CNN "Anderson Cooper 360" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Jim Himes

Interview

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COOPER: If that, in fact, is the case, it certainly is a risky signal to send given the overall climate and the always real possibility of miscalculation.

Joining us now is Congressman Jim Himes, a Democrat of Connecticut, a member of the House Intelligence Committee.

Congressman Himes, do you have any reason to doubt they say the drone was operating in international air space and that Iran was the aggressor?

REP. JIM HIMES (D-CT): I don't, Anderson. I probably haven't seen

quite as much briefing material as some have, but I don't have any particular reason to doubt it. I do want to get confirmation.

But in some ways, I know we're going to spend a lot of time talking about whether it was in international air space or over Iran air space. You know, there is no getting around the fact that, regardless, the Iranians did a very, very dumb and aggressive thing here. They are rolling the dice on what the nature, if any, of the president's response will be in a way that is really playing with fire.

Look, a military conflict in the region is bad for everybody, including the United States. But a military conflict between the United States and Iran ends with the end of the Iranian regime. And that's why I'm just puzzled why they are being as aggressive as they are, even though, of course, they have been isolated and strangled in some senses economically by what I regard as wrong-headed U.S. policy.

COOPER: Republican leaders in the House, the put out a statement saying, and I'm quoting, there must be a measured response to these actions. Do you agree that there should be a response? And what would you think a measured response would look like if you supported any kind of action?

HIMES: Yes, I do, Anderson. As you probably know, I have been sounding the alarm for months now that the president's people, John Bolton and Mike Pompeo have been trying to get to precisely this moment, this moment when we are on the brink of a potential military conflict.

They, of course, have been urged on by leaders in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia and the UAE and elsewhere. But, yes, so here's where we are. We are in a box right now because on the one hand, a response is a very risky thing. If we do a proportional response, which I hope they do and take down one of their drones or whatever it might be, we don't know how they will respond. Will they escalate?

However, if we don't respond at all, that's equally dangerous because the Iranians will read that as a feckless president who shouts a lot and tweets a lot, but doesn't follow-up his words with actions. So here we are in precisely the place that John Bolton wanted us to be in where we're in a box where no matter what we do, there is a high risk of escalation and military conflict.

But your question was should we respond. I think to fail to respond to an awful Iranian regime, to sort of empower them, to send a message we won't respond if we are hit would be the more dangerous of the two options.

COOPER: Do you believe the president has the authority to launch an attack specifically something that's proportional, not an all-out war, without getting congressional authorization?

HIMES: Well, that's a really good question. I have for years been saying that we need to reassert congressional constitutional authority for deciding when we go to war. Of course, presidents have been violators on both sides of the aisle. Whether it was Barack Obama in Libya or Syria, President Trump in Syria with his attack. There have been violation after violation.

The reason your question is a slightly tricky one is that even members of Congress like me who are very concerned for congressional prerogatives and what the Constitution says will acknowledge that when we have been attacked, the president has the authority to respond and need not -- depending on the circumstances -- go through the whole legislative process that would result in congressional approval.

[20:20:18] COOPER: Congressman Himes, I appreciate your time. A lot to get to, a lot to watch for. Thank you.

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