With Donald Trump's deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz fast approaching, and Iran having said no to a proposed U.S. ceasefire, the left wing media has become obsessed with Trump's threat to destroy much of Iran's infrastructure, calling him out for daring to do what Iran has already done to others in the region. That obsession was on full display Monday morning on CNN's The Situation Room.
Co-host Pamela Brown began her interview with Congressman David Kustoff (R-Tenn.) by presenting another media obsession, Trump's Easter post warning Iran to cooperate, or else.
BROWN: I want to read what President Trump posted about Iran yesterday. Quote, Tuesday will be power plant day and bridge day, all wrapped in one. And Iran open the F-ING, he actually used the word, Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell. How hopeful are you that approach will bring Iran to the table?
KUSTOFF: That message was completely tailored for the Iranian leadership.... And there should be no doubt that when Donald Trump speaks and threatens to do something, he's going to follow up. So he delivered that message. He delivered it very clearly in language that probably only Donald Trump can use. And Iran is on the clock.
Brown then turned to what would become the fixation of the interview.
BROWN: Just to follow up on that tweet, do you support intentionally targeting critical civilian infrastructure like power plants? I just want to note, I spoke to an Iranian who fled since the war, who says Iranian citizens are very worried they could be worse off than before, if that happens, their infrastructure is gone and the IRGC is still in control. What do you think?
KUSTOFF: Does that infrastructure have a dual use? And obviously, could that infrastructure be used by the military? And if the answer to those questions are yes, which I think they are, then they're within the purview of the United States attacking there.
Needless to say that answer did not sit well with Brown
BROWN: But as we have on the screen here, the threats include bridges, desalination plants, which citizens rely on for clean drinking water, power plants, oil facilities and roads. If Iran doesn't open up the Strait of Hormuz by tomorrow night, as the deadline, the U.S. Imposed, the President imposed, do you support those targets? Do you support the U.S. Military targeting that infrastructure?
KUSTOFF: Well, again, I think if those targets do, in fact, have a dual use and if those targets are being used by the Iranian military, then they're fair game. And we'll defer to the President, and to our military leaders.
Apparently annoyed at getting the same answer to the same question she had asked before, Brown started talking over Kustoff, and basically asked the same question again.
BROWN: But what about citizens who rely on desalination plants for clean drinking water? I mean, of course, military would rely on that, but so would the citizens just to have clean drinking water.
KUSTOFF: My guess is if you took a poll right now of the Iranian people, not the regime, but the Iranian people, they are very supportive of the united States actions. I know that the Iranian people in the U.S. are supportive of the U.S.'s actions. This is messy. But if the if the Iranian military is in fact using those facilities, then they're fair game.
Brown never felt the need to mention that according to Human Rights Watch and CNN's own reporting, Iran has in fact targeted the very same infrastructure that she is so concerned about, in countries around the Middle East, including desalination plants. Not to mention their targeting of civilians inside Israel along with their proxies the Houthis and Hezbollah. But she did find a new way to ask the same question yet again.
BROWN: For my reporting, the view from the Iranian citizens is evolving. I mean, initially they were very happy that the U.S. and Israel were coming to help them out with this bombing campaign. But now, as this war drags on into its sixth week, there is a lot of concern that there could be this scenario where they're in a worse position, where they have the IRGC emboldened, you know, still in power, blood thirsty, even more bloodthirsty than before. And their infrastructure gone. How does that concern you?
Brown never cited what evidence she used for her reporting the evolving view of Iranian citizens. Par for the course.
