1 00:00:01,540 --> 00:00:04,850 Just one thing at the top here . Mm hmm , 2 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:06,640 mm hmm . 3 00:00:13,010 --> 00:00:15,930 Today . And if you haven't seen the 4 00:00:15,930 --> 00:00:18,720 memo , you will soon as part of the 5 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:20,887 Secretary's priority of taking care of 6 00:00:20,887 --> 00:00:22,760 our people . He has directed the 7 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:24,750 department to create a suicide 8 00:00:24,750 --> 00:00:26,750 prevention and Response independent 9 00:00:26,750 --> 00:00:29,020 review committee . This committee will 10 00:00:29,020 --> 00:00:31,131 conduct a comprehensive review of the 11 00:00:31,131 --> 00:00:33,550 department's efforts to prevent suicide . 12 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,320 Um and as a result of that , will this 13 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:38,376 review committee will visit multiple 14 00:00:38,376 --> 00:00:40,350 installations uh here at home and 15 00:00:40,350 --> 00:00:42,350 overseas as well as conducting 16 00:00:42,350 --> 00:00:44,350 additional information gathering to 17 00:00:44,350 --> 00:00:46,517 strengthen our actions in this space . 18 00:00:46,517 --> 00:00:48,683 It's imperative the secretary believes 19 00:00:48,683 --> 00:00:50,739 that we continue to take care of all 20 00:00:50,739 --> 00:00:52,961 our teammates and reinforce that mental 21 00:00:52,961 --> 00:00:55,183 health and suicide prevention remains a 22 00:00:55,183 --> 00:00:54,720 key priority . I think you've heard 23 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:57,360 secretary say many times mental health 24 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:00,910 is health period . Ultimately , that 25 00:01:00,910 --> 00:01:03,021 health is critical to our readiness . 26 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:05,462 Now , one death by suicide is of course 27 00:01:05,462 --> 00:01:07,462 one too many . Uh and suicide rates 28 00:01:07,462 --> 00:01:09,670 among our service members are way are 29 00:01:09,670 --> 00:01:11,840 way too high still . I mean just in 30 00:01:11,850 --> 00:01:15,800 2020 Alors 31 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:18,550 we had a total of 580 service members 32 00:01:18,550 --> 00:01:20,717 died by suicide . That includes active 33 00:01:20,717 --> 00:01:23,420 reserve and national guard . So clearly 34 00:01:23,420 --> 00:01:25,650 obviously we have more work to do . And 35 00:01:25,650 --> 00:01:27,650 it's the secretary's intention that 36 00:01:27,650 --> 00:01:29,817 that this independent review committee 37 00:01:29,817 --> 00:01:31,983 will help us wrap our arms around this 38 00:01:31,983 --> 00:01:34,150 uh and really try to come up with some 39 00:01:34,150 --> 00:01:36,206 more innovative solutions for how to 40 00:01:36,206 --> 00:01:38,372 how to prevent suicide and how to make 41 00:01:38,372 --> 00:01:40,317 sure that everybody is getting the 42 00:01:40,317 --> 00:01:42,372 mental health support that they that 43 00:01:42,372 --> 00:01:44,539 they that they need and deserve . Okay 44 00:01:44,539 --> 00:01:46,761 with that . We'll take questions . Um I 45 00:01:46,761 --> 00:01:48,928 think bob your first and you're on the 46 00:01:48,928 --> 00:01:51,070 phone . Yes , thank you , john um I 47 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:53,080 have a question about Ukraine , but 48 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:54,880 also on the suicide , on your 49 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:56,991 announcement about the suicide review 50 00:01:56,991 --> 00:01:59,380 committee . You cited a figure for the 51 00:01:59,380 --> 00:02:02,470 number of suicides in 2020 . Is 52 00:02:02,470 --> 00:02:04,470 Secretary Austin taking this action 53 00:02:04,470 --> 00:02:06,526 because there was a further increase 54 00:02:06,526 --> 00:02:08,560 last year Or is he seeing some 55 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:10,840 something that has triggered this 56 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:12,729 decision to to review what you've 57 00:02:12,729 --> 00:02:16,180 already been doing ? Um That's my my 58 00:02:16,180 --> 00:02:18,013 first question . The question on 59 00:02:18,013 --> 00:02:21,270 Ukraine , if you don't mind is the 60 00:02:21,270 --> 00:02:23,326 Ukrainian government said today that 61 00:02:23,326 --> 00:02:25,970 its forces have retaken the Kiev suburb 62 00:02:25,970 --> 00:02:29,670 of mockery . Viv , I'm wondering if you 63 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:32,870 agree with that assessment and and 64 00:02:32,870 --> 00:02:36,450 beyond that specific case . Um do you 65 00:02:36,450 --> 00:02:38,700 see anywhere else in the country where 66 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:40,990 Ukrainian forces are regaining or 67 00:02:40,990 --> 00:02:42,657 retaking ground that they had 68 00:02:42,657 --> 00:02:46,060 previously lost ? Thank you . Thanks 69 00:02:46,060 --> 00:02:48,870 bob . On the suicide question . As you 70 00:02:48,870 --> 00:02:52,010 know , Bob the the counter , you're 21 71 00:02:52,010 --> 00:02:53,843 numbers are not in yet . There's 72 00:02:53,843 --> 00:02:55,954 there's a , there's a bit of a lag in 73 00:02:55,954 --> 00:02:57,843 fact , The 20 numbers really , we 74 00:02:57,843 --> 00:02:59,899 didn't get them tabulated until just 75 00:02:59,899 --> 00:03:01,954 last fall . So it's gonna be a while 76 00:03:01,954 --> 00:03:04,010 before . We've seen the 21 numbers , 77 00:03:04,010 --> 00:03:06,177 but the secretary is not interested in 78 00:03:06,177 --> 00:03:08,343 waiting for the 21 data . Um he's seen 79 00:03:08,343 --> 00:03:10,399 enough based on the 20 data and then 80 00:03:10,399 --> 00:03:12,621 the the anecdotal reporting that's been 81 00:03:12,621 --> 00:03:15,360 coming in throughout the course of of 82 00:03:15,370 --> 00:03:18,400 21 . Uh he's seen enough to know that 83 00:03:18,410 --> 00:03:20,188 we've we've got to do something 84 00:03:20,188 --> 00:03:22,243 different , that we've got to try to 85 00:03:22,243 --> 00:03:24,132 take additional and more creative 86 00:03:24,132 --> 00:03:26,243 action here . Uh One suicide again is 87 00:03:26,243 --> 00:03:28,354 one too many . Um and uh , you know , 88 00:03:28,354 --> 00:03:31,520 he visited Alaska . There'll be bases 89 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:33,187 in Alaska will be part of the 90 00:03:33,187 --> 00:03:35,298 installations that will be visited by 91 00:03:35,298 --> 00:03:37,409 the Independent Review Committee . Um 92 00:03:37,409 --> 00:03:39,631 and he spent a lot of time when he went 93 00:03:39,631 --> 00:03:41,853 out to to Fairbanks talking with troops 94 00:03:41,853 --> 00:03:43,853 and commanders About the challenges 95 00:03:43,853 --> 00:03:46,076 there with respect to mental health and 96 00:03:46,076 --> 00:03:48,076 suicide . So , um , he's gonna stay 97 00:03:48,076 --> 00:03:50,187 focused on this and it's it's not not 98 00:03:50,187 --> 00:03:52,298 waiting for the 21 data to come in on 99 00:03:52,298 --> 00:03:54,409 your second question about the suburb 100 00:03:54,409 --> 00:03:56,631 of of Kiev . We're not in a position to 101 00:03:56,631 --> 00:03:59,730 confirm that that that that suburb 102 00:03:59,740 --> 00:04:02,450 around Kiev has been retaken by the 103 00:04:02,450 --> 00:04:04,561 Ukrainians . What I would tell you is 104 00:04:04,561 --> 00:04:07,120 though , that we have seen indications 105 00:04:07,150 --> 00:04:10,450 that the Ukrainians are going a bit 106 00:04:10,450 --> 00:04:12,450 more on the offense now , they have 107 00:04:12,450 --> 00:04:15,300 been defending very smartly , very 108 00:04:15,300 --> 00:04:17,620 nimbly , very creatively in places that 109 00:04:17,620 --> 00:04:19,620 they believe in the right places to 110 00:04:19,620 --> 00:04:22,080 defend . And we have seen them now , uh 111 00:04:22,090 --> 00:04:24,290 in places particularly in the south , 112 00:04:24,300 --> 00:04:27,990 uh near curson . Um they have tried 113 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:30,850 uh , to to regain territory . Again , 114 00:04:30,860 --> 00:04:33,790 we don't have great fidelity of 115 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:35,911 tactical movements , but we have seen 116 00:04:35,911 --> 00:04:38,330 them make these make these efforts and 117 00:04:38,330 --> 00:04:40,386 I would tell you bob , I mean , it's 118 00:04:40,386 --> 00:04:42,540 not the Ukrainians themselves several 119 00:04:42,540 --> 00:04:44,651 days ago said that they were planning 120 00:04:44,651 --> 00:04:46,818 on on counterattacks and so I think we 121 00:04:46,818 --> 00:04:48,818 have seen indications that they are 122 00:04:48,818 --> 00:04:51,040 that they're moving in that direction . 123 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:53,318 Okay , next question , Travis , thanks . 124 00:04:53,318 --> 00:04:55,262 I want to follow up on the suicide 125 00:04:55,262 --> 00:04:57,440 issue . Obviously this has been a huge 126 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:59,662 problem for years and years and there's 127 00:04:59,662 --> 00:05:01,829 been a lot of time that the Department 128 00:05:01,829 --> 00:05:03,718 of Military Service branches have 129 00:05:03,718 --> 00:05:05,884 invested in trying to get at this this 130 00:05:05,884 --> 00:05:07,884 issue . Does the secretary have any 131 00:05:07,884 --> 00:05:10,010 initial assessment of why he believes 132 00:05:10,010 --> 00:05:13,760 this is so difficult problem And 133 00:05:14,140 --> 00:05:16,400 what can be done that is different than 134 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:18,733 what has done has been done in the past . 135 00:05:19,140 --> 00:05:21,510 And my second question is um involves 136 00:05:21,510 --> 00:05:23,621 Ukraine . You mentioned the secretary 137 00:05:23,621 --> 00:05:25,900 is traveling to Poland again and we 138 00:05:25,900 --> 00:05:28,540 have thousands of US service members 139 00:05:28,540 --> 00:05:31,570 there the 82nd . Um can you give us 140 00:05:31,570 --> 00:05:33,990 some update on what they're doing there ? 141 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:37,590 Whether they are involved in exercises 142 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:39,433 with the polls , whether they're 143 00:05:39,433 --> 00:05:41,570 hunkered down , what is their status 144 00:05:41,570 --> 00:05:44,400 and what are they up to now ? And do 145 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:47,230 you have a an updated number and the 146 00:05:47,230 --> 00:05:49,174 number of americans that they have 147 00:05:49,174 --> 00:05:52,110 assisted who have fled from Ukraine . 148 00:05:52,390 --> 00:05:54,557 Okay , there's an awful lot there . So 149 00:05:54,557 --> 00:05:56,723 let me try to tackle one at a time . I 150 00:05:56,723 --> 00:05:58,834 think if the secretary were here , he 151 00:05:58,834 --> 00:06:00,890 would tell you that if he if he knew 152 00:06:00,890 --> 00:06:03,970 how to uh prevent suicides . If it was 153 00:06:03,980 --> 00:06:06,147 if it was that easy then then we would 154 00:06:06,147 --> 00:06:08,258 have we would have solved it by now . 155 00:06:08,258 --> 00:06:10,410 It's a very complex problem . Um And 156 00:06:10,420 --> 00:06:14,310 each suicide is very 157 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:17,310 individual . There's no there's not 158 00:06:17,310 --> 00:06:19,532 gonna be and there hasn't been a silver 159 00:06:19,532 --> 00:06:21,588 bullet and we're not looking for one 160 00:06:21,588 --> 00:06:23,699 Travis to be honest with you . One of 161 00:06:23,699 --> 00:06:25,643 the things , well , several of the 162 00:06:25,643 --> 00:06:27,810 things he heard when we went out to to 163 00:06:27,810 --> 00:06:30,032 Fairbanks , he had a chance to to uh to 164 00:06:30,032 --> 00:06:32,030 spend time with some mental health 165 00:06:32,030 --> 00:06:33,808 experts , particularly from the 166 00:06:33,808 --> 00:06:35,863 university . There came in and spend 167 00:06:35,863 --> 00:06:38,086 time with them and they they walked him 168 00:06:38,086 --> 00:06:39,919 through some of the complexities 169 00:06:39,919 --> 00:06:42,141 they've seen with respect to to suicide 170 00:06:42,141 --> 00:06:44,141 and suicide prevention efforts . Um 171 00:06:44,141 --> 00:06:46,363 Each one is , each one is an individual 172 00:06:46,363 --> 00:06:48,586 tragedy and it's difficult to wrap your 173 00:06:48,586 --> 00:06:51,100 arms around um what's causing it . I 174 00:06:51,100 --> 00:06:54,250 think uh the secretary believes that 175 00:06:54,260 --> 00:06:56,470 one problem that we have to get after 176 00:06:56,550 --> 00:06:58,770 is the stigma of seeking help for 177 00:06:58,770 --> 00:07:00,992 mental health problems , which is still 178 00:07:00,992 --> 00:07:03,159 a problem in the military . Uh There's 179 00:07:03,159 --> 00:07:05,159 still a feeling by too many service 180 00:07:05,159 --> 00:07:07,780 members that if I'm having problems um 181 00:07:07,790 --> 00:07:10,440 uh dealing and coping , I can't seek 182 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:13,300 help because it'll be it'll be held 183 00:07:13,300 --> 00:07:15,411 against me on my next promotion board 184 00:07:15,411 --> 00:07:17,356 or it may be held against me on my 185 00:07:17,356 --> 00:07:19,300 assignments or maybe my commanding 186 00:07:19,300 --> 00:07:21,467 officer will think twice before giving 187 00:07:21,467 --> 00:07:23,744 me a new assignment inside the command . 188 00:07:23,744 --> 00:07:25,522 So I think the secretary firmly 189 00:07:25,522 --> 00:07:27,578 believes we've got to work harder to 190 00:07:27,578 --> 00:07:29,522 get at the the stigma . Um I think 191 00:07:29,522 --> 00:07:31,744 another thing and you've heard him talk 192 00:07:31,744 --> 00:07:33,967 about this is , you know , the majority 193 00:07:33,967 --> 00:07:35,856 of suicides , I shouldn't say the 194 00:07:35,856 --> 00:07:37,744 majority , there is a significant 195 00:07:37,744 --> 00:07:40,078 amount of suicides in the military , uh , 196 00:07:40,078 --> 00:07:43,270 that are our gunfire related , 197 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:45,860 gunshot related , uh , personal 198 00:07:45,860 --> 00:07:48,570 firearms . And um , one of the things 199 00:07:48,570 --> 00:07:50,900 that he wants to do is , is uh , is 200 00:07:50,900 --> 00:07:54,360 work with commanders on on storage of 201 00:07:54,370 --> 00:07:56,990 firearms in the home or on base and 202 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,480 make sure we've got that uh that that 203 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:02,720 we've got that uh , well , well in hand . 204 00:08:02,730 --> 00:08:05,140 And then the other thing , Travis and 205 00:08:05,140 --> 00:08:07,910 this is why I think you'll you'll see 206 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,031 in the in the memo that the secretary 207 00:08:10,031 --> 00:08:11,920 is putting forward a list of some 208 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:14,160 initial installations that he wants 209 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:16,049 visited by the Independent Review 210 00:08:16,049 --> 00:08:18,530 Commission . Is is the geographic 211 00:08:18,530 --> 00:08:20,960 isolation in some of our assignments 212 00:08:20,970 --> 00:08:22,803 and where some of our troops and 213 00:08:22,803 --> 00:08:26,260 families are working , um as well as 214 00:08:27,140 --> 00:08:28,930 the resources at some of those 215 00:08:28,930 --> 00:08:30,986 installations with respect to mental 216 00:08:30,986 --> 00:08:33,208 health . So there's an awful lot , it's 217 00:08:33,208 --> 00:08:35,152 very complex . And I and I , and I 218 00:08:35,152 --> 00:08:37,263 think we would be doing ourselves and 219 00:08:37,263 --> 00:08:39,374 our and our teammates a disservice if 220 00:08:39,374 --> 00:08:41,430 we tried to simplify this . As , you 221 00:08:41,430 --> 00:08:43,541 know , here's one thing or two things 222 00:08:43,541 --> 00:08:43,280 that can fix it . There's , there's 223 00:08:43,290 --> 00:08:45,512 it's it's very complicated and it is so 224 00:08:45,512 --> 00:08:48,080 individualistic , but I think we gotta 225 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:52,000 start with understanding the 226 00:08:52,010 --> 00:08:54,300 mental health needs of our troops and 227 00:08:54,300 --> 00:08:56,920 their families , reducing the stigma 228 00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:59,760 and making sure that if we're gonna say , 229 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:01,927 hey , you're not gonna be held against 230 00:09:01,927 --> 00:09:03,593 you for seeking mental health 231 00:09:03,593 --> 00:09:05,593 counseling that we can actually get 232 00:09:05,593 --> 00:09:07,649 that counseling to you . Uh and it's 233 00:09:07,649 --> 00:09:09,704 available so it's it's a re sourcing 234 00:09:09,704 --> 00:09:11,649 issue as well . But look , we look 235 00:09:11,649 --> 00:09:13,816 forward to seeing what the Independent 236 00:09:13,816 --> 00:09:13,370 Review Committee comes back with . The 237 00:09:13,370 --> 00:09:15,537 whole reason of standing this up is to 238 00:09:15,537 --> 00:09:17,592 try to help answer your question and 239 00:09:17,592 --> 00:09:19,759 that's what the secretary wants done . 240 00:09:19,759 --> 00:09:21,980 Um um And I just totally forgot your 241 00:09:21,980 --> 00:09:25,020 other questions in the 82nd Ukraine . 242 00:09:25,050 --> 00:09:28,260 Oh yeah , thank you . Um Yeah they 243 00:09:28,740 --> 00:09:30,907 They're still there as you know Poland 244 00:09:30,907 --> 00:09:34,760 now hosts thousands of us troops on 245 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:38,070 rotational orders of course . Um the 246 00:09:38,070 --> 00:09:41,020 82nd are there they are conducting 247 00:09:41,020 --> 00:09:43,320 training with our polish allies . So 248 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:45,542 they are doing training and exercises . 249 00:09:45,542 --> 00:09:48,840 Um They were ready to assist with the 250 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:51,310 evacuation of of american citizens 251 00:09:51,310 --> 00:09:53,410 coming from Ukraine . They had uh 252 00:09:53,420 --> 00:09:57,250 several um uh facilitation areas where 253 00:09:57,260 --> 00:10:00,060 they could help with folks that needed 254 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:02,862 transportation assistance , some food , 255 00:10:02,862 --> 00:10:05,029 some water , some some medical care as 256 00:10:05,029 --> 00:10:07,196 they came across the border . Uh There 257 00:10:07,196 --> 00:10:09,418 wasn't a large number I can get you the 258 00:10:09,418 --> 00:10:11,696 exact number . I don't have it with me . 259 00:10:11,696 --> 00:10:13,918 But it was a handful that that ended up 260 00:10:13,918 --> 00:10:16,084 needing support from the 82nd airborne 261 00:10:16,084 --> 00:10:18,307 and what they were trained and ready to 262 00:10:18,307 --> 00:10:20,362 do was again food , water , Internet 263 00:10:20,362 --> 00:10:22,790 access , helping them move on . Ah most 264 00:10:22,790 --> 00:10:25,510 of the americans the vast majority and 265 00:10:25,510 --> 00:10:27,710 I think it's been several 1000 I think 266 00:10:27,710 --> 00:10:30,570 since the course of the invasion that 267 00:10:30,570 --> 00:10:33,160 left Ukraine already had tickets in 268 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,150 hand places to go . They were ready so 269 00:10:36,150 --> 00:10:38,150 they didn't really need us military 270 00:10:38,150 --> 00:10:40,317 support but we wanted to be there just 271 00:10:40,317 --> 00:10:42,428 in case . And the other thing they're 272 00:10:42,428 --> 00:10:44,594 doing is contributing to the assurance 273 00:10:44,594 --> 00:10:46,706 and deterrence measures that that all 274 00:10:46,706 --> 00:10:48,817 the forces that the secretary ordered 275 00:10:48,817 --> 00:10:50,983 to the eastern flank had been doing to 276 00:10:50,983 --> 00:10:53,094 just to bolster the the eastern flank 277 00:10:53,094 --> 00:10:52,980 of NATO to make sure that we're sending 278 00:10:52,980 --> 00:10:55,150 a strong signal not just to Mr Putin 279 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:57,510 but to our allies . That article five 280 00:10:57,510 --> 00:10:59,732 is important to us . It matters and and 281 00:10:59,732 --> 00:11:01,954 we take that seriously that answer your 282 00:11:01,954 --> 00:11:04,121 question . Yes . Thank you . When will 283 00:11:04,121 --> 00:11:06,288 the commission rack buckets work ? The 284 00:11:06,288 --> 00:11:08,454 suicide commission ? When will it wrap 285 00:11:08,454 --> 00:11:10,510 up its work ? I don't have that . I 286 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:13,620 don't have that for you . Yeah . Yeah . 287 00:11:13,630 --> 00:11:16,780 Thank you . There are two things . 1 . 288 00:11:16,790 --> 00:11:19,870 Kremlin spokesperson Tesco today said 289 00:11:19,870 --> 00:11:22,370 that the Russian president Vladimir 290 00:11:22,370 --> 00:11:25,660 Putin , is ready to employ nuclear arms 291 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:29,210 in case Russia field threatened 292 00:11:30,170 --> 00:11:33,440 potential threat . Are you concerned 293 00:11:33,450 --> 00:11:35,506 with respect to that statement ? And 294 00:11:35,506 --> 00:11:37,780 has have you ever seen any changes in 295 00:11:37,790 --> 00:11:40,240 the Russian nuclear posture over the 296 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:42,510 course of the week ? I'm not gonna get 297 00:11:42,510 --> 00:11:44,732 into intelligence assessments . I would 298 00:11:44,732 --> 00:11:46,843 just tell you that uh we monitor this 299 00:11:46,843 --> 00:11:49,290 as best we can every day . And uh we 300 00:11:49,290 --> 00:11:52,550 haven't seen anything that would lead 301 00:11:52,550 --> 00:11:55,550 us to conclude that we need to change 302 00:11:55,570 --> 00:11:57,681 our strategic deterrent posture . The 303 00:11:57,681 --> 00:11:59,626 Secretary is still comfortable and 304 00:11:59,626 --> 00:12:01,792 confident that our strategic deterrent 305 00:12:01,792 --> 00:12:03,920 posture is well configured to defend 306 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:06,100 not only the homeland but our allies 307 00:12:06,100 --> 00:12:08,100 and our partners . And um and as to 308 00:12:08,100 --> 00:12:10,267 your the first part of your question , 309 00:12:10,267 --> 00:12:12,433 I mean , as you've heard the Secretary 310 00:12:12,433 --> 00:12:14,600 say many times , it's it's uh the kind 311 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:16,656 of rhetoric that's been out there on 312 00:12:16,656 --> 00:12:18,870 the use of potential use of nuclear 313 00:12:18,870 --> 00:12:21,280 weapons or new or changes in nuclear 314 00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:24,100 posture is is it's dangerous . Um and 315 00:12:24,100 --> 00:12:26,267 it's not the way a responsible nuclear 316 00:12:26,267 --> 00:12:28,340 power should act . So we were very 317 00:12:28,340 --> 00:12:30,284 clear about that . Travis . I just 318 00:12:30,284 --> 00:12:32,507 looked at my notes . I actually I don't 319 00:12:32,507 --> 00:12:35,430 have an end date for you . But um So 320 00:12:35,430 --> 00:12:38,970 within 60 days uh from 321 00:12:38,980 --> 00:12:42,070 today p and our personnel and readiness 322 00:12:42,070 --> 00:12:43,959 will issue a memo identifying the 323 00:12:43,959 --> 00:12:45,848 members of the Independent Review 324 00:12:45,848 --> 00:12:47,737 Commission , the timeline for the 325 00:12:47,737 --> 00:12:49,903 installation visits and then a charter 326 00:12:49,903 --> 00:12:52,014 that will outline the approach to the 327 00:12:52,014 --> 00:12:53,848 collective efforts of the of the 328 00:12:53,848 --> 00:12:55,848 Independent Review Commission . The 329 00:12:55,848 --> 00:12:57,626 Secretary is going to have them 330 00:12:57,626 --> 00:12:59,792 commenced their work no later than the 331 00:12:59,792 --> 00:13:02,100 14th of May this year . Um and they 332 00:13:02,100 --> 00:13:04,322 will begin installation visits no later 333 00:13:04,322 --> 00:13:06,544 than the first of august . So , I don't 334 00:13:06,544 --> 00:13:08,878 it's not a real answer to your question , 335 00:13:08,878 --> 00:13:08,490 but it is it does get at the timeline 336 00:13:08,500 --> 00:13:10,556 and I believe all that's laid out in 337 00:13:10,556 --> 00:13:12,778 the Secretary's memo . So I apologize . 338 00:13:12,778 --> 00:13:15,060 I didn't have that before . Sorry . 339 00:13:15,540 --> 00:13:19,220 Okay . There is also reports 340 00:13:19,220 --> 00:13:22,350 that some of the mines are drifted away 341 00:13:22,350 --> 00:13:25,240 from Odessa into the Black Sea . Have 342 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:28,350 you seen any indications of that or are 343 00:13:28,350 --> 00:13:31,850 you going to help Romania Turkey too 344 00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:35,450 to deal with those minds in case we 345 00:13:35,450 --> 00:13:37,339 haven't seen . We can't , I can't 346 00:13:37,339 --> 00:13:40,070 confirm reports of minds and where they 347 00:13:40,070 --> 00:13:43,060 might be in the Northern Black Sea . No . 348 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:46,260 Uh , yeah , 20 couple questions . I'll 349 00:13:46,260 --> 00:13:48,316 take them one at a time . What's the 350 00:13:48,316 --> 00:13:50,149 status of the Pentagon's finding 351 00:13:50,149 --> 00:13:52,371 sources for the $800 million dollars in 352 00:13:52,371 --> 00:13:54,093 lethal And not only led to the 353 00:13:54,093 --> 00:13:56,710 Ukrainian military , We're still 354 00:13:56,710 --> 00:13:58,750 working that through Tony . Um , 355 00:14:01,140 --> 00:14:03,820 the policy folks here at OsD the Joint 356 00:14:03,820 --> 00:14:06,720 staff , uh , and the various relevant 357 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:08,887 combatant combatant commanders are all 358 00:14:08,887 --> 00:14:11,053 working on the sourcing right now . Is 359 00:14:11,053 --> 00:14:12,998 it difficult ? I mean , stingers , 360 00:14:12,998 --> 00:14:15,220 javelins in these little drums and it's 361 00:14:15,220 --> 00:14:17,442 not that it's difficult . I mean , it's 362 00:14:17,442 --> 00:14:19,609 it's a , it's a , it's a large package 363 00:14:19,609 --> 00:14:21,664 that the president signed out . $800 364 00:14:21,664 --> 00:14:23,776 million . You've seen the list . Um , 365 00:14:23,776 --> 00:14:25,942 and so we want to properly source it , 366 00:14:25,942 --> 00:14:28,109 make sure that we can get our hands on 367 00:14:28,109 --> 00:14:30,164 this , uh , and that , you know , it 368 00:14:30,164 --> 00:14:32,276 can be properly arranged for shipment 369 00:14:32,276 --> 00:14:34,442 into Ukraine as fast as possible . But 370 00:14:34,442 --> 00:14:36,609 I don't have a a timeline for you have 371 00:14:36,609 --> 00:14:38,387 a transparency question totally 372 00:14:38,387 --> 00:14:40,498 different distance from Ukraine . The 373 00:14:40,498 --> 00:14:42,609 Senate Armed services committee today 374 00:14:42,609 --> 00:14:44,776 held took up the nomination of William 375 00:14:44,776 --> 00:14:44,730 LaPlante to be the pentagon's top 376 00:14:44,730 --> 00:14:46,830 weapons buyer in its questions in 377 00:14:46,830 --> 00:14:48,860 advance to him . It raised concerns 378 00:14:48,860 --> 00:14:51,320 about the potential overuse and abuse 379 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:53,340 of this ubiquitous controlled 380 00:14:53,350 --> 00:14:56,690 unclassified information cuz I label 381 00:14:56,690 --> 00:14:58,801 that's on everything but toilet paper 382 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:01,207 you are clear at the highest levels to 383 00:15:01,207 --> 00:15:03,710 see classified and Ceo I need to ask 384 00:15:03,710 --> 00:15:06,450 you , is it your , is it your view that 385 00:15:06,460 --> 00:15:08,740 this label is is being overused and 386 00:15:08,740 --> 00:15:11,340 abused and the Senate committee has a 387 00:15:11,340 --> 00:15:14,280 point ? What I would tell you Tony is C . 388 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:18,250 UI has a purpose . Um , and I , and I 389 00:15:18,250 --> 00:15:22,250 don't think I don't see that 390 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:25,350 purpose going away . Um , we have an 391 00:15:25,350 --> 00:15:29,310 obligation to protect information uh , 392 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:31,376 that that could give our adversaries 393 00:15:31,376 --> 00:15:33,760 advantage . Now look and you and I have 394 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:35,649 talked about this a lot . It is a 395 00:15:35,649 --> 00:15:38,720 balance and I'm not gonna stand up here 396 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:40,831 and proclaim that we get that balance 397 00:15:40,831 --> 00:15:44,030 right every time . We don't . But I can 398 00:15:44,030 --> 00:15:46,141 tell you that we try every day to get 399 00:15:46,141 --> 00:15:48,308 that balance right between operational 400 00:15:48,308 --> 00:15:50,670 security and transparency . Um , and 401 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:53,240 the guy that being the guy that stands 402 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:55,351 up here almost every day , I can tell 403 00:15:55,351 --> 00:15:57,629 you even , I don't always get it right . 404 00:15:57,629 --> 00:16:00,330 But we do try , uh , and uh , and the 405 00:16:00,330 --> 00:16:02,552 secretary is mindful again that we have 406 00:16:02,552 --> 00:16:04,719 obligations to the american people and 407 00:16:04,719 --> 00:16:06,840 certainly to uh , the oversight of 408 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:09,007 Congress to be as open and transparent 409 00:16:09,007 --> 00:16:10,784 as we can . But we also have an 410 00:16:10,784 --> 00:16:12,951 obligation to protect information that 411 00:16:12,951 --> 00:16:15,229 we don't want out in the public sphere . 412 00:16:15,229 --> 00:16:17,118 So , um , I'm not going to make a 413 00:16:17,118 --> 00:16:19,229 definitive declaration here on on see 414 00:16:19,229 --> 00:16:21,340 you . I except to say it does serve a 415 00:16:21,340 --> 00:16:23,870 purpose and we have to be mindful every 416 00:16:23,870 --> 00:16:25,814 day . We have to look at how we're 417 00:16:25,814 --> 00:16:27,703 using , not just that , but other 418 00:16:27,703 --> 00:16:29,814 levels of classification to make sure 419 00:16:29,814 --> 00:16:32,037 we're we're treating it appropriately . 420 00:16:32,037 --> 00:16:34,148 Is it possible that the secretary may 421 00:16:34,148 --> 00:16:36,203 launch a little reviewer Mr LaPlante 422 00:16:36,203 --> 00:16:38,426 may launch a review just to see whether 423 00:16:38,426 --> 00:16:40,648 the services are being too protective . 424 00:16:40,648 --> 00:16:42,814 I know of no plans by the secretary to 425 00:16:42,814 --> 00:16:44,981 launch a review of of classification . 426 00:16:44,981 --> 00:16:46,981 And I think Mr Le Pen will tell you 427 00:16:46,981 --> 00:16:49,148 that he's not confirmed yet . So , I I 428 00:16:49,148 --> 00:16:51,259 don't know that he's got that kind of 429 00:16:51,259 --> 00:16:54,390 that kind of planning . Yes , sir . Two 430 00:16:54,390 --> 00:16:56,279 things on the suicide independent 431 00:16:56,279 --> 00:16:58,390 Review Commission . How are the bases 432 00:16:58,390 --> 00:17:00,501 that are going to be visited chosen ? 433 00:17:00,501 --> 00:17:02,612 It looks like there's three in Alaska 434 00:17:02,612 --> 00:17:04,668 and the other ones are a little more 435 00:17:04,668 --> 00:17:06,834 spread out . And who is the department 436 00:17:06,834 --> 00:17:09,001 looking to put on this commission from 437 00:17:09,001 --> 00:17:08,660 what backgrounds and experience are you 438 00:17:08,660 --> 00:17:10,860 looking for ? So , great questions , 439 00:17:10,860 --> 00:17:12,930 Megan . The this this is just an 440 00:17:12,930 --> 00:17:14,940 initial list . Ultimately , the 441 00:17:14,940 --> 00:17:17,051 Secretary made these decisions and he 442 00:17:17,051 --> 00:17:19,218 was advised about this from talking to 443 00:17:19,218 --> 00:17:21,440 senior service leadership about some of 444 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:23,662 the challenges that they're having . Um 445 00:17:23,662 --> 00:17:25,773 by the chairman , of course , General 446 00:17:25,773 --> 00:17:28,300 Milley uh and and and policy , 447 00:17:28,310 --> 00:17:30,477 particularly personnel and readiness . 448 00:17:30,477 --> 00:17:32,643 I mean , it was a it was a team effort 449 00:17:32,643 --> 00:17:35,110 to come up with this list . Um and it 450 00:17:35,110 --> 00:17:37,332 made , you know , it's the initial list 451 00:17:37,332 --> 00:17:38,999 of installations that doesn't 452 00:17:38,999 --> 00:17:41,221 necessarily have to be the end all list 453 00:17:41,221 --> 00:17:44,740 here . Um and yet another one . So 454 00:17:44,740 --> 00:17:46,962 we're gonna use you , as I said , we're 455 00:17:46,962 --> 00:17:49,073 gonna get to PNR will come up with 60 456 00:17:49,073 --> 00:17:51,018 days . They'll come up with a list 457 00:17:51,018 --> 00:17:53,184 identifying them . Um It'll what we're 458 00:17:53,184 --> 00:17:55,470 going to be looking for our obviously 459 00:17:55,470 --> 00:17:57,692 people with experience and expertise in 460 00:17:57,692 --> 00:17:59,748 mental health , particularly suicide 461 00:17:59,748 --> 00:18:02,440 prevention , um and and people with 462 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:05,510 senior organizational leadership 463 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:09,460 expertise . Uh it's it's I would , 464 00:18:09,470 --> 00:18:11,637 you know , again , I don't want to get 465 00:18:11,637 --> 00:18:13,803 ahead of the decision process , but uh 466 00:18:13,803 --> 00:18:16,350 but there will be a a significant 467 00:18:16,350 --> 00:18:18,572 amount of reliance on outside experts , 468 00:18:18,572 --> 00:18:20,794 that's what independence is all about . 469 00:18:20,794 --> 00:18:22,961 And so I would look for that to be the 470 00:18:22,990 --> 00:18:24,934 main focus outside expertise . The 471 00:18:24,934 --> 00:18:27,180 Sexual Assault Commission had everybody 472 00:18:27,180 --> 00:18:28,958 was from outside of the Defense 473 00:18:28,958 --> 00:18:30,847 Department , but many of them are 474 00:18:30,847 --> 00:18:32,970 veterans had had experience in both 475 00:18:32,980 --> 00:18:35,091 domains , both in and out . So well , 476 00:18:35,091 --> 00:18:36,980 as I said , senior organizational 477 00:18:36,980 --> 00:18:39,147 leadership experience and I don't want 478 00:18:39,147 --> 00:18:41,036 to get ahead of the process , but 479 00:18:41,036 --> 00:18:43,036 independent for the Secretary means 480 00:18:43,036 --> 00:18:45,147 independent . We want them to be able 481 00:18:45,147 --> 00:18:47,313 to to be brutally honest with us about 482 00:18:47,313 --> 00:18:49,424 what they're finding and therefore uh 483 00:18:49,424 --> 00:18:51,630 their ability to do that . The freedom 484 00:18:51,630 --> 00:18:53,852 that they have to do that's going to be 485 00:18:53,852 --> 00:18:55,950 important to the Secretary louis all 486 00:18:55,950 --> 00:18:58,790 right at the White House to discuss . 487 00:18:58,790 --> 00:19:00,901 Some of the things that the President 488 00:19:00,901 --> 00:19:02,901 is going to be talking about at the 489 00:19:02,901 --> 00:19:02,070 NATO summit , one of the things he 490 00:19:02,070 --> 00:19:04,520 talked about was working with allies on 491 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:07,440 the longer term adjustments um to 492 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:09,440 NATO's force posture on the eastern 493 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:12,310 flank . Um and answer to Travis 494 00:19:12,310 --> 00:19:14,421 question , you talked a lot about the 495 00:19:14,421 --> 00:19:16,700 82nd . The 82nd is one of the main 496 00:19:16,700 --> 00:19:19,170 components of adjustments have been 497 00:19:19,170 --> 00:19:21,337 made on the eastern flank , but that's 498 00:19:21,337 --> 00:19:23,448 been done unilaterally by the U . S . 499 00:19:23,540 --> 00:19:26,380 So is there a possibility that we could 500 00:19:26,380 --> 00:19:30,270 see a turnover from us ? This turning 501 00:19:30,270 --> 00:19:32,890 from a unilateral mission to a NATO 502 00:19:32,890 --> 00:19:35,870 mission involving US troops ? Or is the 503 00:19:35,870 --> 00:19:37,648 President talking about further 504 00:19:37,648 --> 00:19:39,703 contributions from other countries , 505 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:41,800 NATO countries along NATO's eastern 506 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:44,022 flank . This as opposed to just the U . 507 00:19:44,022 --> 00:19:46,133 S . Which As I think has searched the 508 00:19:46,133 --> 00:19:48,356 most number of troops there right now . 509 00:19:48,356 --> 00:19:50,578 Well , we went from 80 to about 100,000 510 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:52,807 Look look I don't want to get ahead of 511 00:19:52,807 --> 00:19:54,862 the President here in a meeting that 512 00:19:54,862 --> 00:19:56,751 that that that hasn't happened in 513 00:19:56,751 --> 00:19:59,540 brussels um when we were in brussels 514 00:19:59,540 --> 00:20:01,429 last week and the Secretary had a 515 00:20:01,429 --> 00:20:03,318 chance to meet with the Secretary 516 00:20:03,318 --> 00:20:05,830 General Stoltenberg as well as many 517 00:20:05,830 --> 00:20:08,052 defense ministers across the alliance . 518 00:20:08,052 --> 00:20:10,163 It was clear that the alliance itself 519 00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:12,607 was taking steps to bolster deterrence 520 00:20:12,607 --> 00:20:14,773 and readiness . I mean we talked about 521 00:20:14,773 --> 00:20:16,884 these battle groups that are that are 522 00:20:16,884 --> 00:20:19,810 going to be formed and um the degree to 523 00:20:19,810 --> 00:20:22,250 which they exist long term is really 524 00:20:22,250 --> 00:20:24,417 going to be an alliance decision , not 525 00:20:24,417 --> 00:20:26,570 something that the United States uh 526 00:20:26,580 --> 00:20:28,691 will be able to decide unilaterally . 527 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:33,030 But even before This invasion , we had 528 00:20:33,030 --> 00:20:35,650 some 80,000 troops on rotational and or 529 00:20:35,650 --> 00:20:37,761 permanent deployments to Europe . And 530 00:20:37,761 --> 00:20:39,928 some of that , as you well know , is a 531 00:20:39,928 --> 00:20:42,130 result of decisions that President 532 00:20:42,130 --> 00:20:44,070 Obama made back in 2014 with the 533 00:20:44,070 --> 00:20:46,790 european deterrence initiative uh with 534 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:49,133 these additional rotational deployments . 535 00:20:49,133 --> 00:20:51,078 Um I don't know what the future is 536 00:20:51,078 --> 00:20:53,078 going to look like . I can tell you 537 00:20:53,078 --> 00:20:55,133 that the Secretary wants to preserve 538 00:20:55,133 --> 00:20:57,300 his options uh to unilaterally be able 539 00:20:57,300 --> 00:20:59,270 to continue to bolster the eastern 540 00:20:59,270 --> 00:21:01,630 flank . We're not sure where this is 541 00:21:01,630 --> 00:21:04,040 going to go , but the Secretary is 542 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:07,340 convinced that wherever it goes , the 543 00:21:07,350 --> 00:21:09,406 security environment on the european 544 00:21:09,406 --> 00:21:11,630 continent is now changed and we've got 545 00:21:11,630 --> 00:21:13,519 to think about it in a completely 546 00:21:13,519 --> 00:21:15,686 different way , no matter how this all 547 00:21:15,686 --> 00:21:17,519 ends up . So I think he wants to 548 00:21:17,519 --> 00:21:19,630 preserve as many options available to 549 00:21:19,630 --> 00:21:21,686 him so that he can t those up to the 550 00:21:21,686 --> 00:21:21,250 President , ultimately , it's going to 551 00:21:21,250 --> 00:21:23,417 be the Commander in chief's decision . 552 00:21:23,417 --> 00:21:25,306 But I think you're going to see a 553 00:21:25,306 --> 00:21:27,810 robust discussion inside the alliance , 554 00:21:27,870 --> 00:21:30,800 but also you'll see , I believe you'll 555 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,370 see robust discussions inside nations 556 00:21:33,370 --> 00:21:35,481 themselves , sovereign decisions that 557 00:21:35,481 --> 00:21:37,259 they might make about their own 558 00:21:37,259 --> 00:21:39,370 deterrence and defense capabilities , 559 00:21:39,370 --> 00:21:41,537 some of them will be just intrinsic to 560 00:21:41,537 --> 00:21:43,481 themselves because they are on the 561 00:21:43,481 --> 00:21:45,703 eastern flank . Some of our NATO allies 562 00:21:45,703 --> 00:21:45,220 are not on the eastern flank , but 563 00:21:45,220 --> 00:21:47,553 might make unilateral decisions as well . 564 00:21:47,553 --> 00:21:49,553 So we're gonna have to see where it 565 00:21:49,553 --> 00:21:52,960 goes clearly though the security 566 00:21:52,970 --> 00:21:56,450 situation , the framework here on the 567 00:21:56,450 --> 00:21:58,506 european continent has changed and I 568 00:21:58,506 --> 00:22:00,561 think everybody's gonna have to deal 569 00:22:00,561 --> 00:22:02,728 with that going forward . The National 570 00:22:02,728 --> 00:22:04,894 Defense security strategy and national 571 00:22:04,894 --> 00:22:06,950 defense strategy that is supposed to 572 00:22:06,950 --> 00:22:09,061 come out . I'm not going to get ahead 573 00:22:09,061 --> 00:22:11,340 of the document louis . Um we're still 574 00:22:11,350 --> 00:22:13,830 we're still working on that and uh 575 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:16,350 there's been a lot of effort put into 576 00:22:16,360 --> 00:22:19,630 the national defense strategy . Um so I 577 00:22:19,630 --> 00:22:21,741 don't want to I don't want to preview 578 00:22:21,741 --> 00:22:25,050 it . Um I would only say that 579 00:22:25,540 --> 00:22:28,660 as I said before , certainly 580 00:22:29,940 --> 00:22:32,162 the strategy will have to be informed . 581 00:22:32,162 --> 00:22:34,051 It will be informed . It is being 582 00:22:34,051 --> 00:22:36,329 informed by what's going on in Ukraine . 583 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:40,190 Yeah , yeah . The briefing earlier with 584 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:42,367 senior defense official and background 585 00:22:42,367 --> 00:22:44,533 suggested that the logistical problems 586 00:22:44,533 --> 00:22:46,790 continue to manifest themselves . Can 587 00:22:46,790 --> 00:22:49,012 you talk a little bit of how that looks 588 00:22:49,012 --> 00:22:51,234 at sea for the Russian naval forces and 589 00:22:51,234 --> 00:22:53,346 also for Russian troops on the ground 590 00:22:53,346 --> 00:22:55,401 and if they are not prepared for the 591 00:22:55,401 --> 00:22:59,100 winter weather . Yeah . Um we 592 00:22:59,100 --> 00:23:01,640 continue to see indications that the 593 00:23:01,650 --> 00:23:05,650 Russians did not properly plan 594 00:23:05,650 --> 00:23:08,070 for logistics and sustainment . We know 595 00:23:08,070 --> 00:23:10,620 that they continue to have fuel issues 596 00:23:10,630 --> 00:23:13,670 um across there , 597 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:17,960 their force and that they are still 598 00:23:18,500 --> 00:23:20,890 they're still struggling with with food . 599 00:23:21,060 --> 00:23:23,282 I mean you've seen the footage yourself 600 00:23:23,282 --> 00:23:26,300 of Russian soldiers looting grocery 601 00:23:26,300 --> 00:23:28,550 stores so they're still having trouble 602 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:30,670 feeding some of their troops . They 603 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:33,296 they either didn't properly plan for 604 00:23:33,296 --> 00:23:35,518 logistics or sustainment or they didn't 605 00:23:35,518 --> 00:23:37,740 properly executed their plan , but they 606 00:23:37,740 --> 00:23:39,629 are still having problems . It is 607 00:23:39,629 --> 00:23:41,851 exacerbated by the Ukrainian resistance 608 00:23:41,851 --> 00:23:43,684 because the Ukrainians have have 609 00:23:43,684 --> 00:23:46,140 targeted some of their resupply . Uh as 610 00:23:46,140 --> 00:23:48,084 we've all talked about this , this 611 00:23:48,084 --> 00:23:50,196 vaunted convoy for so long . Um So we 612 00:23:50,196 --> 00:23:52,529 know they're still struggling with that . 613 00:23:52,529 --> 00:23:54,529 Um we haven't seen indications that 614 00:23:54,529 --> 00:23:56,362 they are trying to resupply from 615 00:23:56,362 --> 00:23:58,460 outside of Ukraine , but um , but we 616 00:23:58,460 --> 00:24:00,516 know that that's something that they 617 00:24:00,516 --> 00:24:02,404 have thought about . Is it just a 618 00:24:02,404 --> 00:24:04,404 follow up also ? It sounds like the 619 00:24:04,404 --> 00:24:06,460 combat power that they have deployed 620 00:24:06,460 --> 00:24:08,627 has been reduced slightly from what it 621 00:24:08,627 --> 00:24:11,900 was . How do you explain that shift ? 622 00:24:11,910 --> 00:24:14,270 And is there some sign that there 623 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:17,470 pulling some forces out in some way 624 00:24:17,620 --> 00:24:19,880 connected to logistics or munitions ? 625 00:24:20,110 --> 00:24:23,240 Have the combat power , has The combat 626 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:26,000 power in being employed at the moment 627 00:24:26,010 --> 00:24:29,120 is less than 90% . Well , I mean , I'm 628 00:24:29,120 --> 00:24:32,030 not , I can't speak to specific data 629 00:24:32,030 --> 00:24:35,560 about their combat power . Uh but I 630 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:37,616 mean they've been at this now for 27 631 00:24:37,616 --> 00:24:39,930 days , they've expanded a lot of 632 00:24:39,930 --> 00:24:43,650 munitions . Um They have 633 00:24:43,650 --> 00:24:47,450 put a lot of forces into this fight . 634 00:24:48,140 --> 00:24:51,000 Um and they're flying aircraft and 635 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:53,111 they're launching missiles and you're 636 00:24:53,111 --> 00:24:55,278 seeing it for yourself , the the kinds 637 00:24:55,278 --> 00:24:57,389 of hardware that they're putting into 638 00:24:57,389 --> 00:25:00,340 this . So It follows that after 27 days , 639 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:02,258 um that there's gonna be a deck 640 00:25:02,258 --> 00:25:04,770 criminal to some of their inventory . 641 00:25:05,140 --> 00:25:07,210 But I would remind dan , and we said 642 00:25:07,210 --> 00:25:09,390 this as far back as november and 643 00:25:09,390 --> 00:25:11,612 december . They were , they have , they 644 00:25:11,612 --> 00:25:13,510 have , over time , built up a 645 00:25:13,510 --> 00:25:15,732 significant amount of combat capability 646 00:25:15,732 --> 00:25:18,070 to conduct this , this operation , this , 647 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:21,640 this war . And um , they still have our 648 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:23,418 assessment is they still have a 649 00:25:23,418 --> 00:25:25,307 significant amount of that combat 650 00:25:25,307 --> 00:25:27,529 capability available to them . They are 651 00:25:27,529 --> 00:25:29,640 that said They have been increasingly 652 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:31,973 frustrated by a lack of progress . Here . 653 00:25:31,973 --> 00:25:33,973 It is day 27 and they haven't taken 654 00:25:33,973 --> 00:25:35,973 Kiev , they haven't taken Kharkiv , 655 00:25:35,973 --> 00:25:38,140 they haven't taken chair native . Um , 656 00:25:38,140 --> 00:25:39,973 they , they haven't been able to 657 00:25:39,973 --> 00:25:41,696 isolate the Donbass area . The 658 00:25:41,696 --> 00:25:43,584 Ukrainians are fighting back very 659 00:25:43,584 --> 00:25:46,360 creatively , very bravely and that's 660 00:25:46,360 --> 00:25:48,249 not by accident either . I mean , 661 00:25:48,249 --> 00:25:50,416 there's been a lot of training , a lot 662 00:25:50,416 --> 00:25:52,193 of security assistance has been 663 00:25:52,193 --> 00:25:52,000 provided to them over the last eight 664 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:54,222 years , certainly over the last year in 665 00:25:54,222 --> 00:25:56,056 particular . That has helped the 666 00:25:56,056 --> 00:25:57,944 Ukrainian stay in the fight Zoe ! 667 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:02,540 Yesterday , you spoke about the air 668 00:26:02,540 --> 00:26:05,400 force activity that has picked up . 669 00:26:05,410 --> 00:26:08,960 Does it continue today ? Did you ? 670 00:26:09,340 --> 00:26:12,950 Is the uh , the Ukrainians using 671 00:26:12,950 --> 00:26:15,450 their planes more . 672 00:26:17,140 --> 00:26:20,220 I'm gonna refrain from uh , talking 673 00:26:20,220 --> 00:26:22,331 about the Ukrainian order of battle . 674 00:26:22,331 --> 00:26:24,553 Sylvie . I think you can understand why 675 00:26:24,553 --> 00:26:26,609 we wouldn't want to do that . Um , I 676 00:26:26,609 --> 00:26:28,831 would just say a couple of things . One 677 00:26:28,831 --> 00:26:31,053 we don't believe that the Russians have 678 00:26:31,053 --> 00:26:33,276 achieved air superiority over Ukraine . 679 00:26:33,276 --> 00:26:35,331 They're dominant in some areas to be 680 00:26:35,331 --> 00:26:37,442 sure , but not over the whole country 681 00:26:37,442 --> 00:26:39,553 to the airspace is contested and it's 682 00:26:39,553 --> 00:26:41,609 contested because the Ukrainians are 683 00:26:41,609 --> 00:26:43,831 making it that way and they're being um 684 00:26:43,831 --> 00:26:45,998 uh they're they're being uh very smart 685 00:26:45,998 --> 00:26:48,164 about how they're marshaling and using 686 00:26:48,164 --> 00:26:50,164 their air defense resources , which 687 00:26:50,164 --> 00:26:52,387 includes fixed and rotary wing aircraft 688 00:26:52,387 --> 00:26:54,890 which they continue to fly . Let me go 689 00:26:54,890 --> 00:26:57,780 back to the phones here because I kind 690 00:26:57,780 --> 00:27:00,920 of ignored that uh Phil Stewart , 691 00:27:00,930 --> 00:27:04,400 Reuters , Thanks . You said earlier 692 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:06,600 that the the Ukrainians were going on 693 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:09,100 the offensive . Um Do you think from a 694 00:27:09,100 --> 00:27:11,322 military perspective it's possible that 695 00:27:11,322 --> 00:27:13,050 Ukraine can can win the war ? 696 00:27:14,940 --> 00:27:17,580 Um We we do assess that in some places 697 00:27:17,580 --> 00:27:20,920 they are um they are attempting to take 698 00:27:20,930 --> 00:27:23,560 back territory that the Russians um 699 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:27,560 have have captured or occupied . 700 00:27:28,340 --> 00:27:31,550 Um I would just tell you Phil , 701 00:27:33,340 --> 00:27:36,510 the Russians have not achieved any of 702 00:27:36,510 --> 00:27:38,677 the strategic objectives that they set 703 00:27:38,677 --> 00:27:41,050 out to and they certainly haven't 704 00:27:41,050 --> 00:27:44,020 achieved the objectives that they have 705 00:27:44,030 --> 00:27:47,360 uh easily or without 706 00:27:47,740 --> 00:27:51,040 without loss . The Ukrainians are 707 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:53,930 putting up a very stiff defense 708 00:27:54,620 --> 00:27:57,850 and what what we continue to believe 709 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:00,650 is , well , a couple of things won the 710 00:28:00,650 --> 00:28:03,340 war was completely unnecessary . A war 711 00:28:03,340 --> 00:28:05,062 of choice . Mr Putin still had 712 00:28:05,062 --> 00:28:07,284 diplomatic options on the table when he 713 00:28:07,284 --> 00:28:09,507 decided to invade , He can end this war 714 00:28:09,507 --> 00:28:12,850 today by being a negotiator of good 715 00:28:12,850 --> 00:28:14,906 faith with the Ukrainians . It could 716 00:28:14,906 --> 00:28:17,800 end today . Um uh there's no indication 717 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:20,590 that that he's willing to do that , but 718 00:28:20,590 --> 00:28:23,270 we still believe that the that it 719 00:28:23,270 --> 00:28:26,500 should end now and Mr Putin should 720 00:28:26,500 --> 00:28:28,667 commit to good faith negotiations with 721 00:28:28,667 --> 00:28:32,490 the Ukrainians to do that . Um 722 00:28:32,500 --> 00:28:34,389 Mike breast Washington examiner . 723 00:28:37,740 --> 00:28:39,851 Thanks for taking . Thanks for taking 724 00:28:39,851 --> 00:28:42,018 my question . Uh this is going to be a 725 00:28:42,018 --> 00:28:44,129 little bit out of left field , but is 726 00:28:44,129 --> 00:28:46,407 the Ahmadi family still in Afghanistan ? 727 00:28:46,407 --> 00:28:48,684 And if so , why is this taking so long ? 728 00:28:48,684 --> 00:28:50,907 We haven't heard anything about it in a 729 00:28:50,907 --> 00:28:53,129 little while . Mike . Thanks for that . 730 00:28:53,129 --> 00:28:55,129 Um We're still working very closely 731 00:28:55,129 --> 00:28:57,650 with the family's representatives um 732 00:28:57,660 --> 00:29:00,590 with Mr Ahmadi's former employee , I'm 733 00:29:00,590 --> 00:29:04,460 sorry , former employer um uh to 734 00:29:04,460 --> 00:29:07,930 affect their their safe relocation out 735 00:29:07,930 --> 00:29:10,152 of Afghanistan . They are still there . 736 00:29:10,152 --> 00:29:12,430 But we are working this very very hard . 737 00:29:12,430 --> 00:29:15,380 Um It's um it's a complex process . We 738 00:29:15,380 --> 00:29:18,040 want to make sure that uh that we do 739 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:20,720 this uh in the appropriate way and I 740 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:22,887 don't have more of an update than that 741 00:29:22,887 --> 00:29:22,580 for you . 742 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:36,500 Nothing heard Mike . Yeah . John can 743 00:29:36,500 --> 00:29:38,667 you comment on the high mortality rate 744 00:29:38,667 --> 00:29:40,860 of Russian generals on this campaign ? 745 00:29:40,870 --> 00:29:43,600 Because you know the us sustained one 746 00:29:43,610 --> 00:29:45,790 general lobster loss after 20 years in 747 00:29:45,790 --> 00:29:48,680 Afghanistan . But I mean if if Ukraine 748 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:50,840 is correct , There have been five 749 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:53,860 Russian generals killed in a month . 750 00:29:54,340 --> 00:29:56,396 Yeah . We can't verify those numbers 751 00:29:56,396 --> 00:29:58,396 mike . I mean we've seen them and I 752 00:29:58,396 --> 00:30:00,507 know the Ukrainians have reported the 753 00:30:00,507 --> 00:30:02,507 number . I think the Russians , the 754 00:30:02,507 --> 00:30:05,240 Russian military or about this sort of 755 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:07,296 the unique nature of this campaign , 756 00:30:07,296 --> 00:30:09,240 assuming they've lost it is I mean 757 00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:11,462 again , you have to assume that they've 758 00:30:11,462 --> 00:30:13,684 lost all those generals . And we're not 759 00:30:13,684 --> 00:30:15,796 in a position to independently verify 760 00:30:15,796 --> 00:30:17,851 that the the Russian military is not 761 00:30:17,851 --> 00:30:19,962 organized the way we are . You know , 762 00:30:19,962 --> 00:30:19,150 they don't really have a 763 00:30:19,150 --> 00:30:21,820 noncommissioned officer corps . They so 764 00:30:21,830 --> 00:30:25,560 um um uh and they have 765 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:29,110 been struggling . So um it's 766 00:30:29,110 --> 00:30:31,166 not out of the realm of the possible 767 00:30:31,166 --> 00:30:33,110 that more generals are more in the 768 00:30:33,110 --> 00:30:36,500 field . Um But I just can't verify the 769 00:30:36,510 --> 00:30:39,310 I can't verify the numbers of how many 770 00:30:39,310 --> 00:30:41,530 they're they're losing . Look take a 771 00:30:41,530 --> 00:30:45,060 step back . The 772 00:30:45,730 --> 00:30:47,730 they have struggled again , what we 773 00:30:47,730 --> 00:30:49,508 talked about with logistics and 774 00:30:49,508 --> 00:30:51,674 sustainment , they have struggled with 775 00:30:51,674 --> 00:30:53,619 maneuver . They did not expect the 776 00:30:53,619 --> 00:30:55,730 stiff Ukrainian resistance . They are 777 00:30:55,730 --> 00:30:57,730 not integrating , we don't see them 778 00:30:57,730 --> 00:30:59,952 integrating air and ground forces . The 779 00:30:59,952 --> 00:31:02,063 way you would think a modern military 780 00:31:02,063 --> 00:31:04,008 might do that um they appear to be 781 00:31:04,008 --> 00:31:06,119 operating in silos , we think they're 782 00:31:06,119 --> 00:31:08,341 having command and control problems and 783 00:31:08,341 --> 00:31:10,341 voting just to communicate with one 784 00:31:10,341 --> 00:31:12,563 another and communicate between units . 785 00:31:12,563 --> 00:31:14,674 Um So there's there's there's there's 786 00:31:14,674 --> 00:31:16,830 been a lot that the that they haven't 787 00:31:16,830 --> 00:31:19,030 done successfully here . And again , 788 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:21,940 all of it , all of that Can end today 789 00:31:22,330 --> 00:31:24,552 if Mr Putin agrees to negotiate in good 790 00:31:24,552 --> 00:31:28,430 faith and end the war . Come over here 791 00:31:28,950 --> 00:31:31,110 to question one is a follow up on 792 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:34,900 Louise questions . So in light of the 793 00:31:34,900 --> 00:31:36,990 assessment by the secretary that the 794 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:39,056 security situation in europe has has 795 00:31:39,056 --> 00:31:42,270 changed is the U . S . In favor of 796 00:31:43,330 --> 00:31:47,110 um permanent and collective re 797 00:31:47,110 --> 00:31:50,300 posturing on the eastern flank of NATO 798 00:31:50,310 --> 00:31:53,470 something to be taken by the entire 799 00:31:54,340 --> 00:31:57,760 The NATO Alliance . And the 2nd 1 , as 800 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:00,500 you recall , The previous aid package 801 00:32:00,500 --> 00:32:03,820 of 350 million actually was delivered 802 00:32:03,820 --> 00:32:07,570 in probably in a record time . Um we 803 00:32:07,570 --> 00:32:11,210 had it was yeah I was wondering why 804 00:32:11,220 --> 00:32:13,387 although this is more than double that 805 00:32:13,387 --> 00:32:15,276 800 is more than double that that 806 00:32:15,276 --> 00:32:18,360 package . Can you explain why you're 807 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:20,500 still looking into how to source it ? 808 00:32:20,510 --> 00:32:22,540 Are there like issues related to 809 00:32:22,550 --> 00:32:25,010 shortages ? I mean what's what's what's 810 00:32:25,010 --> 00:32:27,066 that mean ? Look I mean , yes you're 811 00:32:27,066 --> 00:32:29,232 right . We deliver that 350 million in 812 00:32:29,232 --> 00:32:31,343 record time and we're gonna be moving 813 00:32:31,343 --> 00:32:33,454 out just as expeditiously on this 800 814 00:32:33,454 --> 00:32:35,232 million . I mean uh it just got 815 00:32:35,232 --> 00:32:37,560 announced by the President a few days 816 00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:40,560 ago . Uh and there's a lot in it . Um I 817 00:32:40,560 --> 00:32:42,560 would also remind me that there are 818 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:44,504 shipments arriving literally as we 819 00:32:44,504 --> 00:32:46,171 speak every day . We're still 820 00:32:46,171 --> 00:32:48,282 completing that 350 million . I think 821 00:32:48,282 --> 00:32:50,393 we'll finally get to the end of it by 822 00:32:50,393 --> 00:32:53,460 the end of this week . Um So uh we're 823 00:32:53,460 --> 00:32:55,682 working on this very very hard . I mean 824 00:32:55,682 --> 00:32:58,280 just think about it in in uh in one 825 00:32:58,280 --> 00:33:01,230 year alone The Biden Administration 826 00:33:01,230 --> 00:33:04,270 committed 650 million originally . Then 827 00:33:04,270 --> 00:33:06,710 we added 350 then another 200 and then 828 00:33:06,710 --> 00:33:09,900 another 800 . So that all told um in 829 00:33:09,900 --> 00:33:12,067 the time that President Biden has been 830 00:33:12,067 --> 00:33:14,122 in office , we have now committed $2 831 00:33:14,122 --> 00:33:16,011 billion dollars worth of security 832 00:33:16,011 --> 00:33:18,011 assistance to Ukraine . And a large 833 00:33:18,011 --> 00:33:20,067 part of that , That initial chunk of 834 00:33:20,067 --> 00:33:22,289 650 million was delivered before , well 835 00:33:22,289 --> 00:33:24,178 before there was even a threat of 836 00:33:24,178 --> 00:33:26,233 invasion . Uh , so this is something 837 00:33:26,233 --> 00:33:28,233 we've been focused on . And I think 838 00:33:28,233 --> 00:33:30,344 you're gonna see that continued focus 839 00:33:30,344 --> 00:33:30,220 going on forward . Now we understand 840 00:33:30,220 --> 00:33:32,620 that now , You know , time is not 841 00:33:32,620 --> 00:33:34,787 necessarily our friend , we get that , 842 00:33:34,787 --> 00:33:36,676 which is why that 350 million was 843 00:33:36,676 --> 00:33:38,787 delivered so quickly . And that's why 844 00:33:38,787 --> 00:33:41,009 we're going to work very , very fast on 845 00:33:41,009 --> 00:33:43,342 this one . Um , on the posture question . 846 00:33:43,342 --> 00:33:45,509 I think for me it's it's just too soon 847 00:33:45,509 --> 00:33:48,620 to know right now . Um , your position 848 00:33:48,620 --> 00:33:50,676 on the issue , the US position , not 849 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:52,991 that's what I mean , it's too soon to 850 00:33:52,991 --> 00:33:55,290 know right now . I think the Secretary 851 00:33:55,290 --> 00:33:57,960 certainly understands that again , the 852 00:33:57,970 --> 00:34:00,040 security situation in europe has 853 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:03,680 changed and however this ends up , 854 00:34:03,710 --> 00:34:05,488 we're gonna have to look at the 855 00:34:05,488 --> 00:34:07,710 european continent in a different way . 856 00:34:07,710 --> 00:34:09,932 And the Secretary understands that what 857 00:34:09,932 --> 00:34:11,877 does that mean exactly in terms of 858 00:34:11,877 --> 00:34:14,130 force posture , we don't know yet . But 859 00:34:14,130 --> 00:34:16,130 I think the Secretary is willing to 860 00:34:16,130 --> 00:34:18,352 have that conversation with his leaders 861 00:34:18,352 --> 00:34:20,130 civilian and military alike and 862 00:34:20,130 --> 00:34:22,241 certainly wants to be able to provide 863 00:34:22,241 --> 00:34:22,240 options to the President . Should the 864 00:34:22,240 --> 00:34:24,540 President decide to go uh in new ways , 865 00:34:24,540 --> 00:34:26,818 but we're just not there yet right now . 866 00:34:26,818 --> 00:34:28,707 The focus is appropriately on two 867 00:34:28,707 --> 00:34:30,540 things . Making sure Ukraine can 868 00:34:30,540 --> 00:34:32,596 continue to defend itself by getting 869 00:34:32,596 --> 00:34:34,651 this stuff there as fast as possible 870 00:34:34,651 --> 00:34:36,460 and to making sure that NATO is 871 00:34:36,460 --> 00:34:38,571 prepared to defend NATO territory and 872 00:34:38,571 --> 00:34:40,738 that we Are prepared to do our part in 873 00:34:40,738 --> 00:34:43,090 that in in Article five commitments , 874 00:34:43,100 --> 00:34:45,322 that's where the focus is right now and 875 00:34:45,322 --> 00:34:47,322 what the long term is going to be . 876 00:34:47,322 --> 00:34:49,433 We'll have to see , I'm going back to 877 00:34:49,433 --> 00:34:51,656 Mike's question , all of those problems 878 00:34:51,656 --> 00:34:53,767 with the Russian military , there are 879 00:34:53,767 --> 00:34:56,290 also reports that Russian soldiers are , 880 00:34:56,300 --> 00:34:58,356 are suffering frostbite , You know ? 881 00:34:58,356 --> 00:35:00,467 Well , if there's any military in the 882 00:35:00,467 --> 00:35:02,633 world that you think would know how to 883 00:35:02,633 --> 00:35:04,744 operate in the cold , do you think it 884 00:35:04,744 --> 00:35:06,800 was the Russian one , which seems to 885 00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:08,689 indicate an absolute breakdown in 886 00:35:08,689 --> 00:35:10,744 leadership and all of those problems 887 00:35:10,744 --> 00:35:12,744 that you mentioned before . Is this 888 00:35:12,744 --> 00:35:14,911 affecting the morale of the troops out 889 00:35:14,911 --> 00:35:17,022 there ? Are you able to assess that ? 890 00:35:17,022 --> 00:35:19,370 And could that be something that that 891 00:35:19,380 --> 00:35:23,290 changes the tide in this ? I think all 892 00:35:23,290 --> 00:35:25,123 of you know , you guys have been 893 00:35:25,123 --> 00:35:27,346 covering the building long enough , you 894 00:35:27,346 --> 00:35:26,490 know , how important Morales and 895 00:35:26,490 --> 00:35:28,601 military effectiveness and cohesion . 896 00:35:28,840 --> 00:35:32,640 Um look , I uh I would I would 897 00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:34,807 just tell you , we have , we certainly 898 00:35:34,807 --> 00:35:37,029 have indications that Morales a growing 899 00:35:37,029 --> 00:35:39,196 problem inside the Russian forces that 900 00:35:39,196 --> 00:35:42,360 are fighting in Ukraine . Um and 901 00:35:43,540 --> 00:35:47,360 as time goes on and they continue to 902 00:35:50,940 --> 00:35:53,530 failed to achieve the progress on the 903 00:35:53,530 --> 00:35:55,474 ground that they want to achieve . 904 00:35:55,474 --> 00:35:57,641 We've seen increasing indications that 905 00:35:57,641 --> 00:35:59,863 morale and unit cohesion is a problem . 906 00:35:59,863 --> 00:36:01,919 And yes , that absolutely translates 907 00:36:01,919 --> 00:36:04,030 into potential military effectiveness 908 00:36:04,030 --> 00:36:06,141 issues . I don't want to get into too 909 00:36:06,141 --> 00:36:08,252 much diagnostics here on a day to day 910 00:36:08,252 --> 00:36:10,586 basis of how they're doing . Um I think , 911 00:36:10,586 --> 00:36:12,752 you know , went through a whole litany 912 00:36:12,752 --> 00:36:14,697 of things . We know that they have 913 00:36:14,697 --> 00:36:17,080 struggled with clearly morale at the , 914 00:36:17,090 --> 00:36:19,630 at the unit level , but anecdotally we 915 00:36:19,630 --> 00:36:21,741 have indications that yeah , that's a 916 00:36:21,741 --> 00:36:23,797 problem . And just another sort of , 917 00:36:23,797 --> 00:36:26,540 I'm sorry tom but just another aspect 918 00:36:26,540 --> 00:36:28,820 of this , their precision guided 919 00:36:28,820 --> 00:36:32,620 munitions , I guess are running out is 920 00:36:32,620 --> 00:36:35,900 the Russian industrial base capable of 921 00:36:35,900 --> 00:36:38,740 replacing those , I don't know , jim , 922 00:36:38,750 --> 00:36:41,420 I mean , I I uh as I said before , I 923 00:36:41,420 --> 00:36:44,330 mean 27 days in . Um they've used a lot 924 00:36:44,330 --> 00:36:46,810 of munitions they are and I didn't 925 00:36:46,810 --> 00:36:48,921 really get to this earlier . But what 926 00:36:48,921 --> 00:36:50,643 we have seen as they have been 927 00:36:50,643 --> 00:36:52,699 frustrated on the ground , they have 928 00:36:52,699 --> 00:36:54,754 resorted to more and more long range 929 00:36:54,754 --> 00:36:56,921 fires as we call it here , bombardment 930 00:36:56,921 --> 00:36:59,610 by artillery , missiles , rockets , um 931 00:36:59,620 --> 00:37:01,840 and uh , and clearly that's going to 932 00:37:01,840 --> 00:37:04,007 have that , that's gonna show up in an 933 00:37:04,007 --> 00:37:06,500 in an in an inventory detriment . But 934 00:37:06,500 --> 00:37:08,740 we don't have an exact idea necessarily 935 00:37:08,740 --> 00:37:10,962 of , of what that looks like for them . 936 00:37:10,962 --> 00:37:12,851 Again , I think it's important to 937 00:37:12,851 --> 00:37:15,073 remind How much combat power , combined 938 00:37:15,073 --> 00:37:17,240 arms capability they built up over the 939 00:37:17,240 --> 00:37:19,351 fall and that they still have so much 940 00:37:19,351 --> 00:37:21,407 of that available to them . But even 941 00:37:21,407 --> 00:37:23,629 for all that , it's quite stunning even 942 00:37:23,629 --> 00:37:26,630 for all that power that 27 days in , 943 00:37:26,630 --> 00:37:28,852 they really haven't achieved any of the 944 00:37:28,852 --> 00:37:31,074 strategic objectives we think they were 945 00:37:31,074 --> 00:37:33,297 after . Tom Thanks for the follow up to 946 00:37:33,297 --> 00:37:35,297 two of our colleagues here . One in 947 00:37:35,297 --> 00:37:37,750 this question about the 800 million , 948 00:37:38,070 --> 00:37:41,060 is it safe to assume ? Presume that 949 00:37:41,060 --> 00:37:43,227 like 350 million , you're not going to 950 00:37:43,227 --> 00:37:45,282 wait until the entire 800 million is 951 00:37:45,282 --> 00:37:47,670 ready to go . Okay . Thanks . And the 952 00:37:47,670 --> 00:37:49,892 second one is the gym is about morale . 953 00:37:49,892 --> 00:37:52,059 There have been reports and I know you 954 00:37:52,059 --> 00:37:54,114 can't always confirm all reports you 955 00:37:54,114 --> 00:37:56,059 hear . But there have been reports 956 00:37:56,059 --> 00:37:58,059 regarding Russian troop morale that 957 00:37:58,059 --> 00:37:57,950 some of the Russian soldiers are now 958 00:37:57,950 --> 00:38:00,117 slashing themselves etcetera , causing 959 00:38:00,117 --> 00:38:02,339 physical harm to themselves in order to 960 00:38:02,339 --> 00:38:04,450 get sent home . What can the pentagon 961 00:38:04,450 --> 00:38:07,520 confirm or elucidate on this ? I've 962 00:38:07,530 --> 00:38:09,530 never been accused of being able to 963 00:38:09,530 --> 00:38:12,810 elucidate on anything . But I can't I 964 00:38:12,820 --> 00:38:15,042 can't I can't confirm those reports . I 965 00:38:15,042 --> 00:38:18,310 mean again we have anecdotal evidence 966 00:38:18,310 --> 00:38:20,088 that they are having morale and 967 00:38:20,088 --> 00:38:22,143 leadership issues at the at the unit 968 00:38:22,143 --> 00:38:24,032 level . But I have not heard that 969 00:38:24,032 --> 00:38:26,143 particular report . Let me go back to 970 00:38:26,143 --> 00:38:28,520 the phone , Jeff Seldin V O A john 971 00:38:28,520 --> 00:38:30,464 thanks very much for doing this to 972 00:38:30,464 --> 00:38:32,576 questions yesterday , President biden 973 00:38:32,576 --> 00:38:34,798 confirmed Russia did in fact launched a 974 00:38:34,798 --> 00:38:36,964 hypersonic missile and described it as 975 00:38:36,964 --> 00:38:39,400 a consequential weapon ? Can you share 976 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:41,067 any additional information or 977 00:38:41,067 --> 00:38:42,844 assessment of what the Russians 978 00:38:42,844 --> 00:38:44,844 launched or how many times how many 979 00:38:44,844 --> 00:38:46,622 types of hypersonic weapons the 980 00:38:46,622 --> 00:38:48,789 Russians have used so far in Ukraine . 981 00:38:48,920 --> 00:38:51,087 And then also I know U . S . Officials 982 00:38:51,087 --> 00:38:53,309 said there there haven't been any signs 983 00:38:53,309 --> 00:38:55,142 yet of Russian recruited foreign 984 00:38:55,142 --> 00:38:57,198 fighters showing up in any number in 985 00:38:57,198 --> 00:38:59,420 Ukraine . Is there any sense of whether 986 00:38:59,420 --> 00:39:01,253 there are any Russian citizens , 987 00:39:01,253 --> 00:39:03,031 Russian residents who have been 988 00:39:03,031 --> 00:39:05,200 motivated by the propaganda Russia has 989 00:39:05,200 --> 00:39:07,370 been putting out to go and join the 990 00:39:07,370 --> 00:39:09,592 fighting , perhaps traveling to the D . 991 00:39:09,592 --> 00:39:11,537 N . R . Or Eleanor to join up with 992 00:39:11,537 --> 00:39:13,730 militias there . I haven't seen any 993 00:39:13,730 --> 00:39:16,070 indications of Russian citizens 994 00:39:16,080 --> 00:39:20,020 volunteering spontaneously to go fight 995 00:39:20,030 --> 00:39:23,040 in Ukraine . Um 996 00:39:24,220 --> 00:39:27,390 but that sure as heck happening in in 997 00:39:27,390 --> 00:39:29,570 Ukraine by Ukrainians . Um we talked 998 00:39:29,570 --> 00:39:31,737 about that a little bit yesterday . Um 999 00:39:31,737 --> 00:39:34,390 average citizens taking up arms and 1000 00:39:34,390 --> 00:39:36,612 sometimes even resisting without taking 1001 00:39:36,612 --> 00:39:38,834 up arms . Um it's quite extraordinary , 1002 00:39:38,834 --> 00:39:40,834 but I I've seen no indications that 1003 00:39:40,834 --> 00:39:42,779 that that's happening on the other 1004 00:39:42,779 --> 00:39:44,890 other side . Quite the contrary , you 1005 00:39:44,890 --> 00:39:47,001 see these uh this big fancy rally and 1006 00:39:47,001 --> 00:39:49,630 uh you know , in an athletic stadium um 1007 00:39:49,640 --> 00:39:52,180 and uh which is clearly clearly an 1008 00:39:52,180 --> 00:39:54,610 orchestrated event by by mr Putin and 1009 00:39:54,610 --> 00:39:57,960 the shutdown inside Russia of of any 1010 00:39:57,960 --> 00:40:00,182 semblance of independence , independent 1011 00:40:00,182 --> 00:40:02,630 media or independent information 1012 00:40:02,640 --> 00:40:05,930 available to uh to the Russian people . 1013 00:40:05,930 --> 00:40:08,060 So clearly they aren't getting fully 1014 00:40:08,060 --> 00:40:10,250 informed about what their military is 1015 00:40:10,250 --> 00:40:13,490 doing inside Ukraine ? Um and as for 1016 00:40:13,490 --> 00:40:16,890 the hypersonic , uh your president is 1017 00:40:16,890 --> 00:40:19,310 correct . I mean we we do understand 1018 00:40:19,310 --> 00:40:22,300 that the um but at least in one 1019 00:40:22,300 --> 00:40:25,830 instance uh they used a hypersonic 1020 00:40:25,840 --> 00:40:29,450 missile um interesting that you would 1021 00:40:29,450 --> 00:40:32,940 choose that against a fixed 1022 00:40:32,940 --> 00:40:36,940 building at at when 1023 00:40:36,940 --> 00:40:38,940 you look at the range of hypersonic 1024 00:40:38,940 --> 00:40:41,107 missiles at a relatively close range . 1025 00:40:41,107 --> 00:40:44,050 Um It's hard to know what exactly the 1026 00:40:44,050 --> 00:40:47,090 justification was for that but it could 1027 00:40:47,090 --> 00:40:49,850 very well be tied to inventory the 1028 00:40:49,850 --> 00:40:51,683 problems that uh and performance 1029 00:40:51,683 --> 00:40:53,572 problems that they're having with 1030 00:40:53,572 --> 00:40:55,739 respect to precision guided missile uh 1031 00:40:55,739 --> 00:40:57,961 munitions . So we'll just uh we'll just 1032 00:40:57,961 --> 00:41:00,780 have to see where that goes . Um uh As 1033 00:41:00,790 --> 00:41:03,350 you've heard the secretary say and he 1034 00:41:03,350 --> 00:41:05,800 said it just again on on sunday we 1035 00:41:05,800 --> 00:41:08,970 don't view the use of of that type of 1036 00:41:08,970 --> 00:41:10,970 weapon is some sort of game changer 1037 00:41:10,970 --> 00:41:14,600 here . Um They took out a storage 1038 00:41:14,600 --> 00:41:16,822 facility with it or at least reportedly 1039 00:41:16,822 --> 00:41:18,933 took out a storage facility with it . 1040 00:41:18,933 --> 00:41:21,620 Um That's a that's a pretty significant 1041 00:41:21,620 --> 00:41:24,330 sledgehammer to take two to a target 1042 00:41:24,330 --> 00:41:26,386 like that . So it's it's not exactly 1043 00:41:26,386 --> 00:41:28,552 clear what their what their intentions 1044 00:41:28,552 --> 00:41:31,760 were . Yeah . Thank you sir , have a 1045 00:41:31,770 --> 00:41:33,980 couple of questions on horseback . 1046 00:41:34,230 --> 00:41:37,220 Counter share operations . Last week , 1047 00:41:37,230 --> 00:41:39,174 Army General Stephen Townsend . He 1048 00:41:39,174 --> 00:41:41,740 spoke before the Senate Armed Services 1049 00:41:41,740 --> 00:41:43,629 Committee . He raised a couple of 1050 00:41:43,629 --> 00:41:45,330 concerns regarding um counter 1051 00:41:45,330 --> 00:41:48,040 operations . The first was the so 1052 00:41:48,040 --> 00:41:51,430 called security Challenges and risk as 1053 00:41:51,430 --> 00:41:53,580 a result of former Trump pulling out 1054 00:41:53,580 --> 00:41:55,910 the majority of about 700 U . S . 1055 00:41:55,910 --> 00:41:57,990 Troops from Somalia . And he says 1056 00:41:58,000 --> 00:42:00,110 hindering the ability to battle al 1057 00:42:00,110 --> 00:42:02,620 Shabaab . They also had concerns about 1058 00:42:02,620 --> 00:42:05,400 the so called over the horizon approach 1059 00:42:05,400 --> 00:42:07,850 to counter operations coming from 1060 00:42:07,860 --> 00:42:11,060 Djibouti into Somalia sort of like 1061 00:42:11,070 --> 00:42:13,237 commuting back and forth . And he also 1062 00:42:13,237 --> 00:42:15,910 said that was sort of hindering counter 1063 00:42:15,910 --> 00:42:18,370 operation that maybe it would be better 1064 00:42:18,370 --> 00:42:21,380 than a mixture of boots on the boots on 1065 00:42:21,380 --> 00:42:23,650 the ground . So what is the uh the 1066 00:42:23,650 --> 00:42:25,706 Secretary think about these concerns 1067 00:42:25,706 --> 00:42:28,180 and are going to be troops ? Is he 1068 00:42:28,180 --> 00:42:30,347 considering troops being deployed back 1069 00:42:30,347 --> 00:42:32,569 to Somalia ? And what's his position on 1070 00:42:32,569 --> 00:42:34,458 the effectiveness of the over the 1071 00:42:34,458 --> 00:42:36,720 horizon approach ? Thank you . Again 1072 00:42:36,720 --> 00:42:38,776 there's an awful lot there . I'm not 1073 00:42:38,776 --> 00:42:40,776 going to get ahead of decisions the 1074 00:42:40,776 --> 00:42:42,998 secretary has or has not made or advice 1075 00:42:42,998 --> 00:42:44,720 that he's going to give to the 1076 00:42:44,720 --> 00:42:44,410 commander in chief with respect to our 1077 00:42:44,410 --> 00:42:46,760 force posture in africa . Clearly 1078 00:42:46,770 --> 00:42:49,290 General Townsend is was honestly 1079 00:42:49,290 --> 00:42:51,960 speaking about a continued threat uh 1080 00:42:51,970 --> 00:42:55,750 from uh from terrorist groups in Africa . 1081 00:42:55,760 --> 00:42:59,550 Um and we're mindful of that . Um uh 1082 00:42:59,560 --> 00:43:01,560 and we're going to continue to work 1083 00:43:01,560 --> 00:43:03,727 with General Townsend and our partners 1084 00:43:03,727 --> 00:43:06,010 on the continent uh to adjust posture 1085 00:43:06,010 --> 00:43:08,232 as necessary . I don't have anything to 1086 00:43:08,232 --> 00:43:10,288 speak to today . No announcements to 1087 00:43:10,288 --> 00:43:12,399 make but it's not a threat that we're 1088 00:43:12,399 --> 00:43:14,343 taking lightly or that we're gonna 1089 00:43:14,343 --> 00:43:16,399 ignore . Again I don't wanna I don't 1090 00:43:16,399 --> 00:43:18,399 want to get ahead of it . You could 1091 00:43:18,399 --> 00:43:20,510 look at the global posture review and 1092 00:43:20,510 --> 00:43:22,288 see how we laid out some of the 1093 00:43:22,288 --> 00:43:24,510 concerns in africa ? And again we'll uh 1094 00:43:24,510 --> 00:43:27,200 we'll see where this goes . Yeah . Is 1095 00:43:27,200 --> 00:43:30,280 that corn ? Uh is there an effort to 1096 00:43:30,280 --> 00:43:32,169 try to get a snapshot of civilian 1097 00:43:32,169 --> 00:43:34,336 casualties that at some point now that 1098 00:43:34,336 --> 00:43:36,447 we're reaching the one month marker , 1099 00:43:36,447 --> 00:43:38,669 an assessment on what that number could 1100 00:43:38,669 --> 00:43:40,669 be and in a related question , what 1101 00:43:40,669 --> 00:43:42,724 specifically is D . O . D . Doing to 1102 00:43:42,724 --> 00:43:44,780 assist in the evaluation of possible 1103 00:43:44,780 --> 00:43:47,058 war crimes ? So on your first question , 1104 00:43:47,058 --> 00:43:49,224 I mean , there's no effort here by the 1105 00:43:49,224 --> 00:43:51,970 Department of Defense to tally civilian 1106 00:43:51,970 --> 00:43:53,970 casualties . I mean , there's other 1107 00:43:53,970 --> 00:43:56,026 international organizations that are 1108 00:43:56,026 --> 00:43:58,248 taking a look at this orange and you've 1109 00:43:58,248 --> 00:44:00,470 seen the estimates as well as we have . 1110 00:44:00,470 --> 00:44:02,248 We're just not in a position to 1111 00:44:02,248 --> 00:44:04,359 independently be able to verify those 1112 00:44:04,359 --> 00:44:06,650 were not on the ground . Um , and as 1113 00:44:06,650 --> 00:44:08,539 you well know , I mean , civilian 1114 00:44:08,539 --> 00:44:10,261 casualties , even when it's in 1115 00:44:10,261 --> 00:44:12,372 operation , when we are on the ground 1116 00:44:12,372 --> 00:44:14,594 is often a difficult thing to nail down 1117 00:44:14,594 --> 00:44:16,706 specifically . So we're not we're not 1118 00:44:16,706 --> 00:44:18,872 gonna take that mission on here to try 1119 00:44:18,872 --> 00:44:21,039 to to give a tally , clearly there are 1120 00:44:21,039 --> 00:44:23,261 civilian casualties and clearly they're 1121 00:44:23,261 --> 00:44:25,150 mounting every day because of the 1122 00:44:25,150 --> 00:44:26,928 indiscriminate attacks that the 1123 00:44:26,928 --> 00:44:29,150 Russians are conducting because of what 1124 00:44:29,150 --> 00:44:31,150 we see as intentional . Now as they 1125 00:44:31,150 --> 00:44:33,317 become more frustrated and relied more 1126 00:44:33,317 --> 00:44:35,206 on long range fires , intentional 1127 00:44:35,206 --> 00:44:37,206 targeting of civilian civilians and 1128 00:44:37,206 --> 00:44:39,317 civilian infrastructure , residential 1129 00:44:39,317 --> 00:44:41,317 homes , sorry , residential areas , 1130 00:44:41,317 --> 00:44:43,261 hospitals , schools , that kind of 1131 00:44:43,261 --> 00:44:45,428 thing . Um , and as I said yesterday , 1132 00:44:45,428 --> 00:44:47,440 we believe there is evidence of war 1133 00:44:47,440 --> 00:44:49,890 crimes by , by the Russian armed armed 1134 00:44:49,890 --> 00:44:53,540 forces Uh and uh we across the 1135 00:44:53,540 --> 00:44:55,207 administration , not just the 1136 00:44:55,207 --> 00:44:56,762 Department of Defense , the 1137 00:44:56,762 --> 00:44:58,929 administration is going to continue to 1138 00:44:58,929 --> 00:45:01,096 gather evidence to provide to numerous 1139 00:45:01,096 --> 00:45:03,151 investigative bodies as they look at 1140 00:45:03,151 --> 00:45:05,510 this . Um but it's also , and while we 1141 00:45:05,510 --> 00:45:07,677 do that , and while that's important , 1142 00:45:07,677 --> 00:45:09,843 it's also for the whole world to see , 1143 00:45:09,843 --> 00:45:12,010 we don't need to tell CNN about this . 1144 00:45:12,010 --> 00:45:14,232 I mean , you're on the ground as well . 1145 00:45:14,232 --> 00:45:16,399 You've seen that . Um It's it's pretty 1146 00:45:16,399 --> 00:45:18,454 stunning coverage . I mean it's it's 1147 00:45:18,454 --> 00:45:20,454 it's laid bare for everybody . Um I 1148 00:45:20,454 --> 00:45:22,399 won't get ahead and it wouldn't be 1149 00:45:22,399 --> 00:45:24,621 appropriate for us at the department to 1150 00:45:24,621 --> 00:45:26,677 get ahead of investigative processes 1151 00:45:26,677 --> 00:45:28,677 that we don't own . Um It's just we 1152 00:45:28,677 --> 00:45:30,788 believe we should call it like we see 1153 00:45:30,788 --> 00:45:30,250 it and and we believe that there are 1154 00:45:30,250 --> 00:45:32,139 war crimes being conducted by the 1155 00:45:32,139 --> 00:45:35,340 Russian armed forces um heather from us . 1156 00:45:35,340 --> 00:45:39,190 And I thank you so much . Um I wanted 1157 00:45:39,190 --> 00:45:41,690 to see if you could confirm any reports 1158 00:45:41,690 --> 00:45:44,750 that Russia launched a caliber cruise 1159 00:45:44,750 --> 00:45:48,420 missiles from um Admiral Grigorovich 1160 00:45:48,420 --> 00:45:51,130 frigates um in the Black Sea earlier 1161 00:45:51,130 --> 00:45:53,750 today or yesterday . Whether I can't 1162 00:45:53,760 --> 00:45:56,140 I'm not able to confirm that particular 1163 00:45:56,150 --> 00:46:00,050 bit of reporting um what I can tell you 1164 00:46:00,050 --> 00:46:03,880 is we have seen in the last , 1165 00:46:05,380 --> 00:46:07,380 You know , 48 hours or so . We have 1166 00:46:07,380 --> 00:46:09,436 seen increased naval activity in the 1167 00:46:09,436 --> 00:46:11,047 Northern Black Sea . We have 1168 00:46:11,047 --> 00:46:14,260 indications that uh in the sea of Azov 1169 00:46:14,270 --> 00:46:18,190 off Mario people that the Russian 1170 00:46:18,190 --> 00:46:20,330 naval vessels have contributed to the 1171 00:46:20,330 --> 00:46:22,650 bombardment of Mario people from from 1172 00:46:22,650 --> 00:46:24,817 the sea , but it's difficult for us to 1173 00:46:24,817 --> 00:46:26,928 quantify that and we can't get to the 1174 00:46:26,928 --> 00:46:28,983 level of detail about what munitions 1175 00:46:28,983 --> 00:46:31,206 were were used . But but clearly in the 1176 00:46:31,206 --> 00:46:33,150 last couple of days there has been 1177 00:46:33,150 --> 00:46:35,372 increased Russian naval activity in the 1178 00:46:35,372 --> 00:46:39,110 Black Sea . Okay . Take one more 1179 00:46:40,270 --> 00:46:42,250 public know about this new space 1180 00:46:42,250 --> 00:46:44,306 defense partnership with Australia . 1181 00:46:44,780 --> 00:46:46,891 You're gonna have to let me take that 1182 00:46:46,891 --> 00:46:48,669 question . I'll take one more . 1183 00:46:52,520 --> 00:46:55,550 Okay . Are you you've eloquently talked 1184 00:46:55,550 --> 00:46:57,717 about the long range brutal fire . The 1185 00:46:57,717 --> 00:47:00,090 Russians are firing and the Ukrainians , 1186 00:47:00,090 --> 00:47:03,170 but the cyber warfare aspect of this is 1187 00:47:03,170 --> 00:47:05,660 Ukraine civilian infrastructure still 1188 00:47:05,660 --> 00:47:07,660 up and running in terms of internet 1189 00:47:07,660 --> 00:47:09,827 capability and command and control for 1190 00:47:09,827 --> 00:47:11,850 the for the military . I mean this 1191 00:47:11,850 --> 00:47:13,794 wanted cyberwarfare capabilities , 1192 00:47:13,794 --> 00:47:15,906 doesnt hasn't seemed to play out with 1193 00:47:15,906 --> 00:47:17,850 the Russians . There are times and 1194 00:47:17,850 --> 00:47:21,570 places when um uh internet access in 1195 00:47:21,570 --> 00:47:24,220 Ukraine is being disrupted but there's 1196 00:47:24,220 --> 00:47:26,390 also times and places when it's not or 1197 00:47:26,390 --> 00:47:30,390 where it's being restored . Uh I um and 1198 00:47:30,390 --> 00:47:32,279 we talked about this a little bit 1199 00:47:32,279 --> 00:47:34,910 before . Uh the Ukrainians have 1200 00:47:35,370 --> 00:47:38,770 built up over recent years , their own 1201 00:47:38,770 --> 00:47:40,950 cyber resilience and we've helped them 1202 00:47:40,950 --> 00:47:43,061 do that . Um it's not just the United 1203 00:47:43,061 --> 00:47:44,839 States , other other allies and 1204 00:47:44,839 --> 00:47:46,950 partners who helped them do that . Um 1205 00:47:46,950 --> 00:47:49,730 and they have managed to to maintain a 1206 00:47:49,730 --> 00:47:51,730 sense of that resilience . It's not 1207 00:47:51,730 --> 00:47:53,730 perfect . The Russians clearly have 1208 00:47:53,730 --> 00:47:55,841 tried to act in cyberspace to disrupt 1209 00:47:55,841 --> 00:47:58,140 Ukrainian abilities to command and 1210 00:47:58,140 --> 00:48:00,050 control and to communicate , but 1211 00:48:00,060 --> 00:48:02,060 largely at a strategic level . They 1212 00:48:02,060 --> 00:48:03,727 failed to do that because the 1213 00:48:03,727 --> 00:48:05,893 Ukrainians still have good command and 1214 00:48:05,893 --> 00:48:08,240 control over their forces in the field . 1215 00:48:08,250 --> 00:48:10,194 In ways that the Russians actually 1216 00:48:10,194 --> 00:48:12,690 don't have . Okay , thanks , everybody 1217 00:48:12,700 --> 00:48:15,040 appreciate it . Um We are out of town 1218 00:48:15,040 --> 00:48:17,096 starting tomorrow , so we'll pick up 1219 00:48:17,096 --> 00:48:19,262 the briefings on monday of next week . 1220 00:48:19,262 --> 00:48:20,290 Thanks . Mhm .