Iran claims it is building copy of captured US spy drone

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We Begin with breaking news out of Iran making a bold announcement today claiming it has crack the codes.

Of our spy drone that they captured last year.

They claim they have begun building an exact copy of the American draw on the sophisticated aircraft is called the RQ 170 sentinel.

Iran says it shot the drone down last December but American officials say the aircraft malfunction and landed automatically -- the concern now.

Is that Iran will exploit the technology -- use it against the US here's John Bolton.

Former US ambassador to the United Nations talking earlier on Fox News about the importance of bad drone.

This is a significant loss for the United States in terms of both technology of the -- drone itself.

But also its intelligence gathering capability.

Fox News national security -- -- KT McFarland joins us live -- you -- the Iranians actually do have the ability.

To exploit this technology.

Now the intelligence community I've talked to said they really don't think that Iran can do something as sophisticated as reverse engineer this round.

And you know you can say things like this all the time they're always breaking the back -- of years ago.

President Ahmadinejad said they had the cure for aids than anywhere I didn't have any gays in Iran so -- used to making these sort of bold.

-- get out of the ballpark from announcements of their great capabilities but I do think the problem is that they probably have sold or given the tag that drowned.

To the Chinese or the Russian's news and they do have the ability to reverse -- so is this intelligence compromise I think we have to assume that it probably is compromised.

When it fell into their hands the president's reaction was to ask them publicly to return it.

His alternative.

Have had been to launching air strike to destroy it.

Was at the wrong decision in your just.

It's -- a thank you ask for a pretty please give it back if you're trying to negotiate with the Iranians you don't beg them.

-- you don't you have something to train -- having a prayer at least present body had nothing to trade so what they should've done was just blown up.

You know just -- on the ground -- keep that technology out of the hands of those who could use it probably the Russians and the Chinese now why is as important.

Because they're too critical technologies that were probably on that -- One is the paint that used on the surface of the -- that makes it's stealth in other words it makes it invisible to radar.

And the second is at the ability that -- has.

With -- magnification to look on the ground and see things in minute detail.

Both of those are technologies we don't think those other countries have which they could make used to.

Now often Mitt Romney said the president -- weaken timid.

Over this whole thing Dick Cheney was very outspoken saying it was you know it's a terrible mistake help us to understand I mean wouldn't.

What -- wouldn't his Defense Department and national security advisors have said you know this is no brainer Mr.

President just destroy it.

In order an air strike can be done you know he very quickly and and we don't have to worry about.

How -- you know they didn't -- they didn't suggest that you know we don't now.

Whatever the internal deliberations were the National Security Council they may have given as one of the options that the presence my understanding.

That was one of the options presented to the president.

But the president chose instead to ask the Iranians to give it back which again -- -- -- to the extreme if he thought the Iranians were gonna turn around.

And give back what they thought was a crown jewel that they.

This chapter but listen let's assume for the moment.

That their statement is true that they can somehow exploit the technology.

You're doubtful about that but nevertheless.

Would they be able to use it against -- in some way.

Well here's what here's -- thing right now we are already in the equivalent of a war.

With a run it's a Covert war it's a war -- satellites -- of spying in -- sabotage.

Assassinations.

And if the Iranians have the ability.

To realize where we are where we are looking at van you know we're using the -- technology for what.

We're looking at here we're trying to use that to find out where there.

Nuclear weapons facilities are we know they're -- deep underground we know there are a number of them scattered around Iran.

Now if we don't have the ability to do that quietly secretly and without them knowing that jeopardizes our intelligence gathering and the -- -- To anybody's.

If especially -- right now on the development of nuclear weapons and intelligence we want to know what are they doing where are they doing it and how far along are they -- -- -- -- look at that this compromise that's pretty serious KT McFarland is always thank you very -- huge.

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Iran claims it is building copy of captured US spy drone

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