Former Gov. Jim Gilmore And Foreign Policy

All right, 833 this morning on Richmond's Morning News, News Radio, WRVA. Appreciate you spending time with us. On the James River Air text line, we're asking. Think outside the box. Don't just go with the regular political folks that you hear. Who should be the next White House press secretary? A lot of people saying Stone Cold Steve Austin, a lot of professional wrestlers, Tyrus are some of the names we've heard out there. I still keep going back to Gordon Ramsey. It would be outstanding to have a press secretary like Gordon Ramsey standing there at the podium in the Brady briefing room. Who do you think? 833804. 1140. You can also hit us up on Facebook at News Radio, WRVA, on Facebook. All right, on Thursdays, we have an opportunity to sit down with someone who teaches me a lot every time I get a chance to talk to him. It's Governor Jim Gilmore, former Ambassador Jim Gilmore, also our Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia. He's joining us here on News Radio, WRVA. Good morning, sir. Good morning, Rich. I don't actually teach you anything, but thanks for saying that. No, no, no, no, no, no. Every time we get a chance, it gives me more to think about and understanding how this big old marble that we all live in works. And because you've ran... A commonwealth is our governor, and then you have this elder perspective of being overseas serving as ambassador. I love when I get your point of view on things. That's why I want to start with. Let's go to international because we could probably take the tape from last week and just replay it because nothing's changed, and people are starting to get concerned, frustrated, not understanding what's going on? What do you think? What do you sing right now on the Middle East? Well, look, in the Middle East, I think that Iran is not going to settle this thing very quickly. I think they think they have the upper hand. And so the big question is, can the United States military force make them actually quit? There's a lot of talk about coming to the table and coming to the table. Well, going to the table doesn't mean anything until you figure out what the conclusion is going to be when you get to the table. And right now, I think the Iranians feel like they can control the Strait of Hormuz from their borders, from their ocean border, and that they don't have to bend. The United States, I think, is not only threatening to bomb, but also using their Navy. to try to keep the straits open. But in any case, I don't think that it's going to settle very quickly. Except that. I think that the U.S. can reach an agreement that they might originally have not been thought of being very happy. And they can reach an agreement, I think, on nuclear and reach an agreement on the strait that maybe that I've got to like.

But they're going to characterize it as being very positive. And then I think you can bring it to a conclusion. The European war, on the other hand, I think, is growing more difficult instead of less difficult. Well, I'll get to Ukraine in just a moment. But here's the one thing. Both sides are saying, I control the straight of her moves in a way they both do. So there's a blockade that says Iran's going to starve on the vine because they just, they can't sell any of the oil and it's back it up. We get that part. But then they could say, well, ships aren't going through the straitohormuz, and it's not necessarily that they're controlling the strato hormones. It's, again, the insurance companies are having a hard time issuing certificates of insurance to get people through that strato hormones. Eventually, now I'm going to lean back into something that you talked about. And last week before Rigney went home, he and I went and we saw Governor Allen, we saw Boris Johnson, we saw Scott Walker and Jason Mioris all at Mount Vernon. And a lot of people are talking about, you know what? America needs its allies right now. I know that Donald Trump started this alone, but when does the rest of the world jump into this? Because it's not only American oil prices that have gone through the roof. It's the world's oil prices that have gone through the roof. Look, about 10 days ago, I published an op-ed in the Washington Times, in which I said to the world, or basically I recommended and proposed, that the president called a global conference. where he brings all the nations together, invites them all to Washington, to discuss this Middle Eastern War. The reason why I said that, that it's possible, is because many, many countries have a stake in the global oil market, and that's being affected by the Strait of Hormuz. So there would be a lot of interest in doing something like that. Now, because of the president's approach that he's taken, which has been very much going alone, You know, there are a lot of countries that would not want to participate. I would not like it. But I keep insisting that we don't think that countries get mad and do things the way people do, you know, they follow their interests. and their interests would be to address this issue. And they would give America a forum where we could begin to get some other people on our side. Because the truth is, as I said, in that op-ed, you know, we've got a war going on, global war that's going on. Some place is shooting, someplace not. But we're not going to win this global war unless we have some friends with us. And that's the key. By the way, if anybody wants to get that op-ed, just send me a... an email to Gilmore Ambassador at gmail.com, and I'll send him a copy. Governor Jim Gilmore, Ambassador, Jim Gilmore, joining us here on News Radio, WRVA. So put this in plain simple English for me. What's the difference between a friend and an ally? Because I think we confuse the two. If I have a friend, he sees me in trouble, he's going to rush to my aid. If you and I, Governor, were having lunch and you saw that I was choking, you'd get up and help me dislodge whatever was choking on.

An ally, though, and you've explained this to me, but I've never asked you this question. They're friendly with this, but they act in their own self-interest more than just that pure friendship that you and I would have if something happens. Explain to me in international privacy the difference between the two. Well, first of all, you want there to be cordial relations. And when I was ambassador, I had my work pretty hard to keep America in a position of having cordial relations with many, many countries when I was there in Vienna, working the international organization. And, you know, if you are friends and you're with each other and you're talking either internationally or just personally, you get a feel for what that person is doing. But never forget. that they stand for what their country's interests are. And I think the one place where the president may have gotten surprises is with Israel. Israel is following its own national interests. This has nothing to do with ethnicity. This has to do with Israel's national interest. And the president basically asked him to get out of Lebanon because that was a condition that Iran had put on America for negotiations. And Benjamin Netanyahu Yad, who told the president, no, I'm not going to do that because I'm going to protect Israel's national interest. I think that was a shock to the president. But that's the difference. Israel's following its national interest. even though the personal relationships need to be warm, but you can't overlook the real gold there that countries have. Okay, so if I give one of our friends a ton of money in foreign aid, what should I expect back in return? Well, you should expect them to be friendly in their approach to you and their willingness to listen to you and, if possible, willing to help you, but not to the fundamental disinterest of that country. So we're not going to buy anybody with national, with foreign aid. But it is important, I think, that the U.S. present an image that we're trying to do the right thing for people, that we're trying to do the right thing. Getting on the moral high ground in international relations is very powerful. because then that gets other people's citizens to rally to you. But if the other citizens of the other country hate you, then at that point it's hard for their government to come around and help you. I'm going to make a statement, and I might be right, I might be wrong. I'll let you evaluate this. So we always talk about, you know, Donald Trump on the MAG agenda. Make America great again. If I'm the Prime Minister of the UK, do I have that same attitude of England first? Make England great again. If I'm in Spain, make Spain great again, Spain first. Is that unusual if I threw that out there and talked about that as far as these foreign heads of state?

No, it's not unusual, but the interests of Britain are in being friends with the United States. They don't really want to go it alone either. And frankly, Spain wouldn't either. But Spain may have, their citizens may have a particular point of view that's causing their government to react in a particular way. The main point I'm trying to say is that nobody wants to go it alone, and it is to Britain's interest to be friends with the United States. It's their interest to do that. And so we ought to, frankly, it's in our interest to have them be our friends in this international global situation. Go ahead. So it's in their interest to be our friends, but they're not beholden to all of our interests. They want to be our friends because we help them and we help protect them, but they're not going to do everything we say whenever we say it because they do have their own sovereign self-interest that have to come before the interest of their friends. Yes, as long as we understand that it is in their interest to be friends with the United States because of the power and the influence and the finances and the military power that we have. But most of what we stand for, we stand for doing things to keep the people free across the world. That's the duality of America. We care about our power, but we also care about our values. And our values are shared by a country like Britain and, frankly, many other countries across the world. And that is not only in their interests. to be friends with us, but it is in our interest as well. And at least that's my point of view. America first cannot mean America alone. That's a great point, and that's where I wanted to get to. So thank you for finishing that thought for me. All right, coming up, we'll talk more. I'm going to get to what's going on in Ukraine because we're seeing fighting intensifying. So we're going to talk about that. And if we get a chance, talk about some domestic issues here in the covenant with all that coming up at 903 with Governor Gilmore. Governor will continue with you here. this morning. Don't forget the James River Air Text Line, 833-804-804-1140. You can also find us on Facebook. Facebook.com slash news radio, WRVA. Today's program brought to you in part by my friends the Pearson Signature Dealerships. 50 years. Staying in business, one year is tough, two years is tough, you're around for half a century that says something about you. So folks, If you're looking for somebody to buy a car from and you're looking for someone that you can trust, someone's going to be there after the car is purchased and follows up on everything else. I need for a while so I know that their word means something. Think about it. How many times you've got to buy a car, but he's like, oh, we're going to be best friends. And then you never hear from them again. Pearson's signature dealership is built different. That's why they've survived for 50 years. They're very competitive market, and that's why they've thrived in Richmond, Virginia. So whether you're going on the West End of Pearson Chrysler, or Jeep Dodge, or Pearson Mastod, Genesis of Richmond, or Pearson Hyundai, or Pearson Honda over on Holstreet near Woodlake, they all offer that Pearson promise. They all have that promise that we're going to take care of you before, during, and after. We'll double the engine transmission warranty, and that's the way we start this conversation, so you know where we're coming from. We want you to be a customer for life. If you're going to go test drive a car this weekend, go to buypearson.com. Buy Pearson.com. See the entire selection of new and previously owned vehicles at buyperson.com.