air strikes against iran-backed militias in iraq, an isis launched a major torrey attack, et cetera, et cetera, and, of course, the war going on in gaza. he points out there are ten nations in some state of conflict, jordan, iran, syria, pakistan, the u.s., uk, iran proxies in iraq, lebanon and yemen, and four terror organizations, hamas, hezbollahs, houthis and isis. is a regional war now underway in the middle east? >> well, it depends upon the definition, but there certainly is an extraordinary increase in the amount of aggression that's occurring in the middle east. you have heard the administration say that they don't want a wider war. well, the fact of the matter is to deter a wider war you don't do that by saying that you don't want one or that you won't strike inside iran but by making sure that iran, who is behind the majority of the aggression in the region, understands that if they and their proxies continue attacks on u.s. personnel that they can then expect disastrous consequences. deterrence, michael, is achieved by instilling in the minds of the iranian leadership or o