joining us now, retired staff sergeant robert bartlett, who was injured in iraq back in 2005.mark thiessen, and larry core, former assistant defense secretary and senior fellow at the center for american progress. thank you for being here. sergeant, start with you on your thoughts on, first of all, whether you believe we did not pay this as a ransom, as the administration claims. >> it's evident. it's definitely a ransom. you don't do hard currency in exchange of prisoners. that's exactly what it is. you can't explain it any other way. the press secretary tried to. >> iranian made bomb, how's that make you feel? >> means we've got more coming. we've got more bombs coming. for $100 million you could buy a tactical nuke or icbm with -- with the people that train up your military on how to use it for $100 million, so that means they could buy four. >> whenever we pay the money, exactly. mark, you said last night you don't believe this wasn't ransom and that no one should believe it. when you watch that denial, that attempted denial by josh earnest, it's obvious. >> it's completel