1 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:04,262 Yeah , afternoon , everybody . A couple 2 00:00:04,262 --> 00:00:07,570 of things that that's up as soon as I 3 00:00:07,570 --> 00:00:10,730 get this thing to load , I think you 4 00:00:10,730 --> 00:00:12,830 saw are read out . The secretary did 5 00:00:12,830 --> 00:00:16,000 speak by phone earlier today with the 6 00:00:16,010 --> 00:00:18,510 Russian Minister of Defense . Sergei 7 00:00:18,510 --> 00:00:20,760 show you the purpose of that call was 8 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:22,840 to support transparency and risk 9 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:25,890 reduction efforts Following the July 28 10 00:00:25,890 --> 00:00:28,650 resumption of the us Russia strategic 11 00:00:28,650 --> 00:00:30,372 stability , dialogue in Geneva 12 00:00:30,372 --> 00:00:33,270 Switzerland on to other personnel 13 00:00:33,270 --> 00:00:35,103 issues . Last night , the Senate 14 00:00:35,103 --> 00:00:36,548 confirmed Gil Cisneros as 15 00:00:36,548 --> 00:00:38,660 undersecretary for personnel and 16 00:00:38,660 --> 00:00:40,604 readiness . And we look forward to 17 00:00:40,604 --> 00:00:42,660 welcoming Gil here to the Pentagon . 18 00:00:42,660 --> 00:00:44,716 Glad to have him on board And we now 19 00:00:44,716 --> 00:00:47,880 have 21 uh nominees to be confirmed by 20 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:50,047 the Senate . Additionally , the Senate 21 00:00:50,047 --> 00:00:52,269 confirmed army Lieutenant General Laura 22 00:00:52,269 --> 00:00:54,436 Richardson to command U . S . Southern 23 00:00:54,436 --> 00:00:56,547 Command and receive her fourth star . 24 00:00:56,547 --> 00:00:58,769 Uh And so again , we're looking forward 25 00:00:58,769 --> 00:01:00,824 to seeing her transition to that new 26 00:01:00,824 --> 00:01:03,330 role uh and to assume command at the 27 00:01:03,330 --> 00:01:06,050 appropriate time . Um Lastly , 28 00:01:06,740 --> 00:01:10,460 uh just to level set , I've seen lots 29 00:01:10,460 --> 00:01:12,571 of press reporting this morning about 30 00:01:12,571 --> 00:01:14,793 assessments coming out of Afghanistan . 31 00:01:14,793 --> 00:01:18,130 Uh just before I I know you're all 32 00:01:18,130 --> 00:01:20,297 interested in that . Let me tell you , 33 00:01:20,297 --> 00:01:22,630 I am not going uh to talk specifically 34 00:01:22,630 --> 00:01:24,797 about intelligence assessments one way 35 00:01:24,797 --> 00:01:26,908 or the other , we continue to monitor 36 00:01:26,908 --> 00:01:29,074 the situation in Afghanistan closely . 37 00:01:29,074 --> 00:01:31,130 We are mindful of the deteriorating 38 00:01:31,130 --> 00:01:33,490 security situation and our focus right 39 00:01:33,490 --> 00:01:35,800 now remains on supporting the Afghan 40 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:37,744 forces in the field where and when 41 00:01:37,744 --> 00:01:40,200 feasible we can from the air as well as 42 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:42,311 completing our drawdown in a safe and 43 00:01:42,311 --> 00:01:44,311 orderly way . We are on track to do 44 00:01:44,311 --> 00:01:46,533 that by the end of the month . Lastly , 45 00:01:46,533 --> 00:01:49,600 are uh we are also remaining focused on 46 00:01:49,610 --> 00:01:51,777 the future bilateral relationship with 47 00:01:51,777 --> 00:01:54,910 Afghan forces that will be largely in a 48 00:01:54,910 --> 00:01:57,230 financial way and over the horizon 49 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,360 support , as well as making sure that 50 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:03,010 we maintain the capabilities we need uh 51 00:02:03,020 --> 00:02:04,910 to protect the homeland from any 52 00:02:04,910 --> 00:02:06,688 terrorist threats that might be 53 00:02:06,688 --> 00:02:08,850 emanating from Afghanistan in an over 54 00:02:08,850 --> 00:02:10,794 the horizon fashion . So , again , 55 00:02:10,794 --> 00:02:12,850 seeing the press reporting , I'm not 56 00:02:12,850 --> 00:02:14,906 going to confirm or deny the figures 57 00:02:14,906 --> 00:02:17,072 that some of you have been reporting . 58 00:02:17,072 --> 00:02:18,906 We don't talk about intelligence 59 00:02:18,906 --> 00:02:21,017 assessments . Our focus is on getting 60 00:02:21,017 --> 00:02:20,890 this draw down down in a safe and 61 00:02:20,890 --> 00:02:22,946 orderly way . Well , that will go to 62 00:02:22,946 --> 00:02:26,910 leader . Thanks . Um All right , I'm 63 00:02:26,910 --> 00:02:29,560 gonna take a stab at this . Okay . Um , 64 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:33,460 has the United States accelerated its 65 00:02:33,460 --> 00:02:37,060 planning for a withdrawal or evacuation 66 00:02:37,060 --> 00:02:40,300 of any americans from Afghanistan ? 67 00:02:40,300 --> 00:02:42,950 Specifically Kabul ? Considering this 68 00:02:42,950 --> 00:02:45,070 deteriorating situation that everyone 69 00:02:45,070 --> 00:02:48,980 can see . And or has the pentagon 70 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,970 moved any additional either forces or 71 00:02:52,980 --> 00:02:56,660 assets into the region to help um do 72 00:02:56,660 --> 00:02:58,990 some type of evacuation ? Or is that 73 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:02,260 expected in the coming days ? I have no 74 00:03:02,270 --> 00:03:06,150 uh planning uh to speak to 75 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:09,650 today . Leader and I have no uh force 76 00:03:09,650 --> 00:03:12,250 movement or operational transitions to 77 00:03:12,250 --> 00:03:15,440 speak to as well today . And just as a 78 00:03:15,450 --> 00:03:18,980 follow up has this situation 79 00:03:18,990 --> 00:03:21,400 deteriorated faster than the U . S . 80 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,900 Was planning ? Such that is their 81 00:03:24,900 --> 00:03:28,200 belief that the U . S . May have to get 82 00:03:28,210 --> 00:03:31,770 out or get at least some people out 83 00:03:31,780 --> 00:03:34,300 before the end of august . Again , I'm 84 00:03:34,300 --> 00:03:35,911 not going to speculate about 85 00:03:35,911 --> 00:03:38,490 contingencies in uh you know , 86 00:03:38,500 --> 00:03:40,444 speculate about the future and the 87 00:03:40,444 --> 00:03:42,333 future security situation . We're 88 00:03:42,333 --> 00:03:44,500 focused on the security situation that 89 00:03:44,500 --> 00:03:46,278 we face now , which again we've 90 00:03:46,278 --> 00:03:48,444 acknowledged is deteriorating . We are 91 00:03:48,444 --> 00:03:50,611 certainly mindful of the advances that 92 00:03:50,611 --> 00:03:52,950 the Taliban have made uh in terms of 93 00:03:53,340 --> 00:03:56,080 taking over yet , you know , increased 94 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:59,290 number of of provincial capitals . Um 95 00:03:59,300 --> 00:04:01,800 And our focus is on supporting the 96 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:03,967 afghans in the field where and when we 97 00:04:03,967 --> 00:04:06,133 can and completing this drawing . I am 98 00:04:06,133 --> 00:04:08,189 not going to speak about uh planning 99 00:04:08,189 --> 00:04:10,300 contingencies or potential outcomes . 100 00:04:10,300 --> 00:04:12,467 And the other thing I'd say is that no 101 00:04:12,467 --> 00:04:14,744 potential outcome has to be inevitable , 102 00:04:14,744 --> 00:04:16,744 including the fall of Kabul , which 103 00:04:16,744 --> 00:04:18,967 everybody seems to be reporting about . 104 00:04:18,967 --> 00:04:21,710 It doesn't have to be that way . Uh And 105 00:04:21,710 --> 00:04:23,710 I think it's gonna be , it's really 106 00:04:23,710 --> 00:04:25,766 depends on the kind of political and 107 00:04:25,766 --> 00:04:27,821 military leadership that the afghans 108 00:04:27,821 --> 00:04:30,430 can muster . Uh to turn this around . 109 00:04:30,430 --> 00:04:32,430 They have the capability , have the 110 00:04:32,430 --> 00:04:34,652 capacity uh and now it's really time to 111 00:04:34,652 --> 00:04:36,750 use those things . Yes . No , Zero , 112 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:41,000 thank you . And I don't know . How 113 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,000 should I ask my question ? I cannot 114 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:46,990 express my people's situation . We have 115 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:50,800 300,000 Army . As President Biden said 116 00:04:50,810 --> 00:04:54,760 the Taliban is 73,000 people . 117 00:04:55,840 --> 00:04:58,120 How can the Afghan army and Afghan 118 00:04:58,130 --> 00:05:00,260 police is not able to defeat the 119 00:05:00,270 --> 00:05:02,780 Taliban ? It's high number 120 00:05:02,790 --> 00:05:06,660 300,000 . Yeah , we have our 121 00:05:06,660 --> 00:05:09,050 orders . What is the main reason that 122 00:05:09,060 --> 00:05:11,227 they are not able to fight against the 123 00:05:11,227 --> 00:05:13,449 taliban taliban really close to Kabul . 124 00:05:13,449 --> 00:05:16,000 We have seen , we have seen them fight 125 00:05:16,010 --> 00:05:18,760 and contest areas . As for 126 00:05:19,540 --> 00:05:22,690 why in any given place , uh the Taliban 127 00:05:22,690 --> 00:05:24,790 continue to make advances . That's 128 00:05:24,790 --> 00:05:26,840 really not a question that we're 129 00:05:26,840 --> 00:05:29,173 prepared to answer here at the pentagon . 130 00:05:29,173 --> 00:05:31,430 This is an Afghan military strategy 131 00:05:31,430 --> 00:05:33,541 that we are trying to support as best 132 00:05:33,541 --> 00:05:35,652 we can . Uh and it really is going to 133 00:05:35,652 --> 00:05:37,986 come down to there leadership they have , 134 00:05:37,986 --> 00:05:39,986 as you rightly said , they have the 135 00:05:39,986 --> 00:05:42,510 advantage in numbers in operational 136 00:05:42,510 --> 00:05:45,400 structure , in air forces , uh and in 137 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:47,511 modern weaponry and it's really about 138 00:05:47,511 --> 00:05:49,622 having the will and the leadership to 139 00:05:49,622 --> 00:05:51,630 use those advantages to their own 140 00:05:51,630 --> 00:05:54,270 benefit and I just can't and I won't as 141 00:05:54,270 --> 00:05:56,270 I've been very scrupulous about not 142 00:05:56,270 --> 00:05:58,270 doing from the podium speaking to a 143 00:05:58,270 --> 00:06:00,650 daily battle field assessment when it's , 144 00:06:00,660 --> 00:06:03,410 it's these aren't battles that we are 145 00:06:03,420 --> 00:06:05,587 involved in on the ground and we are , 146 00:06:05,587 --> 00:06:07,587 yes , we are providing some support 147 00:06:07,587 --> 00:06:09,642 from the air , but this is really an 148 00:06:09,642 --> 00:06:11,753 afghan strategy and they should speak 149 00:06:11,753 --> 00:06:13,587 to that . The taliban gave their 150 00:06:13,587 --> 00:06:15,753 support it , which countries supported 151 00:06:15,753 --> 00:06:18,970 them financially . I don't have an 152 00:06:18,970 --> 00:06:22,520 assessment of Taliban resources . Um 153 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:26,020 and so I wouldn't speculate uh , that 154 00:06:26,020 --> 00:06:28,260 there are a nation state or nation 155 00:06:28,260 --> 00:06:30,260 states that are necessarily backing 156 00:06:30,260 --> 00:06:34,000 them up . Um We have definitely seen in 157 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,167 some of the things they've done on the 158 00:06:36,167 --> 00:06:38,330 ground have been clearly designed to 159 00:06:38,330 --> 00:06:40,970 help them gain revenue , um , you know , 160 00:06:40,970 --> 00:06:44,550 border border crossings , um uh , 161 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:46,970 trying to take control over certain 162 00:06:46,980 --> 00:06:50,250 highways and uh 163 00:06:50,840 --> 00:06:53,330 uh , and avenues of transportation and 164 00:06:53,330 --> 00:06:56,240 communication ways that will allow them 165 00:06:56,250 --> 00:06:59,650 um to support themselves , uh and to 166 00:06:59,660 --> 00:07:02,860 gain some revenue . Uh , But beyond 167 00:07:02,860 --> 00:07:05,027 that , I'm really not at liberty to uh 168 00:07:05,027 --> 00:07:08,530 to speculate . Yeah , maybe . Yes . 169 00:07:08,540 --> 00:07:11,580 Um so you repeatedly getting these 170 00:07:11,580 --> 00:07:13,680 questions about how , why the Afghan 171 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:16,010 army isn't apparently up to snuff and 172 00:07:16,010 --> 00:07:18,050 how America could just walk out on 173 00:07:18,050 --> 00:07:20,420 Afghanistan under these conditions . Do 174 00:07:20,420 --> 00:07:22,587 you think the Defense Department could 175 00:07:22,587 --> 00:07:24,809 have better done a better job in recent 176 00:07:24,809 --> 00:07:26,476 months or in recent years and 177 00:07:26,476 --> 00:07:28,476 articulating what the goals were in 178 00:07:28,476 --> 00:07:31,900 Afghanistan and what the what things 179 00:07:31,900 --> 00:07:33,844 were supposed to look like or what 180 00:07:33,844 --> 00:07:36,011 they're not expected to look like when 181 00:07:36,011 --> 00:07:38,200 we leave ? Well , I mean , I can't 182 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:40,422 speak for the entire 20 year history of 183 00:07:40,422 --> 00:07:42,930 the war Megan , but I mean that the war 184 00:07:42,930 --> 00:07:45,490 has , as the president has said , I 185 00:07:45,490 --> 00:07:48,860 mean , the goals did migrate over time . 186 00:07:49,340 --> 00:07:53,210 Um and uh mm it 187 00:07:53,210 --> 00:07:56,360 would be it would be 188 00:07:56,740 --> 00:07:58,960 wrong for us not to acknowledge that 189 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:03,050 that we did help enable some progress 190 00:08:03,060 --> 00:08:06,480 in Afghanistan . Uh more Children in 191 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:09,550 schools including girls . Um 192 00:08:10,340 --> 00:08:12,870 economic and political and social 193 00:08:12,870 --> 00:08:15,850 opportunities for women . Um a 194 00:08:15,860 --> 00:08:18,082 democratically elected government . Not 195 00:08:18,082 --> 00:08:20,138 saying it's not flawless but but but 196 00:08:20,138 --> 00:08:22,900 but but a government um and conditions , 197 00:08:22,910 --> 00:08:25,320 living conditions that are much better 198 00:08:25,330 --> 00:08:28,840 um including life expectancy . Um 199 00:08:28,850 --> 00:08:30,683 so there there has been a lot of 200 00:08:30,683 --> 00:08:32,850 progress made over the last 20 years , 201 00:08:33,340 --> 00:08:35,480 but the president made this decision 202 00:08:35,530 --> 00:08:39,250 based on his calculus that we 203 00:08:39,250 --> 00:08:41,820 have greater counter terrorism threats 204 00:08:41,830 --> 00:08:44,500 that against this our homeland and our 205 00:08:44,500 --> 00:08:46,500 people and our interests than those 206 00:08:46,500 --> 00:08:48,722 that are emanating out of Afghanistan . 207 00:08:48,740 --> 00:08:50,796 That the main purpose for going into 208 00:08:50,796 --> 00:08:54,310 Afghanistan in 2001 has been achieved 209 00:08:54,310 --> 00:08:58,040 in terms of the uh significant 210 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:00,350 degradation of the threat by Al Qaeda . 211 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:03,560 And of course the the 212 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:07,540 the death of Osama bin laden . Uh 213 00:09:07,540 --> 00:09:11,320 and that uh the 214 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:14,440 recipe can't be just a constant U . S . 215 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:16,490 Presence in Afghanistan , that that 216 00:09:16,490 --> 00:09:18,950 never ends . So he's been clear in his 217 00:09:18,950 --> 00:09:21,010 direction of what he expected this 218 00:09:21,010 --> 00:09:22,843 department to do since he became 219 00:09:22,843 --> 00:09:24,899 commander in chief . And that's what 220 00:09:24,899 --> 00:09:27,300 we're executing to the direction that 221 00:09:27,300 --> 00:09:29,560 we've been given to to do a couple of 222 00:09:29,560 --> 00:09:33,190 things to draw down our forces 223 00:09:33,740 --> 00:09:36,850 to a level that is only commensurate 224 00:09:36,850 --> 00:09:38,961 with helping us maintain a diplomatic 225 00:09:38,961 --> 00:09:41,072 presence to being able to support and 226 00:09:41,072 --> 00:09:42,906 protect that presence and enable 227 00:09:42,906 --> 00:09:45,072 diplomats to continue to do their jobs 228 00:09:45,072 --> 00:09:47,239 in Afghanistan and then to continue to 229 00:09:47,239 --> 00:09:49,128 support the Afghan forces through 230 00:09:49,128 --> 00:09:50,961 financial means and through some 231 00:09:50,961 --> 00:09:53,128 contract support and , you know , over 232 00:09:53,128 --> 00:09:55,294 the horizon , logistical support . And 233 00:09:55,294 --> 00:09:57,461 then number four to make sure that the 234 00:09:57,461 --> 00:09:59,461 greatly reduced threat of terrorism 235 00:09:59,461 --> 00:10:01,980 from Afghanistan stays greatly reduced 236 00:10:01,990 --> 00:10:04,130 and that the homeland doesn't become 237 00:10:04,130 --> 00:10:06,408 victim to an attack like we did 9 , 11 , 238 00:10:06,408 --> 00:10:08,890 20 years ago from terrorist networks 239 00:10:08,890 --> 00:10:11,112 that are operating out of Afghanistan . 240 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:13,920 Let me go to the phones here . Uh Jeff 241 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:17,050 show , we'll go to you . Thank you . 242 00:10:17,060 --> 00:10:19,910 Does the US military have any plans to 243 00:10:19,910 --> 00:10:23,230 destroy sensitive Afghan equipment such 244 00:10:23,230 --> 00:10:25,290 as their 829 days before the Taliban 245 00:10:25,290 --> 00:10:28,920 achieves its total victory Jeff ? 246 00:10:28,930 --> 00:10:30,900 Uh you're you're speculating about 247 00:10:30,910 --> 00:10:34,220 again an outcome that that that doesn't 248 00:10:34,220 --> 00:10:37,660 have to be inevitable . Um So 249 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:41,750 the short answer to your question is no 250 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:45,730 uh we are focused on supporting the 251 00:10:45,730 --> 00:10:48,550 Afghan forces where and when we can um 252 00:10:48,560 --> 00:10:52,390 and uh and what what we you know what I 253 00:10:52,390 --> 00:10:54,940 think we're all mindful of is that they 254 00:10:54,940 --> 00:10:57,320 have advantages and now uh an 255 00:10:57,330 --> 00:10:59,219 opportunity for them to use those 256 00:10:59,219 --> 00:11:01,300 advantages to include political and 257 00:11:01,300 --> 00:11:04,060 military leadership , dance gala . 258 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:07,818 What is the U . S . Military is 259 00:11:07,818 --> 00:11:09,873 thinking about ? What is the taliban 260 00:11:09,873 --> 00:11:11,707 strategy ? What does the U . S . 261 00:11:11,707 --> 00:11:13,762 Military think about why the taliban 262 00:11:13,762 --> 00:11:15,818 are concentrating in the North Dan . 263 00:11:15,818 --> 00:11:17,762 I'm not going to speak for taliban 264 00:11:17,762 --> 00:11:19,873 strategy . I think you can understand 265 00:11:19,873 --> 00:11:22,040 why we wouldn't do that . All I can do 266 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:24,096 is tell you what we're seeing on the 267 00:11:24,096 --> 00:11:23,560 ground and what we're seeing on the 268 00:11:23,560 --> 00:11:26,840 ground is uh that the taliban continues 269 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:29,980 to advance uh and to 270 00:11:29,990 --> 00:11:33,960 assume control of district and 271 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:37,410 provincial centers . Uh that 272 00:11:37,420 --> 00:11:41,030 clearly indicates uh that they 273 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:45,020 believe uh it is possible to gain 274 00:11:45,020 --> 00:11:46,853 governance through force through 275 00:11:46,853 --> 00:11:48,798 brutality through violence through 276 00:11:48,798 --> 00:11:51,350 oppression . Which is at great odds 277 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:54,360 with their previously stated goal of 278 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:56,416 actually wanting to participate in a 279 00:11:56,416 --> 00:11:58,638 negotiated political solution . Clearly 280 00:11:58,638 --> 00:12:01,020 their actions are not uh in in 281 00:12:01,020 --> 00:12:03,820 resonance with what they have said they 282 00:12:03,820 --> 00:12:06,050 want to do at the negotiating table . 283 00:12:06,140 --> 00:12:08,362 Now , what their military strategy is , 284 00:12:08,362 --> 00:12:10,529 I think , you know , they should speak 285 00:12:10,529 --> 00:12:12,640 to that . We don't believe that there 286 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:14,862 is an effective military solution to be 287 00:12:14,862 --> 00:12:16,918 had to this conflict . That the only 288 00:12:16,918 --> 00:12:19,029 way through is a political negotiated 289 00:12:19,029 --> 00:12:21,084 settlement that includes all afghans 290 00:12:21,084 --> 00:12:23,100 that afghan led and that the afghan 291 00:12:23,100 --> 00:12:26,060 people have a voice in a saying , yeah , 292 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:29,460 china , is it too late for peace at 293 00:12:29,470 --> 00:12:32,070 this point though , I don't believe 294 00:12:32,070 --> 00:12:34,237 anybody thinks it's too late for peace 295 00:12:34,237 --> 00:12:36,181 and we wouldn't be talking about a 296 00:12:36,181 --> 00:12:38,403 political settlement and the need to to 297 00:12:38,403 --> 00:12:40,348 have a negotiated settlement if we 298 00:12:40,348 --> 00:12:42,403 believe that peace wasn't possible . 299 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:46,690 Yeah . Mike , No , the statement you 300 00:12:46,690 --> 00:12:48,920 made the recipe can be a constant US 301 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:51,253 presence in Afghanistan that never ends . 302 00:12:51,253 --> 00:12:54,930 We've had US troops in uh Europe for 303 00:12:54,930 --> 00:12:58,360 70 years , Including 20 years after the 304 00:12:58,370 --> 00:13:00,810 fall of the Soviet Union . What's the 305 00:13:00,820 --> 00:13:03,820 difference between that situation and 306 00:13:03,830 --> 00:13:06,052 Afghanistan were not in a combat role . 307 00:13:07,740 --> 00:13:10,450 We're not in a combat role mike . And 308 00:13:10,450 --> 00:13:12,450 that's what the president's talking 309 00:13:12,450 --> 00:13:14,561 about . I mean , we're still going to 310 00:13:14,561 --> 00:13:18,050 have US forces in Afghanistan 311 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:20,773 to help protect our diplomatic presence . 312 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:25,100 He's talking about is uh having US 313 00:13:25,100 --> 00:13:27,267 forces in Afghanistan in a combat role 314 00:13:27,267 --> 00:13:29,660 and and having this war just never end . 315 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:34,580 Mhm Jeff Selden john , 316 00:13:34,580 --> 00:13:36,740 thanks very much for doing this . At 317 00:13:36,740 --> 00:13:38,462 the White House . Earlier this 318 00:13:38,462 --> 00:13:40,573 afternoon , Jen Psaki was asked about 319 00:13:40,573 --> 00:13:42,462 us airstrikes and support for the 320 00:13:42,462 --> 00:13:44,560 Afghan forces beyond the August 31 321 00:13:44,560 --> 00:13:46,590 deadline . She said it was a good 322 00:13:46,590 --> 00:13:49,270 question . So is the Defense Department 323 00:13:49,270 --> 00:13:51,450 rethinking the kinds of support it's 324 00:13:51,450 --> 00:13:53,850 going to offer Afghan security forces 325 00:13:53,860 --> 00:13:56,950 beyond that deadline . And also we keep 326 00:13:56,950 --> 00:13:59,061 hearing from you and from others that 327 00:13:59,061 --> 00:14:01,061 the Afghan security forces have the 328 00:14:01,061 --> 00:14:03,500 capacity they have the capability to 329 00:14:03,500 --> 00:14:05,500 push back against the Taliban . But 330 00:14:05,500 --> 00:14:07,870 they need the will . At what point does 331 00:14:07,870 --> 00:14:10,140 that lack of political will to stand up 332 00:14:10,140 --> 00:14:12,960 to the Taliban begin to endanger the 333 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:15,270 embassy in Kabul and other U . S . 334 00:14:15,270 --> 00:14:17,437 Personnel and assets that are still in 335 00:14:17,437 --> 00:14:20,250 Afghanistan ? Well , I'm going on your 336 00:14:20,260 --> 00:14:23,520 second question . Uh I think that 337 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:26,260 remains to be seen Jeff . Uh we do not 338 00:14:26,260 --> 00:14:29,860 believe that than any of the 339 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:32,420 potential negative outcomes that we've 340 00:14:32,420 --> 00:14:34,620 seen reported have to be inevitable to 341 00:14:34,620 --> 00:14:36,820 have to happen . And I'm not prepared 342 00:14:36,820 --> 00:14:38,876 to go through a series of you know , 343 00:14:38,876 --> 00:14:41,360 what uh what factors , what conditions 344 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:43,710 would lead us to believe that uh that 345 00:14:43,710 --> 00:14:45,488 no amount of political military 346 00:14:45,488 --> 00:14:48,940 leadership uh is going to turn the tide . 347 00:14:48,940 --> 00:14:51,720 We still think that that can happen uh 348 00:14:51,730 --> 00:14:54,260 that that through solid political 349 00:14:54,260 --> 00:14:56,300 military leadership , given the 350 00:14:56,300 --> 00:14:58,522 advantages that they have that they can 351 00:14:58,522 --> 00:15:00,633 use that . And I'm sorry you had your 352 00:15:00,633 --> 00:15:02,633 first question , which I completely 353 00:15:02,633 --> 00:15:05,960 blanked on the , the idea of the 354 00:15:05,970 --> 00:15:09,120 rethinking or giving the afghan 355 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:11,400 security forces more help beyond the 356 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:13,511 august 31st step . Yeah , Thank you . 357 00:15:13,511 --> 00:15:15,820 Uh right now , the the authorities that 358 00:15:15,820 --> 00:15:18,200 we have to support the afghans from the 359 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:20,350 air expire at the end of this month 360 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:24,350 with the drawdown . Um and so we are 361 00:15:24,350 --> 00:15:26,461 focused on using the authorities that 362 00:15:26,461 --> 00:15:28,572 we have the capabilities that we have 363 00:15:28,572 --> 00:15:30,970 uh during the rest of the drawdown to 364 00:15:30,970 --> 00:15:33,240 support afghan forces from the air . 365 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:35,630 There has been no policy decision about 366 00:15:35,630 --> 00:15:37,686 what it looks like beyond that . And 367 00:15:37,686 --> 00:15:39,908 I'm simply not going to speculate or to 368 00:15:39,908 --> 00:15:42,019 what extent that the US underestimate 369 00:15:42,019 --> 00:15:44,074 the abilities or capabilities of the 370 00:15:44,074 --> 00:15:46,130 taliban to make these sorts of gains 371 00:15:46,130 --> 00:15:48,241 this quickly . It's not about whether 372 00:15:48,241 --> 00:15:48,080 we underestimated or estimated 373 00:15:48,090 --> 00:15:50,390 appropriately , that we had seen even 374 00:15:50,390 --> 00:15:52,390 before the President's announcement 375 00:15:52,390 --> 00:15:54,223 that the taliban had been making 376 00:15:54,223 --> 00:15:56,501 advances largely at the district level , 377 00:15:56,501 --> 00:15:59,790 But but they're they're moving in , 378 00:15:59,810 --> 00:16:02,180 started well before the biden 379 00:16:02,180 --> 00:16:04,069 administration and certainly well 380 00:16:04,069 --> 00:16:06,124 before the president decided that we 381 00:16:06,124 --> 00:16:08,180 were going to withdraw now . We have 382 00:16:08,180 --> 00:16:10,990 certainly seen in recent weeks um that 383 00:16:10,990 --> 00:16:13,670 progress advance at a clip . No 384 00:16:13,670 --> 00:16:15,726 question about that . It's not about 385 00:16:15,726 --> 00:16:17,670 surprise Orange . It's not like we 386 00:16:17,670 --> 00:16:19,820 weren't watching this . Uh it is 387 00:16:19,830 --> 00:16:21,997 obviously we're watching it with great 388 00:16:21,997 --> 00:16:24,219 concern , but I wouldn't say that there 389 00:16:24,219 --> 00:16:26,860 was uh an underestimation here . Um 390 00:16:27,340 --> 00:16:30,180 what still , I mean , you know , we 391 00:16:30,180 --> 00:16:32,291 could revisit the past all you want , 392 00:16:32,291 --> 00:16:34,347 but what matters really is today and 393 00:16:34,347 --> 00:16:37,970 where we are now . Uh and again , we 394 00:16:37,970 --> 00:16:40,980 believe that afghan forces have what 395 00:16:40,980 --> 00:16:43,220 they need to make a significant 396 00:16:43,220 --> 00:16:45,276 difference and it really is going to 397 00:16:45,276 --> 00:16:47,360 come down to leadership , john the 398 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:49,582 afghan forces have what they need . Why 399 00:16:49,582 --> 00:16:52,220 are they losing Lucas ? I'll try this 400 00:16:52,220 --> 00:16:54,950 again . We we uh we had this discussion 401 00:16:54,950 --> 00:16:58,390 yesterday . I can't speak for afghan 402 00:16:58,390 --> 00:17:00,730 strategy or afghan tactics in the field . 403 00:17:00,740 --> 00:17:03,470 What I can tell you is that they do 404 00:17:03,470 --> 00:17:06,290 have those advantages , including 405 00:17:06,300 --> 00:17:08,840 including Lucas , the advantage of 406 00:17:08,850 --> 00:17:11,230 additional air support by the United 407 00:17:11,230 --> 00:17:13,452 States , which we continue to provide . 408 00:17:13,452 --> 00:17:15,630 We flew strikes Uh several sites over 409 00:17:15,630 --> 00:17:19,230 just the last 24-48 hours . Um so we're 410 00:17:19,230 --> 00:17:21,770 still supporting them as well and they 411 00:17:21,780 --> 00:17:23,700 have advantages that the Taliban 412 00:17:23,700 --> 00:17:26,380 doesn't . Um and again , I really think 413 00:17:26,390 --> 00:17:29,490 um as I said before , when we look back 414 00:17:29,490 --> 00:17:31,780 on this , we'll see that it really did 415 00:17:31,780 --> 00:17:34,300 come down uh to leadership , both 416 00:17:34,300 --> 00:17:36,522 political and military John where's the 417 00:17:36,522 --> 00:17:38,744 proof ? When you say that Afghan forces 418 00:17:38,744 --> 00:17:40,689 have advantages over the Taliban ? 419 00:17:40,689 --> 00:17:40,260 We're just not seeing it on the 420 00:17:40,260 --> 00:17:42,427 battlefield right now . What I mean is 421 00:17:42,427 --> 00:17:44,538 they've got greater numbers , they've 422 00:17:44,538 --> 00:17:46,704 got an air force and oh , by the way , 423 00:17:46,704 --> 00:17:48,760 the air force is also flying , uh in 424 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:50,816 fact , they're flying more strikes , 425 00:17:50,816 --> 00:17:53,038 conducting more strikes than the United 426 00:17:53,038 --> 00:17:55,204 States is . Um , and it's an air force 427 00:17:55,204 --> 00:17:57,371 that we continue to contribute to . We 428 00:17:57,371 --> 00:17:59,204 just gave them another three new 429 00:17:59,204 --> 00:18:01,482 Blackhawks over the course of 20 years , 430 00:18:01,482 --> 00:18:04,160 we've added 130 some odd aircraft to 431 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:06,490 their inventory . Uh , we're still 432 00:18:06,490 --> 00:18:08,657 providing contract maintenance support 433 00:18:08,657 --> 00:18:10,780 for , to keep them flying . Uh , this 434 00:18:10,780 --> 00:18:14,410 is not um , incapable or 435 00:18:14,410 --> 00:18:16,880 incompetent air force that they know 436 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:19,047 how to fight from the air and they are 437 00:18:19,047 --> 00:18:21,158 um , they have modern weaponry , they 438 00:18:21,158 --> 00:18:23,324 have military organizational ability , 439 00:18:23,324 --> 00:18:26,510 as well as uh , 20 years of training in 440 00:18:26,510 --> 00:18:28,510 the field by by not just the United 441 00:18:28,510 --> 00:18:31,510 States , but our NATO Allied partners . 442 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:33,860 So they have a lot of advantages . Uh , 443 00:18:33,870 --> 00:18:36,037 it's really just now about using those 444 00:18:36,037 --> 00:18:38,770 advantages . Last year , the Afghan 445 00:18:38,770 --> 00:18:41,790 government led 5000 Taliban prisoners 446 00:18:41,940 --> 00:18:45,510 go free . Has that been helpful ? I 447 00:18:45,510 --> 00:18:47,800 can't speak to what each one of those 448 00:18:47,810 --> 00:18:51,360 prisoners did Lucas . Um , 449 00:18:51,740 --> 00:18:55,280 but obviously we don't want to see uh , 450 00:18:55,290 --> 00:18:58,000 people rejoin the fight on on behalf of 451 00:18:58,000 --> 00:18:59,889 the Taliban . Are you seeing some 452 00:18:59,889 --> 00:19:02,056 prisoners rejoining ? I don't have any 453 00:19:02,056 --> 00:19:04,111 intelligence assessments on that . I 454 00:19:04,111 --> 00:19:06,278 don't know . Do you think the previous 455 00:19:06,278 --> 00:19:08,444 administrations pressure to free those 456 00:19:08,444 --> 00:19:10,500 prisoners ? Has that been helpful in 457 00:19:10,500 --> 00:19:12,667 the fight against the Taliban ? What's 458 00:19:12,667 --> 00:19:14,556 what's been , what's been helpful 459 00:19:14,556 --> 00:19:16,778 against fighting ? The Taliban is again 460 00:19:16,778 --> 00:19:18,833 the kinds of support that the Afghan 461 00:19:18,833 --> 00:19:20,889 forces have received from the United 462 00:19:20,889 --> 00:19:23,111 States and from our NATO partners . And 463 00:19:23,111 --> 00:19:25,278 that support will continue . They will 464 00:19:25,278 --> 00:19:27,444 release some of the prisoners from the 465 00:19:27,444 --> 00:19:29,830 jail . Taliban . Say we go to Qatar and 466 00:19:29,830 --> 00:19:31,997 make peace , but they have a condition 467 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:35,770 to release 5000 more . I don't know the 468 00:19:35,770 --> 00:19:38,020 Afghan government , I can't speak to 469 00:19:38,020 --> 00:19:40,187 what's going on in negotiations in the 470 00:19:40,187 --> 00:19:42,353 Sierra . I mean , obviously , we don't 471 00:19:42,353 --> 00:19:45,530 want to see uh anybody who has . We 472 00:19:45,530 --> 00:19:47,641 always see anybody rejoined the fight 473 00:19:47,641 --> 00:19:49,808 on the side of the Taliban . Obviously 474 00:19:49,808 --> 00:19:51,974 that would not be a good outcome . The 475 00:19:51,974 --> 00:19:54,086 part of the agreement that you signed 476 00:19:54,086 --> 00:19:56,308 with them in Doha , Qatar , I'll let my 477 00:19:56,308 --> 00:19:58,530 State departments , my State Department 478 00:19:58,530 --> 00:20:00,586 colleagues speak to the agreement in 479 00:20:00,586 --> 00:20:02,641 Doha . Our focus , as I said , is on 480 00:20:02,641 --> 00:20:04,697 completing the drawdown , supporting 481 00:20:04,697 --> 00:20:06,808 the Afghans where and when we can and 482 00:20:06,808 --> 00:20:05,890 making sure we can protect our 483 00:20:05,890 --> 00:20:08,140 diplomatic presence today . Warning to 484 00:20:08,150 --> 00:20:10,372 Turkey and they say you are not allowed 485 00:20:10,372 --> 00:20:13,610 to come and take security for Kabul 486 00:20:13,610 --> 00:20:15,810 Airport . President Karzai , uh 487 00:20:15,820 --> 00:20:18,100 Karzai's airport in Afghanistan . I 488 00:20:18,100 --> 00:20:21,250 think Afghan government wanted to 489 00:20:21,260 --> 00:20:24,810 Turkey to take the security of a 490 00:20:24,820 --> 00:20:26,931 couple airport . I haven't seen those 491 00:20:26,931 --> 00:20:28,709 comments as you know , we're in 492 00:20:28,709 --> 00:20:32,080 discussions with Turkey about their 493 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:34,302 agreement to take the lead for security 494 00:20:34,302 --> 00:20:36,524 at Hamid Karzai International Airport . 495 00:20:36,524 --> 00:20:38,747 We're grateful for their willingness to 496 00:20:38,747 --> 00:20:40,858 do that and we are continuing to work 497 00:20:40,858 --> 00:20:42,969 out with them and with the modalities 498 00:20:42,969 --> 00:20:45,191 and the details will be going forward . 499 00:20:45,191 --> 00:20:47,413 We obviously anticipate that the United 500 00:20:47,413 --> 00:20:47,290 States would be a part of that security 501 00:20:47,290 --> 00:20:49,457 posture at the airport . I can't speak 502 00:20:49,457 --> 00:20:51,568 to those comments in particular , Dan 503 00:20:51,568 --> 00:20:54,040 Lamont Washington Post . Yes , thank 504 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:55,929 you john . In the last few days , 505 00:20:55,929 --> 00:20:57,929 president biden you and some of the 506 00:20:57,929 --> 00:21:00,040 other administration officials , I've 507 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:02,262 stressed the capabilities of the Afghan 508 00:21:02,262 --> 00:21:04,096 forces and said there were about 509 00:21:04,096 --> 00:21:06,262 300,000 of them given ghost soldiers , 510 00:21:06,262 --> 00:21:08,484 desertions , defections , uh , and some 511 00:21:08,484 --> 00:21:10,707 of what we've seen on the battlefield . 512 00:21:10,707 --> 00:21:12,818 That certainly isn't the case now and 513 00:21:12,818 --> 00:21:15,151 hasn't been for some time . In addition , 514 00:21:15,151 --> 00:21:17,318 the ones who are left , uh , there are 515 00:21:17,318 --> 00:21:19,040 many reports of food , water , 516 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:21,040 ammunition shortages , that sort of 517 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:23,207 thing . Not to put too fine a point on 518 00:21:23,207 --> 00:21:25,040 it . But how do you explain that 519 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:27,207 contradiction and how did the pentagon 520 00:21:27,207 --> 00:21:29,318 fall so short in training forces that 521 00:21:29,318 --> 00:21:31,429 are not only capable on a given day , 522 00:21:31,429 --> 00:21:33,429 but sustainable for a long term ? I 523 00:21:33,429 --> 00:21:35,096 would challenge challenge the 524 00:21:35,096 --> 00:21:37,096 assumption dan , that we fell short 525 00:21:37,096 --> 00:21:39,262 over the course of 20 years . I mean , 526 00:21:39,262 --> 00:21:38,910 we and our international partners 527 00:21:38,910 --> 00:21:41,470 helped fund , uh , Afghan National 528 00:21:41,470 --> 00:21:43,526 Defence and Security Forces . If you 529 00:21:43,526 --> 00:21:45,692 include police , that that numbered as 530 00:21:45,692 --> 00:21:49,250 much as 350 , And now . Can I give you 531 00:21:49,250 --> 00:21:51,361 what the roll call and the mustard is 532 00:21:51,361 --> 00:21:53,583 on any given day ? No , I can't . But I 533 00:21:53,583 --> 00:21:55,750 can tell you that we're confident that 534 00:21:55,750 --> 00:21:57,806 over the course of the 20 years , we 535 00:21:57,806 --> 00:21:59,917 helped raise an army and police force 536 00:21:59,917 --> 00:22:02,194 that numbered over 300,000 . Now again , 537 00:22:02,194 --> 00:22:04,417 what they're doing on any given day and 538 00:22:04,417 --> 00:22:06,472 who's on the field ? That's really a 539 00:22:06,472 --> 00:22:08,639 question for our colleagues in Kabul . 540 00:22:08,639 --> 00:22:10,861 But I take exception to the notion that 541 00:22:10,861 --> 00:22:12,806 That somehow over the course of 20 542 00:22:12,806 --> 00:22:14,917 years , we simply failed in trying to 543 00:22:14,917 --> 00:22:16,639 improve the competency and the 544 00:22:16,639 --> 00:22:18,750 capability of Afghan forces . When we 545 00:22:18,750 --> 00:22:20,861 look at what they're doing today , uh 546 00:22:20,861 --> 00:22:22,806 it comes down to leadership on the 547 00:22:22,806 --> 00:22:25,028 battlefield and leadership in Kabul and 548 00:22:25,028 --> 00:22:27,361 we are not on the battlefield with them . 549 00:22:27,361 --> 00:22:29,417 Yes , we're over the battlefield . I 550 00:22:29,417 --> 00:22:31,250 understand we're supporting with 551 00:22:31,250 --> 00:22:33,361 limited airstrikes , but we aren't in 552 00:22:33,361 --> 00:22:35,417 the field with them now . And and so 553 00:22:35,417 --> 00:22:37,528 these issues of leadership are issues 554 00:22:37,528 --> 00:22:40,230 that afghan leaders , both military and 555 00:22:40,230 --> 00:22:42,397 political have to be able to address , 556 00:22:42,930 --> 00:22:45,390 paul , Hanley had some culpability in 557 00:22:45,390 --> 00:22:47,390 this . You're just passing the buck 558 00:22:47,390 --> 00:22:49,501 when you say that . I'm sorry dan , I 559 00:22:49,501 --> 00:22:51,490 lost you . Go ahead . Doesn't the 560 00:22:51,490 --> 00:22:53,601 pentagon had some culpability in this 561 00:22:53,601 --> 00:22:55,712 though . Given the amount of billions 562 00:22:55,712 --> 00:22:58,470 of dollars the american lives lost , it 563 00:22:58,470 --> 00:23:00,470 sounds like you're passing the buck 564 00:23:00,470 --> 00:23:02,692 when you say that no , nobody's passing 565 00:23:02,692 --> 00:23:04,859 any bug stan Not at all . I mean we're 566 00:23:04,859 --> 00:23:06,914 all watching this with great concern 567 00:23:06,914 --> 00:23:08,914 clearly and the whole international 568 00:23:08,914 --> 00:23:10,830 community , uh certainly our NATO 569 00:23:10,830 --> 00:23:13,360 allies , uh we're also dutifully 570 00:23:13,370 --> 00:23:15,930 involved in combat , lost many lives , 571 00:23:15,940 --> 00:23:18,120 lots of sacrifices Over the course of 572 00:23:18,120 --> 00:23:20,530 20 years that we can't forget nobody's 573 00:23:20,530 --> 00:23:23,340 passing any bucks here . Uh We we have 574 00:23:23,340 --> 00:23:26,480 worked hard to improve afghan 575 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:28,758 competency and capability in the field . 576 00:23:28,758 --> 00:23:30,980 But at some point and the president has 577 00:23:30,980 --> 00:23:33,036 said this very clearly at some point 578 00:23:33,140 --> 00:23:35,530 that competency and that capability has 579 00:23:35,530 --> 00:23:37,752 to be owned by the afghans themselves . 580 00:23:37,752 --> 00:23:40,660 And we are at that point , paul Handley 581 00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:48,960 Hi john , can you , can you hear me 582 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:52,820 john ? Yes , sir . Okay . Yeah , a 583 00:23:52,830 --> 00:23:54,941 couple of things . One is when you're 584 00:23:54,941 --> 00:23:57,163 talking about decisions that need to be 585 00:23:57,163 --> 00:23:59,386 made by the afghan leadership . Today , 586 00:23:59,386 --> 00:24:01,330 President Ashraf Ghani went to the 587 00:24:01,330 --> 00:24:04,750 north where he met with Atta Mohammad 588 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:08,270 Nor and the famous warlord uh dostum 589 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:12,410 um at Mazar E Sharif , I'm wondering is 590 00:24:12,420 --> 00:24:14,642 that the kind of thing that you want to 591 00:24:14,642 --> 00:24:17,390 see the the Afghan government doing to 592 00:24:17,390 --> 00:24:20,240 unite with the old warlords and militia 593 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:22,407 leaders to fight back to Taliban ? And 594 00:24:22,407 --> 00:24:24,870 I have a follow up . Well , we've seen 595 00:24:24,870 --> 00:24:27,730 reports of President Ghani's uh trip . 596 00:24:27,730 --> 00:24:29,841 I certainly would would let him speak 597 00:24:29,841 --> 00:24:32,780 to the conversations he had and uh and 598 00:24:32,780 --> 00:24:36,430 what uh what discussions um he's having 599 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:39,310 uh with leaders up in the north um 600 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:43,080 certainly uh as the president of his 601 00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:45,191 country and the Commander in chief of 602 00:24:45,191 --> 00:24:48,180 his forces , um he should uh he should 603 00:24:48,190 --> 00:24:50,190 make those decisions and have those 604 00:24:50,190 --> 00:24:52,412 discussions that he believes are in the 605 00:24:52,412 --> 00:24:54,357 best interests of of defending his 606 00:24:54,357 --> 00:24:57,660 people in his territory . But is that 607 00:24:57,660 --> 00:24:59,716 the kind of thing you'd like them to 608 00:24:59,716 --> 00:25:01,827 see , do you think would be effective 609 00:25:01,827 --> 00:25:03,938 for their fight against the Taliban ? 610 00:25:03,938 --> 00:25:06,410 Were not prescribing specific methods 611 00:25:06,420 --> 00:25:09,400 of of defense for him ? Uh is his 612 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:11,622 country , He's the Commander in Chief . 613 00:25:11,622 --> 00:25:14,730 Um and we're not going to uh pass a 614 00:25:14,740 --> 00:25:16,962 certain judgment about what discussions 615 00:25:16,962 --> 00:25:19,660 he's having or or uh or what other 616 00:25:19,660 --> 00:25:21,604 leaders he's meeting with and what 617 00:25:21,604 --> 00:25:23,827 they're saying . I mean , I would defer 618 00:25:23,827 --> 00:25:25,771 to President Ghani to speak to his 619 00:25:25,771 --> 00:25:27,827 discussions and and uh and what what 620 00:25:27,827 --> 00:25:29,882 the goals were , what the objectives 621 00:25:29,882 --> 00:25:32,049 were of his visit . Uh This is again , 622 00:25:32,049 --> 00:25:34,440 um he's the Commander in Chief and um 623 00:25:34,450 --> 00:25:36,450 it's his political leadership , his 624 00:25:36,450 --> 00:25:38,506 political will . That can make a big 625 00:25:38,506 --> 00:25:41,140 difference here here . We assume that 626 00:25:41,150 --> 00:25:43,372 the topic of Afghanistan didn't come up 627 00:25:43,372 --> 00:25:45,450 during the telephone call in between 628 00:25:45,460 --> 00:25:47,370 the secretary and his Russian 629 00:25:47,370 --> 00:25:49,850 counterpart . We provided a readout and 630 00:25:49,850 --> 00:25:51,906 I'm going to leave it at that here . 631 00:25:51,906 --> 00:25:54,183 I'm not going to go beyond the readout . 632 00:25:54,183 --> 00:25:54,860 Hey Jared . 633 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:00,807 Hi john , thanks for doing this . Just 634 00:26:00,807 --> 00:26:02,751 wondering if you could tell us the 635 00:26:02,751 --> 00:26:02,480 latest , what is the latest 636 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:04,313 conversation between D . O . D . 637 00:26:04,313 --> 00:26:05,869 Officials and their Turkish 638 00:26:05,869 --> 00:26:07,758 counterparts on the Kabul airport 639 00:26:07,758 --> 00:26:09,758 mission . And I have a follow up to 640 00:26:09,758 --> 00:26:11,980 that . I don't have any specific update 641 00:26:11,980 --> 00:26:11,740 for you . We continue to have 642 00:26:11,740 --> 00:26:13,690 discussions with the Turks about 643 00:26:13,700 --> 00:26:15,700 security at the airport . Obviously 644 00:26:15,700 --> 00:26:18,140 we're mindful that security at the 645 00:26:18,140 --> 00:26:20,570 airport is critical for our ability to 646 00:26:20,570 --> 00:26:22,237 have a diplomatic presence in 647 00:26:22,237 --> 00:26:24,348 Afghanistan as well as our allies and 648 00:26:24,348 --> 00:26:26,570 partners . And so those discussions are 649 00:26:26,570 --> 00:26:28,737 ongoing . I don't have any updates for 650 00:26:28,737 --> 00:26:31,340 you . Okay , and if I might uh we've 651 00:26:31,340 --> 00:26:33,507 seen that the taliban has alleged that 652 00:26:33,507 --> 00:26:36,080 the US has gone back on its agreement 653 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:38,160 with these airstrikes . Um has there 654 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:40,049 been any consideration that these 655 00:26:40,049 --> 00:26:42,271 airstrikes could be potentially putting 656 00:26:42,271 --> 00:26:45,260 the , you know , the agreed Turkish 657 00:26:45,260 --> 00:26:47,980 mission in jeopardy or making it more 658 00:26:47,990 --> 00:26:50,101 challenging or complicated to fulfill 659 00:26:50,101 --> 00:26:52,157 the airstrikes , putting the Turkish 660 00:26:52,157 --> 00:26:54,580 mission more jeopardy because the 661 00:26:54,580 --> 00:26:56,691 Taliban has accused the United States 662 00:26:56,691 --> 00:26:58,691 of reneging on its agreement . Well 663 00:26:58,691 --> 00:27:00,913 look , uh it's it's it's not the United 664 00:27:00,913 --> 00:27:04,570 States that uh that continues to exert 665 00:27:04,570 --> 00:27:08,280 violence on the Afghan people uh 666 00:27:08,290 --> 00:27:11,060 and attempt to try to find a military 667 00:27:11,060 --> 00:27:13,227 solution to what should be a political 668 00:27:13,227 --> 00:27:15,449 settlement . It's not the United States 669 00:27:15,449 --> 00:27:17,650 um that is now using oppression and 670 00:27:17,650 --> 00:27:21,410 brutality uh and fear uh to try to 671 00:27:21,410 --> 00:27:23,354 gain some level of governance over 672 00:27:23,354 --> 00:27:25,354 parts of Afghanistan . It's not the 673 00:27:25,354 --> 00:27:29,050 United States um that um uh 674 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:34,840 trying to undo what the taliban have 675 00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:37,118 previously said they were committed to , 676 00:27:37,118 --> 00:27:39,284 which was again a negotiated political 677 00:27:39,284 --> 00:27:41,550 solution . Uh We are as we've said , 678 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:44,770 and we've been fairly honest about it 679 00:27:44,780 --> 00:27:47,260 to the degree we can uh continuing to 680 00:27:47,260 --> 00:27:49,482 support Afghan forces in the field with 681 00:27:49,482 --> 00:27:51,704 the capabilities that we have available 682 00:27:51,704 --> 00:27:54,270 to us . Last question . Real , 683 00:27:55,540 --> 00:27:58,470 okay , privilege me change the subject 684 00:27:58,470 --> 00:28:01,360 a little bit today . The secretary 685 00:28:01,740 --> 00:28:04,050 spoke by all with his Russian 686 00:28:04,050 --> 00:28:06,560 counterpart , but the secretary has 687 00:28:06,570 --> 00:28:09,360 also been willing to engage with his 688 00:28:09,370 --> 00:28:12,710 chinese counterpart . Uh Could you give 689 00:28:12,710 --> 00:28:15,470 us an update on the secretary's airport 690 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:18,090 or progress to engage with the chinese ? 691 00:28:18,100 --> 00:28:20,211 I would not say that the secretary is 692 00:28:20,211 --> 00:28:21,878 waiting to engage his chinese 693 00:28:21,878 --> 00:28:23,656 counterpart . There has been no 694 00:28:23,656 --> 00:28:26,670 discussion uh at his level with a 695 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:30,430 counterpart in china and uh when that 696 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:33,230 makes the most sense , you know , we'll 697 00:28:33,230 --> 00:28:35,440 pursue that . But I have no discussion 698 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:37,551 to announce or to anticipated to read 699 00:28:37,551 --> 00:28:40,990 out today quick for uh , I'm wondering 700 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:44,540 who is the most appropriate counterpart 701 00:28:44,550 --> 00:28:47,850 approach ? A most appropriate chinese 702 00:28:47,860 --> 00:28:49,916 counterpart to the U . N . Secretary 703 00:28:49,916 --> 00:28:51,527 Defense from the deal . This 704 00:28:51,527 --> 00:28:53,610 perspective is that the chinese 705 00:28:53,620 --> 00:28:56,950 Minister of defense or vice chairman of 706 00:28:56,960 --> 00:29:00,810 the china's central . I think we've I 707 00:29:00,810 --> 00:29:04,410 think we've said clearly there for the 708 00:29:04,420 --> 00:29:06,310 for the purposes of the kinds of 709 00:29:06,310 --> 00:29:09,560 discussions that that we 710 00:29:10,140 --> 00:29:12,362 uh , I think are important with china , 711 00:29:12,362 --> 00:29:15,660 it's at the vice chairman level . Are 712 00:29:15,660 --> 00:29:17,771 you gonna be throwing service members 713 00:29:17,771 --> 00:29:19,882 in the brig if they refuse to get the 714 00:29:19,882 --> 00:29:21,882 jab Lucas ? We talked about this as 715 00:29:21,882 --> 00:29:24,220 well . Yesterday . I'm happy to go back 716 00:29:24,220 --> 00:29:28,190 over it again at we believe 717 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:31,770 that our commanders should 718 00:29:32,340 --> 00:29:35,010 an individual not want to take the 719 00:29:35,010 --> 00:29:37,010 vaccine for other than religious or 720 00:29:37,010 --> 00:29:39,177 medical purposes , that our commanders 721 00:29:39,177 --> 00:29:41,399 will have a range of tools available to 722 00:29:41,399 --> 00:29:44,890 them to help these individuals make the 723 00:29:44,890 --> 00:29:46,946 best decision for them and for their 724 00:29:46,946 --> 00:29:49,057 families for their teammates that are 725 00:29:49,057 --> 00:29:51,460 short of using the uniform code of 726 00:29:51,460 --> 00:29:53,460 military justice . In other words , 727 00:29:53,460 --> 00:29:56,150 disciplinary measures . Yes . Once a 728 00:29:56,150 --> 00:30:00,010 vaccine has been mandated , uh , 729 00:30:00,020 --> 00:30:04,000 it becomes a lawful order , Uh , to 730 00:30:04,010 --> 00:30:06,290 to compel an individual to take that 731 00:30:06,290 --> 00:30:09,070 vaccine , we do this across the force . 732 00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:12,160 Uh , 17 some odd vaccines , eight of 733 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:14,700 which are required just to get into 734 00:30:14,700 --> 00:30:18,220 boot camp . Um , I've been stuck myself 735 00:30:18,230 --> 00:30:20,452 all throughout the course of 29 years . 736 00:30:20,452 --> 00:30:23,200 Um , it's not , we have a process in 737 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:25,450 place and it's just generally not a big 738 00:30:25,450 --> 00:30:27,672 problem . Um , and I , and , and as you 739 00:30:27,672 --> 00:30:30,780 saw in the secretary's memo uh , once 740 00:30:30,780 --> 00:30:32,730 we get to a point where we're now 741 00:30:32,740 --> 00:30:35,300 executing a new vaccination program , 742 00:30:35,310 --> 00:30:37,310 in other words , mandatory that he 743 00:30:37,310 --> 00:30:39,630 expects commanders will execute that 744 00:30:39,630 --> 00:30:41,940 program with skill and professionalism . 745 00:30:41,950 --> 00:30:44,117 And he also used the word compassion , 746 00:30:44,117 --> 00:30:45,728 understanding that there are 747 00:30:45,728 --> 00:30:47,920 trepidations out there . And so our 748 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:50,390 expectation is if an individual doesn't 749 00:30:50,390 --> 00:30:52,550 want to take the vaccine that we're 750 00:30:52,550 --> 00:30:54,550 going to provide them , uh , some 751 00:30:54,550 --> 00:30:56,383 counseling , both from a medical 752 00:30:56,383 --> 00:30:59,080 perspective , access to docs and access 753 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:01,247 to leaders in their chain of command . 754 00:31:01,247 --> 00:31:03,830 So they fully understand the 755 00:31:03,830 --> 00:31:06,080 implications and repercussions to them 756 00:31:06,090 --> 00:31:08,430 if they don't take the vaccine , but I 757 00:31:08,430 --> 00:31:10,486 don't want to speculate it will be a 758 00:31:10,486 --> 00:31:12,708 case by case basis , Lucas . It's not , 759 00:31:12,708 --> 00:31:14,930 it's not like the department's going to 760 00:31:14,930 --> 00:31:17,097 have some sort of blanket disciplinary 761 00:31:17,097 --> 00:31:19,152 policy . We expect commanders to use 762 00:31:19,152 --> 00:31:21,374 the tools that they will have available 763 00:31:21,374 --> 00:31:23,860 to them , uh , to uh , to get soldiers 764 00:31:23,860 --> 00:31:26,000 and sailors and airmen and guardians 765 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:28,400 and uh , marines to do the right thing . 766 00:31:28,470 --> 00:31:30,414 This building has a lot of blanket 767 00:31:30,414 --> 00:31:32,470 policies . Can't you just say if you 768 00:31:32,470 --> 00:31:34,692 don't get the vaccine , you know , lose 769 00:31:34,692 --> 00:31:36,748 liberty , lose vacation time , maybe 770 00:31:36,748 --> 00:31:38,803 get docked and pay . We don't rank , 771 00:31:38,803 --> 00:31:40,859 but Lucas , we don't do that now for 772 00:31:40,859 --> 00:31:40,650 mandatory vaccines . We don't have a 773 00:31:40,650 --> 00:31:43,570 blanket departmental policy for , uh , 774 00:31:43,580 --> 00:31:46,640 you know , the polio vaccine or , or 775 00:31:46,650 --> 00:31:50,390 smallpox or , or even the flu . I 776 00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:52,622 mean , we , you know , we leave that up 777 00:31:52,622 --> 00:31:54,733 to commanders in their discretion and 778 00:31:54,733 --> 00:31:56,733 like I said , they've got plenty of 779 00:31:56,733 --> 00:31:58,567 tools available to them short of 780 00:31:58,567 --> 00:32:00,789 disciplinary action to try to get their 781 00:32:00,789 --> 00:32:03,011 troops to do the right thing . When you 782 00:32:03,011 --> 00:32:05,067 mention religious exemptions , which 783 00:32:05,067 --> 00:32:04,770 religions are we talking about here ? 784 00:32:05,140 --> 00:32:07,084 It doesn't , there's no , it's not 785 00:32:07,340 --> 00:32:10,190 Lucas , there's not a list of , you 786 00:32:10,190 --> 00:32:12,246 know , religions . It's about , it's 787 00:32:12,246 --> 00:32:14,079 about , it's about the religious 788 00:32:14,079 --> 00:32:16,560 beliefs that an individual might have , 789 00:32:16,570 --> 00:32:18,940 that they believe should exempt them 790 00:32:18,940 --> 00:32:20,800 from the vaccine . And as I said 791 00:32:20,810 --> 00:32:23,390 yesterday , there's a whole process 792 00:32:23,390 --> 00:32:25,223 written down an instruction that 793 00:32:25,223 --> 00:32:27,980 governs that process to include , again , 794 00:32:27,990 --> 00:32:30,212 counselling by doctors , counselling by 795 00:32:30,212 --> 00:32:32,120 commanders . And there's a , each 796 00:32:32,120 --> 00:32:34,342 service does this differently . I won't 797 00:32:34,342 --> 00:32:36,064 speak for them to handle these 798 00:32:36,064 --> 00:32:38,287 applications for religious exemptions . 799 00:32:38,287 --> 00:32:40,509 But it's not , you know , it's not like 800 00:32:40,509 --> 00:32:42,564 it's written , it's not uh , there's 801 00:32:42,564 --> 00:32:45,000 not a list of acceptable religions here . 802 00:32:45,010 --> 00:32:47,670 It's about taking these concerns by 803 00:32:47,740 --> 00:32:49,907 individuals very seriously and we take 804 00:32:49,907 --> 00:32:52,018 freedom of religion very seriously in 805 00:32:52,018 --> 00:32:54,630 the military . Yeah , john a lot of 806 00:32:54,630 --> 00:32:56,600 what we heard today is frustration 807 00:32:56,610 --> 00:32:59,350 concerns . Um , some of the questions 808 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:01,730 seem to focus on inevitability of a 809 00:33:01,730 --> 00:33:04,150 negative outcome . Um , but what are 810 00:33:04,150 --> 00:33:06,094 some of the positives that you are 811 00:33:06,094 --> 00:33:09,140 seeing from the Afghan forces right now ? 812 00:33:09,150 --> 00:33:11,372 And what are some of the positives that 813 00:33:11,372 --> 00:33:13,530 you're seeing from the current US 814 00:33:13,660 --> 00:33:16,950 support being provided to the louis ? 815 00:33:16,950 --> 00:33:20,060 We have seen ? We have seen 816 00:33:20,540 --> 00:33:23,030 afghan forces fight back in certain 817 00:33:23,030 --> 00:33:26,020 places . In fact , there's fighting 818 00:33:26,020 --> 00:33:29,540 going on as we speak . Um We have 819 00:33:29,540 --> 00:33:32,400 seen the Afghan air force Be very 820 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:34,470 aggressive , as I've said , they 821 00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:36,860 conducted many more strikes in just the 822 00:33:36,860 --> 00:33:40,480 last 24 hours than we have . Um uh 823 00:33:40,490 --> 00:33:42,450 their professional , they're well 824 00:33:42,450 --> 00:33:46,330 trained and they are in the air . Um uh 825 00:33:46,340 --> 00:33:48,820 and I would also say , you know , for 826 00:33:48,820 --> 00:33:50,890 our perspective though , we are 827 00:33:50,890 --> 00:33:54,060 conducting fewer airstrikes . We're 828 00:33:54,060 --> 00:33:56,750 very confident that the strikes were 829 00:33:56,750 --> 00:33:58,917 conducting are hitting the targets are 830 00:33:58,917 --> 00:34:00,750 meant to hit , that we are being 831 00:34:00,750 --> 00:34:03,090 precise and that we are having an 832 00:34:03,090 --> 00:34:05,480 impact at the tactical level . Now . 833 00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:07,647 Clearly from a strategic perspective , 834 00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:10,262 the Taliban keep advancing . There's no 835 00:34:10,262 --> 00:34:13,030 question about that , but the narrative 836 00:34:13,030 --> 00:34:16,440 that in every place , in every way 837 00:34:16,450 --> 00:34:19,270 um the afghan forces are simply folding 838 00:34:19,270 --> 00:34:21,381 up and walking away is not accurate . 839 00:34:21,381 --> 00:34:24,440 Uh I'm not at all and don't , nobody 840 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:26,496 should take away from this . And I'm 841 00:34:26,496 --> 00:34:28,273 discounting what we're seeing a 842 00:34:28,273 --> 00:34:30,218 deteriorating security situation . 843 00:34:30,218 --> 00:34:32,218 We've been nothing but candid about 844 00:34:32,218 --> 00:34:34,218 that . But to your exact question , 845 00:34:34,218 --> 00:34:36,440 there are places and there are times uh 846 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:38,607 including today where afghan forces in 847 00:34:38,607 --> 00:34:40,773 the field are putting up a fight . And 848 00:34:40,773 --> 00:34:42,940 does that mean that at some point it's 849 00:34:42,940 --> 00:34:45,162 possible that the Afghan forces will be 850 00:34:45,162 --> 00:34:46,829 strong enough to reconstitute 851 00:34:46,829 --> 00:34:46,410 themselves so that they could 852 00:34:46,410 --> 00:34:48,132 potentially take back . But we 853 00:34:48,132 --> 00:34:49,966 certainly would like to see that 854 00:34:49,966 --> 00:34:52,077 eventuality , as I've said many times 855 00:34:52,077 --> 00:34:54,354 before , no outcome is inevitable here . 856 00:34:54,354 --> 00:34:56,577 Um and the afghan forces , they do have 857 00:34:56,577 --> 00:35:00,400 uh they do have the capacity to do 858 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:02,456 exactly that . It's really about the 859 00:35:02,456 --> 00:35:04,567 will and the and the leadership on on 860 00:35:04,567 --> 00:35:06,733 the field to make that happen . That's 861 00:35:06,733 --> 00:35:08,789 where and that's not uncommon in any 862 00:35:08,789 --> 00:35:12,530 military uh equipment training . 863 00:35:12,540 --> 00:35:15,710 All that's important . But it is often 864 00:35:15,710 --> 00:35:18,020 for not if you don't have the 865 00:35:18,020 --> 00:35:20,190 leadership and the will to use those 866 00:35:20,190 --> 00:35:23,280 advantages to your benefit . But at 867 00:35:23,280 --> 00:35:25,280 this point now has the happy Afghan 868 00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:28,390 forces recaptured any terrain that was 869 00:35:28,390 --> 00:35:30,612 taken by the Taliban . I would tell you 870 00:35:30,612 --> 00:35:32,612 that again , without getting into a 871 00:35:32,612 --> 00:35:34,779 battlefield assessment because I don't 872 00:35:34,779 --> 00:35:36,890 want to do that . Uh , there are , as 873 00:35:36,890 --> 00:35:38,612 we speak , there are places in 874 00:35:38,612 --> 00:35:40,668 Afghanistan which are actively being 875 00:35:40,668 --> 00:35:42,990 contested right now . Okay . Thanks 876 00:35:42,990 --> 00:35:45,050 everybody . Mhm .