Gingrich: This is World War III

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is using bold language to describe the recent escalation of violence in the Middle East, calling it the beginning of the Third World War.

"This is World War III," the Georgia Republican told the Seattle Times.

He repeated his assertion on NBC's "Meet the Press" program.

Asked NBC host Tim Russert, "This is World War III?"

"I believe if you take all the countries I just listed that you've been covering, put them on a map, look at all the different connectivity, you have to say to yourself: this is, in fact, World War III," Gingrich responded.

"Imagine we woke up this morning, and 500 Americans were dead in Miami from missiles fired from Cuba. Do you think any American would say, 'No, we should have proportionate response. We shouldn't overreact.'? No we would say, 'Get rid of the missiles.' And John F. Kennedy, a Democrat who understood the importance of power in the world, was prepared to go to nuclear war to stop missiles from being in Cuba."