOW YOUR. INSTINCTS, THEY ARE ROCK SOLID. >> Martha: YOU HAVE SAID SO. MANY INTERESTING THINGS THAT I. WANT TO DIG INTO FOR JUST A. MOMENT HERE AND I THINK AT THIS. SIDE IS THIS SAUDI NUCLEAR. ENERGY DEAL BECAUSE IT IS VERY. INTERESTING AND IT COULD LEAD TO. AN ABRAHAM ACCORDS AGREEMENT. WHICH THE PRESIDENT IS. DEFINITELY PRESSING ON THAT. LEVER RIGHT NOW WITH THEM AND. THAT IS CLEARLY WHAT HE WANTS. BUT I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT.

PART OF LISTENING TO YOU, GENERAL, IS THAT YOU MUST BREAK. THE WILL OF YOUR OPPONENT. AND YOU TALKED ABOUT TARGETS AND. YOU TALKED ABOUT KHARG ISLAND SO. WHEN THE PRESIDENT SAYS HE'S. CONSIDERING RAMPING UP THIS. MISSION CONSIDERABLY, NO DOUBT. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE IS. TALKING ABOUT. AND WE HAVE ALL SEEN OVER THE. COURSE OF HISTORY TIMES WHEN. DIFFERENT INFLUENCES WEIGHED IN. WHETHER IT WAS THE MEDIA OR. AMERICANS AT HOME GETTING. NERVOUS ABOUT WHERE SOMETHING IS. GOING AND WE'VE SEEN THAT CHANGE.

THE COURSE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN. THESE SORTS OF BATTLES SO WHAT. NEEDS TO BE DONE RIGHT NOW IN. TERMS OF TARGETS IN YOUR OPINION. AS YOU TELL THE PRESIDENT IN. YOUR OPINION TO GO AHEAD AND DO. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. >> THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT. BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE. ABSOLUTELY RIGHT BUT THAT'S THE. REASON I SAID GOING TO PLACES. LIKE KHARG ISLAND BECAUSE IT. CHANGES THE EQUATION. NOT NECESSARILY MILITARY BUT. IT'S ECONOMIC AS WELL. LOOK, I'LL GIVE YOU A GOOD.

EXAMPLE AND THERE'S NOTHING. TAKING BACK FROM MY FRIENDS IN. THE AIR FORCE BUT IN THE FIRST. GULF WAR, I WAS IN SAUDI ARABIA. AND WE SAT THERE AND WE GOT ON. WHICH IS IN THE NORTH, RIGHT. INTO AND NEXT TO IRAQ AND WE. WATCHED 30 DAYS OF BOMBING AND. IT DID NOTHING. SO WE CROSSED AND IN 100 HOURS. THAT WAR WAS OVER AND I WAS ON. THE EUPHRATES RIVER WITHIN 48.

HOURS AND THE IRAQIS THEN. REALIZED -- OF COURSE THEY. DIDN'T REALIZE WHEN WE SHOWED. THEM THE MAP WHERE WE ARE AT. THEY SAID WE AREN'T THERE. WE SURE ARE. THEN THEY HAVE TO COME UP WITH. WAYS TO DO THIS AND THINK YOUR. WAY CREATIVELY THROUGH IT BUT I. THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE NEED. TO UNDERSTAND THAT. THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE 30%. 30% OF AMERICANS WHO I'M. CONVINCED THINK THE SUN RISES IN. THE WEST AND NOT THE EAST AND. THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF PEOPLE --. DON'T DISREGARD THEM BUT GO WITH. YOUR INSTINCTS AND THINK WHAT IS.

GOING TO BE DONE? BREAK THEIR WILL, THIS IS FOR. THE FUTURE AND NOT FOR THE DAY. >> Martha: SO INTERESTING. YOU GIVE US THIS GREAT MILITARY. PERSPECTIVE AND A GENERAL WHO. HAS WORKED IN THE REGION, ON. THESE KINDS OF CONFRONTATIONS. AND STILL THINKING ABOUT WHAT A. BUSINESSMAN JUST SAID AT THE END. OF THE LAST HOUR, HE SAID. ABSOLUTELY WE NEEDED THE TARIFFS. TO RESET THE ECONOMIC EQUATION. WITH OTHER COUNTRIES AND. ABSOLUTELY WE NEED TO FINISH. THIS WAR IN IRAN.

IT HAS BEEN NECESSARY OVER THE. LAST 47 YEARS AND I THINK IF YOU. SEE THIS COALITION OF THE GULF. STATES PULL TOGETHER AND THE. EXPANSION OF THE ABRAHAM ACCORD. THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP IS TALKING. ABOUT, A MOMENTUM SHIFT IS VERY. MUCH IN SIGHT AND WE WILL BE. WATCHI.