Charles Hill and General James Mattis on the Iran Deal, Democracy, and Freedom

Recorded on July 16, 2015 - Hoover fellows Charles Hill and James Mattis discuss the Iran deal and the state of the world on Uncommon Knowledge with Hoover fellow Peter Robinson. In their view the United States has handed over its leading role to Iran and provided a dowry along with it. Iran will become the leading power in the region as the United States pulls back; as the sanctions are lifted Iran will start making a lot of money. No matter what Congress does at this point, the sanctions are gone. Furthermore, the president will veto anything Congress comes up with to move the deal forward. This de facto treaty circumvents the Constitution.
If we want better deals and a stronger presence in the international community, then the United States needs to compromise, and listen to one another other, and encourage other points of view, especially from the three branches of government. If the United States pulls back from the international community, we will need to relearn the lessons we learned after World War I. But if we engage more with the world and use solid strategies to protect and encourage democracy and freedom at home and abroad, then our military interventions will be fewer. The United States and the world will be in a better position to handle problems such as ISIS.

[@sjresearch]

Peter Robinson, this is one of your best episodes of Uncommon Knowledge. Thank you very much!!

[@vk4987]

Fascinating insight from these two clearly intelligent men

[@djhenyo]

Mad Dog Mattis completely destroys this idiot host's entire ISIS argument in less than ten seconds @18:26

[@Pinknives]

He doesn't "destroy" his argument, he gives information and perspective perhaps the host didn't have. The host is suppose to open up this discussion to spread these ideas. I think you missed the purpose behind this discussion completely. Nobody at that table is an idiot... smh.

[@Pinknives]

The host is also playing a role as someone who is running for president.

[@enlightenedwarrior7119]

the lord asked Abraham to kill his son to make sure he was the one to lead His church he didntvlet him do it

[@lisahyyppa3360]

Lack of strategic thinking in our government, accurate statement by James Mattis. This must be rectified to transform the planet and America’s stance. A bit of old timers ingenuity on recycle, reuse and economically smart shopping/spending would do wonders. Maybe it isn’t all old timers, just the ones I enjoy spending time with. Either way, creativity must be fostered in ALL elements of education & interaction with others. Killing arts in schools, physical education & music will destroy us. These arts develop the creative minds that forge amazing paths to a future in which we can all reside. Alliance building manner, America in the lead with respectful fashion regarding maintaining humanitarian values of the 🌎 Peoples. This is not about gaining an upper hand, it is about ensuring all Peoples exist with fundamental God-Granted Dignities. Selfish Greedy Corruption that hurts your neighbor whether in the microcosm or macrocosm will simply not be tolerated. A kind respectful person will not be infringed upon by injustice. Rules made by others to suppress or subjugate a person will simply not be tolerated. We are here to love and help each other. Thank you for an honest intelligent discussion gentlemen.

[@benjaminglaser4626]

I love the fact Gen. Mattis is wearing jeans. Semper Fi!

[@4thedefense]

Hahaaa, I noticed that, too!

[@listener523]

Chaos can wear what he damn well pleases. I mean what sane man would suggest otherwise.

[@Jessica-zy5bp]

Values matters.

[@johnnyappleseed5029]

Fear of certain consequences is called common sense

[@emzwills975]

Gen Mattis is a hero,,he loves his country..Hes a marine,,they are tough as hell!

[@fatrown3]

glad I found this channel/podcast. It's nice to hear about recent events through the lense of actual subject matter experts who don't rely on inflammatory language and clicks for funding. Additional perspective is always a mental boon :)

[@rebeccamireles5912]

Thank you for coming through the Hoover institution it's awesome

[@zaghir8351]

“Take the border patrol away from the borders, and the let free market of people go wherever they wish to in this world, and watch tens of millions come running to America” So true. Thank you General Mattis

[@chadmcmurray7688]

Brilliant and prescient analysis by General Mattis at 11:40.

[@Kobe29261]

Every time I listen to these great men with formidable credentials I also remember that I've been terrified in my nightmares - and they were my own inventions! Beware of men who swear their nightmares are plagued with 'unimaginable monstrosities'. There are few greater monsters than men my friends!

[@glennmobley1771]

I would love to know what Charles Hill and James Mattis's suggested reading list would be for all politicians and maybe for all Americans.

[@jamesgreer607]

Gates of fire, Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. and The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale.

[@SumDumDude952]

he has a published list if you ever want to look at some of them.

[@sandraperales996]

Glenn Mobley Here's one of Gen. Mattis's reading lists but also in this link are also two other links (small Wars journal/business insider) that also have a good reading selection. ENJOY!!! www.goodreads.com/list/show/42507.Lt_Gen_James_Mattis_Professional_Reading I'm not sure if it's on this list, but definitely The Art of War is a good read and Gen. Mattis always carries a copy along with the Marcus Aurelius Meditations. The Gates of Fire is definitely another great read.

[@nateo200]

I thought it was on the list. It confirms a lot of what I already read but was well worth adding to my collection. I've gotten get back to being more disciplined in reading, I read The Long Gray Line three times in highschool for fun with a full course load! The Prince is also a good read, albeit more political but it establishes modern political philosophy, something certainly needed by senior leaders anywhere because politics is everywhere, internal or external, you may not be interested in politics but politics is interested in you.

[@afringedweller]

First off, thank you foreign addition to the Published on date, providing the recorded date. I don't see enough of that. And thank you for making this available to the public. I'll be watching it again. Another good one is The State of the World, by Heritage Foundation. (.org) It's so great to see what a good and smart man this is. We are so lucky to have him. Thank you too, President-elect Trump. I feel better these days, than I have in a long time.

[@curtismes]

we will see if the juice is in the squeeze...love Mattis...

[@stevenfong1928]

Whoever said not teaching how we got here at the end is spot on.

[@JaysonSunshine]

"Iran is not comporting itself as a nation state, but rather a revolutionary cause". For the record, the American military/intelligence community overthrew the government of Iran after they nationalized their oil assets away from British (foreign) control. "The primary threat in the Middle East to Western interests in not Islamism, but national secularism" - Noam Chomsky

[@StereoSpace]

We helped the Iranians fight off an attempted coup by communists.

[@frankewing1769]

I sent this to some leftist friends. 3 out of 5 said it was "fake news" to position Mattis into a cabinet spot. The other 2 said they had changed their minds about Trump's pick for SecDef: they like him.

[@LongLiveKingCharles]

Overwhelming Iranian people despise The Islamic gov. All you need to do, support the people to over through the Islamic gov. Also by now evryone knows the root of terrorism lies in Persian gulf Arab states and in particular Saudi Arabia, you know nothing is going to happen there because Arabs fill up American pocket with money at every turn.

[@peretzo]

Peter, you're a phenomenal interviewer

[@fabslyrics]

Thanks for reviving that American Exceptionalism so desesperately needed in our world after the neverending and terrible 8 years of Obama's misgovernance .

[@bonniewood5263]

I admit I, myself, have had my head in the sand regarding the issues discussed. I'm not a hippie "living off the grid" (under the watchful care of our F-22s and radar!); but have only recently begun to grasp the truth about American exceptionalism, and that not all cultures are equal, and that you DON'T want an even playing field when your values are on the line. I love the movie, A Few Good Men. However, I recently realized that the Jack Nicholson character, while wrong to let his subordinates take the rap for his order of the Code Red, he was NOT wrong when he said that, "[we] sleep under the blanket of the protection" he provided (or words to that effect.) I hope our country - our government - can truly turn around before it's too late. We obviously have the leadership and advice of such people as those in this discussion available to us.

[@curtismes]

Charles Hill looks exactly like Mr. Esterhof from the Incredibles...

[@RandomCarrot2806]

How interesting how they talk about this Iran deal here compared to how it's talked about now.

[@blackpeople7927]

The marine corps posture

[@leaderneverfollow8604]

General Mattis the best ever

[@moemoe9015]

Guys, it is not 70's anymore. How it is legitimate for the US to claime the wider Persian Gulf and not for Iran? With this nuclear agreement, the US has accepted the co-owner ship of Iran in ME and the wider Persian Gulf. Iran is well on track to become the sole proprietor in its backyard-- namely the ME and the wider Persian Gulf.

[@yuripantyhose4973]

+Moe Moe To the detriment and eventual challenge/opposition of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey. So nice going you just started a new war.

[@TheBigMclargehuge]

Peter Robinson is dressed so well. That lavender French-cuff shirt is gorgeous with the navy coat.

[@elbas725]

Please live the COUNTRIES alone pls is not OURS BUSINESS

[@curtismes]

seems like the administration missed the 5 other threats lined out by Mattis....bad deal.

[@gearhead00001]

Wonderful in site

[@Barbara-cp6zx]

How did we defend freedom or stand by liberal values by supporting the occupation of Pallistine?

[@theodorearaujo971]

There is a difference that both panelists miss and that is there is a difference between leaving the international order and identifying ourselves unilaterally as the sole enforcer of the current international order. We can oppose totalitarianism, whether from Russia or Islam without having to have a Worldwide unilateral presence in order to sustain the status quo. The status quo is not changing, it HAS changed, and we are playing catch up if all we are trying to do is sustain the unsustainable.

[@Relyks503]

Could the reporter be any more open with his agenda.

[@joycebenton9368]

Whatever our country America wants to do, never do anything which will make our country to be regretted later or soon or even in near future, either financial, political, nuclear weapon capabilities, ideologies, deals, or anything important to America’s greatness. It’s never be easy, but always worthwhile to think about it. I guess if we always do things by principles together, never do things by sudden enthusiasm, or influence, or by unknown reasons, but by America’s principles of Foundation and Constitution only, then we never need be regretted or worried. I guess their sufficient knowledge may come from their much of accumulated experiences, I guess. Listen more to learn more, otherwise never easy to understand well. I love freedom and equality of the opportunity principles too.

[@JaysonSunshine]

Charles, I enjoyed hearing your thoughts. However, one criticism I have is when you were asked at 35:54, you used the phrase "fallen world" which, in a Western/American context, correlates pretty strongly with the Christian worldview. I find this unpersuasive given the general topic of the entire interview is how, potentially, the Iran Nuclear Deal represents, certainly, a breaking with the established political, military, and economic frameworks established across the globe in the aftermath of WWII, and, possibly, a breaking with the nation-state concept leveraged as the primary political unit for the 'last 400 years' (presumably alluding to the Peace of Westphalia), i.e. a direct challenge to modernity. Given this context, falling back on an unscientific, religious narrative, especially given the fact that the nation-state/pseudo-caliphate of Iran (in your view) is governed, in part, by an entirely different religion which has featured ~1400 years of conflict with Christendom/Europe, as a way to motivate the American citizenry to continue to sacrifice and invest in the post-1945, secular, rule of law centric, global institutions is not only insufficient, but self-contradictory and potentially antagonistic to those cultures with different historical arcs.

[@JaysonSunshine]

Natural language doesn't generally feature nesting of clauses more than two to three levels. However, in coding it's not uncommon to find significantly deeper nesting of logic, cases, or subtypes (though too much nesting may represent code smell). I think one problem with English is that the comma is used as both a close and open parentheses. Still, it's a useful exercise to be able to parse and construct arbitrarily nested sentences. If I did my job correctly, you should be able to figure out what are the sub-clauses and exclude them and still have my sentence make sense -- albeit with less nuance.

[@lkjh00on89]

ISIL, Al Q, and the like are not self funding organizations. There are wealthy individuals who fund these groups for political/profit reasons, and we must detect this financial activity, then freeze and seize these assets. There need only be a few (very visible) examples be made before other individuals start to think twice. The US must create a tactical forensic accounting unit to uncover this financial activity, identify the individuals and institutions responsible, and then the banking leaders of the EU and US must use targeted sanctions to seize the assets of these individuals and punish the institutions facilitating this activity.

[@texture6]

Charles Hill Iran is against, World Order can you explain that order and is that the same as you just mentioned the International system is coming apart?!?!

[@josephavant8250]

texture6 He means Iran is in favor and in fact promoting the Islamic effort to create the single world order of an Islamic caliphate

[@texture6]

Not much has changed since the Arab Spring? Is it a failed land grap like Iran in 1953? Can you make a distinction with the weapons provided in Syria compared to the crap used against American forces in early 2003? Now shoulder fired surface to air missiles is being debated in Syria? Image these weapons in the hands of real terrorist not junta fools!

[@citizen20twenty44]

He called Mattis a soldier lol. Try Marine.

[@HealthySkepticism1775]

Citizen20 Twenty He survived, too.

[@SumDumDude952]

I expected him to leap across the table with a knife hand

[@smirhash]

time to rethink and follow up on this video. Why US is violating a deal which it signed 2 years ago? We wish to see a careful and responsible US administration. cheers from Iran

[@annhendrickson5223]

This was filmed the day of Ben Rosen's push through NYT to create an echo.chamber!

[@dukerwong3900]

Principles are the basic Foundations of any nation or country just as their or our country America’s own cornerstone. Without the strong and cornerstone, any structure can or will fall apart. This is why I believe the principles should or must supersede anything and stand strongly and firmly for our great country America’s own established principles. The strategy will help or lead, or bring or push forward toward the winning for America’s greatness of security and safety, prosperity and unity by America’s patriotism and loyalty, principles of Foundations and Constitutions easier, or quicker, or more successful, even always be succeed without failures, or less failures. Strategy comes from America’s own principles and wisdom. Without principles, we will loose the goals as the torch to move forward or go backward, or spin around lost direction as well as no strategy, nowhere will be able to apply, or applying on things back and forth don’t know how and why. Great strategy ability can be applied on worst things, vise versa, the lousiest strategy may well be applied on the most important thing too. This is why I believe without our country’s principles, neither best strategy nor worst strategy will possibly function well for either good results or bad results, because without principles, without sense sense for great or lousy, without principles, loosing the direction, without principles, today’s Capitalism system can be tomorrow’s Terrorism, or today’s Capitalism system can be tomorrow’s Communism ideology system, or today’s Capitalism system can be tomorrow’s European Union system, or today’s Capitalism system can be tomorrow’s tribes either. This is why I believe in an established civilized society of America, America’s own greatness will have to be established on firm, constant, solid principles of America’s own Foundations and Constitutions to be able to maintain, protect and defend America’s own principles always and forever. The freedoms and equality of the opportunity are great loving kindness by America’s own principles of Foundations and Constitutions. Even kindness needs applying upon the basic principles. Otherwise, our heroic soldiers can be cruelly tortured to death, but our enemies can be kindly rewarded. The principles are fixed and constant and solid by America’s own decisions, views and great vision in order to established principles and decisions of the rules of the laws to maintain, protect and defend our country’s own principles at the same time always and forever. Review more, remember better, learn more, understand better to do better more naturally and knowing more to be obligated to protect and defend our country’s principles, I guess. I also believe that humans do make mistakes by reasons of less reviewing, different recognitions, busyness, age problems, memory failures, carelessness...etc. If we’re willing to work out together by kindness and sincerity, honesty and decency, principles and patriotism and loyalty toward America’s greatness for chance giving generosity this time, lead and govern by America’s principles, greatness and patriotism altogether again, America’s greatness will make all Americans who love to see America’s greatness to understand better and quicker to unite together again by our country America’s greatness by America’s patriotism, principles of Foundations and Constitutions to build America again. This is why I believe from now on unite altogether, lead and govern by America’s own rules of the laws and patriotism and loyalty toward America’s greatness and move on the past by our own generous mind of forgiveness this time. God bless America.

[@johnnyappleseed5029]

I greatly suspect that Peter Robinson spent too much of his youth watching Phil Donahue

[@lessonsobserved]

Interesting statement. I see what you're saying for sure and I have to say that I've come to view Mr. Robinson as an incredibly talented and always well prepared interviewer.

[@enlightenedwarrior7119]

and curse those who curse you

[@RobertKDoyle]

03JN17...What is soo sad is the number of people who chose to listen to this information. If one has a "baby bump" one recieves a huge number of views. Look at the number of videos go "viral" about nothing. It seems to me that we are in the degeneration of our way of life.

[@zerchariahalighieri8288]

14:40 to 15:06 is 100% correct. This is the enemy was face.

[@enlightenedwarrior7119]

we back Israel cuz the Lord I will bless those we bless you

[@joycebenton9368]

America is an independent country of own unique principles of the freedom and equality of the opportunities by America’s own rules of the laws of Constitution to maintain, protect and defend America’s own Foundation which was established through massive America’s Founding Fathers’ tremendous sacrifice from their life and death. America has never been a country of ideologies of unknowns, but to stand firmly by America’s own principles of Foundations and Constitution. America has been a world leadership for decades and decades long, America’s own confidence of values of the recognition toward America’s own principles by America’s own Foundation and Constitution should be strong enough to continue to stand up firmly for America’s own principles always and forever. If a strong America is weakened by unknown things, or influenced by unknown things, if America is weakened by helping unknown countries who don’t recognize America’s greatness, or America’s own principles to let unknowns to be stronger by their own nuclear weapon capability to be able to bully or threaten our country’s greatness, then America can be easily go down to hill even without revolution, just by America’s own wrong strategies and weakened principles, I guess. This is why whatever we do, we must stand up for America’s greatness by America’s own principles to make sure America will be great always and forever by America’s patriotism and loyalty for America’s own principles only. The world is beautiful and also complicated nowadays. We are not ready for one world order yet until the terrorism activities and Communism ideologies are all gone and replaced by freedom and the equality of the opportunities. This result will need tremendous support from the greatest country America for the quicker and better results. It also takes time to get there. I guess. Let’s make America great by America’s own principles. Let’s be united together by America’s own principles and own generous mind of forgiveness this time and learn more to understand more and do better things from now on and in the future always and forever. Only America’s own principles will be able to guarantee America’s greatness. I also believe put America 1st and take care of Americans 1st for now. As soon America is great and peaceful, we then will be able to help others to achieve greatness for freedom and equality of opportunities to live better. If America is down, not only we can’t help ourselves, it will be great loss for the whole world, because America is the most generous and kind country. God Bless America.

[@1234userrr]

and a bigger threat 95% of world muslim population sunnis alrady stop using US and EU made products..

[@mrberry7950]

Oh Peter, those hipster glasses have got to go.

[@shawnbydalek4153]

+Mr Berry Peter ignore the haters! Hipster all the way lol

[@mrniceguy3344]

Mr Berry Id wager that he was wearing those before it was hipster. Even the glasses Milton Friedman wore look hipster by today’s standards but obviously he didn’t take it from them

[@c3aloha]

MATTIS 2020!!!

[@dlore2000]

Yes China wants a hierarchical order ... like the Prof. said ... "me big, you small." But that's exactly what America wants as well ... and has already attained-it's the global hegemon. Other countries desire multipolarity-ie, a constant check and balance in the world order. This natural evolution of human civilization the US fights tooth and nail.

[@jamesgreer607]

Germany will in fact invade Iran.

[@nickmanning5455]

what?

[@jamesgreer607]

Yep.

[@jamesgreer607]

Wait and see. no it all.

[@shahramsareminouri4195]

James Greer germany has not much of army....plus they have a biggest investments in iran..so are you kidding me ?

[@johnweir1217]

Pourquoi ?

[@BobWidlefish]

Mattis is very wise and incredibly persuasive. Hill seems like a technocratic central planning interventionist wonk. He's not all wrong, but he is doing apologetics for a heavily interventionist foreign policy.

[@BobWidlefish]

And then they switch roles. Good tag team of authoritarian apologetics. Very interesting discussion, though.

[@BobWidlefish]

Mattis claims very convincingly to want things other than war, and a much higher focus on unleashing economic potential than ISIS. Once he has the power, is that how he will act? I hope it is, though I'm skeptical. Not because he's a bad person, but because power corrupts and the system itself is corrupt.

[@zerchariahalighieri8288]

However, the conservatives fought him so much. He cut you out of the conversation. You checked mated yourselves in the game of thrones.

[@thepreacher2558]

People come to America for dollars not because they love your illusions of freedom

[@lss922]

same goes for the west

[@kevinl5972]

Not quite true considering that thousands of billionaires from China choose to come to the US after retirement each year. The degree of freedom of this country may be greatly diminished compared to a long time ago but there's enough freedom for true Americans to still fight for their rights.

[@shahramsareminouri4195]

we have created chaos..what is the end game $$$

[@StereoSpace]

Islam has created chaos. The Russians are exploiting it to create as much chaos as possible.

[@StereoSpace]

The entire region unraveled when Russia invaded Afghanistan. Put down the vodka bottle and read a little, it'll do wonders for understanding of the world.

[@jimincanada2001]

"yearning for American leadership". Really? I don't think so. You can cancel my ticket on the US Titanic.

[@ahmadsaran]

Dear General Mattis as a human bins and a reasonable person just look and see what Israel does with Palestine and other nations. The way you act never ever you will succeed because you use force to dictate your willing to the other nations. Regarding Israel and other nations globally you have to act fairly And equal right. Now people are proud and they do not accept humiliation and force. The best way is diplomatic and discussion. It is quite different time and the people are not the same as they were even last year. You just look to the American election. If America wants to get success just has to act as grandfather, kind ,helpful to the small and poor countries and dialog with the larger countries. Countries are different and it is a fact America must act smart to establish a good relationship. To get success I suggest you study Persian King Cyrus the grate Persian Emperor. About Iran they are peaceful people but extremely nationalist and excellent fighters. This is one of the reason this country after 7000 years still remains. About Iran please take correct decision because if you engage in war with Iran may be you begin but believe me you will not be able to finish it.

[@tomsmith8058]

Shahram Saran this is too funny to ignore. He is a retired 4star general at the time of the recording. Now hes the us sec of def and u talk about him not being successful.... Hmmmm maybe "hey general this would help you out" but downright failure seems arrogant on ur part.