FOX News America's Newsroom-Transcript

Interview

FOX News America's Newsroom

MEGYN KENDALL, FOX ANCHOR: The showdown between Britain and Iran shows no sign of stopping soon. Fifteen British soldiers and marines were arrested for reportedly crossing Iranian waters. Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, says he is looking into the reason for the border breach -- the alleged border breach.

But in the meantime, all the sailors are in good health and are being treated humanely, according to the Iranian officials.

Senator Jack Reed is in the Russell Rotunda to talk to us about it.

Senator, good morning. Thanks for being here with us.

SEN. JACK REED, D-R.I.: Good morning, Megyn.

KENDALL: So, Great Britain's response has been to pursue diplomacy on this matter. Some have criticized it for being a little too feckless in its rhetoric and not really cracking down with its message to Iran. What's your feeling on it?

REED: I think the British have to assure that their soldiers and marines are being treated humanely and decently and get them released as quickly as possible.

And I think it's not just the British cause, but the cause of the United States and the European community and everyone, because it seems to be an unjustified seizure of these military personnel.

KENDALL: What should we, the United States, be doing about it?

REED: I think we should send a strong signal along with the British and also along with the international community that these marines and soldiers should be released. If there was some inadvertent territorial incursion, that's something that should be rectified going forward; that these people should not be held hostage for that.

KENDALL: British Prime Minister Tony Blair says if diplomacy fails, he is prepared to move to, quote, "the next phase." What do you interpret that to mean? And would you support military action?

REED: Well, I think the next phrase would probably not be immediate military action. I think the next phase would be taking these charges to perhaps the United Nations or trying to invoke more diplomatic, economic pressure on the Iranians -- even more economic pressure on the Iranians, making it clear that they can't hold these marines and soldiers without a cost to them economically and diplomatically.

KENDALL: In the meantime, the U.S. is stepping up its military presence in the Persian Gulf, sending over two aircraft carriers and aircraft in the region. Is that some sort of a message, Senator, or is that unrelated to this incident?

REED: Well, it's unrelated to this incident. The build-up was planned weeks ago. But it is sending a strong message that we have and can muster overwhelming naval and air power in the Persian Gulf.

One of the difficulties, though, is that the Iranians have the ability to counter some of what we're doing with incidents, just like they demonstrated a few days ago, where they took these marines -- these British marines.

But it does send a strong signal to the Iranians that we are watching and we have significant conventional power in the region.

KENDALL: Senator, Rosie O'Donnell, who is on the show, "The View," suggested on her show yesterday that this was an attempt by the British to basically invent an incident so that they could attack Iran. I'm curious -- there's some, sort of, a blogging fest about this. I mean, your response to that accusation?

REED: I don't think it has much credence. My sense is that the British forces were doing routine duties, trying to stop a merchant ship they suspected of smuggling. There might be a question of whether they were in or outside Iranian waters; it's very difficult to determine there. But I don't think this was some type of arranged demonstration. I don't think that's something the British would be engaged in.

KENDALL: Senator Jack Reed, thank you so much for being with us here this morning.

REED: Thank you, Megyn.

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