Panel Plus

" And welcome to Fox News Sunday panel plus -- Bill -- Easton Bill Kristol. And Juan Williams one subject we didn't get into. Bill is. I thought very good -- comments by secretary of defense gates about North Korea I was asking everybody expects them in the next few days to launch this long range missile they say it's a civilian. An effort to put up as a communications satellite as secretary. Gates said now this is simply amassed four 88. Testing of a long range missile. Basically the secretary said there's nothing we can do about."

" Yet but he made some real news there he you know you asked him point blank hazard meaning we can do about it he said. No in fact he really changed the expectations that I had which was that previously did the administration had been making noise as if to suggest that they might shoot dismissal down. Gates pretty much -- that said unless it wobbles towards Hawaii your you know starts dropping debris on Japan. We are going to shoot down and Japan's not going to shoot it down. And you know it's interesting because that there's this fundamental contradiction here with this administration which clearly doesn't like missile defense is talking about. This reduction -- in funding for missile defense both here and overseas would protect our allies in yet. It sooner or later it's going to have to shoot down these kinds of missiles from battling North Korea and Iran so. We're going to have to figure out whether we want to abandoned the progress that George Bush made with missile defense or or move Ford."

" I wasn't surprised that we're not going to shoot down -- missile like that would really be quite an inflammatory act. I'm a little surprised that the forty going to happen secretary gates would say. If we could but we're not going."

" I was shocked I mean I was really surprised that it because that last I think big statement we have from the administration of Hillary Clinton saying. They'd better not they'd better not want them to focus things are going to happen she wouldn't say we'll dances where we'll be consequence I think that language. And that she left it open and what those consequences would be and we did have -- now west's top from other tech sectors that tag. The possibility of shooting it down so I thought it was really I was surprised that he would signal that north Koreans that. We're not we're not going to take any military action that we've taken military action off the table. But I also thought it was interesting that clearly they're betting it's like they're betting on. North Korea's on desperate need for food and fuel. It's what's going to drive any kind of change their behavior that it's not going to be you know top -- so. An and they seem to be. Open about."

" It was yeah I would not say it was very interesting because I asked him about the fact that North Korea seems resistant to any diplomacy. And I -- secretary gates also about Iran. And obviously did people in the administration the president has issued this this this tape message and is going to be a meeting on Afghanistan and has a lot of talk that the via. The secretary Clinton will be there and an Iranian diplomat he basically said. None of the stuff that's going to work the only thing that'll work as economic sanctions that the you know. Talks and reaching out he had no particular faith and at all."

" Yes that Iran can't get a much stake the administration has been putting in -- surge short burst of diplomacy for a ride and after his comments on Iran reward this thing. A diplomacy seems privately they seem to think that diplomacy is just the fear that the state you have to go through to get to intensify sanctions which they hope. Will persuade your audience to forgo nuclear weapons whether sanctions the south of where we haven't we rounds of sanctions I don't know. They raise the question the timetable how quickly we get through the diplomacy. To get the sanctions as a run in presidential election in June my sense is they'll try let it. If fifth time let things go till then then try to move very quickly protections in the summer. -- you."

" The thing that strikes me about this conversation is the kind of nervousness. About American military action I mean I think the Obama administration has been so. Careful to make sure that they have an aggressive posture and almost every situation because of fear that they would be. You know. Caricatured as weak kneed -- right OK so let's look at North Korea percent to. Retirement missile defense we have a missile defense and what you heard from secretary gates this morning as the missile can't even reach Alaska. He's very worried about that. So I don't know exactly what -- unless they put a warhead on top of and and threatened Japan of one of their neighbors I don't exactly what what is that a concern here and of course that. The Chinese the Japanese. Russian everybody this group of six."

" They don't know that -- the last word that McClellan a concern the concern is that they may not do what with dismissal but they're working on improving their missiles and they warheads and we would need to continue working on missile defense to get to the stage where it could then intercept those when they do get we are capable of hitting us we have. Capacity -- not there yet we need to work further on the support you want and what we're -- bush was the first president to deploy to begin deploying missile defense after years of -- talking about it he actually started."

" let's just say -- one of the other points that gates Nady is that he thinks first of all it's it's pretty clear that Obama is very skeptical about missile defense so apparently is is gates. And gates indicated that this is very much under review and we're going to have to leave it there thank you panel. And we'll see you next Sunday."