Bill O’Reilly called for President Donald Trump to dramatically escalate the nearly six-month war with Iran, acknowledging that such action could result in the president being “condemned all over the world.”
Speaking Monday night on “No Spin News,” O’Reilly argued that Iran has no real interest in reaching a peace agreement and is instead attempting to drag out negotiations.
“They don’t want peace,” O’Reilly said, accusing the Iranians of trying to “run out the clock.”
The war had been underway for nearly six months at the time, despite multiple unsuccessful attempts to negotiate a peace agreement. Trump has repeatedly said that a deal could be close.
But O’Reilly suggested it may be time for a far more aggressive approach.
Explaining what he would do if he were in Trump’s position, O’Reilly said his first move would be ordering an attack on Pickaxe Mountain.
Israeli intelligence reportedly told the United States in July that Iran had moved uranium-enrichment centrifuges to a facility located inside the mountain. Trump has previously said the United States would attack the facility.
O’Reilly conceded that bombing the site would not necessarily guarantee the destruction of the materials located there. But he argued that carrying out the strike would nevertheless “send a message.”
His proposed escalation would not end there.
O’Reilly said his second step would involve targeting civilian infrastructure in Tehran, including the Iranian capital’s water and electrical systems.
He argued that civilians should first receive warnings through social media, leaflets or other methods telling them to leave the city before the infrastructure was attacked.
“Get out. It’s over. We’re not taking it anymore,” O’Reilly said while describing the warning he would issue.
He said residents would be told that the city’s infrastructure was going to be destroyed and that remaining there would make survival extremely difficult.
O’Reilly acknowledged that such a move would almost certainly trigger widespread international criticism of Trump.
“I think that if Trump did that, he’d be condemned all over the world,” O’Reilly said.
He predicted that criticism would also come from Democrats in the United States before questioning what other option remained.
“What’s the alternative?” O’Reilly asked. “What is it?”
Despite calling for a major escalation of the conflict, O’Reilly made clear that he supports Trump’s decision to wage war against Iran.
Moments after laying out his proposed strategy, the former Fox News host said Trump was “doing the right thing.”
O’Reilly pointed specifically to concerns about Iran obtaining nuclear weapons as justification for continuing the conflict.
“Can’t let this nation have the nukes,” he said.
But O’Reilly argued that the current situation cannot continue indefinitely and that the moment has arrived for something to change.
“But something’s gotta give now,” he said. “Time’s up, and that’s the memo.”
