CNN "Anderson Cooper 360" - Transcript: Interview with Sen. Tammy Duckworth

Interview

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COOPER: Well, it didn't take long for an American military spokesman to push back, saying the general's remarks, quote, run counter to what he called identified credible threats available to U.S. intelligence. Question then for us is what to make of it all.

I spoke before air time to Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

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COOPER: Senator Duckworth, how do you square the narrative coming from the administration about Iran with this comments today from the British deputy command of the coalition saying that there is in fact no increase threat right now?

SEN. TAMMY DUCKWORTH (D-IL): Well, it's very hard to square when I've not received any type of an intelligence analysis or briefing from the administration. You know, I was just in Iraq less than three weeks ago and certainly I did not get any briefings on the ground there that indicated that there was any type of increased risk from Iran. So, I would like to see what this intelligence that the administration keeps talking about. They need to share it with members of Congress.

COOPER: And have they shared it with any members of Congress?

DUCKWORTH: They have not shared it with any members of Congress and we've been calling for it in a very bipartisan way, by the way. You know, I do feel that is something that Mr. Bolton is pushing us towards and he keeps referring to some sort of intelligence and estimate and analysis and I've not seen it. I've got a top secret clearance. Let's share it with the members and let us see for ourselves what you're talking about.

COOPER: I understand you met with the Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan yesterday. What did he have to say about it?

DUCKWORTH: Well, I did. I asked him directly that question and he said that, you know, he would be willing to share that information with us in a classified briefing. So, hopefully he will follow through and then we're going to get some sort of a briefing. But, he was very broad in his answers.

COOPER: Some have said that they believe the administration is trying to essentially goad Iran into conflict. Do you think that's possible? Do you think that's what they're doing?

DUCKWORTH: I think not just administration, but I think Mr. Bolton in particular, right? He himself has said two things, what caused the U.S. to be in conflict, one which is for Iran to ramp up its nuclear production, and then the other is for them to attack U.S. forces.

Now, it seems like they -- he is setting up those conditions for that to happen. Number one, he put us out of the JCPOA, the Iran nuclear agreement which only incentivizes Iran to not adhere to the agreement.

And then also this idea of spending -- sending more troops as many as 130,000 U.S. troops into the region which basically increases the number of targets for any type of potential attacks.

So I sort of feel like there's circular logic happening here and I wonder if this is something that's really being driven by Mr. Bolton.

COOPER: Are your Republican -- I mean, you talked about this being bipartisan concern. Are your Republican colleagues in the Senate as concerned about this as you and some of your Democratic colleagues are? And -- I mean, and do you know, are there any plans as of right now to hold hearings to get to the bottom of what's going on?

DUCKWORTH: Well, I know that in the arms -- in the foreign affairs committee there certainly was bipartisan support calling for more briefings. And I know in armed services where I sit, there's bipartisan support for us to actually get some sort of a briefing of this change in the environment that the White House keeps referring to, but they have not yet briefed us. You know, we in Congress are the only authority to declare war and so you should share with us information if you're pushing us into the conditions where war may happen. I deserve to know as a coequal branch of government and I need to do my job, so provide me with the estimates so I can see what you're talking about.

COOPER: Do you know where this 120,000 number comes from? I mean, could it be something simply more than just a contingency plan, the Pentagon just wanting to be ready for any eventuality?

DUCKWORTH: Well, that's the size of an army, so something along the lines of two or three divisions. When I asked the secretary -- the nominee for secretary of defense yesterday, I also talked with the acting secretary -- the secretary of the Navy today, I asked the same thing. And he said, well, that's the high number and that some of those forces were already going to be in the region.

But, again, I feel like we are ramping up the conditions to head us toward some sort of conflicts when even our NATO allies, our allies who are in the region are not certainly pulling out -- their personnel from their embassies are not doing changes in posture. So, either our allies don't have this intelligence that they're referring to or we're not sharing this information with our allies, which is very deeply concerning to me.

COOPER: Yes. Senator Duckworth, I appreciate your time. Thank you.

DUCKWORTH: Thank you.

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