Fox Host Decides That America ‘Saved The Planet’ With Iraq War (VIDEO)

Fox Business Network host Charles Payne leaned deeply into his defense of “American Sniper” on Sunday, declaring that protagonist Chris Kyle’s mission in Iraq was a key part of a war that “saved the planet.”

“Fox & Friends” co-hosts Tucker Carlson and Anna Kooiman introduced a segment on the movie’s box office success by laughing off criticism of the film from the likes of former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D) and filmmaker Michael Moore.

“It’s a pretty simple thing,” Payne said, noting he had seen the movie. “[Chris Kyle] saved American lives, and he went through a tough struggle to do it, but it was a job that had to be done.”

Payne explained that since America has become “the world’s policeman,” thousands of Americans died in Iraq so that billions of people in other countries could enter “the middle class.”

“If it wasn’t for Americans dying around the world, the rest of the world would be in abject poverty,” he said. “We have saved the planet, and if we go away as America’s [sic] policeman, it’s gonna be hell to pay for everyone.”

“Thank you Charles Payne,” Kooiman said, slapping the couch. “So true.”

Conservatives have been focusing their ire on Moore for over a week after he began questioning the merits of “American Sniper” and Chris Kyle’s heroism on Twitter.

Anger over Moore’s remarks also landed former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) in an impromptu photo-op Friday where she posed next to a placard that read “Fuc_ You Michael Moore.”

Watch the clip:

h/t RawStory