SEN RAND PAUL: Thank you for you testimony secretary Pompeo. Do you believe that the 2001 authorization to go to war with those who attacked us on 9/11 applies to Iran, or Iran’s revolutionry guard?

SEC POMPEO: I’d prefer to just leave that to lawyers, Senator…

SEN RAND PAUL: Well, I would think it would be a pretty important question that whether or not you think that you have the right to invade or declare war or engage in war with Iran. It doesn’t sound like something we’re gonna leave to the supreme court; it’s going to be a decision by the administration. Does the administration believe… you’ve just recently classified, you know the Iran.., the entire revolutionary guard as terrorist. Do you think that that somehow includes them into 2001? and is that any part of the decision-making process, with including this designation?

SEC POMPEO: I’ll answer your second question: It was not part of the decision-making process. The designation was a simple recognition of reality. These are terrorists. They killed 600 Americans. 600 Americans, dead. Families, today, grieveing. We recognize them as terrorists in the same way we do other terrorist groups around the world. When we see them, we try to call them out as best as we can and as quickly as we can.

SEN RAND PAUL: But you’re unwilling to state unequivically that you… that the resolution in 2001 to have retribution and stop people who attacked us, that Iran had something to do with the attacks on 9/11 or the National Iraqi Revolutionary Guard (?!!) had something to do with 9/11?

SEC POMPEO: You asked a factual question and a legal question there. The legal question, I leave to counsel. The factual question with respect to Iran’s connections to Alqaida is very real. They have hosted Alqaida. They permitted Alqaida to transit their country. There’s no doubt that there’s a connection between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Alqaida. Period. Full stop.

SEN RAND PAUL: And I think some would argue that the Iranian government is not real happy with Sunni extremists. They have Sunni extremists in their country but its not sort of like they’re joining forces to fight the west. They actually would just as soon eradicate Sunni extremists, and have actually evicted quite a few or imprisoned quite a few. So I don’t think that dog hunts very well! but I am troubled that the adminstration can’t unequivocibly say that you haven’t been given power. I can tell you explicitly that you have not been given power or authority by congress to have war with Iran. And, in any kind of semblance of a sane world you’d have to come back and ask us before you go into Iran. So my hope is … I am not arguing whether Iran’s revolutionary guards are terrorist, my argument is that you do not have the permission of congress to go to war in Iran. If you want a war in Iran, you have to come to us. It’s the way the constitution was written, and needs to be very clear, and begging off and saying «Well. the lawyers…» No no! This is our history. This a very important question. It’s a very explicit question. Only congress can declare war! You do not have our permission to war in Iran, and that should be very explicit.