Lou Dobbs and panelists argue for assault weapons to defend themselves against Syrians

Fox Business host Lou Dobbs and his panelists badgered their way through an argument on Friday that opposed stricter gun safety regulations out of concerns that Americans need assault weapons to defend themselves against attacks from Iran and Syria.

"What scares the hell out of me we have a president, as we were discussing during the break, that wants to take away our guns," said Angela McGlowan, a contributor for the network. "But yet he wants to attack Iran and Syria. So if they come and attack us here, we don't have the right to bear arms under this Obama administration."

"We need a more robust foreign policy," contributor Doug Schoen replied. "We don't need assault weapons, Angela."

"Oh, you don't think so," McGlowan shot back.

"I'm with Angela on the right to keep and bear arms," said the show's third panelist, Wall Street Journal opinion page editor James Taranto.

"That is a divine alliance," Dobbs told McGlowan and Taranto. "I happen to agree with both of you." Dobbs then questioned Schoen's position, saying Homeland Security had reported evidence of the terrorist network Al-Qaeda working inside the U.S.

"Why in the world would you not want to make certain that all American citizens were armed and prepared?" Dobbs said, before cutting Schoen's reply off by saying that was the same right as an Israeli citizen.

"And quite a number of terrorist attacks in Israel have been stopped by private citizens with firearms," Taranto interjected. Dobbs then questioned Schoen again.

"Are you suggesting that we should have lesser rights than a nation of six and a half million people?" Dobbs asked.

Contrary to Dobbs' suggestion, however, the Washington Post reported on March 12 that the "partnership of convenience" between Iran and Al-Qaeda was increasingly fractured after the country banished former Al-Qaeda spokesperson Sulaiman Abu Ghaith. But the relationship had shown signs of strain for years beforehand; documents released in May 2012 showed resentment between both parties over Iran's holding of the families of Al-Qaeda members.

And as Think Progress reported on Saturday, Israel forbids civilians from owning assault weapons and gun ownership as a whole is strictly regulated.

Watch Dobbs and his panel argue for the right to bear arms against Syrians and Iranians, posted by Media Matters on Saturday, below.