CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview With Sen. Jack Reed

Interview

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Joining us now, Senator Jack Reed. He's the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Senator, thanks so much for joining us.

SEN. JACK REED (D-RI): Thanks, Wolf.

BLITZER: And let me get your immediate response.

The president says he took this action to stop a war, not to start one. What do you make of that?

REED: What has happened has been an increased acceleration and escalation in our anticipation of Iranian attack.

So, rather than stopping conflict, he's accelerating the conflict. I think that's essentially what General Milley said, where he would be irresponsible if he didn't prepare for the consequences, as they see them.

So, this is going to accelerate retaliation by the Iranians. They have political, as well as the geopolitical reasons to do that. Soleimani was very, very popular. He was a figure of major import in Iran.

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But, in addition, they have to maintain their presence and their sway in the areas of the region which they control.

BLITZER: The chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Mark Milley, also says there was clear evidence that Soleimani was planning what the general described as a significant campaign of violence against the United States.

Do you have any reason to doubt General Milley?

REED: I don't have any reason to doubt General Milley.

I think the issue, though, is how best we could have reacted to disrupt that plan. And the question there is, was the assassination or the killing of Soleimani the best approach to disrupt that plan?

The consequences of taking out Soleimani is now this heightened tension, this escalation. You spoke about the theory of the revenge by the Iranians, the concern not only in Iraq and Iran, but throughout the region and worldwide, about a possible response by the Iranians.

That, I don't think, was effectively factored in.

BLITZER: When do you expect personally to be briefed by the administration? Some of your committee staffers, I understand, they have already been briefed earlier this afternoon.

REED: We hope by Tuesday, when we reassemble for the Senate sessions, that we will get a detailed highly classified briefing.

We don't know yet the critical facts that they relied upon, because it is highly classified. But we have to have those facts in order to establish the credibility of the claims that this was imminent and that there was no alternative, no effective alternative, other than taking out Soleimani.

BLITZER: What information do you need to see, Senator, from the administration to determine specifically that this strike was justified?

REED: Well, we have to see what the proposed targets were, what the plans -- as detailed as possible, and what role Soleimani was playing.

Was he simply the -- sort of the general coordinator, or was he so intimately involved in every operation that his absence stops them?

In fact, I think it's been pointed out previously that, if these plans were so detailed and so intimate and so evolved, there's no reason to suggest they can't be put forward by someone else, maybe not with the same skill, but certainly there's an infrastructure in place, the Quds Force.

If the plans are in place, then the idea that just taking Soleimani out is going to make the problem go away, I don't think, is -- holds up.

BLITZER: Back in 2005, Senator, you and I were in Iraq. We went with General John Abizaid, who was then the U.S. military's commander of the Central Command.

And we spoke extensively. Did you ever think then, back in 2005, when we were in Fallujah or Baghdad or Mosul or Basra, that, 15 years later, Iraq would be such a disaster?

REED: No, I did not. I think we were cautiously hopeful. There was many, many days ahead.

We know that it would be difficult. But we thought that we would see some progress.

And I returned to Iraq about a year ago, and there was some improvement. But what has happened and what I think the studies have pointed out, particularly the major study commissioned by the Department of Defense and Department of the Army, is that the real winner in the Iraq War was Iran.

They were able to insert themselves into the political process, into the military affairs of the country so distinctively, that now they have great leverage there.

And you also have heard from some of your reporters that the -- at least threats by the prime minister and other parliamentarians to evict the U.S. forces. They have the right to do that. We're only there at their discretion.

And that's something else that I think the Iranians will try to use their political influence, as well as their tactical and operational skills.

BLITZER: All right, Senator, Senator Jack Reed, thanks so much for joining us.

REED: Thanks, Wolf.

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