concerns about not being able to monitor iran's nuclear activities. one of the panelists is the former director of the defense intelligence agency lieutenant general michael flynn. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> we are going to get started here. we need a live mike. we need a live mike here.

so this is yours here. i'm going to put it right here. is that on? there we go. could i get everyone's attention up here? i know lunch has you very excited. i always get excited about lunch, i know that. thank you very much. thank you all so much for being here. it's great to have this packed house for a really important event today. for those of you who don't know me my name is matt schlapp and i'm the chairman of the american conservative union and a little over a year ago i was elected chairman of this the nation's original conservative organization. we were created to unite conservatives to attain greater political and policy victories and we need them now more than ever. it has been a great honor to work with their team to help

restore our financial health and reimagined this year cpac. i hope many of you are this ear cpac and to make it clear that the american conservative union will stand for a conservative philosophy across the policy spectrum. we will advocate for strong families, the right to life and a the culture buttressed by our sacred traditions. we will fight the growth and incompetence of our out-of-control centralized government and on behalf of the constitutional principles that empower the individual and curtail government. and as we clearly state today the american conservative union and the american conservative union foundation will stand up for america, for her security and for a foreign policy that recalls the guidance of president ronald reagan who urged us to strive for peace

through strength. it gives me great leisure to be able to tell you that we have unveiled their new policy center which many of you may have read about today and town hall. the policy center for statesmanship and diplomacy in this event today is that centers an inaugural event. we believe that the content that this year cpac was too valuable to leave at a conference and we need to talk about it all throughout the year. that's the spirit that we need here today. that is why we are coming back today with more policy centers in the weeks and months to come on a full range of considered -- conservative issues. our intent with these policy centers is to better inform activists, elected officials and their staff many of whom are here with us today and other key decision-makers. with i don't know if you feel like i feel. i don't suffer for lack of opinions especially my family with five daughters.

i don't suffer with a the lack of opinions or information. we are deluge with opinions and information but what we do lack is the confidence to get timely information that is digestible that we can understand so we can make a positive difference. and we do suffer from a perception that conservatives are simply people who complain, who yells stop but generally stand at the corner with their arms crossed. i have been this guy and their minds closed. and actually with the topic today that mike exactly the right stance. we also know that we love our country and we know that our philosophy will help us develop policies that can bring us peace and prosperity and improve the state of the world. we are confident and we are optimistic that we can still make a difference. so why why have we started with

statesmanship and diplomacy? because there is a very unusual dynamic occurring in this country and our politics? usually political issues affect the elections. we all hear about the analysis. as people's economic stance that determines who they will vote for and i think much because of president obama something is going to change in this next election where i think issues of security will dominate this election. security in our communities in our homes and of course the security of our nation as americans watched in horror the brutality of a let radicalized islamic terrorists this white house seems to base our entire future on our simple rose garden strategy. we would not be here today if it wasn't for two dynamic groups of people and i want to quickly say thank you to all the acu staff who have worked tirelessly both to put on cpac and after cpac and all the centers and great policy advocacy work we are

doing so i want to say thank you to the staff and i also want to give special recognition to one of our acu board members john eddie who flew here i'm not going to say where you came from but to resizing colorado and god and who very early this morning into his business partner whose vision ideas and support that may not only the center possible that the entire plan for acu and its foundation going forward. now my next task is to do something that's easy. speaking of energetic people and energetic leaders i'm proud to introduce kt mcfarland who is a great to be one of our foundation fellows and we are honored to have her on her team. it's rare in politics to find someone who is smart, famous and dynamic but to his also sincere and caring and let me stress hard-working. there is no one in the country who helped us more to put on

this fabulous cpac we just haven't helped dan and ian in the team more than kt. it wasn't all about her comment was about making the country understand the huge problem of obama's foreign policy. she has earned our enduring respect and she is the absolute perfect person to lead our discussion here today so kaytee kaytee -- kt please come to the podium. [applause] >> thank you all very much. the topic we want to talk about today is iran and there's really no issue on the american agenda, foreign-policy agenda that is more important than iran in nuclear negotiations happening supposedly to result in a nuclear agreement with iran by the end of the month so in other words in two weeks time. we have assembled the greatest

group of experts that we could find. it's not so much numbers as quality and we have two of the great iran experts from the united states today who have spoken out on this issue and spent years studying this issue but the person that i particularly am pleased to is able to join us as general michael verland, the guy at the end. [applause] general plan for those of you who don't know it's a lieutenant general in the air force. he stepped down as head of the defense intelligence agency last year. everyone is familiar with the cia. no one has heard of dia but the defense intelligence agency provides intelligence and analysis to the military. not only identifies military threats we face down in the future but it recommends what we need to do about them. ..

>> >> and finally my friend clare is the vice president for the center for security policy and a senior fellow at policy research was a currier cia operations officer that movie's zero

dark 30 that woman was clara lopez. her post cia career and she is the author of the paper the rise of the area of law be. before i get to the general and the other speakers i want to give some housekeeping. to understand the general has a very busy schedule he will have to leave promptly at 1225. wheels up. he will make of presentation i will interview him that we will throw things over to questions then we will do the same to make opening statements i willing gauge in conversation then open to questions that we are out promptly at 1:30 p.m..

to talk about the iran deal deal, iran used to be one of the greatest threats to the shah of iran was one of the closest allies and in 1979 there was the iranian revolution to bring to power a different type of regime. with an ad after a state sponsor it has pursued a weapons program but what it has done in the last decade it has continued the nuclear weapons program and encouraging regimes throughout the region and it now gives credibility to death in america when iran for started to chant death

to america with president reagan came into office there was the relationships to be tenuous at best over the last 35 years. one of the concerns of all of us have is the agreement to negotiate with ivory and. and the three experts will talk about that but the key question is the administration claims is that a legitimate question or two options? the second is if there is an agreement is a verifiable? trust but verify.

is this as we see it that is enforceable if they are receptive with the agreement to clawback the sanctions with any leverage and finally why does every and once this agreement in the post revolutionary i re and they have tried to expand their reach and given comfort to those that fought against america so why do they want this and what will they do when they get it? for everyone to summarize the thoughts but we would like this to be a more general and all this conversation so i will turn

this podium over to a man who was a terrific spokesman and for the national security interest now if he can speak. [applause] >> i don't have prepared comments why i believe them number one where they are on a given day and when i looked into the future to see where we want to be as a country i see it through the eyes of grandchildren and i have several. she lived intel 90 years of

age the most courageous person i have ever known is an extraordinary woman to grow up in an irish catholic dimly retiring from the army as the sergeant has the system within their home. looking at my granddaughter who is three in she can live to the age of my mom my granddaughter will be alive in the next century. think about as we think about one in administration to the next most don't even know what they will do saturday night.

there is serious about the country even just doing basic history fat eventually they go way. in the dustbin of history we have to be careful that we understand to see the indicators and the warning signs that come our way they are tactical but what you don't hear enough about rarity what your country to be?

but i spoke to an audience the voting actually matters. with the terms of them come so people have to vote to pull a lever or a piece of paper and as they have no idea to their voting for so they vote blindly. but you are preaching to the choir for the most part it doesn't pay attention that

we will try the voting thing. you have to get involved. my mom was involved in local politics very heavily as a young child i was picked up by a school bus and he would have the hustle of the school bus local politics to was court -- escort the ladies to the bus to the voting booth then step back in and take them home. that still exist in this country not what i see with this cry of being very general but a side of the political domain people need

to be involved at the local level to take responsibility that affected me because i have grown up this is what is important about america. to get involved in the future of this country when she hopefully is alive going into the next century. so i will throw that out there into some questions we will not have a lot of time. this needs clarity instead of confusion there confuse for national security perspective we need clarity

and we need that now. that has to stop at the top of the government talk about the iranian deal transparency is important i want my leadership to be confident. i am confident in what i do and i don't want to demonstrate we can settle with united states of america us to appear weak but i have very selfish self-interest with united states of america and i want us to be confident the matter what we do or where we do it to even though we may be weak we have to be confident in everything we do has to start at the top the third word is coherence

instead of discord what an enormous opportunity to bring a sense of coherence instead of the discord that we see. edits unbelievable enormous opportunities squandered the nato herrin's it -- coherence we are the team of teams in the international community then you don't get a seat at the table. you don't get to the greater good of humanity. the fourth for his character.

what type of character to relaunch united states to be known for? trust for the best? of a good friend and partner when we need to be? respected we have lost our consciousness of what america is built on with a sacrifice over many generations to hundred 40 years roughly this last sunday was the flag day of the united states army but we have not been a long that long to be honest we have always been there a great nation pre-world power since the end of world war ii and we came into our own. we did. 70 years is the anniversary

so we have to be conscious of that and character matters with all people that we have i can stand for mistakes that people make human error is okay i have major mistakes but mistakes to try something. with those moral or unethical things we're in a period of history where the major trends are happening

so then we will be a different country but for those things that tell us why is it changing and will take a back to voting make it count for each and every one of you. i want to make sure we get to questions so i will stop there and thanks again i am honored to be here with everybody they are unbelievable experts. thank you. [applause] >> the general has given us the broad area of but care and you hear me if i stand here?

in the white house situation room as a national security adviser i will ask about the agreement with iran first of all, did you deal with iran? >> the agreement i think it is based on false assumptions we've made in one is that we can change their behavior even recently said death to america somebody punches you in the nose you have to do something so why would you deal with somebody who cries out death to america? why would ready deal with the number one state sponsor of terrorism? why do we deal with a country that has negative baggage before we change their behavior? it gets back to our you contributed to the greater good or not?

so i don't think right now we did not start this off from the right flecked. >> to negotiate with friends -- enemies, not friends so what about the regime change a different attitude or we're to be willing to do ideal if you had complete confidence and verification? >> this is all hindsight right now because we will have to deal with every like it or not. that is the bigger issues to deal with. we are moving into an era to pick a side with the

attitude with friends and allies to the have the lack of trust to violate the sanctions with those of violated the sanctions with the p5 + 1 it has been a bigger stake in it only a couple years ago assumed that the deal goes a rash of bad deal they had no deal. why? you do cut deals with your friends we're trying to get nato to up their security so it isn't just dealing with the enemies you do deal with

your friends but in this case not only the enemy but the country that has not demonstrated one iota of good behavior. >> if there is no deal what happens? >> i think iran will continue down that path they were on to have that development of nuclear capabilities and eventually a nuclear weapon that people thought we will go to war if he were in israel you might feel very uncertain so we always have to do check with the israelis to see how you feel on a given day because we don't want them to do something irrational you can

act irrationality of venture israel with the environment they are in today's so we have to answer the question what are the implications of the region going nuclear? we should seek nuclear energy development but called the bluff of iran and russia and china china and has been helping to violate those sanctions in iran right now they are cutting dated - - heels of egypt what are those implications but i will assume. >> deal already made the conclusion "deal or no

deal." >> they will get them down the road. so the deal they cut with north korea and where they are at. from the intel perspective we've missed the boat. >> so what happens with a nuclear iran with two others in the region to? >> if they open themselves up to routes through inspection they said with they will not do, they should not have a choice we deal with a country that is a pariah there at the table with the united states of america we should make the decisions with what they will do then let them know the expectations of international law with the

norms and behavior's then say if you are willing to except that you can sit at the table but we did not do that so i say that you call the bluff by allowing others in the region to do this there has been a nuclear energy deals already that have been assigned one is going on with the russians right now this will happen so we have to keep that the level that is a nuclear energy and not nuclear weapons. >> the sanctions regime is already collapsing and other countries are basically saying we are tired of the sanctions the administration has said we cannot keep them much longer so that my fridge will dissipate so

there will not be any leverage left is there any way to get out of this habit you get your head around the middle east with nuclear weapons? >> - - is you have the rise of the proxy wars which we see right now with that she has a unique community that indicates others are supporting them like iran or russia or china or venezuela but the positive that it is a long-term issue that it does come around to energy because 100 plus years the

world has relied on the oil coming out of the middle east if you like kidder not have you ever see in the chinese aircraft carrier inside the persian gulf? rhetorical question. no. they have between 50 or 60 percent of their hydrocarbon out of the middle east. we have been guaranteeing that to put aircraft task force's 40 am your 35 years. so we guarantee their energy in china so the price of a barrel of oil means a lot down the road will not go back up this country is capable of the energy independent to make that into depended on the united states of america for energy that economic system has to change and move away from

oil. it has to and there are some ideas how to do that and they are in play right now and we're watching a list occur for those who are paying attention to their media and inside of our country that are breaking about this new energy ecosystem that is built on a nuclear energy but it is important because oil is not the future any longer. >> you gave certificate testimony in it to see where the region is going but with the rise of isis you made reference to look at that

region to say. >> but it is your so pretension so pay close attention to that there is a new middle east struggling to be born how it will take shape with sad rebirth of the middle east with an iraq or syria or kurdistan all the different pieces of east africa certainly north africa are all changing as borderless societies and this goes back over 100

years when the british drew lines on a map it changes as we speak here it will not go back to the way it was but iraq itself could end up for different ways we have to decide how to contain it i had been a big proponent to describe the erev structure arab leaders have said we agree and others have said they had sessions or forums to discuss this but they cannot do that unless the united states gets involved does it mean boots on the ground but they cannot organize themselves the way we can help them that is step one to do that then

move in their direction read day take care of their own security responsibilities they can do it. they have to know the united states is there. we provide enormous security umbrella for the middle east to protect everybody from iran it is like we have given that up? i don't know that is what this leaderless summit should have talked about or agreed to spin dash egregious started to scratch the surface but we do have to get the general of the fear in 20 minutes will you call on people? >> straight back. >> please wait for the microphone also say he wore.

-- and. you are. >> naming and serial and frank. >> we have seen it tends to take better isfahan into its own hands resawed that with a nuclear reactor at what point will israel feel it has to take matters into its own hands and in that case if they do what you see as the outcome? >> a good question where you from? or what do you do? >> i steady international

affairs at george washington university. >> good for you. when israel loses the confidence they have always had to take care of the issue that is what dave might act as the irrational way. i use that word earlier because it could lead to a fifth order of facts in the region so i would like to think they are very thoughtful and very methodical and precise so we constantly have to have a conversation but across the human spectrum so that second part is it only days

to escalation but we will see that in the conflict anyway this is said about to end anytime soon we will not wake up in the summer of 2016 that we are back to normal. this will escalate. i'm guessing you are a young 20 year-old kid. this is partly your problem or going to be your problem i have been dealing with this pretty much ruled life there are periods where it is relatively stable wave may be vermis strategic mistakes over the last couple of decades enormous over the decade and a half but we cannot beat each other over the head with that stick delegator futures and forward what can we do about it?

the recommended everybody don't know my testimony please read it i offer a full range of solutions but what do redo about it? >> my question is to believe iran would use a nuclear weapon? >> actually i do. the behavior is so erratic and has been and they have demonstrated verbal and actual behavior is so out of the norm and their belief system is something that very few people can

understand. to sit down and talk with them talking about the religious and cultural belief but i do see that. when a country is cornered sometimes they do erratic things. so to the regime change of a couple of countries in the region have changed three times since 2011 so we have to pay close attention. so we have to be very conscious who we are dealing with and actions matter. actions matter.

>> you use the word clarity and you have been very clear. we are clear we know there is a strategy in this administration why is it more people like you are not willing to call is on the terrorism if we don't mean it if more people are not saying what that strategy is. >> i don't know. i know what i dealt with.

starting with my grandchildren i believe that. to join the army and i did okay but i spent my entire life doing this. so i see things that we have to be clear. because some of that don't worry about it. but what i do know there is a lot of people like me that don't say it but believe it. i don't know why but there

is a lot that feel this way i wish more people would be i am now one side or the other. honestly i want leadership the best leaders leading this country. period. i don't care about issues to a degree. anyway. [applause] >> as a retired u.s. customs agents i hope to prosecute back in '94 i was puzzled to find $100 million of trade with iran and who facilitated that but with the timeline u.s. destabilized the democratic leadership of iran was said a mistake?

under reagan retreaded missiles with iran for i am puzzled by that in retrospect. the issue of whale and did our obligations under brennan was its agreement to back the dollar with opec oil. there is a the real issue for iran to sell oil that undermines the dollar is up from the floor we invaded iraq with israel? and to protect the dollar if oil is inherently scarce. >> i probably will not answer all that because of time but each was very thoughtful. the first thing is where the united states basically staged a coup in support to

overthrow the iranian government in the early 53 timeframe we basically put the shot into powers it is a great book all the shots and then it is fascinating because yes they do refuse to hold the a grudge because of that but many people forget at that exact same time we were involved in the korean war so a lot of things were going on at that time the price of the of beryl of whale with the dollar is the currency of choice on the planet the historic timeline for currency is 25 or 30 years

the british sterling was the currency of choice around the world after reports to a was the u.s. dollar and still is that is a good thing. but undercutting by using other currency just to talk about that economic trend which have been all the time with a great and the black market we do have to make her that we want the united states dollar to be the currency of choice for ever and the english to read the language of choice for a river that is a long time but those are challenged all the time but i will stop there because i don't have time to get into the other stuff.

>> what is the role of u.s. military with what is happening in the middle east? you said when you take part there seems to be ambivalent feelings with this administration about what is the role in the conflict of the middle east if there is one? >> bay have become we are all well organized bureaucracy to plan will and do different things strategically personally the role is not decisive absolutely we have to support our friends there is a lot of killing and capturing that will have

been and still needs to happen and i would say that our military is doing with their ass to do under very much constrained and are not allowed to use the tools that they have because the tools are designed to be used for. that is a fact. redo have a role but we are late because it has been going on for many years thinking it will get better next summer something will change or we will kill another member of the al qaeda leader or head devices and they will go away. but they are not county leaders have we killed or captured and now are released. it is crazy there has to be a religious reformation with

the islamic world. >> we have time for one more question. >> i.m. the student of politics and you said iran does not contribute to humanity and does not deserve to set the table but they are openly fighting isis even though the iraqi government of last them blood dash ask them to sit at the anti-isis coalition and discussion although it is the iraqi and syrian problem but we refuse them to do so? >> yesterday there were fbi agents in long island that went to do research of an

individual's home this is yesterday in this country another incident after he tried to stab the fbi agent they found out he and his associate had plans to do further damage in this country so don't think this is just the air rapport syria problem. it is not. it is not. but what you talk about with iran but be very careful when you see a headline in the major media outlet go find out what they're doing those that are led by the minister of the iraqi

government go see their behavior on the battlefield if it is within the rule of law or warfare. so this is tit-for-tat and don't think because they fight to i says there is a civil war between the shia and to a degree we have to decide how we will participate we said let's take a step back. i said that recently. why should i rand be involved why should it be so deeply involved then let

iraq deal with it to get all the players back out including the united states but them burn out the fire themselves it will be brutal and ugly when you see truckloads of with ben and children dumped into the euphrates river that will change your mind to tell you what we're dealing with and this isn't 2006 but the last couple of months this is what it is about the war side is really ugly it is sent pretty but it has to be dealt with and pay very close attention to the details as you can make a

judgment of what we're facing thank you very much. i appreciate your time. >> before our we let you go talk about the iran deal if the president turns you to sarah you in favor of this deal or not how do you vote? >> i am not in favor of it i have given my $0.2. i have offered solutions and i think we will see the deal i think we will have one so now we have to think about the implications and what we do in the future. that is rusty and right now and i am serious there are

solutions it won't be solved in this administration but and apportion we will deal with this situation where a generation or more but that is what the president has to stay. he has to say here is the issue. tell the public look at this conversation you will see this klay out in the republican primary about foreign policy and national-security about economics and education and all that but then you'll get into the national debate you will have more because the problem will not go away just because of the republican primary. thank you. [applause]

>> from god slips to no traffic for you. good captioning performed by vitac institute that knows a lot about nuclear weapons and we we're going to give clair to give opening remarks and then it's your turn. thank you, michael. >> thank you very much and it's an honor to be here. i want to address very briefly some of the problems that are inherent in the current deal as it draws to a conclusion. first of all, there's been absolutely no buy in from the islamic revolutionary guard corps. this is especially problematic when it comes to issues relating