“The American Military: War and Peace, Spending and Politics” - Andrew Bacevich and Derek Chollet
Andrew Bacevich and Derek Chollet
Author
02/12/2014
Added
327
Plays
Description
In moderated debate style, Bacevich and Chollet will discuss the following topics and take questions from the audience.
- What is the right size and role of the U.S. military today?
- Drones, surveillance and technology – how and when should they be used?
- Does the all-volunteer military influence America’s willingness to intervene globally? Would a draft reduce U.S. military involvement?
- Is the permanent commitment of U.S. troops abroad in peaceful nations necessary and sustainable?
Searchable Transcript
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- [00:00:36.166]>> GOOD EVENING.
- [00:00:36.800][ APPLAUSE ] GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU
- [00:00:43.800]FOR COMING TONIGHT.
- [00:00:44.367]I AM A PROFESSOR OF MODERN HISTORY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
- [00:00:53.367]NEBRASKA LINCOLN.
- [00:00:54.834]I'M PLEASED TO WELCOME YOU TO THE FORUM ON WORLD ISSUES.
- [00:00:58.900]FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS THE UNIVERSITY HAS PARTNERED WITH
- [00:01:03.333]THE COOPER FOUNDATION TO BRING TO LINCOLN INSIGHTFUL SPEAKERS
- [00:01:08.066]AND TO ENGAGE THE NEBRASKA COMMUNITY AND GENERAL PUBLIC IN
- [00:01:11.734]IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT AFFECT ALL OF US IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD.
- [00:01:16.633]THIS LECTURE SERIES IS NAMED IN THE HONOR OF THE
- [00:01:22.433]LATE E.N. JACK THOMPSON.
- [00:01:24.000]FEWER INDIVIDUALS WERE AS SUPPORTIVE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF
- [00:01:28.133]NEBRASKA AS HIM.
- [00:01:29.800]WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE FAMILY AND THE COOPER FOUNDATION FOR
- [00:01:33.867]THEIR ONGOING SUPPORT OF THIS LECTURE SERIES.
- [00:01:36.066]IT IS MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO ANNOUNCE TONIGHT'S LECTURE IS
- [00:01:41.600]THE ANNUAL CHUCK AND LINDA WILSON DIALOGUE.
- [00:01:46.400]DOCTOR CHUCK WILSON IS A RETIRED CARDIOLOGIST WHO SERVED ON THE
- [00:01:51.000]NEBRASKA BOARD OF REGENTS FOR MANY YEARS.
- [00:01:56.433]HIS WIFE SERVED ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND
- [00:02:01.433]PUBLIC BUILDING COMMISSION.
- [00:02:01.834]THEIR GOAL IS TO PRESENT-DIVE PERSPECTIVES ON CRITICAL
- [00:02:08.433]IMPORTANT CONTEMPORARY ISSUES.
- [00:02:09.866]AS FOR THE FORMAT TONIGHT, OUR TWO DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS WILL
- [00:02:15.133]DELIVER OPENING STATEMENTS OF ABOUT 15 MINUTES EACH AND THEN
- [00:02:18.400]THEY WILL ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION BASED ON A FEW QUESTIONS I WILL
- [00:02:22.467]ASK THEM, ASK YOU THE AUDIENCE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK
- [00:02:28.734]QUESTIONS OF THEM VIA NOTE CARDS DISTRIBUTED BY THE USHERS LATER
- [00:02:32.934]IN THE PROGRAM.
- [00:02:33.934]FINALLY THE SPEAKERS WILL DELIVER BRIEF
- [00:02:36.800]CLOSING STATEMENTS.
- [00:02:37.233]TONIGHT WE HAVE THE HONOR OF HEARING FROM TWO OF THE WORLD'S
- [00:02:42.133]LEADING EXPERTS ON THE CURRENT STATE OF THE
- [00:02:46.000]UNITED STATES MILITARY.
- [00:02:46.367]OUR FIRST SPEAKER, DEREK CHOLLET IS A LINCOLN NATIVE, A GRADUATE
- [00:02:51.967]OF CORNELL AND LINCOLN SOUTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL.
- [00:02:59.533]AND FORMER DIRECTOR FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING.
- [00:03:06.200]HE'S THE CURRENT DIRECTOR OF DEFENSE FOR INTERNATIONAL
- [00:03:13.533]AFFAIRS.
- [00:03:13.867]HE SERVES TO CHUCK HAGEL ON INTERNATIONAL POLICY ISSUES.
- [00:03:23.934]ASSISTANT SECRETARY IS ALSO THE COAUTHOR AND AUTHOR OF SEVERAL
- [00:03:31.734]LOOKS ON FOREIGN RELATIONS.
- [00:03:33.133]SECOND SPEAKER IS ANDREW BACEVICH, PROFESSOR AT
- [00:03:37.533]BOSTON UNIVERSITY.
- [00:03:37.934]HE SERVED IN THE U.S. ARMY DURING THE VIETNAM WAR AS WELL
- [00:03:42.133]AS IN GERMANY AND IN THE PERSIAN GULF BEFORE RETIRING AS A
- [00:03:50.033]COLONEL IN THE 1990s.
- [00:03:51.834]HE HOLDS A PHD FROM PRINCETON.
- [00:03:55.400]HE'S PUBLISHED SEVERAL WIDELY READ BOOKS ON AMERICAN FOREIGN
- [00:04:01.066]POLICY AND MILITARY HISTORY, THE MOST RECENT OF WHICH IS ENTITLED
- [00:04:06.600]"BREACH OF TRUST: HOW AMERICANS FAILED THEIR SOLDIERS
- [00:04:08.133]AND THEIR COUNTRY".
- [00:04:10.967]PROFESSOR BACEVICH HAS DEVELOPED A WELL DESERVED REPUTATION AS
- [00:04:14.200]ONE OF THE MOST CLEAR-EYED CRITICS OF AMERICAN POLITICS AND
- [00:04:18.466]U.S. FOREIGN POLICY.
- [00:04:19.600]LET ME JUST ANNOUNCE FINALLY BEFORE WE GET GOING HERE THAT
- [00:04:23.567]BOOKS BY BOTH PROFESSOR BACEVICH AND ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF
- [00:04:29.133]DEFENSE CHOLLET WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN THE LOBBY
- [00:04:32.033]FOLLOWING THIS DIALOGUE.
- [00:04:33.734]SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING ANDREW BACEVICH AND DEREK
- [00:04:38.166]CHOLLET.
- [00:04:39.367][ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU.
- [00:04:49.367]THANK YOU.
- [00:04:50.166]IT IS TRULY MY HONOR TO BE WITH ALL OF YOU TONIGHT.
- [00:04:53.834]IT'S GREAT TO BE HOME IN LINCOLN WITH SO MANY FAMILY AND FRIENDS
- [00:04:57.433]HERE, AND ALTHOUGH I'VE LIVED IN WASHINGTON, D.C. FOR A BETTER
- [00:05:01.066]PART OF 20 YEARS, I REMAIN A PROUD NEBRASKAN.
- [00:05:06.734]AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH ANOTHER PROUD
- [00:05:10.600]NEBRASKAN, OUR STATE'S FORMER SENATOR AND NOW SECRETARY OF
- [00:05:14.567]DEFENSE, CHUCK HAGEL.
- [00:05:15.533]DURING THE PAST YEAR I HAVE TRAVELED WITH HIM TO THE MIDDLE
- [00:05:18.300]EAST TO EUROPE AND ASIA AND WALKED HIM TACKLE MANY ISSUES.
- [00:05:27.467]I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE A
- [00:05:31.567]NEBRASKAN AS SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.
- [00:05:32.834]IT'S SPECIAL FOR ME TO BE ON THE UNL CAMPUS, A PLACE WHERE I
- [00:05:37.467]SPENT PRETTY MUCH EVERY FALL SATURDAY OF MY CHILDHOOD GROWING
- [00:05:41.367]UP IN MEMORIAL STADIUM.
- [00:05:44.200]I'M ALSO PROUD TO BE HERE AS PART OF THE THOMPSON FORUM AND I
- [00:05:49.133]THANK THE WILSON FAMILY FOR PUTTING THIS DIALOGUE TOGETHER
- [00:05:52.433]AND I THANK THE THOMPSON FAMILY.
- [00:05:55.300]IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE AT AN EVENT WITH PEOPLE WE'VE
- [00:05:59.734]CONSIDERED FRIENDS SINCE THE 1970'S.
- [00:06:01.900]I ALSO FEEL HONORED TO SHARE THE STAGE WITH PROFESSOR BACEVICH.
- [00:06:06.700]I'M SURE TIM DOESN'T REMEMBER, BUT I MET HIM IN THE '90s WHEN
- [00:06:10.600]I WAS AT CORNELL AND HE WAS A YOUNG FACULTY MEMBER.
- [00:06:16.033]I REMEMBER ATTENDING A LECTURE WITH HIM ON AMERICAN FOREIGN
- [00:06:20.467]POLICY AND I'M GLAD TO BE SHARING THE STAGE WITH HIM FOR
- [00:06:24.333]YET ANOTHER TALK ON AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY AND I'M GLAD
- [00:06:28.066]WE'RE DOING IT SOMEWHERE A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THE
- [00:06:30.767]CORNELL STUDENT LOUNGE.
- [00:06:31.834]AND FINALLY I'M DEEPLY HONORED TO BE HERE WITH PROFESSOR ANDREW
- [00:06:37.000]BACEVICH WHO IS ONE OF THE MOST BRIGHTEST AND COMPELLING
- [00:06:41.367]THINKERS ON AFFAIRS AND FOREIGN POLICY THAT WE HAVE.
- [00:06:44.567]ANDY IS SOMEONE YOU DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO AGREE WITH, BUT YOU WILL
- [00:06:49.133]ALWAYS LEARN FROM.
- [00:06:50.300]I REMEMBER BEING IN A MEETING WITH SECRETARY HAGEL AND THE
- [00:06:55.934]CHAIRMAN OF OUR STAFF BROUGHT UP THE DAYS' NEWS CLIPS, ONE OF
- [00:07:02.266]WHICH PROFESSOR BACEVICH HAD WRITTEN.
- [00:07:07.266]I'M PRETTY SURE THE SUBJECT WAS CRITICIZING OUR POLICY AND I'M
- [00:07:11.000]PRETTY SURE IT STUNG, BUT I REMEMBER THAT BOTH THE CHAIRMAN
- [00:07:13.567]AND THE SECRETARY REMARKING THAT THEY KNEW YOU AND THAT THEY
- [00:07:18.100]ADMIRED YOU AND THEY BOTH AGREED THAT YOU'RE A VERY SMART GUY.
- [00:07:21.266]SO I CAN ASSURE ALL OF YOU THAT ANDREW BACEVICH IS SOMEONE TAKEN
- [00:07:26.233]VERY SERIOUSLY AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF OUR GOVERNMENT AND I
- [00:07:30.000]LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING FROM HIM TONIGHT.
- [00:07:32.066]IT'S VERY GOOD FOR ME TO BE OUT OF THE WASHINGTON, D.C. BUBBLE
- [00:07:36.633]FOR A COUPLE DAY'S PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S FIRST SECRETARY
- [00:07:39.500]OF DEFENSE, ROBERT GATES WHO IS A PROUD KANSAN ALWAYS MADE IT A
- [00:07:44.367]HABIT TO GET OUT OF WASHINGTON EVERY NOW AND AGAIN AND SPEAK TO
- [00:07:48.767]AUDIENCES LIKE THIS.
- [00:07:50.867]SECRETARY GATES KEPT A HEALTHY MIDWESTERN PERSPECTIVE ON OUR
- [00:07:54.467]NATION'S CAPITOL AND IT'S ONE I'VE TRIED TO REMEMBER AND KEEP
- [00:07:57.467]IN MIND.
- [00:07:58.166]WE USED TO OBSERVE THAT WASHINGTON IS A ROAD WHERE THOSE
- [00:08:02.934]WHO TRAVEL THE HIGH ROAD OF HUMILITY ENCOUNTER VERY LITTLE
- [00:08:06.533]TRAFFIC.
- [00:08:06.900][ LAUGHTER ] WHERE PEOPLE OFTEN SAY I BELIEVE
- [00:08:12.433]WHEN I CROSS THAT BRIDGE WHEN I
- [00:08:16.467]WHICH TO IT.
- [00:08:17.633]AND YOU CAN SEE LOVERS WALKING DOWN LOVERS LANE HOLDING THEIR
- [00:08:21.533]OWN HANDS.
- [00:08:22.233][ LAUGHTER ] I'LL FOCUS ON THREE AREAS THAT
- [00:08:25.100]ARE DEFINED IN THE U.S. DEFENSE POLICY OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
- [00:08:29.200]FIRST WINDING DOWN THE WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, SECOND
- [00:08:33.200]ADJUSTING DEFENSE SPENDING TO NEW BUDGET CONSTRAINTS WHILE
- [00:08:37.100]ENSURING WE HAVE A DEFENSE STRATEGY THAT SECURES
- [00:08:43.166]OUR INTERESTS.
- [00:08:44.066]AND RECALIBRATING THE ROLE OF U.S. FOREIGN POLICY ALONGSIDE
- [00:08:48.967]DIPLOMACY AND DEVELOPMENT.
- [00:08:50.166]I'LL START WITH THE HIGHEST SECURITY PRESIDENT OBAMA FACED
- [00:08:53.500]WHEN COMES INTO OFFICE DEALING WITH THE WARS IN IRAQ
- [00:08:57.200]IN AFGHANISTAN.
- [00:08:57.633]IN FEBRUARY 2009, THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN AT WAR FOR
- [00:09:01.967]MORE THAN A DECADE.
- [00:09:03.500]THERE WERE 180,000 AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN SERVING IN IRAQ AND
- [00:09:07.667]ASK INCLUDING FROM THE NEBRASKA NATIONAL GUARD AND FEW
- [00:09:11.734]COMMENTATORS OR COMMON CITIZENS BELIEVED AT THE TIME THAT EITHER
- [00:09:15.734]CONFLICT WAS GOING PARTICULARLY WELL.
- [00:09:18.433]THE IRAQ WAR WAS A BITTER ISSUE FOR OUR COUNTRY AND THE CENTRAL
- [00:09:23.300]QUESTION OF THE 2008 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN.
- [00:09:28.233]THEN PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA PROMISED A WITHDRAWAL OF U.S.
- [00:09:31.900]FORCES FROM IRAQ AND IN MARCH 2009 HE ANNOUNCED A NEW STRATEGY
- [00:09:37.700]TO REMOVE THE COMBAT MISSION BY REMOVING ALL TROOPS BY 2011.
- [00:09:42.900]IN AFGHANISTAN, HE SURGED MILITARY FORCES WHILE THEY URGE
- [00:09:46.900]THE MISSION TO A TIGHT FOCUS ON
- [00:09:53.066]DISMANTLING AND DEFEATING AL-QAIDA.
- [00:09:57.567]MORE THAN 3400 LIVES HAVE BEEN LOST INCLUDING 14 NEBRASKANS.
- [00:10:05.367]IN IRAQ ALL U.S. FORCES LEFT AT THE END OF 2011 AND NOW WE ARE
- [00:10:09.367]DEVELOPING WHAT WE AT THE PENTAGON CALL A NORMAL DEFENSE
- [00:10:12.667]RELATIONSHIP WITH THE IRAQIS.
- [00:10:14.166]IT'S VERY DIFFICULT BUT WE'RE HELPING THEM WITH ADVICE AND
- [00:10:17.266]EQUIPMENT NEEDS.
- [00:10:18.367]AND IN AFGHANISTAN NEARLY 60,000 U.S. TROOPS HAVE COME HOME AND
- [00:10:23.467]THE 34,000 THAT REMAIN TODAY WILL WITHDRAW BY THE END
- [00:10:28.133]OF THE YEAR.
- [00:10:28.467]THE UNITED STATES AND MANY OF OUR GLOBAL PARTNERS COULD
- [00:10:32.467]MAINTAIN A SMALL PRESENCE IN AFGHANISTAN TO HELP TRAIN,
- [00:10:35.967]ADVISE AND ASSIST THE AFGHAN FORCES AND HELP WITH
- [00:10:40.600]COUNTER TERRORISM.
- [00:10:41.100]THE COST OF THE WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN HAVE BEEN FOR FOUND
- [00:10:45.633]IN BLOOD AND TREASURE.
- [00:10:47.834]7,000 AMERICANS HAVE PAID THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND TENS OF
- [00:10:51.900]THOUSANDS CARRY THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WOUNDS OF WAR.
- [00:10:59.433]IN THE END SOME ESTIMATE THESE WARS WILL HAVE COST NEARLY $6
- [00:11:05.433]TRILLION IN TAXPAYER MONEY AND DISABILITY AND MEDICAL COSTS
- [00:11:09.033]WILL CONTINUE FOR DECADES.
- [00:11:10.600]MANY OF THESE FINANCIAL COSTS WERE NECESSARY TO GET THE
- [00:11:13.367]EQUIPMENT AND NEEDS TO THE WAR FIGHTER BUT AFTER 9/11 THE
- [00:11:18.867]DEFENSE BUDGET BALLOONED.
- [00:11:20.867]PARTICULARLY AFTER THE CRISIS OF 2008 AND THE NATION'S DEFICITS
- [00:11:26.867]GREW SO RAPIDLY.
- [00:11:28.400]THAT'S WHY THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION HAS SET OUT TO
- [00:11:32.166]REDUCE DEFENSE SPENDING.
- [00:11:33.867]PENTAGON LEADERS HAVE HAD TO DO WHAT EVERYONE DOES WHEN THINGS
- [00:11:38.400]GET TIGHT.
- [00:11:39.200]THEY CUT SPENDING ON LOWER PRIORITIES OR THINGS THAT ARE
- [00:11:42.266]NOT TRULY NEEDED.
- [00:11:43.767]THIS HAPPENED WITH SECRETARY OF DEFENSE GATES IN 2009 WHEN HE
- [00:11:46.000]SET OUT TO CUT OR CURTAIL MORE THAN 30 MILITARY MODERNIZATION
- [00:11:52.667]PROGRAMS THAT WERE EITHER TOO COSTLY OR POORLY SUITED TO
- [00:11:56.734]CURRENT NEEDS.
- [00:11:58.767]THESE SYSTEMS WOULD HAVE COST THE TAXPAYERS MORE THAN
- [00:12:03.000]$300 MILLION.
- [00:12:03.400]SECRETARY GATES BEGAN CUTTING THE BLOATED BUDGET IN ORDER TO
- [00:12:06.600]DIRECT MORE MONEY TO MILITARY CAPABILITIES.
- [00:12:09.333]THESE DEFENSE REFORM EFFORTS CONTINUED UNDER PRESIDENT
- [00:12:13.266]OBAMA'S SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LEON PANETTA AND CONTINUED TODAY
- [00:12:19.533]UNDER SECRETARY HAGEL.
- [00:12:22.600]SECRETARY LEON PANETTA WAS ONLY TWO MONTHS ON THE JOB WHEN
- [00:12:26.467]CONGRESS REQUIRED A $487 BILLION FROM THE BUDGET OF A CUT.
- [00:12:32.767]AND ON THE SECOND DAY AT THE PENTAGON FOR SECRETARY HAGEL A
- [00:12:37.767]SECOND ROUND OF ABRUPT CUTS WERE DONE UNDER SEQUESTER.
- [00:12:45.166]SEQUESTER IS A PHRASE THAT ONLY FOLKS IN WASHINGTON CAN COME UP
- [00:12:48.166]WITH, BUT WHAT IT MEANT WAS A NEW ROUND OF CUTS OF $50 BILLION
- [00:12:51.900]OVER TEN YEARS HAD TO BE MADE WITHOUT ANY DISCRETION OR
- [00:12:55.834]ABILITY TO CHANGE THEM.
- [00:12:58.166]ALTHOUGH THIS BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT THAT WAS PASSED BY
- [00:13:01.700]CONGRESS LAST DECEMBER GIVES DOD SOME RELIEF FROM SEQUESTRATION,
- [00:13:08.266]$70 BILLION IN ADDITIONAL CUTS ARE STILL NECESSARY DURING THE
- [00:13:11.000]NEXT TWO YEARS.
- [00:13:12.500]ALL THREE SECRETARY OF DEFENSES HAVE IMPLEMENTED SPENDING CUTS
- [00:13:16.133]AND HAVE RECOGNIZED THE CENTRAL FACT THIS IS NOT JUST A MATH
- [00:13:20.633]EXERCISE THAT WE HAVE WORKED
- [00:13:32.633]HARD TO ALIGN OUR DEFENSE STRATEGY WITH THIS NEW
- [00:13:37.867]FISCAL REALITY.
- [00:13:38.600]FUNDAMENTALLY STRATEGY IS ABOUT CHOICES.
- [00:13:41.433]AND HAVING TO DO WITH LESS HELPS CLARIFY PRIORITIES AND
- [00:13:44.567]TRADE-OFFS.
- [00:13:44.967]WITH THIS IN MIND DURING THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS THE
- [00:13:47.667]ADMINISTRATION HAS IN THE TAKEN SEVERAL STRATEGIC REVIEWS TO
- [00:13:51.834]LINE OUR STRATEGY WITH OUR BUDGET AND OUR NATIONAL HIGH
- [00:13:55.967]SECURITY PRIORITIES.
- [00:13:57.000]THESE ARE ALL TO DEFINE A DEFENSE POLICY THAT PROTECTS
- [00:14:01.333]NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS WITH SUSTAINABLE RESOURCES.
- [00:14:04.133]NEXT MONTH THE PRESIDENT WILL SUBMIT TO THE CONGRESS A NEW
- [00:14:06.967]BUDGET WHICH WILL INCLUDE A FIVE YEAR DEFENSE SPENDING PLAN AND
- [00:14:10.800]THIS WILL BE THE FIRST ONE AFTER THE 13 YEARS OF
- [00:14:15.500]POST-9/11 CONFLICT.
- [00:14:15.867]WHILE I CAN'T SHARE ANY PARTICULARS OF THE BUDGET WITH
- [00:14:18.734]YOU TONIGHT, I WOULD EXPECT THAT THIS WILL REFLECT SIX STRATEGIC
- [00:14:24.367]PRIORITIES THAT SECRETARY HAGEL FIRST OUTLINED LAST FALL.
- [00:14:28.133]FIRST THE PENTAGON WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON
- [00:14:31.800]INSTITUTIONAL REFORM.
- [00:14:32.500]SECRETARY HAGEL HAS ALREADY ANNOUNCED A 20% REDUCTION OF THE
- [00:14:36.700]DEPARTMENT'S MAJOR HEADQUARTERS BEGINNING IN THE OFFICE OF THE
- [00:14:39.467]SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.
- [00:14:40.066]SECOND AS WE COME OUT OF MORE OF A DECADE OF WAR, THE MILITARY
- [00:14:44.700]WILL REASSESS THE ASSUMPTIONS AND THE
- [00:14:49.967]SCENARIOS FOR WHICH IT ORGANIZES AND TRAINS.
- [00:14:55.767]THE MILITARY WILL FOCUS ON ADDRESSING THE READINESS
- [00:14:59.367]CHALLENGES CAUSED BY SEQUESTRATION IN ORDER TO AVOID
- [00:15:05.533]ANOTHER VIETNAM.
- [00:15:07.633]FOURTH, THE MILITARY WILL PROTECT INVESTMENTS IN EMERGING
- [00:15:11.233]MILITARY CAPABILITIES, ESPECIALLY SPACE, CYBER, SPECIAL
- [00:15:15.000]OPERATIONS AND INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE AND RECONNAISSANCE.
- [00:15:20.166]SECRETARY HAGEL HAS MADE CLEAR HE WANTS TO HAVE THE RIGHT MIX
- [00:15:27.133]OF FORCES IN THE RIGHT PLACE AROUND THE WORLD TO ACCOMPLISH
- [00:15:29.800]THE MOST IMPORTANT AND MOST LIKELY MISSIONS OF THE FUTURE.
- [00:15:33.467]SECRETARY HAGEL HAS SAID WE WILL HAVE TO ACHIEVE SAVINGS IN
- [00:15:37.500]MILITARY COMPENSATION WHICH HAS GROWN 40% ABOVE THE PRIVATE
- [00:15:41.433]SECTOR SINCE 2011 IN ORDER TO ADEQUATELY FUND TRAINING AND
- [00:15:45.000]MODERNIZATION.
- [00:15:45.467]OTHERWISE WE RISK BECOMING A FORCE THAT IS -- PRESIDENT
- [00:15:51.967]BARACK OBAMA'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS JUST LAST MONTH HE
- [00:15:55.033]MADE CLEAR THAT AMERICA MUST MOVE OFF A PERMANENT WAR
- [00:15:59.200]FOOTING.
- [00:15:59.533]A KEY PART OF THAT IS PUTTING A BUDGET AND A STRATEGY ON A
- [00:16:05.233]SUSTAINABLE COURSE, BUT ALSO RECALIBRATING THE ROLE OF
- [00:16:07.834]MILITARY POWER AND USE OF FORCE IN AMERICA'S NATIONAL SECURITY
- [00:16:12.133]POLICIES BY BEING VERY JUDICIOUS ABOUT THE USE OF FORCE.
- [00:16:16.433]MAKE NO MISTAKE THE WORLD REMAINS A VERY DANGEROUS PLACE
- [00:16:19.867]AND AT TIMES MILITARY FORCE WILL BE NECESSARY TO PROTECT OUR
- [00:16:24.633]INTERESTS.
- [00:16:25.000]DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS WE HAVE TAKEN THE FIGHT TO
- [00:16:27.934]AL-QAIDA AND DECIMATED AL-QAIDA'S TOP LEADERSHIP
- [00:16:31.834]INCLUDING OSAMA BIN LADEN.
- [00:16:34.533]THAT DOESN'T MEAN MILITARY FORCE IS ALWAYS THE BEST WAY TO
- [00:16:41.767]ACHIEVE OUR GOALS.
- [00:16:42.300]CONSIDER LIBYA AND SYRIA.
- [00:16:43.500]IN LIBYA THREE YEARS AGO, POTENTIALLY WIPING OUT HUNDREDS
- [00:16:49.066]OF THOUSANDS OF CIVILIANS WERE THREATENED THE UNITED STATES AND
- [00:16:52.700]OUR KEY ALLIES INTERVENED.
- [00:16:58.100]RATHER THAN INVADE LIBYA, WE USED AIR POWER.
- [00:17:04.433]FROM TIME PRESIDENT OBAMA DECIDED TO INTERVENE HE MADE
- [00:17:06.834]VERY CLEAR THAT THE ROLE THE U.S. SHOULD PLAY MUST BE LIMITED
- [00:17:09.767]TO ITS UNIQUE CAPABILITIES SUCH AS INTELLIGENCE, AIR LIFT,
- [00:17:13.834]REFUELING AND PRECISION MUNITIONS AND THAT WE NEEDED TO
- [00:17:17.333]WORK TO GET OTHER COUNTRIES TO STEP UP, WHICH THEY DID.
- [00:17:20.532]IT'S TRUE THE UNITED STATES PROVIDED THE BULK OF THE
- [00:17:23.133]MILITARY MUSCLE IN THE BEGINNING.
- [00:17:24.834]BUT THE OPERATION DEMONSTRATED THE VALUE FOR OUR ALLIES TO
- [00:17:29.133]MAINTAIN HIGHLY CAPABLE MILITARIES THAT PLAN, TRAIN AND
- [00:17:35.233]EQUIP TOGETHER.
- [00:17:36.233]OVERALL U.S. FORCES FLEW MORE THAN 10% OF THE STRIKE MISSIONS
- [00:17:41.333]IN LIBYA WHILE THE UK AND FRANCE WERE NEARLY HALF.
- [00:17:45.333]SIMPLY PUT, LIBYA WAS NOT AMERICA'S FIGHT ALONE AND IT
- [00:17:49.100]SHOWED THAT LEADING IS NOT ALWAYS ABOUT CHARGING AHEAD BUT
- [00:17:52.900]OFTEN ABOUT ENABLING COLLECTIVE ACTION.
- [00:17:54.734]AND THEN LAST SUMMER IN SYRIA THE ASSAD REGIME USED CHEMICAL
- [00:18:00.667]WEAPONS TO KILL OVER 1300 INNOCENT CIVILIANS.
- [00:18:04.667]AFTER THESE ATTACKS THE PRESIDENT ORDERED THE PENTAGON
- [00:18:10.567]TO DEVELOP PLANS TO DEGRADE THE MILITARY CAPABILITY AND
- [00:18:15.033]WILLINGNESS TO CONDUCT FURTHER CHEMICAL WEAPONS ATTACKS.
- [00:18:18.166]AS WE PREPARED FOR MILITARY ACTION, POSITIONING SHIPS AND
- [00:18:21.367]PLANES INTO POSITION TO STRIKE, THE PRESIDENT MADE THE BOLD
- [00:18:24.233]DECISION TO SEEK CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION FOR THE USE
- [00:18:27.834]OF FORCE.
- [00:18:28.166]HE BELIEVED THAT WHILE AS A CONSTITUTIONAL MATTER PRESIDENT
- [00:18:32.533]RESERVE THE RIGHT TO USE THE MILITARY ON THEIR OWN THE
- [00:18:36.100]COUNTRY IS ALWAYS STRONGER IF WE ARE UNIFIED AND USE SUPPORT
- [00:18:41.133]THROUGH THE CONGRESS AND THROUGH THE CONGRESS, THE
- [00:18:44.066]AMERICAN PEOPLE.
- [00:18:44.400]I WAS AN OFFICIAL ASSIGNED TO MAKE THE CASE FOR THE USE OF
- [00:18:49.533]FORCE RESOLUTION.
- [00:18:50.300]SO I SPENT TWO WEEKS ON CAPITOL HILL MEETING WITH MEMBERS OF THE
- [00:18:54.967]HOUSE SENATE AND THE STAFF.
- [00:18:56.400]I CAN ATTEST THAT THE SYSTEM WORKS.
- [00:18:58.900]CONGRESS TOOK ITS JOB VERY SERIOUSLY GATHERING INFORMATION,
- [00:19:02.734]ASKING THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS AND CHALLENGING OUR ASSUMPTIONS.
- [00:19:05.633]BUT IN THE END, CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION FOR MILITARY
- [00:19:09.066]ACTIONS PROVED UNNECESSARY.
- [00:19:11.767]OUR CREDIBLE THREAT OF FORCE COMPELLED ASSAD TO BACK DOWN,
- [00:19:17.000]GIVING A CHANCE FOR DIPLOMACY
- [00:19:20.700]TO STEP IN.
- [00:19:26.300]TODAY, REMARKABLY, WE ARE ON THE CUSP OF ACHIEVING SOMETHING VERY
- [00:19:30.066]SIGNIFICANT.
- [00:19:31.200]SYRIA VOLUNTARILY GIVING UP ITS CHEMICAL WEAPONS TO BE
- [00:19:35.100]DESTROYED WITHOUT A SHOT FIRED.
- [00:19:36.400]THERE'S STILL A WAY TO GO AND SYRIA STILL NEEDS TO LIVE UP TO
- [00:19:40.233]ITS OBLIGATION.
- [00:19:41.433]BUT A SYRIA WITHOUT CHEMICAL WEAPONS MAKES US ALL SAFER.
- [00:19:47.767]THE DESTRUCTION PROCESS TO DESTROY THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS
- [00:19:53.000]REQUIRES A NAVY SHIP WITH A SYSTEM TO DESTROY THE CHEMICAL
- [00:19:55.767]WEAPONS AT SEA.
- [00:19:57.100]SO IN LIBYA WE SAW THE UNITED STATES DOESN'T HAVE TO GO IT
- [00:20:00.567]ALONE.
- [00:20:00.900]WE'RE MORE EFFECTIVE WHEN WE FOCUS ON WORKING WITH OTHERS AND
- [00:20:05.700]USING OUR UNIQUE MILITARY CAPABILITIES.
- [00:20:08.100]IN SYRIA WE SAW THAT MILITARY POWER CAN BE PART OF DIPLOMACY
- [00:20:12.533]AND THE TRUE TEST OF INFLUENCE IS WHEN YOU CAN COMPEL ACTION
- [00:20:16.567]WITHOUT FORCE BEING USED.
- [00:20:19.266]IN CONCLUSION, WE ARE COMING OUT OF THE LONGEST PERIOD OF WAR IN
- [00:20:24.467]AMERICAN HISTORY.
- [00:20:25.700]IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT OUR MILITARY SHOULD BE ONE OF
- [00:20:28.734]MANY INSTRUMENTS OF OUR POWER.
- [00:20:31.500]OUR DEFENSE SHOULD BE AGILE AND FLEXIBLE.
- [00:20:39.000]THE UNITED STATES NEEDS TO ENSURE THAT ALL INSTRUMENTS OF
- [00:20:41.834]OUR POWER, OUR VALUES AND DEFENSE WORK TOGETHER TO SERVE
- [00:20:45.233]OUR INTERESTS AND HELP SOLVE PROBLEMS.
- [00:20:47.567]THIS IS WHAT SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON, MY FIRST BOSS
- [00:20:52.734]CALLED USING SMART POWER AND SOMETHING MY CURRENT BOSS,
- [00:20:56.633]SECRETARY HAGEL BELIEVES IN DEEPLY.
- [00:20:58.867]AS PRESIDENT OBAMA SAID IN HIS STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS A FEW
- [00:21:01.767]WEEKS AGO, WE MUST REMEMBER THAT OUR LEADERSHIP IS DEFINED NOT
- [00:21:05.867]JUST BY OUR DEFENSE AGAINST THREATS BY THE ENORMOUS
- [00:21:12.433]OPPORTUNITIES -- TO EXPAND NEW MARKETS, TO FREE PEOPLE FROM
- [00:21:15.834]FEAR AND FROM WANT.
- [00:21:16.967]NO ONE IS BETTER POSITIONED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE
- [00:21:20.567]OPPORTUNITIES THAN AMERICA.
- [00:21:22.200]THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
- [00:21:23.266]I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION AND YOUR QUESTIONS.
- [00:21:31.500][ APPLAUSE ] >> I WONDER IF I COULD BEGIN
- [00:21:44.233]WITH A COMPLAINT.
- [00:21:45.734][ LAUGHTER ] I'VE NEVER VISITED LINCOLN
- [00:21:52.834]BEFORE TODAY.
- [00:21:53.633]I'VE BEEN TO NEBRASKA I THINK ONCE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE BEFORE
- [00:21:58.333]TODAY.
- [00:21:59.233]I REALLY DON'T THINK IT'S QUITE FAIR I SHOULD BE PITTED AGAINST
- [00:22:03.900]THE HOMETOWN HERO.
- [00:22:05.900][ LAUGHTER ] I COULD TELL YOU STORIES ABOUT
- [00:22:10.333]MY HOOSIER ROOTS.
- [00:22:12.300][ LAUGHTER ] I'M JUST NOT SURE IT WOULD HAVE
- [00:22:17.000]THE SAME IMPACT.
- [00:22:19.533]SO I UNDERSTAND MY CHARTER TO BE, TO REFLECT ON THREE VERY
- [00:22:26.667]SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OR ISSUES RELATED TO BASIC U.S. NATIONAL
- [00:22:31.800]SECURITY POLICY.
- [00:22:32.800]TWO OF THESE QUESTIONS ARE SORT OF A RECENT VINTAGE.
- [00:22:36.934]ONE IS QUITE A BIT OLDER.
- [00:22:38.867]SO THE THREE THINGS I'M ULTIMATELY GOING TO CIRCLE
- [00:22:41.867]AROUND TO TALK ABOUT.
- [00:22:43.233]FIRST WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF RELYING ON WHAT WE CALL THE
- [00:22:46.266]ALL VOLUNTEER FORCE.
- [00:22:48.667]MORE ACCURATELY, A PROFESSIONAL MILITARY.
- [00:22:54.233]SECOND, THE WHOLE QUESTION OF WHETHER MAINTAINING A GLOBAL
- [00:22:58.934]MILITARY PRESENCE WITH U.S.
- [00:23:00.900]FORCES, U.S. BASES SCATTERED IN DOZENS OF COUNTRIES AROUND THE
- [00:23:05.200]WORLD, WHETHER THAT NOTION STILL IS JUSTIFIED, LONG AFTER THE END
- [00:23:11.033]OF THE COLD WAR, WHICH WAS THE
- [00:23:17.033]EVENT THAT CREATED THIS NOTION IN THE FIRST PLACE.
- [00:23:21.433]AND THEN THIRD WHAT ROLE IF ANY DOES THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL
- [00:23:27.266]COMPLEX PLAY IN INFLUENCING NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY.
- [00:23:31.166]I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST REFLECT, SORT OF FRAME MY ANSWERS TO THE
- [00:23:34.767]NARROW QUESTIONS.
- [00:23:36.367]I HAVE TO SAY THAT -- I SAT THERE LISTENING TO SECRETARY
- [00:23:43.066]HAGEL'S LIST OF SIX PRIORITIES, WHICH OF COURSE PRESIDENT
- [00:23:47.767]OBAMA'S DEFENSE OR SECURITY PRIORITIES, AND THERE'S NOTHING
- [00:23:51.900]I WOULD OBJECT TO THEM
- [00:23:55.066]WHEREVER -- ABOUT THEM.
- [00:23:56.834]I THINK THE CUTS IN SECRETARY HAGEL'S OFFICE ARE GOING TO
- [00:24:01.233]OCCUR OVER FIVE YEARS.
- [00:24:02.667]BUT NONETHELESS, A DOWNSIZING OF HEADQUARTERS IS PROBABLY A
- [00:24:11.233]GOOD IDEA.
- [00:24:12.800]THE PROBLEM, I DO THINK THESE PROPOSED REFORMS CONSTITUTE A
- [00:24:17.467]RECALIBRATION, AN ADJUSTMENT, WHEREAS MY POSITION WOULD BE BIG
- [00:24:25.233]CHANGE IS NEEDED.
- [00:24:26.800]AT LEAST BIG CHANGE OUGHT TO BE CONSIDERED.
- [00:24:29.400]SO PRELIMINARY THOUGHTS.
- [00:24:31.900]POINT 1.
- [00:24:35.333]POWER CONFERS CHOICE.
- [00:24:38.300]AT LEAST IT OUGHT TO.
- [00:24:39.433]AND AS THE MOST POWERFUL NATION IN THE WORLD, BLESSED WITH AN
- [00:24:47.066]ASTONISHINGLY FAVORABLE GEOPOLITICAL SITUATION, THE
- [00:24:50.800]UNITED STATES ENJOYS, OR OUGHT TO ENJOY, CONSIDERABLE FREEDOM
- [00:24:54.734]OF ACTION IN DECIDING HOW WE ARE GOING TO RELATE TO THE REST OF
- [00:25:00.400]THE WORLD.
- [00:25:01.600]I'D SAY ONE OF THE GREAT FAILURES OF POLICY MAKERS SINCE
- [00:25:06.700]THE END OF THE COLD WAR.
- [00:25:08.200]THIS IS NOT DIRECTED TO ANY PARTICULAR ADMINISTRATION, BUT
- [00:25:12.900]ONE OF THE GREATEST FAILURES IS THE FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE
- [00:25:17.967]DO HAVE CHOICES AVAILABLE.
- [00:25:21.066]AND THAT WE CAN EXERCISE CHOICES TO GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
- [00:25:27.100]INSTEAD, POLICY MAKERS CLAIMING THAT WE ARE THE INDISPENSABLE
- [00:25:33.834]NATION, YOU'VE HEARD THAT PHRASE.
- [00:25:38.300]THAT WE HAVE INSISTED THERE REALLY IS NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO
- [00:25:43.200]EXERCISE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP.
- [00:25:45.900]AGAIN, A PHRASE THAT YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH.
- [00:25:49.500]SO IN THIS FRAMEWORK OF SEEING OURSELVES AS INDISPENSABLE OR
- [00:25:53.333]BEING CALLED UPON TO EXERCISE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP FOR ALL
- [00:25:59.000]PRACTICAL PURPOSES WE PRESS ON.
- [00:26:01.233]WASHINGTON PRESSES ON.
- [00:26:04.633]FOLLOWING A PARTICULAR -- TO MY MIND INSUFFICIENTLY SENSITIVE TO
- [00:26:09.934]THE COSTS AND CONSEQUENCES ALONG THE WAY.
- [00:26:12.133]SECOND LARGER POINT.
- [00:26:14.567]HOW ARE WE TO EVALUATE THE EXERCISE OF GLOBAL LEADERSHIP?
- [00:26:21.367]WELL I DON'T WANT TO DISREGARD MORAL CONSIDERATIONS BECAUSE
- [00:26:25.934]THEY OUGHT TO FIGURE ANY CONVERSATION WE HAVE ABOUT
- [00:26:29.600]POLICY, BUT THAT SAID, IT SEEMS TO ME THE PRIMARY BASIS FOR
- [00:26:35.533]EVALUATING POLICY MUST BE A PRAGMATIC ONE.
- [00:26:39.066]DOES POLICY WORK.
- [00:26:43.266]DOES IT PROVIDE A GOOD RETURN ON THE BLOOD AND THE TREASURE
- [00:26:49.900]EXPENDED PURSUANT TO POLICY OBJECTIVES?
- [00:26:53.133]FOR THE WHOLE POST-COLD WAR ERA, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MORE THAN
- [00:26:58.333]THREE DECADES NOW, THE BIG QUESTION THAT WE NEED TO
- [00:27:03.200]CONFRONT OUR CITIZENS, ARE THE EXERTIONS OF OUR NATIONAL
- [00:27:08.433]SECURITY ESTABLISHMENT MAKING US MORE SECURE AND MORE PROSPEROUS.
- [00:27:13.867]IF THE ANSWER IS YES, IF WE ARE BECOMING MORE SECURE AND MORE
- [00:27:20.633]PROSPEROUS, THEN WE OWE A DEPTH OF GRATITUDE TO OUR COLD WAR
- [00:27:29.333]PRESIDENTS.
- [00:27:29.734]BOTH PRESIDENTS, BUSH, CLINTON AND PRESIDENT OBAMA.
- [00:27:34.700]AND WE SHOULD PRESS ON THE COURSE THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING.
- [00:27:37.600]IF THE ANSWER IS NO, HOWEVER, THEN IT SEEMS TO ME IT'S TIME
- [00:27:42.266]FOR US TO RETHINK BASIC POLICY AND TO TRY TO EXERCISE THAT
- [00:27:47.600]CHOICES -- THE CHOICES THAT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO A
- [00:27:52.900]POWERFUL NATION.
- [00:27:53.467]I HAVE TO TELL YOU MY ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IS MANIFESTLY NO,
- [00:27:56.967]OUR POLICIES ARE NOT MAKING US MORE SECURE AND THEY ARE NOT
- [00:28:00.867]MAKING US MORE PROSPEROUS AND THEY ARE COSTING US A LOT.
- [00:28:05.400]NOW UNFORTUNATELY, I SAY THIS AS AN OUTSIDE OBSERVER, IT SEEMS TO
- [00:28:11.567]ME THAT OUR NATIONAL SECURITY ESTABLISHMENT IS SO INVESTED IN
- [00:28:19.834]THE STATUS QUO CARRIED OVER FROM THE COLD WAR THAT OUR LEADERS
- [00:28:23.967]LACK THE CREATIVE CAPACITY TO PRODUCE OR EVALUATE ALTERNATIVE
- [00:28:29.633]APPROACHES, AND SO WE BLUNDER ON.
- [00:28:35.934]HERE'S THE ESSENCE OF POST-COLD WAR U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY
- [00:28:39.633]POLICY EXPRESSED IN ONE SINGLE SENTENCE.
- [00:28:42.800]PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON BELIEVE THAT THROUGH THE JOINT USE OF
- [00:28:47.333]MILITARY POWER, UNITED STATES CAN SHAPE THE INTERNATIONAL
- [00:28:51.200]ORDER TO MAINTAIN U.S. GLOBAL SUPREMACY.
- [00:28:56.667]THAT'S WHY TODAY,
- [00:28:59.133]DESPITE THE BUDGET CUTS, THAT'S WHY THE
- [00:29:06.834][ INDISCERNIBLE ] IS LARGER IN CONSTANT DOLLARS
- [00:29:09.367]THAN ANYTIME IT WAS DURING THE COLD WAR.
- [00:29:11.667]YOU REMEMBER THE COLD WAR?
- [00:29:13.233]TWO SUPERPOWERS, WORLD WAR III ON THE HORIZON.
- [00:29:18.000]THERE AIN'T NO OTHER SUPERPOWER TODAY.
- [00:29:21.166]SO WE'RE SPENDING MORE TODAY IN CONSTANT DOLLARS THAN WE EVER
- [00:29:25.600]DID IN THE 50s, 60s, 70s, OR 80s.
- [00:29:29.133]THAT'S WHY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, THAT'S WHY U.S. FORCES
- [00:29:33.867]ARE CONSTANTLY PROWLING AROUND THE WORLD.
- [00:29:37.233]I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE OFF BED, BUT I WROTE AN OFF BED THAT
- [00:29:42.834]WAS QUITE FRANKLY MOCKING AN ARMY INITIATIVE CALLED PACIFIC
- [00:29:49.967]PATHWAYS.
- [00:29:50.333]NOW WE'RE COMING OUT OF IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, I'LL STATE THIS
- [00:29:54.533]CRUDELY, MY OWN SERVICE, OUT OF IRAQ, OUT OF AFGHANISTAN, THE
- [00:29:58.033]ARMY'S LOOKING FOR A REASON TO JUSTIFY ITS EXISTENCE.
- [00:30:01.600]IF YOU DON'T JUSTIFY YOUR EXISTENCE, YOU CAN'T JUSTIFY
- [00:30:04.734]YOUR BUDGETARY CLAIM.
- [00:30:06.233]IF YOU DON'T JUSTIFY YOUR BUDGETARY CLAIM, THEN YOUR
- [00:30:09.400]STATUS STANDING INFLUENCE IN THE REALM OF NATIONAL SECURITY
- [00:30:13.700]DECLINES.
- [00:30:14.500]SO PACIFIC PATHWAYS IS AN ARMY PROPOSAL TO SORT OF HAVE
- [00:30:22.400]SEPARATE BRIGADES WANDERING AROUND TO HELP.
- [00:30:28.100]THAT'S WHY THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT DEVOTES THE VAST
- [00:30:33.900]MAJORITY OF ITS EFFORTS TO PROJECTING MILITARY POWER HITHER
- [00:30:42.467]HITHER.
- [00:30:42.800]WHATEVER ELSE YOU WANT TO SAY ABOUT 9/1, IT WAS A CATASTROPHIC
- [00:30:47.400]FAILURE OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY ESTABLISHMENT TO PERFORM ITS
- [00:30:51.734]MOST ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS.
- [00:30:52.867]AND WHAT WAS THE RESPONSE TO THAT FAILURE?
- [00:30:57.100]CREATE A NEW CABINET AND AGENCY THAT HAS THE JOB OF DEFENDING
- [00:31:01.233]AMERICA CALLED THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, SO THAT THE
- [00:31:06.033]DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WHICH DOESN'T PARTICULARLY FOCUS ON
- [00:31:10.533]DEFENSE, COULD CONTINUE TO PROTECT POWER AROUND THE WORLD.
- [00:31:13.166]SO AGAIN THE CORE QUESTION IS, IS IT WORKING?
- [00:31:17.400]PRACTICALLY SPEAKING.
- [00:31:20.300]WELL, LET'S EXAMPLE THE RESULTS ACHIEVED SINCE THE END OF THE
- [00:31:23.600]COLD WAR IN THE GREATER MIDDLE EAST, WHICH HAS BEEN THE FOCAL
- [00:31:26.800]POINT OF U.S. MILITARY ACTIVITY FOR NEARLY A QUARTER OF A
- [00:31:30.166]CENTURY NOW.
- [00:31:33.967]ARE U.S. EFFORTS MAKING THE ISLAMIC WORLD MORE STABLE?
- [00:31:42.600]ARE THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THESE QUARTERS, IRAQIS, AFGHANS,
- [00:31:49.300]PAKISTANIS, SAUDIS, ARE THESE PEOPLE GETTING MORE FAVORABLY
- [00:31:59.767]DISPOSED TOWARDS THE STATES OF AMERICA.
- [00:32:02.333]THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS ARE NO AND NO.
- [00:32:05.900]ARE WARS IN THIS REGION, LARGE ONES LIKE IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN,
- [00:32:10.867]BUT ALSO SMALLER PLACES LIKE SOMALIA, YEMEN AND LIBYA, WILL
- [00:32:16.934]ULTIMATELY COST US, YOU ALREADY HEARD THIS, TRILLIONS OF
- [00:32:20.567]DOLLARS.
- [00:32:24.233]NOT BILLIONS WITH A B.
- [00:32:27.834]TRILLIONS WITH A T.
- [00:32:31.734]WHAT ARE WE GETTING IN RETURN?
- [00:32:35.500]NOT MUCH, IN MY VIEW.
- [00:32:39.400]YET POLITICAL AND MILITARY ELITE SEEM REMARKABLY RETICENT WHEN
- [00:32:47.200]CONFRONTING THE YAWNING GAP BETWEEN EXPECTATIONS AND
- [00:32:53.000]OUTCOMES.
- [00:32:53.367]TO DO SO, TO CONFRONT THAT YAWNING GAP WOULD CALL INTO
- [00:32:57.700]QUESTION THE FUNDAMENTAL PREMISES UNDERLYING
- [00:33:04.934]U.S. POLICY.
- [00:33:06.166]AND DOING SO IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE A STEP TOWARD IDENTIFYING
- [00:33:10.867]STRATEGIC ALTERNATIVES, DIFFERENT CHOICES, THAT A
- [00:33:14.033]POWERFUL COUNTRY OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IN PURSUIT OF ITS
- [00:33:18.000]OWN INTEREST.
- [00:33:18.834]SO BACK TO THOSE THREE ORIGINAL QUESTIONS I WAS ASKED TO
- [00:33:23.967]REFLECT ON.
- [00:33:24.333]FIRST WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF RELYING ON A PROFESSIONAL
- [00:33:28.333]MILITARY.
- [00:33:30.834]WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF HAVING ABANDONED THE TRADITION
- [00:33:36.333]OF THE CITIZEN SOLDIER WHICH WAS THE BASIS OF THE AMERICAN
- [00:33:41.133]MILITARY SYSTEM, GOING BACK TO THE FOUNDING OF THIS REPUBLIC.
- [00:33:46.900]WE ABANDONED THAT TRADITION IN THE WAKE OF THE VIETNAM WAR.
- [00:33:50.700]I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT IMPLICATION IS QUITE OBVIOUS.
- [00:33:56.266]AND THAT IS THAT WE HAVE ALLOWED A GAP TO DEVELOP BETWEEN THE
- [00:34:00.967]MILITARY AND SOCIETY.
- [00:34:03.033]YOU KNOW THE FIGURES.
- [00:34:05.600]IN A COUNTRY THAT DOES SEEM TO BE PERPETUALLY AT WAR, 1% OF OUR
- [00:34:12.766]FELLOW CITIZENS BEAR THE BURDEN OF SERVICE AND SACRIFICE WHILE
- [00:34:17.433]THE REMAINING 99% OF US ARE ESSENTIALLY SPECTATORS.
- [00:34:21.567]THIS DISTRIBUTION OF EFFORT CANNOT BE SAID TO BE DEMOCRATIC.
- [00:34:26.333]AND QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T BELIEVE IT CAN BE SAID TO BE
- [00:34:32.333]MORAL.
- [00:34:32.667]BUT AGAIN THE PRAGMATIC QUESTION IS THE ONE THAT COUNTS.
- [00:34:36.333]DOES IT WORK, DOES THE ALL VOLUNTEER FORCE WORK?
- [00:34:39.266]DOES RELYING ON A PROFESSIONAL MILITARY GIVE US THE RESULTS WE
- [00:34:43.667]WANT?
- [00:34:44.833]DOES OUR MILITARY WIN?
- [00:34:48.833]THAT IS, DOES IT ACHIEVE CONCLUSIVE SUCCESS,
- [00:34:54.766]ACCOMPLISHING OUR STATED POLITICAL OBJECTIVES.
- [00:34:57.900]THAT'S WHAT WAR IS ALL ABOUT.
- [00:35:00.667]USING WAR TO ACHIEVE POLITICAL PURPOSES.
- [00:35:07.166]SADLY, THE
- [00:54:18.867]WE COULD SAY THIS IS A PROBLEM WORTH JUST RUNNING A RISK OF NOT
- [00:54:20.934]DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
- [00:54:22.734]AND MAYBE SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES AND BE HELD
- [00:54:25.433]ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE CONSEQUENCES.
- [00:54:26.867]OR WE COULD DO SOMETHING.
- [00:54:28.600]AND I THINK AS PROFESSOR BACEVICH JUST POINTED OUT, MANE
- [00:54:33.433]TIMES IN -- THERE RISKS WITHIN ACTION.
- [00:54:40.100]WE'LL TRY TO CALIBRATE THOSE RISKS.
- [00:54:43.233]ON THE SPECIFIC ISSUE OF DRONES, THE PRESIDENT HAS SPOKEN TO
- [00:54:48.567]THIS.
- [00:54:48.867]I WOULD REALLY COMMEND ALL OF YOU TO READ A SPEECH HE GAVE AT
- [00:54:53.400]THE NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY LAST MAY.
- [00:54:56.500]HE SPOKE MORE THAN ANY OTHER PRESIDENT OPENLY ABOUT THE USE
- [00:54:59.500]OF THIS TECHNOLOGY IN WAR FARE.
- [00:55:03.166]FIRST, WE'RE NOT THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WHO HAS
- [00:55:06.333]DRONES.
- [00:55:06.667]OTHER COUNTRIES ARE DEVELOPING THE CAPABILITY QUICKLY AND
- [00:55:09.867]THEY'RE GOING TO PROLIFERATE AROUND THE WORLD.
- [00:55:15.066]THE UNITED STATES IS NOT THE ONLY POWER WITH CAPABLE DRONES,
- [00:55:18.967]BUT OTHER COUNTRIES, SOME WHO MAY NOT WISH US WELL ALL THE
- [00:55:25.700]TIME WILL HAVE THIS TECHNOLOGY AS WELL.
- [00:55:27.633]IT RAISES CERTAIN STRATEGIC QUESTIONS ON WHEN YOU USE
- [00:55:31.300]DRONES.
- [00:55:31.633]THE PRESIDENT MADE CLEAR, FIRST WHEN WE SEE A TERRORIST OR
- [00:55:34.333]SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT WISH US WELL, OUR FIRST WISH OR DESIRE
- [00:55:39.166]WOULD BE TO HANDLE THIS BY CAPTURING THIS PERSON AND
- [00:55:43.133]ALTHOUGH THAT RUNS INCREDIBLE RISK TO OUR FORCES, IT COULD
- [00:55:47.100]ALSO RUN INCREDIBLE RISK TO THE CIVILIAN POPULATION MORE SO THAN
- [00:55:51.533]DRONES.
- [00:55:51.867]IF THAT'S NOT AVAILABLE, THEN THIS SORT OF TECHNOLOGY IS
- [00:55:55.533]WHAT'S CONSIDERED.
- [00:55:56.066]NOW THE PRESIDENT AND THE WHITE HOUSE AND DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
- [00:55:58.967]HAVE PUT IN CERTAIN PROCEDURES IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S
- [00:56:04.767]OVERSIGHT.
- [00:56:05.133]TO ENSURE THAT CONGRESS IS INVOLVED AND THAT THE LEGAL
- [00:56:08.066]AUTHORITIES ARE IN PLACE.
- [00:56:09.066]WHEN WE DO THIS WE DO SO IN A WAY THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE
- [00:56:14.567]IT RIGHT OR WE THINK THAT WE HAVE IT RIGHT.
- [00:56:16.567]AND ALL THE RISKS ARE WEIGHED.
- [00:56:18.600]BUT IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
- [00:56:20.100]ONE THING THAT THE PRESIDENT MADE CLEAR IN THE SPEECH HE LAID
- [00:56:23.467]OUT LAST MAY IS THAT WE WANTS TO WORK WITH THE CONGRESS TO COME
- [00:56:26.700]UP WITH A SYSTEM THAT'S BETTER AND WILL OUTLAST HIS PRESIDENCY.
- [00:56:32.133]WE MAY FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE SYSTEM PUT INTO PLACE WITH THIS
- [00:56:36.000]ADMINISTRATION, BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THE -- THE PRESIDENT
- [00:56:40.300]WITH WORKING WITH THE CONGRESS TO COME UP WITH A SYSTEM IN
- [00:56:43.567]WHICH THIS TECHNOLOGY WOULD BE USED IN A WAY THAT WOULD GIVE
- [00:56:48.433]CONFIDENCE THAT WE'RE DOING SO RESPONSIBLY AND THOUGHTFULLY AS
- [00:56:52.033]WE CAN UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE GENUINE RISKS TO DOING SO.
- [00:57:01.100]>> LET ME RETURN THAT TO AN ISSUE THAT EMERGED IN PROFESSOR
- [00:57:06.567]BACEVICH'S OPENING REMARKS WHICH IS THE QUESTION OF THE ALL
- [00:57:09.467]VOLUNTEER MILITARY FORCE IN THE UNITED STATES.
- [00:57:12.000]ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TURNING POINTS CAME IN 1973 WITH
- [00:57:15.633]THE CREATION OF THE AV -- OR THE AVM.
- [00:57:20.066]I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE GETS A CHANCE TO
- [00:57:24.567]ADDRESS THIS.
- [00:57:25.266]DO YOU THINK THAT DEFENDING THE NATION'S SECURITY SHOULD IN FACT
- [00:57:28.300]BE AN EQUAL OBLIGATION OF ALL CITIZENS?
- [00:57:32.867]AND WOULD A RENEWED MILITARY DRAFT AFFECT THE WAY OUR NATION
- [00:57:36.667]MAKES DECISIONS ABOUT WAR AND PEACE.
- [00:57:38.934]SUCH AS THE DECISION TO INVADE IRAQ IN 2003.
- [00:57:45.934]>> SO FIRST I THINK WE AGREE ALL THE ALL VOLUNTEER FORCE IS ONE
- [00:57:52.066]OF THE REASONS WHY OUR MILITARY IS AS CAPABLE AS IT IS, IT HAS
- [00:57:56.266]SUCH HIGH STANDARDS.
- [00:57:57.834]WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE MILITARY LIVES TO THE HIGHEST
- [00:58:01.000]STANDARDS POSSIBLE, BEYOND EVEN COMMON CITIZENS.
- [00:58:04.767]THERE ARE HIGH EXPECTATIONS ON OUR MILITARY AND IT'S THE BEST
- [00:58:08.600]TRAINED ASK MOST CAPABLE FORCE IN THE WORLD.
- [00:58:10.767]AND PART OF 23459 IS THOSE WHO SERVE IN OUR MILITARY.
- [00:58:17.600]WHERE ARE -- ONE OF MY MESSAGES TO YOUNG PEOPLE IS THAT PUBLIC
- [00:58:38.767]SERVICE IS A GREAT THING.
- [00:58:40.066]IT DOESN'T MEAN JUST SERVING IN THE MILITARY, COULD MEAN SERVING
- [00:58:43.600]IN A COMMUNITY A CHURCH, SERVING GOVERNMENT IN SOME OTHER
- [00:58:48.367]CAPACITY.
- [00:58:48.734]WE OWN THIS COUNTRY AND WE SHOULD FEEL INVESTED IN IT.
- [00:58:52.400]BUT I DON'T THINK THE CAUSALITY BETWEEN THE ALL VOLUNTEER FORCE
- [00:58:55.400]AND OUR WILLINGNESS TO USE FORCE AROUND THE WORLD REALLY WORKS.
- [00:59:01.734]I THINK THAT -- I DON'T SEE THE PRESIDENT OR THE SECRETARY OF
- [00:59:05.300]DEFENSE OR THE JOINT CHIEFS LESS ANGUISHED ABOUT THE USE OF FORCE
- [00:59:09.300]AND THE POTENTIAL USE OF FORCE BECAUSE EVERYONE IN THE MILITARY
- [00:59:15.200]HAPPENS TO BE A VOLUNTEER.
- [00:59:16.500]THE DECISIONS WEIGH HEAVILY ON OUR LEADERS AND I DON'T KNOW
- [00:59:20.700]THAT IT WOULD MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IF THERE WAS A DRAFT,
- [00:59:23.500]AND I THINK PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE EXPERIENCE WE'VE GONE
- [00:59:27.700]THROUGH POST-9/11 IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN WHERE WE HAD SO MANY
- [00:59:32.467]VETERANS PRODUCED OUT OF THOSE WARS, THE NATIONAL GUARD OF
- [00:59:37.166]RESERVES HAS BEEN USED IN SO MANY WAYS THAT MANY DIDN'T THINK
- [00:59:42.000]THEY WERE GOING TO BE USED IN TERMS OF COMBAT DEPLOYMENT THAT
- [00:59:46.834]THE CONGRESS FELT THE COST OF THE WARS, YOU FELT THE COST OF
- [00:59:52.500]THOSE WARS.
- [00:59:53.166]I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT WHAT WE WOULD GIVE UP IN HAVING A DRAFT
- [00:59:57.000]AND GETTING RID OF THE ALL VOLUNTEER FORCE WOULD MAKE MUCH
- [01:00:01.166]OF A DIFFERENCE IN THE QUESTION OF USING THE MILITARY ABROAD.
- [01:00:08.667]>> IT'S A TOUGH CALL.
- [01:00:09.367]BUT THE COUNTRY ARGUMENT IS THAT IF A LARGER PERCENTAGE OF THE
- [01:00:20.033]POPULATION FELT IT HAD SKIN IN THE GAME, THAT NOT NECESSARILY
- [01:00:25.533]CHANGED THE TEMPER OF THE DISCUSSION IN THE OVAL OFFICE
- [01:00:28.934]ABOUT WHETHER TO GO TO WAR, BUT IT MIGHT ANIMATE THE PUBLIC A
- [01:00:34.834]LITTLE BIT MORE TO PAY ATTENTION.
- [01:00:40.400]AND THAT COULD HAVE -- THE FACT THAT AT THE TIME OF THE INVASION
- [01:00:47.000]OF IRAQ AND THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE PUT TOGETHER, ONE MEMBER
- [01:00:50.834]OF CONGRESS WHO HAD A CHILD SERVING AS AN ENLISTED SOLDIER.
- [01:00:55.600]ONE.
- [01:00:57.800]SO THAT THE HUNDRED MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, THAT WOULD CHILDREN AS
- [01:01:00.967]YOUNG ENLISTED SOLDIERS.
- [01:01:03.633]MEANING THOSE WHO WERE GOING TO BE THE MOST VULNERABLE.
- [01:01:06.967]WOULD THAT HAVE CHANGED THE TENOR OF THE CONVERSATION.
- [01:01:09.867]HARD TO SAY FOR SURE.
- [01:01:11.567]BUT MY ARGUMENT, WHICH BY THE WAY IS NOT AN ARGUMENT FOR THE
- [01:01:16.867]DRAFT.
- [01:01:17.166]I THINK THAT RATHER THAN CONSIDERING THE RESTORATION OF
- [01:01:21.233]THE DRAFT, WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING THE CREATION OF A
- [01:01:23.734]PROGRAM OF NATIONAL SERVICE, WHICH WOULD BRING ABOUT THIS
- [01:01:28.533]CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, SINCE ITS CIVIC OBLIGATION WHERE MILITARY
- [01:01:33.467]SERVICE WOULD BE ONE OPTION AMONG MANY.
- [01:01:35.133]SO NOT DRAFT, NATIONAL SERVICE.
- [01:01:37.567]BUT THE OTHER ARGUMENT HERE I THINK IS -- HAS TO DO WITH --
- [01:01:47.467]THAT THE NATION WAGED WARS MORE EFFECTIVELY WHEN THEY ARE FOUGHT
- [01:01:55.600]WITH A CITIZEN ARMY.
- [01:01:57.867]AND HERE I THINK THE COMPARISON IS -- LET'S MAKE THE COMPARISON
- [01:02:04.900]WITH THE CIVIL WAR.
- [01:02:07.467]YOU REMEMBER BACK IN 1861 -- YOU DON'T REMEMBER, YOU REMEMBER THE
- [01:02:12.066]STORY.
- [01:02:12.400][ LAUGHTER ] BOTH SIDES WERE PERSUADED IT WAS
- [01:02:16.266]GOING A SHORT WAR.
- [01:02:17.066]THE UNION AND CONFEDERATE ARMY, THEY'RE GOING TO TROT OUT INTO
- [01:02:21.567]VIRGINIA AND BEAT EACH OTHER UP OVER THE COURSE OF AN AFTERNOON,
- [01:02:24.867]AND THEN ONE SIDE WOULD QUIT.
- [01:02:30.867]CHIEF INDEPENDENCE OR THE UNION WOULD BE RESTORED.
- [01:02:33.633]THAT WOULD BE A VERY NAIVE EXPECTATION.
- [01:02:36.867]LONG WAR.
- [01:02:37.433]MANY BATTLES.
- [01:02:40.233]FLOODING.
- [01:02:40.633]BECAUSE ABRAHAM LINCOLN HAD A CITIZEN ARMY.
- [01:02:52.000]HE TURNED TO THE COUNTRY AFTER FIRST -- AND SAID NEED A BIGGER
- [01:02:58.934]ARMY.
- [01:02:59.333]AND THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES RESPONDED BY CREATING A
- [01:03:05.266]CITIZEN ARMY THAT BY 1865 SOMEBODY IN HERE WILL KNOW THE
- [01:03:11.266]NUMBER BETTER THAN I WILL, NUMBERED MORE THAN A MILLION MEN
- [01:03:15.367]UNDER ARMS.
- [01:03:16.066]IT TOOK TWO DAYS FOR THE UNION ARMY TO PARADE PAST THE WHITE
- [01:03:20.200]HOUSE IN THE VICTORY PARADE.
- [01:03:31.166]WHERE PEOPLE COULD SAY IN THIS COUNTRY WHERE CITIZENS HAVE AN
- [01:03:35.367]OBLIGATION TO SERVE, I HAVE YOUR SERVICE.
- [01:03:37.767]BUT PRESIDENT BUSH BACK IN 2003, ALSO MISCALCULATED.
- [01:03:40.667]HE THOUGHT THAT KNOCKING OVER SADAM HUSSEIN WAS GOING TO BE A
- [01:03:47.467]RELATIVELY EASY TASK AND ONE WE GOT TO BAGHDAD WE WOULD DECLARE
- [01:03:51.734]VICTORY AND EVERYONE WOULD GO HOME AND IT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL
- [01:03:54.834]THING.
- [01:03:55.133]WE GOT TO BAGHDAD AND WE FOUND OURSELVES IN A HUGE MESS.
- [01:03:59.367]WHERE WE NO LONGER HAD CITIZENS INVESTED IN THE NOTION OF
- [01:04:05.000]MILITARY SERVICE.
- [01:04:06.500]PRESIDENT BUSH DIDN'T HAVE THE OPTION OF GOING TO THE COUNTRY
- [01:04:09.200]AND SAYING YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M GOING TO NEED A MILLION MAN ARMY
- [01:04:13.300]TO CORRECTLY OCCUPY AND PACIFY IRAQ.
- [01:04:18.200]BECAUSE IT WASN'T OUR WAR.
- [01:04:19.266]SO WHAT DID HE DO?
- [01:04:21.200]WELL HE WENT TO THE ALLIES AND THE ALLIES SAID, WELL WE'LL GIVE
- [01:04:25.834]YOU SIX OF THESE AND SEVEN OF THOSE, BUT NOT REALLY A
- [01:04:31.066]SIGNIFICANT ADDITION TO U.S.
- [01:04:32.567]FORCES, SO WHAT DID HE DO?
- [01:04:35.367]HE HIRED CONTRACTORS.
- [01:04:36.767]HE HIRED MERCENARIES.
- [01:04:41.734]PEOPLE AT EXORBITANT COSTS WHO WERE ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITIES
- [01:04:47.533]THAT IN ANY PREVIOUS WARS WOULD HAVE BEEN FULFILLED BY CITIZEN
- [01:04:53.834]SOLDIERS.
- [01:04:54.200]MAYBE THE JURY IS OUT A LITTLE BIT BUT MY VIEW IS IT COST A
- [01:04:57.834]HECK OF A LOT AND DIDN'T GET THE JOB DONE.
- [01:05:00.700]SO THE ARGUMENT FOR RESTORING THE TRADITION OF THE CITIZEN
- [01:05:04.767]SOLDIER IS IN PART AN ARGUMENT BASED ON MAYBE THE COUNTRY PAID
- [01:05:09.767]MORE ATTENTION BEFORE I DASHED OFF IN SOME CAULK NANNY WAR, BUT
- [01:05:14.600]IT'S ALSO AN ARGUMENT THAT SAYS WHEN WE DO FIND OURSELVES IN THE
- [01:05:18.200]WAR WE'LL HAVE A MILITARY SYSTEM THAT HAS GREATER ELASTICITY, AND
- [01:05:24.100]THERE GIVE US A BETTER CHANCE OF CONCLUDING THE WAR ON FAVORABLE
- [01:05:28.400]TERMS, WHICH AT THE END OF THE DAY IS THE OBJECT OF THE
- [01:05:32.166]EXERCISE.
- [01:05:32.533]>> THIS IS THE TIME OF EVENING WHERE WE BRING MORE VOICES IN,
- [01:05:35.700]WHEN THE USHERS BEGIN TO HAND OUT NOTE CARDS TO THE AUDIENCE.
- [01:05:41.800]AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO WRITE A QUESTION ON THE CARD AND SEND IT
- [01:05:46.967]DOWN TO THE END OF THE ROW WHERE USHERS WILL COLLECT THEM AND
- [01:05:50.667]THEY'LL COME FLOATING BACK UP VIA UNKNOWN PROCESSES TO ME --
- [01:05:55.834][ LAUGHTER ] AND I'LL BE DELIGHTED TO SELECT
- [01:05:58.967]A FEW OF THEM OUT THERE OUR DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS.
- [01:06:02.600]WHILE THE USHERS ARE AT WORK, AND THANK YOU, USHERS, I DO WANT
- [01:06:07.533]TO ASK ONE MORE QUESTION.
- [01:06:08.900]THAT IS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE ARMED FORCES WITH
- [01:06:12.533]AMERICAN POPULAR CULTURE.
- [01:06:14.500]THE AMERICAN POPULOUS IN GENERAL.
- [01:06:16.533]DO YOU THINK THAT MOST AMERICAN CIVILIANS UNDERSTAND AND
- [01:06:19.433]APPRECIATE WHAT AMERICAN MILITARY PERSONNEL DO IN THEIR
- [01:06:25.200]JOBS.
- [01:06:25.500]AND ARE THERE WAYS IN WHICH THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ARMED
- [01:06:28.900]FORCES AND CIVILIAN SOCIETY SHOULD BE IMPROVED.
- [01:06:38.333]THIS IS BASICALLY THE TOPIC OF THE BOOK THAT I'M GOING TO TRY
- [01:06:41.700]TO GET YOU TO BUY WHEN WE'RE ALL DONE.
- [01:06:44.433][ LAUGHTER ] HE DIDN'T PAY ME TO ASK THIS
- [01:06:48.100]QUESTION, I PROMISE.
- [01:06:51.400]AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A GROWING AWARENESS THAT THERE'S
- [01:06:57.700]SOMETHING NOT RIGHT IN THE CLAIMS MADE BY AMERICANS THAT WE
- [01:07:06.934]SUPPORT THE TROOPS.
- [01:07:14.066]THAT PHRASE THAT HAS BECOME SO COMMONPLACE, I THINK IN OUR
- [01:07:21.400]DISCOURSE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
- [01:07:28.500]IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
- [01:07:33.767]IT'S TOO EASY.
- [01:07:35.033]IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF -- MANY OF YOU KNOW OF -- YOU DIDN'T KNOW
- [01:07:46.300]BONHOEFFER, THE GERMAN MARTYR AND THEOLOGIAN WHO IN THE '30s,
- [01:07:51.500]AFTER HITLER CAME TO POWER IN GERMANY, BASICALLY LED A
- [01:07:58.200]MOVEMENT TO BREAK AWAY FROM ORTHODOX PROTESTANT CHRISTIAN
- [01:08:06.700]ESTABLISHMENT, PROTESTANT CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN GERMANY TO
- [01:08:11.233]FOUND WHAT HE CALLED A CONFESSING CHURCH.
- [01:08:14.734]AND HIS CRITIQUE OF THE ESTABLISHMENT CHURCH WAS THAT IT
- [01:08:19.667]HAD ALLOWED ITSELF TO BE COMPROMISED BY COLLABORATING
- [01:08:24.834]WITH THE NAZIS, WHILE STILL CONGRATULATING THEMSELVES FOR
- [01:08:31.700]BEING FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.
- [01:08:36.500]AND BONHOEFFER SAID THAT'S WHAT HE CALLED "CHEAP GRACE."
- [01:08:42.667]THIS BEING TOO QUICK TO PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK WHEN IT'S
- [01:08:47.200]UTTERLY UNDESERVED, WHEN IN FACT YOU OUGHT TO BE EXAMINING YOUR
- [01:08:51.399]CONSCIENCE.
- [01:08:59.166]I THINK THESE SUPERFICIAL EXPRESSIONS OF AFFECTION FOR THE
- [01:09:02.834]TROOPS, THE BUDWEISER COMMERCIAL DURING THE SUPER BOWL.
- [01:09:10.066]I THINK THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF CHEAP GRADES.
- [01:09:17.033]THAT IF INDEED WE SUPPORT AND CARE ABOUT THE TROOPS, THEN THAT
- [01:09:21.934]SHOULD IMPOSE OBLIGATIONS THAT GO WELL BEYOND CHEERING OR
- [01:09:26.066]BUYING BEER.
- [01:09:31.133]AND THAT TO SOME DEGREE WE OUGHT TO BE EXAMINING OUR CONSCIENCES
- [01:09:35.966]ABOUT HOW, IN MY VIEW AT LEAST, WE'VE ALLOWED THE TROOPS TO BE
- [01:09:41.734]ABUSED AND MISUSED AND WE OUGHT TO FEEL PRETTY UNCOMFORTABLE
- [01:09:48.466]ABOUT THAT.
- [01:09:49.166]THANK YOU.
- [01:09:50.133][ APPLAUSE ] >> WELL I'VE READ
- [01:09:59.900]ANDREW'S MOST RECENT BOOK.
- [01:10:01.133]IT IS A TERRIFIC BOOK.
- [01:10:02.133]MY BOOKS ARE FAR LESS INTERESTING, SO I'M NOT GOING TO
- [01:10:07.300]EVEN MAKE A CASE FOR YOU TO BUY IT.
- [01:10:11.133]BUT ON THIS CASE I HAVE TO SAY I'M A BIT TORN.
- [01:10:15.600]ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL PARTS OF YOUR BOOK IS WHEN YOU TALK
- [01:10:20.900]ABOUT A RED SOX WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT WE SEE AT ALL OF OUR
- [01:10:27.266]GAMES, THE AFFECTION FOR THE TROOPS.
- [01:10:30.600]I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING, IT COMES OUT OF A LEGACY, A BAD
- [01:10:34.767]LEGACY OF OURS WHICH IS WHERE WE DIDN'T TREAT TROOPS THE WAY THEY
- [01:10:37.600]SHOULD HAVE BEEN TREATED AFTER
- [01:10:40.700]THEY SERVED OUR COUNTRY.
- [01:10:43.133]IT'S A REMINDER TO ALL OF US WE SHOULD HONOR THOSE WHO SERVED
- [01:10:46.367]AND RESPECT THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND THE SACRIFICES THEY AND THE
- [01:10:50.066]FAMILIES HAVE MADE FOR YOU.
- [01:10:51.133]FOR US.
- [01:10:51.867]THAT'S A GOOD THING.
- [01:10:52.734]BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH.
- [01:10:53.767]I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT, I DON'T THINK IT'S ENOUGH TO SAY I DID
- [01:10:56.700]MY OBLIGATION, I CHEERED FOR SOME FOLKS WHO JUST RETURNED
- [01:11:01.000]FROM AFGHANISTAN, SOME WOUNDED WARRIORS MAYBE AND I CLAPPED AND
- [01:11:04.667]THAT'S ALL I NEED TO DO AND GOOD ON MY FOR GIVING THEM A NICE
- [01:11:08.200]CHEER.
- [01:11:08.500]YOU'VE GOT TO DO MORE THAN THAT.
- [01:11:10.100]ONE THING WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO AS A GOVERNMENT WORKING WITH
- [01:11:13.500]THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE WHO CAME
- [01:11:19.300]BACK FROM SERVICE.
- [01:11:22.200]MRS. OBAMA TALKED ABOUT AN INITIATIVE THAT SHE AND JOE
- [01:11:27.200]BIDEN HAVE STARTED TO HELP HIRE 100,000 VETERANS FROM
- [01:11:34.567]AFGHANISTAN TO CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES.
- [01:11:36.300]THEIR ASPIRATION IS TO HIRE THAT MANY IN FIVE YEARS.
- [01:11:39.767]THAT'S SOMETHING WE ABSOLUTELY SHOULD SUPPORT.
- [01:11:50.900]IT'S A SIGN OF RESPECT, BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH, IT SHOULDN'T BE A
- [01:11:54.367]SUBSTITUTE AT ALL.
- [01:11:57.166]>> SO THIS IS FOR, INITIALLY FOR THE SECRETARY.
- [01:12:02.333]HAVE WE ADVOCATED OUR POSITION OF GLOBAL LEADERSHIP TO RUSSIA.
- [01:12:06.166]AND AN EXAMPLE OF THIS, IS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS SYRIA.
- [01:12:16.300]>> RUSSIA IS CLEARLY PLAYING A ROLL IN SYRIA.
- [01:12:20.900]IN OUR VIEW IT'S A NEGATIVE ROLE IN APPLYING AN ASSAD REGIME.
- [01:12:29.200]I DON'T THINK THE U.S. HAS ADVOCATED ANY RESPONSIBILITY OR
- [01:12:34.000]LEADERSHIP.
- [01:12:34.400]I THINK SOMETIMES THOSE WHO MEASURE IT IS MEASURING IT ONLY
- [01:12:38.300]THROUGH THE MILITARY INSTRUMENT.
- [01:12:40.200]IF WE'RE NOT USING FORCE OR BOMBING SOMETHING, OR WE'RE NEWT
- [01:12:44.800]LEADING OR TAKING RESPONSIBILITY, WHEN IN FACT IN
- [01:12:47.867]SYRIA WE'RE MAKING THE JUDGMENT OF THE APPLICATION OF MILITARY
- [01:12:52.066]POWER WOULDN'T MAKE THAT ANY BETTER.
- [01:12:54.500]IT'S ALREADY TERRIBLE ENOUGH AS IT IS.
- [01:12:56.166]THE U.S. POWER IS BETTER USED TO SUPPORT THE DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS,
- [01:13:02.100]OUR FRIENDS AND ALLIES THAT ARE BORDERING SYRIA AND DEALING
- [01:13:06.800]WITH THE CONSEQUENCES AND INSTABILITY.
- [01:13:09.266]AND BY SUPPORTING AND TRYING TO STRENGTHEN THE MODERATE
- [01:13:15.667]OPERATIONS.
- [01:13:16.400]TODAY THEY -- RETURNED TO SYRIA TO TRY TO HAVE A DIPLOMATIC
- [01:13:24.266]SOLUTION TO THIS.
- [01:13:25.967]THAT'S ONLY HAPPENING THROUGH OUR U.S. DIPLOMATS, SECRETARY
- [01:13:34.467]KERRY AND HIS TEAM HAS MOVED OUT WITH DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP.
- [01:13:39.800]THAT'S USING DIFFERENT -- IT'S LEADERSHIP NONETHELESS.
- [01:14:05.967]>> THEY HAVE THEIR STOCK OF
- [01:14:10.700]RESENTMENTS I THINK CARRIED OVER FROM THE WAY THE COLD
- [01:14:14.500]WAR ENDED.
- [01:14:14.800]IN SOME WAYS -- IF ONE WERE TO THINK ABOUT WHICH COUNTRIES WE
- [01:14:23.667]SHOULD BE WORRYING ABOUT OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 40 OR 50
- [01:14:31.033]YEARS, I DON'T THINK RUSSIA IS GOING TO BE IN THE TOP TIER.
- [01:14:36.166]SO I WOULDN'T OVERSTATE THE RUSSIA PROBLEM.
- [01:14:39.367]>> COULD YOU PLEASE ADDRESS RECENT CHEATING SCANDALS IN THE
- [01:14:45.166]NUCLEAR MISSILE SILOS AND AT OTHER BRANCHES OF THE ARMED
- [01:14:50.266]SERVICES.
- [01:14:50.667]>> I'LL TAKE THE FIRST SHOT AT THAT.
- [01:14:53.333]LIKE THE SEXUAL ASSAULT ISSUE, IT'S SOMETHING THAT SECRETARY
- [01:14:56.567]HAGEL HAS BEEN SEIZED WITH RECENTLY AND HE JUST SPOKE TO
- [01:15:00.200]CHAIRMAN DEMPSEY, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEF SPOKE TO THIS ON
- [01:15:04.400]FRIDAY.
- [01:15:04.734]THESE CHEATING SCANDALS AND THE SORT OF OTHER PERSONNEL SCANDALS
- [01:15:10.300]ASSOCIATE WOULD THE MILITARY HAVE BEEN A HUGE CONCERN FOR THE
- [01:15:13.500]DEPARTMENT.
- [01:15:13.900]AND THERE'S VARIOUS MEASURES THAT SECRETARY HAGEL IS PUTTING
- [01:15:18.300]IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS INCLUDING
- [01:15:23.500]A FLAG OFFICIAL, THREE STAR GENERAL TO WORK IN HIS OFFICE TO
- [01:15:26.467]REPORT TO HIM DIRECTLY ON THESE ISSUES DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
- [01:15:30.233]SO IT IS A HUGE PROBLEM AND IT'S ONE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO
- [01:15:33.667]THE BOTTOM OF AND ONE WE'VE GOT TO SEEK TO MITIGATE.
- [01:15:37.967]THAT SAID AND THE SECRETARY HAS BEEN EQUALLY ADAMANT ON THIS
- [01:15:41.467]POINT IS THAT WE DON'T WANT THESE SCANDALS TO SORT OF PAINT
- [01:15:45.367]TOO BROAD OF A BRUSH ABOUT -- IN THE AIR FORCE'S CASE, ON MISSILE
- [01:15:50.667]EARS, BECAUSE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE FOLKS ARE DOING THEIR
- [01:15:55.266]JOB.
- [01:15:55.533]THEY'RE DOING IT VERY WELL.
- [01:15:57.066]THEY ARE PATRIOTS.
- [01:15:58.934]THEY ARE PEOPLE YOU ARE SACRIFICING FOR US AND
- [01:16:02.100]OFTENTIMES, AND PARTICULARLY IN THE MISSILE WORLD, OFTEN LARGELY
- [01:16:06.600]FORGOTTEN BY US BECAUSE THE COLD WAR IS GOING TO BE OVER AND MANY
- [01:16:10.000]PEOPLE FORGET THAT WE HAVE MEN AND WOMEN SITTING IN SILOS ON
- [01:16:14.800]12-HOUR SHIFTS PREPARING TO DEFEND US IF NECESSARY.
- [01:16:17.800]SO JUST TEN DAYS AGO WHEN I WAS FLYING BACK FROM EUROPE,
- [01:16:22.900]SECRETARY HAGEL HE MADE SOME PHONE CALLS TO FOLKS THAT WERE
- [01:16:27.500]MANNING THE MISSILE SILOS THAT DAY AND JUST TO LET THEM KNOW HE
- [01:16:31.433]WAS THINKING ABOUT THEM, AND ALSO ABOUT, TO FIND OUT HOW THEY
- [01:16:41.100]ARE BEING AFFECTED BY ALL THE STORIES AND THE SCANDALS.
- [01:16:45.400]>> I THINK THESE ARE INSTITUTIONS THAT CONSIST OF
- [01:16:46.900]HUMAN BEINGS AND HUMAN BEINGS ARE FALLIBLE.
- [01:16:53.867]TO SOME DEGREE ONE SHOULD NOT OVERREACT.
- [01:16:58.367]THERE ARE A CLUSTER OF THESE THINGS HAPPENING NOW THAT MAKES
- [01:17:01.700]IT A LITTLE BIT MORE DISTURBING AND CAPTURES MORE PUBLIC
- [01:17:06.734]ATTENTION.
- [01:17:08.800]BUT I THINK SECRETARY HAGEL OR GENERAL DEMPSEY, I THINK I WOULD
- [01:17:20.934]WANT TO FOCUS ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE REALM OF SENIOR
- [01:17:25.734]LEADERSHIP.
- [01:17:26.133]IF WE HAVE CHEATING SCANDALS, CORRUPTION SCANDALS, THEN FLAG
- [01:17:33.300]OFFICERS ARE FAILING IN THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO ESTABLISH --
- [01:17:39.500]THAT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY, COMPLETELY PREVENT THESE THINGS
- [01:17:43.100]FROM HAPPENING BUT WOULD CERTAINLY ENSURE THAT THEY ARE
- [01:17:47.500]RARE.
- [01:17:47.800]WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR SENIOR UNIFORM LEADERSHIP.
- [01:17:51.066]TO WHAT DEGREE HAVE THE STRESSES AND STRAINS OF THE PAST DECADE
- [01:18:00.066]CAUSED A PERMANENT WAR, AFFECTED THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP.
- [01:18:03.367]HAS IT LED TO COMPROMISING STANDARDS?
- [01:18:08.500]HAS IT LED TO SELECTING PEOPLE FOR PROMOTION WHO SHOULD NOT
- [01:18:12.834]HAVE BEEN PROMOTED IN THE FIRST PLACE?
- [01:18:15.033]HAS IT LED TO AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH
- [01:18:17.633]GOING ON AND TOO MANY PEOPLE GOING IN TOO MANY PLACES THAT
- [01:18:20.834]HAS INADEQUATE SUPERVISION?
- [01:18:22.867]I THINK THAT -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.
- [01:18:28.300]BUT AT THAT LEVEL, THAT I WOULD SEEK A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM.
- [01:18:32.166]THESE ARE NOT ISSUES THAT A SECRETARY OF DEFENSE OUGHT TO
- [01:18:35.367]HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT.
- [01:18:37.767]BECAUSE WE HAVE TWO STARS, THREE STAR, FOUR STAR PEOPLE WHO HAVE
- [01:18:44.900]TO BE SETTING AND MAINTAINING THE KIND OF PROFESSIONAL
- [01:18:48.700]STANDARDS THAT WE EXPECT.
- [01:18:53.166]>> WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS THE BEST SOLUTION TO THE
- [01:18:56.400]PROLIFERATION OF AL-QAIDA AND AL-QAIDA ASSOCIATED
- [01:19:00.166]GROUPS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND IN AFRICA, IF NOT THE USE OF OUR
- [01:19:06.533]MILITARY FORCES?
- [01:19:09.834]>> WELL YOU KNOW -- YOU KNOW A LOT MORE THAN I DO, BUT I'LL
- [01:19:14.033]WEIGH IN ON THE STRAW MAN.
- [01:19:16.600][ LAUGHTER ] I THINK SERIOUSLY, THAT
- [01:19:23.533]AL-QAIDA HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY DEPLETED OVER THE COURSE OF THE
- [01:19:26.333]PAST DECADE.
- [01:19:29.166]NOW WE'VE GOT THESE FRANCHISES, SO CALLED.
- [01:19:37.767]NOT A LITTLE BIT RELUCTANT TO SEE THEM AS AN EXISTENTIAL
- [01:19:47.233][ INDISCERNIBLE ] TO THE UNITED STATES.
- [01:19:51.734]EXTENT OF THE THREAT, NOT DISREGARD THE THREAT, BUT THIS
- [01:19:54.333]IS NOT THE SOVIET UNION WITH ICBMs.
- [01:20:03.400]BUT BEYOND THAT, I THINK THERE ARE VERY DIFFICULT POLITICAL
- [01:20:10.200]INSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS THAT DON'T GET THE KIND OF ATTENTION
- [01:20:20.600]THEY DESERVE.
- [01:20:21.500]WHY DO THESE PEOPLE HATE US AND WANT TO KILL US?
- [01:20:25.133]BIG QUESTION, LOTS OF ANSWERS.
- [01:20:27.367]I THINK ONE VERY IMPORTANT ANSWER, WHICH I SUBSCRIBE IS
- [01:20:31.500]THAT THERE IS A BROADER CRISIS IN THE ISLAMIC WORLD.
- [01:20:38.233]AND THAT THE ESSENCE OF THAT CRISIS IS FINDING WAYS TO
- [01:20:43.633]RECONCILE RELIGIOUS BELIEFS WITH MODERATES.
- [01:20:52.133]SOMETHING WE DID MORE OR LESS AS A RESULT OF ENLIGHTENMENT, WHICH
- [01:20:57.567]RESULTED IN, VERY BROADLY SPEAKING, THE PRIVATIZATION OF
- [01:21:03.500]RELIGION.
- [01:21:03.900]AND IT'S EXCLUSION EXCEPT FOR SYMBOLIC PURPOSES, FROM THE
- [01:21:11.800]PUBLIC'S FEAR.
- [01:21:14.200]WHAT I KNOW OF ISLAM SUGGESTS THAT THAT PROCESS OF
- [01:21:19.200]RECONCILIATION IS EVEN MORE DIFFICULT GIVEN THAT RELIGIOUS
- [01:21:23.800]TRADITION IN COMPARISON FOR THE CHRISTIAN TRADITION WHICH IS THE
- [01:21:29.200]PREDOMINANT ONE OF THE WEST.
- [01:21:30.600]AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT'S WHERE THE ANSWER LIES.
- [01:21:33.266]AND THERE I THINK THE QUESTION IS, WELL WHAT CAN WE DO TO
- [01:21:39.767]FURTHER THAT PROCESS OF RECONCILIATION.
- [01:21:43.400]I THINK ONE THING WE OUGHT TO HAVE LEARNED IS HAVING A BUNCH
- [01:21:49.633]OF U.S. TROOPS BUMBLING AROUND DOES NOT HELP THAT PROCESS.
- [01:21:54.767]THAT WHAT IT REALLY DOES IS TO -- IT EXACERBATES THE
- [01:22:03.200]CONFLICT AND WE PRESENT OURSELVES AS CONVENIENT TARGETS.
- [01:22:07.867]SO STRATEGICALLY, WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY -- DON'T EXACTLY HOW
- [01:22:12.734]EXACTLY I WOULD IMPLEMENT IN SPECIFIC TERMS.
- [01:22:16.100]IT SEEMS TO ME WHAT WE HAVE AN INTEREST IS
- [01:22:23.033]GETTING OUT OF THE WAY WHILE THEY SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS AND IN
- [01:22:27.700]THE MEANTIME TRYING TO PROTECT OURSELVES FROM ANY ADVERSE
- [01:22:31.567]EFFECTS AS THEY HAVE THIS GREAT INTRA-CIVILIZATIONAL ARGUMENT.
- [01:22:40.767]WHICH AGAIN TO MY MIND MEANS LOWER OUR MILITARY PROFILE.
- [01:22:57.000]>> THE UNDERLYING ISSUES ARE SOCIAL, THEY'RE ECONOMIC,
- [01:23:00.333]THEY'RE SOCIAL RELIGIOUS.
- [01:23:02.233]THEY'RE DIFFICULT FOR ANY
- [01:23:07.433]COUNTRY OR COMBINATION OF COUNTRIES TO TACKLE.
- [01:23:11.367]ONE THING WE WERE GETTING OUT OF IRAQ IS WE WEREN'T CONTRIBUTING
- [01:23:15.467]TO A POSITIVE OUTCOME BY STAYING THERE.
- [01:23:17.800]WHAT'S HAPPENING IN IRAQ IS QUITE VIOLENT, IT'S QUITE UGLY,
- [01:23:21.934]BUT WE'RE NOT PART OF IT RIGHT NOW.
- [01:23:23.967]I THINK THAT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
- [01:23:25.900]THERE ARE MANY SORT OF FRANCHISES OR NON FRANCHISES, BUT
- [01:23:32.700]THERE'S STILL TERRORIST AFFILIATES.
- [01:23:35.500]A FRIEND OF MINE CALLS THIS THE BURGER QUEEN SYNDROME.
- [01:23:38.667]WHAT THAT MEANS IS IN CAIRO, THEY DIDN'T HAVE
- [01:23:44.300]BURGER KINGS, THEY HAD BURGER QUEENS.
- [01:23:49.100]IT WAS NOT PART OF THE FRANCHISE, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE
- [01:23:52.867]IT.
- [01:23:53.266]BUT WHAT WE HAVE POPPING UP IN TOO MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD ARE
- [01:23:57.900]TOO MANY BURGER QUEENS.
- [01:23:59.300]THEY LOOK LIKE AL-QAIDA, THEY'RE CERTAINLY ISLAMIC
- [01:24:03.900]TERRORISTS, BUT THEY ARE A THREAT TO THE
- [01:24:08.233]UNITED STATES.
- [01:24:08.567]THEY COULD BE A THREAT TO AN EMBASSY OR OIL FACILITY
- [01:24:12.533]SOMEWHERE.
- [01:24:12.934]THEY'RE NOT TEN FEET TALL AND WE SHOULDN'T MAKE THEM TEN FEET
- [01:24:17.734]CALL, BUT THEY ARE A CONCERN.
- [01:24:19.033]AND YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING THE MOST TO PROTECT OUR
- [01:24:22.734]DIPLOMATS AND PROTECT OUR ALLIES AGAINST THESE THREATS.
- [01:24:26.066]BUT USING THE MILITARY INSTRUMENT ALONE TO TRY TO SOLVE
- [01:24:30.400]THEM IS NOT GOING TO GET IT DONE.
- [01:24:32.567]WE NEED TO DO IT IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER THINGS.
- [01:24:35.300]IN OTHER PLACES AROUND THE WORLD.
- [01:24:37.734]TAKE EGYPT FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE WE HAVE A CLOSE POLITICAL
- [01:24:42.300]RELATIONSHIP.
- [01:24:42.734]THE UNITED STATES IS NOT OCCUPYING EGYPT RIGHT NOW, BUT
- [01:24:46.400]NEVERTHELESS EGYPT IS UNDERGOING A DRAMATIC HISTORIC
- [01:24:50.800]TRANSFORMATION.
- [01:24:51.533]I'M NOT SURE WHERE IT'S GOING TO END UP.
- [01:24:54.533]WE HAVE A HUGE POLITICAL STAKE, WE HAVE A HUGE STRATEGIC STAKE,
- [01:24:58.800]WE HAVE A HUGE SECURITY STAKE.
- [01:25:01.033]I WISH THERE WERE A SILVER BULLET IN TERMS OF DEALING WITH
- [01:25:06.133]ISLAMIC EXTREMISM.
- [01:25:06.967]THIS IS ONE OF THE EFFORTS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION FROM DAY 1
- [01:25:11.233]HAS TRIED TO TACKLE.
- [01:25:13.133]THE PRESIDENT WENT TO CAIRO IN SPRING OF 2009 AND GAVE A SPEECH
- [01:25:18.433]ABOUT OUTREACH OF THE U.S. TO THE MUSLIM WORLD.
- [01:25:23.033]BUT WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN THE MIDDLE EAST -- HOW IT'S GOING TO
- [01:25:27.633]PLAY OUT IS YET TO BE SEEN BUT WE HAVE A HUGE STAKE.
- [01:25:30.734]>> ONE LAST QUESTION FOR BRIEF ANSWERS FROM EACH OF YOU.
- [01:25:36.133]DO YOU THINK, AND MY APOLOGIES TO THOSE QUESTIONS WE WERE NOT
- [01:25:39.600]ABLE TO ASK, THESE ARE EXCELLENT.
- [01:25:41.900]AND THERE ARE TOO MANY GOOD ONES.
- [01:25:43.734]BUT DO YOU THINK THERE IS STILL A ROLE FOR ONE GLOBAL HEGEMONY.
- [01:25:56.100]>> NO.
- [01:25:56.467]THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE MOST
- [01:26:01.367]POWERFUL NATION ON THE EARTH THROUGH THE 21st CENTURY.
- [01:26:07.533]BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AN UNIPOLAR ORDER AS SOMEBODY ONCE
- [01:26:15.333]ASSERTED.
- [01:26:15.700]THAT WE ARE MOVING INTO A MULTI-POLAR WORLD.
- [01:26:22.834]WHERE THERE ARE GOING TO BE A NUMBER OF NATIONS WHO'S
- [01:26:26.166]INTERESTS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AND
- [01:26:29.834]ACCOMMODATED IF WE'RE GOING TO
- [01:26:33.333]AVOID THE KIND OF CATASTROPHIC WARS THAT RESULTED
- [01:26:40.133]WHEN WE LAST HAD A MULTIPOLAR ORDER AND IT
- [01:26:47.967]IMPLODED 100 YEARS AGO THIS YEAR.
- [01:26:50.900]THE REALLY BIG QUESTION OF THE 21st CENTURY AS FAR AS OUR
- [01:26:54.400]WELL BEING IS NOT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT ISLAMIC
- [01:27:00.166]RADICALISM.
- [01:27:00.567]I'M NOT DISMISSING THAT, BUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO GATHER TOGETHER
- [01:27:05.700]THIS MULTIPOLAR ORDER SO THAT THE SEVERAL GREAT POWERS ARE
- [01:27:08.834]GOING TO BE ABLE TO LIVE -- TO COEXISTS.
- [01:27:12.533]NOT LIVE IN PEACE AND HARMONY, BUT JUST COEXIST.
- [01:27:18.867]U.S., CHINA, INDIA, JAPAN, EU.
- [01:27:27.700]MAYBE BRAZIL.
- [01:27:29.600]HOW ARE THESE COUNTRIES GOING TO BE ABLE TO SHARE, ESTABLISH
- [01:27:33.533]BOUNDARIES, DEFINE PREROGATIVES,
- [01:27:39.533]ESTABLISH LINES THAT WE WILL EXPECT.
- [01:27:41.667]>> I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT.
- [01:27:43.433]I THINK THE ARGUMENT THAT WAS U.S. WAS EVER A HEGEMONY WAS
- [01:27:50.033]OVERBLOWN.
- [01:27:50.400]IT WAS NEVER THAT WAY.
- [01:27:51.266]WE DON'T SEEK IT.
- [01:27:53.166]I DON'T THINK IT'S REALISTIC OR IN OUR INTEREST.
- [01:27:55.734]THAT SAID, WE DO PLAY A UNIQUE ROLE IN THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM
- [01:28:00.100]BECAUSE OF OUR VALUES, BECAUSE OF OUR ECONOMY BECAUSE OF OUR
- [01:28:05.800]CAPABILITIES BECAUSE OF THE INSPIRATION THAT SO MANY AROUND
- [01:28:08.367]THE WORLD DRAW FROM US.
- [01:28:09.900]THAT'S A BURDEN IN SOME WAYS.
- [01:28:11.633]THAT'S A RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE.
- [01:28:13.166]PEOPLE LOOK TO US.
- [01:28:14.700]THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE THINK.
- [01:28:17.033]THEY WANT MORE U.S. INVOLVEMENT, NOT LESS.
- [01:28:21.500]BUT THAT SAID THE DOESN'T MEAN THAT OUR JOB SHOULD BE OR CAN BE
- [01:28:25.066]IN THIS DAY IN AGE BEING THE UNIPOLE OR BEING THE HEGEMONY OR
- [01:28:34.800]BEING IN CHARGE OF EVERYTHING.
- [01:28:36.767]THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE SHOULD SEEK AND IT'S NOT REALISTIC.
- [01:28:40.133]THE CHALLENGE WE'RE GOING TO FACE IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
- [01:28:43.133]NONPOLAR WORLD.
- [01:28:44.266]THE FACT THAT STATES CAN ACT AS POLES WHERE THEY'RE IN THEIR
- [01:28:48.033]KIND OF OWN CYLINDERS AND THEY'RE NOT MIXED TOGETHER IS
- [01:28:52.233]NOT THE 21st CENTURY.
- [01:28:55.433]STATE SOVEREIGNTY MEANS LESS TODAY AND THE IDEA OF STATEHOOD
- [01:29:00.800]IS CHANGING BEFORE US AND CITIZENS ARE INTEGRATED AND ABLE
- [01:29:04.600]TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER MORE THAN EVER BEFORE.
- [01:29:10.633]WHAT DOES A DIPLOMAT KNOW MORE THAN COMMON CITIZENS WHEN THEY
- [01:29:17.500]INTERACT TOGETHER.
- [01:29:18.133]THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR THE GOVERNMENT MOVING FORWARD AND A
- [01:29:20.767]CHALLENGE FOR US TODAY.
- [01:29:22.033]>> THANK YOU.
- [01:29:23.400]AS WE GET TO THE END OF THE EVENING HERE, PERHAPS WE COULD
- [01:29:26.400]JUST OFFER ONE LAST OPPORTUNITY FOR A BRIEF MINUTE OR TWO OF
- [01:29:31.467]REFLECTION FROM EITHER OR BOTH OF YOU IF YOU HAVE THINGS THAT
- [01:29:34.767]WILL COME UP, OR HAVE NOT COME UP IN THE DISCUSSION HERE THAT
- [01:29:38.834]YOU THINK THE AUDIENCE SHOULD TAKE WITH THEM THIS EVENING AS
- [01:29:42.467]WE THINK ABOUT THE U.S.
- [01:29:44.266]MILITARY, IT'S CURRENT SITUATION AND ITS FUTURE.
- [01:29:47.600]>> FIRST OF ALL, IF I COULD THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE.
- [01:29:51.266]I THINK THIS FORUM IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S AN
- [01:29:54.300]OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF YOU TO BE ENGAGED AND TO HEAR FROM FOLKS
- [01:29:59.333]YOU AGREE WITH, DISAGREE WITH, FOLKS YOU MAY NOT OTHERWISE HAVE
- [01:30:04.734]A CHANCE TO SPEND AN EVENING WITH AND HEAR ABOUT THE ISSUES
- [01:30:07.567]THAT WE AS CITIZENS ARE FACING.
- [01:30:09.700]AND TO HAVE A VOICE AND YOUR OPINIONS HEARD.
- [01:30:14.033]AGAIN I DON'T EXPECT PEOPLE TO WALK OUT OF HERE HAVING AGREED
- [01:30:16.734]WITH ANYTHING EITHER OF US HAVE SAID.
- [01:30:18.934]BUT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF CITIZENSHIP TO DO THIS.
- [01:30:21.834]SO FIRST I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING.
- [01:30:24.700]SECOND, IN TERMS OF OUR ROLE IN THE WORLD.
- [01:30:27.400]I THINK WOMEN TO END WHERE I, I THINK I WANT TO END WHERE
- [01:30:31.700]I ENDED MY OPENING REMARKS.
- [01:30:33.700]DESPITE THE MISTAKES WE MADE, THE FACT WE DON'T GET IT RIGHT
- [01:30:37.967]EVERY TIME, THE UNITED STATES IS A FORCE FOR GOOD.
- [01:30:44.200]ANDREW MENTIONED INDISPENSABLE NATION, WHICH HAS BEEN USED
- [01:30:50.433]SINCE 1996 WHEN PRESIDENT CLINTON USED IT AND PRESIDENT
- [01:30:52.900]OBAMA JUST USED IT IN THE STATE OF THE UNION.
- [01:30:55.233]WHEN WE USE THAT PHRASE, IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE THE GLOBAL
- [01:31:00.567]HEGEMONY AND THAT WE BELIEVE THAT OUR WAY IS THE RIGHT WAY.
- [01:31:04.100]IT'S THAT FOR BETTER OR WORSE, THERE ARE MANY PROBLEMS AROUND
- [01:31:07.734]THE WORLD THAT ARE NOT SOLVE, THAT CAN NOT BE SOLVED WITHOUT
- [01:31:11.767]THE UNITED STATES PLAYING A ROLE.
- [01:31:13.700]SOMETIMES IT'S A LEADERSHIP ROLE.
- [01:31:15.600]WE HAVE TO BE THE ONES BARING MOST OF THE BURDEN, SOMETIMES
- [01:31:19.500]WE'RE IN THE BACKGROUND AND PROVIDING A UNIQUE CAPABILITY
- [01:31:23.800]HERE AND THERE TO HELP SOLVE A PROBLEM.
- [01:31:26.000]BUT MORE OFTEN THAN THAT, ALL THESE BIG PROBLEMS ARE NOT GOING
- [01:31:29.000]TO BE SOLVED WITHOUT THE UNITED STATES.
- [01:31:30.800]AND MY JOB, WHEN I WORK
- [01:31:41.667]CONSTANTLY WHERE FOREIGN OFFICIALS, IN EVERY MEETING I'M
- [01:31:45.667]IN THEY'RE ASKING FOR MORE, NOT LESS.
- [01:31:47.667]MORE OF OUR IDEAS, MORE OF OUR TIME, MORE MEETINGS, MORE OF OUR
- [01:31:52.767]STUFF.
- [01:31:53.100]IT'S VERY RARE THAT I, WHENEVER I'M IN A MEETING AND SOMEONE
- [01:31:59.867]SAYS THANK YOU UNITED STATES WE HAD LIKE YOU TO GET -- WE WOULD
- [01:32:02.867]LIKE YOU TO GET OUT AND NOT BE INVOLVED.
- [01:32:05.333]NOW THAT'S A BURDEN ON PUBLIC OFFICIALS, BUT --
- [01:32:15.700]ON TAXPAYERS BUT IT'S A BURDEN -- IT'S A UNIQUE COUNTRY.
- [01:32:20.967]NOT EVERY COUNTRY AROUND THE WORLD IS AN INSPIRATION
- [01:32:25.567]FOR OTHERS.
- [01:32:25.900]THERE'S COUNTRIES THAT PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO SEE A LOT LESS OF
- [01:32:29.066]IN THEIR REGIONS OR IN THEIR ISSUES.
- [01:32:31.633]THAT'S SOMETHING I TRY TO KEEP IN MIND DOING MY JOB.
- [01:32:34.433]WE'RE TACKLING TOUGH PROBLEMS AND WE DON'T HAVE EASY ANSWERS.
- [01:32:37.834]THERE ARE NO SILVER BULLETS.
- [01:32:39.400]NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO YOU GET CRITICIZED BY SOMEONE IN THE
- [01:32:43.800]PRESS OR BY ONE OF YOUR FRIENDS OR FAMILY AT HOME.
- [01:32:46.967]THAT'S WHY YOU GO ABOUT YOUR BEST, AND TRYING TO MAKE THE
- [01:32:49.967]CONDITION AND CALL IT STRAIGHT AND BE WILLING TO SUFFER THE
- [01:32:53.533]CONSEQUENCES IF YOU GET IT WRONG.
- [01:32:56.100]I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND STAY ENGAGED.
- [01:32:59.066]>> I THINK I USED UP ALL MY PROFOUND THOUGHT.
- [01:33:02.200][ LAUGHTER ] BUT I ECHO THE POINT.
- [01:33:08.266]I HAVE TO SAY IT'S QUITE HEARTENING THAT THERE WOULD BE
- [01:33:15.433]SUCH A LARGE NUMBER OF YOU, WOULD COME OUT -- WHERE ARE WE?
- [01:33:23.700]TUESDAY, TUESDAY NIGHT IN FEBRUARY TO DISCUSS THESE
- [01:33:26.000]MATTERS.
- [01:33:30.000]APPARENTLY DEMOCRACY IS ALIVE AND WELL IN NEBRASKA.
- [01:33:33.767][ APPLAUSE ] >> LET ME JUST WITH REMIND YOU
- [01:33:45.166]ON YOUR WAY OUT, MULTIPLE BOOKS BY OUR GUESTS ARE STILL
- [01:33:49.767]AVAILABLE THERE FOR PURCHASE IN
- [01:33:53.133]THE LOBBY AS YOU DEPART.
- [01:33:54.767]IF YOU COULD JOIN ME IN ONE LAST BIT OF APPRECIATION FOR OUR
- [01:33:58.967]DISTINGUISHED GUESTS.
- [01:33:59.934][ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
- [01:34:03.200]>> THANK YOU.
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