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10:31:00 LEADERSHIP, THAT WOULD GIVE THEM THE ABILITY TO NOT BE INVOLVED 10:31:02 IN THIS, TO QUELL THE VIOLENCE, AND TO EVENTUALLY HELP PRESIDENT 10:31:13 MALIKI DISARM AND DISMANTLE THE MILITIAS? 10:31:19 >> SENATOR, I THINK YOUR POINT IS A VALID ONE, THAT ULTIMATELY 10:31:25 THE SECTARIAN VIOLENCE IS GOING TO BE DEALT WITH BY IRAQIS, AND 10:31:29 IS GOING TO BE DEALT WITH BY IRAQI SECURITY FORCES. 10:31:41 MOLECULE, THE PRIME MINISTER, AND OTHERS ARE TRYING TO DESIGN 10:31:47 IT IN A WAY THAT WILL PULL TOGETHER ELEMENTS WITHIN THE 10:31:50 COUNTRY AND THEREBY REDUCE SECTARIAN VIOLENCE. 10:31:54 I WOUN&L];8x 6M[#" GENERAL'S COMMENTS ON THE 10:31:57 TRAINING EXCEPT TO SAY THAT THE SITUATION OF TRAINING IN IRAQ IN 10:32:01 18 PROVINCES IS QUITE DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT PROVINCES AND WE 10:32:04 HAVE FORCES IN MOST PROVINCES AN THE TRAINING IS DIFFERENT 10:32:09 WITH DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES THE FACE. 10:32:11 ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE IS HAVE 10:32:14 EXTENSIVE LESSONS LEARNED FROM WHAT IS TAKING PLACE IN IRAQ IN 10:32:18 DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY BROUGHT BACK TO THE JOINT FORCES 10:32:22 COMMAND AND THE NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER AND THE TROOPS 10:32:24 ARE BEING TRAINED UP CAREFULLY TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE 10:32:29 KIND OF -- BEST KIND OF TRAINING THEY CAN HAVE FOR THE 10:32:32 CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE BELIEVE THEY'RE GOING TO FIND IN THE 10:32:37 AREAS THEY'RE GOING TO BE ASSIGNED TO. 10:32:39 >> COULD YOU EXPAND ON THIS, ABOUT GETTING IN WITH THE GROWTH 10:32:43 OF THE SECTARIAN VIOLENCE. HOW DO WHERE TROOPS GET IN THERE 10:32:46 AND NOT GET EMBROILED IN THE SECTARIAN VIOLENCE? 10:32:51 IS THIS THE BEGINNING FOR THE END OF THE INCREASED NUMBERS OF 10:32:55 TROOPS THAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED OVER THERE? 10:33:00 HOW WAS THE BACKGROUND AND TRAINING ACTUALLY GOING TO PULL 10:33:05 THAT SECTARIAN VIOLENCE THAT YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED AS ESCALATING AT 10:33:08 THE PRESENT TIME. >> SENATOR KENNEDY THE FIRST 10:33:12 LINE AGAIN SECTARIAN VIOLENCE IS THE IRAQI ARMED FORCES. 10:33:16 THEY KNOW WHERE THE PROBLEMS ARE COMING FROM AN UNRECOGNIZED IT 10:33:21 EASIER THAN OUR TROOPS CAN. I WOULD TELL YOU THAT OUR 10:33:26 FORCES TO HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO PRECISELY TARGETED THE CELLULAR 10:33:31 DEATH SQUAD STRUCTURE THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ACTIVITY. 10:33:34 THE MORE AND MORE OVERTIME WE HAVE BECOME PROFICIENT AND BEING 10:33:38 ABLE TO ATTACK THE CELLULAR STRUCTURE OF AL QAEDA AND WE 10:33:43 INTEND TO USE THAT CAPABILITY AND INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES THAT 10:33:47 WE HAVE USED BEFORE TO TARGET THE MILITIA DEATH SQUADS THAT WE 10:33:52 SEE OPERATING OUT IN BAGHDAD WITH A CERTAIN DEGREE OF 10:33:55 FREEDOM. >> THANK YOU. 10:33:58 >> FOR THE RECORD, THIS IS THE JOURNAL'S FULL STATEMENT, JULY 10:34:05 27, 2006. HE SAID "FOR THE MILITARY THE 10:34:09 PLANT IS UNCHARTED GROUND. QUITE FRANKLY, IN 33 YEARS IN 10:34:14 THE UNITED STATES ARMY I NEVER TRAINED TO STOP THE SECTARIAN 10:34:18 FIGHT. THIS IS SOMETHING." 10:34:21 THAT IS THE " TO WHICH I REFERRED TO PURE YEAR SENATOR 10:34:25 MCCAIN? >> MY FIRM BELIEF THAT WE CAN 10:34:33 AND MUST WHEN INTERACT -- THE CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE WOULD BE 10:34:39 CATASTROPHIC. HE SAID THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY 10:34:42 OF THE SITUATION IN IRAQ DEVOLVING INTO CIVIL WAR, 10:34:46 CORRECT? DID YOU ANTICIPATE THIS 10:34:49 SITUATION ONE YEAR AGO? >> NO, SIR. 10:34:56 >> DID YOU? >> I BELIEVE THAT ONE YEAR AGO 10:35:03 SECTARIAN TENSIONS WERE INCREASING. 10:35:06 NOPE. -- NO. 10:35:14 >> WE ARE MOVING TROOPS INTO BAGHDAD, IS THAT CORRECT? 10:35:18 >> THE NUMBER IS CLOSER TO 3500. PLUS MILITARY POLICE THAT WERE 10:35:25 GOING THERE FOR OTHER DUTIES THAT ARE BEING USED IN THE 10:35:30 OUTER AREAS, A MILITARY POLICEMAN IN PARTICULAR. 10:35:35 >> WHERE ARE THESE TROOPS COMING FROM? 10:35:38 >> THE TROOPS ARE COMING DOWN. >> IS THE SITUATION UNDER 10:35:44 CONTROL IN RAMADI? >> BETTER THAN IT WAS TWO MONTHS 10:35:50 AGO. >> IS THE SITUATION UNDER 10:35:52 CONTROL IN RAMADI? >> I THINK THE SITUATION IN 10:35:57 RAMADI IS WORKABLE. >> AND CHIPS FROM RAMADI CAME 10:36:01 FROM FALLUJAH, ISN'T THAT CORRECT? 10:36:05 THAT IS MY INFORMATION. WE ARE PLAYING A GAME AND OF 10:36:14 WHACK-'EM-ALL. FALLUJAH BECAME A BASE SO WE HAD 10:36:20 TO GO INTO FALLUJAH AND FIGHT ONE OF THE GREAT BATTLES IN 10:36:24 MARINE PORT/ARMY HISTORY. THEN WE WENT BACK THEY'RE NOT 10:36:27 TOO LONG AGO. WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE 10:36:33 TROOPS? WE MOVE THEM FROM FALLUJAH, NOW 10:36:36 WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE TROOPS INTO BAGHDAD FROM 10:36:39 SOMEPLACE ELSE. IT IS VERY DISTURBING. 10:36:43 AND IF IT IS ALL UP TO THE IRAQI MILITARY, GENERAL JOHN ABIZAID, 10:36:49 IF IT IS ALL OF THEM, AND WONDER WHY WE HAVE TO MOVE TROOPS INTO 10:36:53 BAGHDAD TO INTERVENE IN WHAT IS CLEARLY SECTARIAN VIOLENCE. 10:37:00 >> SENATOR, IRAQI TROOPS ARE BEING MOVED INTO BAGHDAD. 10:37:04 THE NUMBER OF IRAQI TROOPS IN THE BAGHDAD AREA IS GREATER THAN 10:37:08 OUR TROOPS. WE ARE IN SUPPORT WITH THEM IN 10:37:11 THE MAIN OPERATIONAL AREAS AND I BELIEVE THAT UNDER THE CURRENT 10:37:16 CIRCUMSTANCES THAT IRAQI FORCES NEED TO BENEFIT FROM OUR COMMAND 10:37:20 AND CONTROL CAPABILITIES AND THE SYSTEMS OF UNITS SUCH AS A 10:37:26 STRIKER BRIGADE THAT HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE SOUTH. 10:37:28 >> I WOULD ANTICIPATE PUTTING AMERICAN TROOPS INTO THIS 10:37:32 VOLATILE SITUATION. HE SAID AMERICAN CASUALTIES WILL 10:37:36 PROBABLY GO UP? >> I THINK IT IS POSSIBLE THAT 10:37:44 IN THE TIME AHEAD OF US IN BAGHDAD THAT WILL TAKE INCREASED 10:37:49 CASUALTIES, IT IS POSSIBLE. >> THE SITUATION IN SOUTHERN 10:37:53 IRAQ, I WAS BRIEFED BY BRITISH MILITARY AND OTHERS THAT THERE 10:38:00 IS A GRAVE CONCERN ABOUT IRANIAN PENETRATION THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN 10:38:05 IRAQ. IS THAT A SERIOUS ISSUE? 10:38:08 >> IRANIAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD COULD FORCE INTELLIGENCE 10:38:18 AGENCIES AND EQUIP WHAT I COULD CALL GROWTH GROUPS AND IT IS A 10:38:23 CONCERN. >> IS BASARA IN CONTROL OF THE 10:38:32 ISSUES? >> THE MILITIAS HAVE GREATER 10:38:35 CONTROL IN BASARA, AND THAT IS WHY THE PRIME MINISTER HAS 10:38:40 APPOINTED A MILITARY OFFICER TO GO DOWN THERE AND GET THE 10:38:43 SECURITY SITUATION BACK UNDER CONTROL. 10:38:46 >> DO YOU HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE IRAQI MINISTER OF INTERIOR? 10:38:50 >> I DO NOT KNOW THE IRAQI MINISTER OF INTERIOR OF THE WAY 10:38:54 THAT I KNOW THE DEFENSE MINISTER. 10:38:56 I HAVE NO REASON NOT TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN HIM. 10:39:00 >> DAY AFTER DAY, PEOPLE ARE RUNNING AMOK IN POLICE UNIFORMS 10:39:05 AND ARMY UNIFORMS AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY MALICIOUS AND KILLING 10:39:07 PEOPLE. -- MILITIAS KILLING PEOPLE. 10:39:17 IT IS AN EMERGENCY THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE KILLED. 10:39:24 TO THE STATE OTHE TRAINING NOT OF THE IRAQI MILITARY BUT OF 10:39:28 IRAQI POLICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. 10:39:31 CAN YOU COMMENT ON THAT SITUATION? 10:39:34 >> DURING THE TIME AFTER THE NATIONAL ELECTION WE KNOW 10:39:39 GOVERNANCE FORMED, OF THE INTERIOR MINISTRY IN PARTICULAR, 10:39:45 DID NOT DEVELOP ITS FORCES IN THE WAY THAT WE HAD ANTICIPATED 10:39:48 THAT THEY WOULD OR SHOULD. MILITARY FORCES ON THE OTHER 10:39:52 HAND CONTINUE TO DEVELOP WELL AND PERFORM WELL BUT THERE IS NO 10:39:57 DOUBT THAT POLICE UNITS ESPECIALLY LOCAL POLICE UNITS 10:40:01 WERE INFILTRATED IN BOSNIA -- BASARA IN PARTICULAR BY LOCAL 10:40:07 MILITIAS AND THEY PUT THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO THE MALICIOUS 10:40:11 AHEAD OF THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO THE STATE IT IS VITAL THAT WE TURN 10:40:16 THIS AROUND. >> THE OUTSIDER CONTINUES TO BE 10:40:20 A MAJOR OBSTACLE TO PROGRESS IN IRAQ. 10:40:23 ARE WE -- I BELIEVE THERE IS STILL AN OUTSTANDING AWARD FOR 10:40:27 HIS ARREST -- ARMY'S GOING TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE? 10:40:31 >> THE ISSUE WILL BE ADDRESSED BY THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT. 10:40:35 >> NOT BY US? >> BE ADDRESSED BY THE IRAQI 10:40:40 GOVERNMENT. >> ALL MY COLLEAGUES ARE HERE'S 10:40:45 OUR WANT TO NOT TAKE TIME -- I JUST WANT TO CONCLUDE -- 10:40:49 SECRETARY RUMSFELD WE PASSED AN AMENDMENT ON THE AUTHORIZATION 10:40:52 BILL WHICH I AM CONFIDENT WILL BE ACCEPTED IN CONFERENCE. 10:40:57 AND THAT REQUIRES THAT OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN BE 10:41:02 INCLUDED IN THE REGULAR BUDGET TO RICK -- BUDGETARY PROCESS. 10:41:07 WE ARE HEARING STORY AFTER STORY ABOUT CORRUPTION'S, ETC. CURIA 10:41:12 WE MUST HAVE SUFFICIENT CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT. 10:41:15 I HOPE YOU ARE MAKING PLANS TO INCLUDE SPENCES INVOLVED IN 10:41:21 OPERATIONS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN IN THE NORMAL 10:41:24 BUDGETARY PROCESS AND NOT AS A "EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL." 10:41:31 YOU SHOULD AT THIS TIME BE ABLE TO PREDICT WHAT THOSE COSTS 10:41:36 MIGHT BE. I WANT TO SAY, AGAIN, YOU WILL 10:41:41 HAVE A SHOWDOWN UNLESS BOTH WITHIN HIS BODY AND WITHIN THE 10:41:46 EXECUTIVE BRANCH UNLESS WE START GOING THROUGH THE NORMAL 10:41:48 BUDGETARY PROCESS TO FUND THIS CONFLICT WHICH I THINK ALL OF US 10:41:52 AGREE WE WILL BE INVOLVED IN FOREIGN LONG TIME. 10:42:01 >> WE ARE AWARE OF THE AMENDMENT AND NEEDLESS TO SAY WE WILL 10:42:05 COMPLY WITH THE LAW. FROM OUR STANDPOINT WE CAN DO IT 10:42:08 EITHER WAY AND IT HAS BEEN A MATTER THAT HAS BEEN WORKED OF 10:42:11 GENERALLY OVER THE YEAR BETWEEN THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE 10:42:14 LEADERSHIP AND CONGRESS. THE REALITY IS THAT WHAT WE 10:42:20 WOULD HAVE TO DO AS YOU SUGGESTED WOULD BE TO PROVIDE 10:42:23 THE BEST ESTIMATES THAT WE CAN AND PROJECTIONS AND THEN MAKE 10:42:27 ADJUSTMENTS FOR THEM AS TIME PASSED AND WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO 10:42:32 DO THAT. >> MR. CHAIRMAN -- ONE 10:42:38 CLARIFICATION. SO THOSE WATCHING US TO NOT 10:42:41 BELIEVE THAT THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS WERE NOT PROPERLY 10:42:44 TRAINED TO HANDLE THE KIND OF VIOLENCE THAT THE SECTARIAN 10:42:49 VIOLENCE IS CREATING. WHAT HE SAID IS EXACTLY TRUE 10:42:51 THAT WE DO NOT TRAIN TO SEPARATE SECTARIAN VIOLENCE AND THAT IS 10:42:56 VERY MUCH IRRESPONSIBILITY ON THE POLITICIANS AND AS WE TALKED 10:43:00 ABOUT ALREADY TO IRAQI PEOPLE NEED TO DO THAT. 10:43:03 WITH REGARD TO THOSE ON PATROL IN BAGHDAD WITH HIS -- WITH HIS 10:43:09 PLATOON, REGARDLESS OF SHI'IA, OR SUNNI, OUR SOLDIERS AND 10:43:14 MARINES ARE WELL TRAINED TO HANDLE THAT. 10:43:17 THERE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE KIND OF VIOLENCE THEY HAVE 10:43:20 TO HANDLE AND WHAT WILL PREVENT THE VIOLENCE. 10:43:22 OF PREVENTING THAT VIOLENCE IS THE ROLE OF THE POLITICAL 10:43:27 LEADERS. TO SOLVE. 10:43:30 >> THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS HEARING, TO CLARIFY THESE PUBLIC 10:43:36 STATEMENTS THAT COME BEFORE THIS AND THE AMERICAN PUBLIC. 10:43:39 THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN PACE. >> GENERAL JOHN ABIZAID, IN YOUR 10:43:47 OPINION IS IT AND A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION WITH IMPLICIT 10:43:53 SUPPORT FROM THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT? 10:43:57 >> THERE ARE GROUPS WITHIN THE ARMY THAT ARE UNDER THE PAY OF 10:44:02 THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT THAT ARE TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS. 10:44:05 I AM NOT SURE I CAN SAY THAT IS NECESSARILY TRUE ABOUT THE 10:44:09 ENTIRE ORGANIZATION. >> THERE IS AN OUTSTANDING 10:44:13 WARRANT FOR THE LEADER OF THE ARMY AND HE IS A PROMINENT 10:44:19 MEMBER OF THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT, IS THAT CORRECT -- CORRECT? 10:44:28 >> YES. >> IN FACT IS PART OF THE 10:44:32 GOVERNMENT? >> I BELIEVE THAT THE PRIME 10:44:35 MINISTER AND HIS GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE THE STEPS NECESSARY TO GET 10:44:39 THE SECTARIAN VIOLENCE UNDER CONTROL AND TO WHAT HAS TO BE 10:44:41 DONE AGAINST THE DEATH SQUADS. >> YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF THE 10:44:45 TIMING OF THIS, WITH RESPE TO THE TIMING? 10:44:53 >> I WOULD NOT CHARACTERIZE THE TARGET. 10:44:56 I WOULD SAY THERE ARE ELEMENTS THAT ARE BEING -- THAT WILL BE 10:45:01 TARGETED BECAUSE OF PARTICIPATING IN DEBT SQUAD 10:45:03 ACTIVITIES. WITH THE ENCOURAGEMENT, THE 10:45:08 PERMISSION, THE TOLERANCE OF THEM? 10:45:13 >> I COULD NOT SAY WHETHER THERE WAS PERMISSION OR TOLERANCE. 10:45:17 I CAN SAY THAT THE PRIME MINISTER KNOWS AND HAS BEEN 10:45:20 FORCEFUL ABOUT SAYING THAT MALICIOUS MUST BE BROUGHT UNDER 10:45:23 CONTROL. HE HAS A WIDE RANGE OF POINTS 10:45:29 THAT GO ALL THE WAYS FROM DIRECT MILITARY CONFRONTATION TO AN 10:45:34 AGREEMENT WITH VARIOUS MALICIOUS. 10:45:35 >> WE WILL NOT BE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS? 10:45:39 IT WILL BE EXCLUSIVELY UP TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND HIS FORCES? 10:45:43 >> I WOULD NOT SAY HE WOULD BE EXCLUSIVELY THE WORK OF IRAQIS. 10:45:48 IT IS CLEAR THAT OUR FORCES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE IRAQIS WILL 10:45:53 HELP TARGET DEATH SQUAD ORGANIZATIONS. 10:45:58 >> MR. SECRETARY, UP $4.9 BILLION IN FUNDING, THE ARMY 10:46:06 REQUESTED FOR RESET WHICH IS REPAIRED AND REPLACING OF 10:46:10 EQUIPMENT, WAS DENIED BEFORE THE REQUEST WAS SUBMITTED TO 10:46:13 CONGRESS. DID YOU DENIED THIS REQUEST OR 10:46:17 DID THE BUDGET DENIED THE REQUEST? 10:46:21 >> AS YOU KNOW, THE NORMAL PROCESS IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT 10:46:24 IS GIVEN A BUDGET BY THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT, AND WE TAKE THAT 10:46:31 BUDGET AND WORK WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT TO TRY TO FASHION A 10:46:36 BUDGET THAT IS BALANCED THAT MAKES SENSE. 10:46:39 IN THE EVENT WE HAVE TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL FUNDS WE HAVE DONE 10:46:47 THAT. I DO NOT KNOW PRECISELY WHICH 10:46:53 4.9 -- >> MR. SECRETARY, DID YOU GO 10:46:55 BACK TO THE PRESIDENT AND ASK FOR MORE FUNDS BECAUSE OF THE 10:46:59 CRITICAL NEEDS? >> WE HAVE CERTAINLY GONE TO THE 10:47:03 PRESIDENT AND THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET AND 10:47:05 EXPLAIN THE NEED FOR RESET AND NEGOTIATED EXTENSIVELY WITH THE 10:47:10 OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET AND REGRETTABLY THERE HAVE BEEN 10:47:13 CUTS MADE BY CONGRESS EVERY YEAR IN THE DEFENSE BUDGET AND HAVE 10:47:17 BEEN NOT ONLY REDUCTIONS IN OUR BUDGET THERE HAVE BEEN THINGS 10:47:20 THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED IN THAT WE DID NOT REQUEST THAT REPORT IS 10:47:23 TO TAKE MONEY FROM OTHER THINGS AND THIRD THERE HAVE BEEN THINGS 10:47:27 REQUIRED OF US THAT WE WERE PREVENTED FROM MAKING SAVINGS 10:47:31 AND THE NET EFFECT IF YOU LOOK JUST TODAY IN THE AUTHORIZATION 10:47:35 AND APPROPRIATION BILLS THE RUN SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10, 15, $20 10:47:40 BILLION. >> SO THE WHITE HOUSE DID TURN 10:47:43 DOWN YOUR REQUEST? >> THAT WOULD NOT BE CORRECT. 10:47:48 >> YOU DID NOT ASK? >> I CANNOT SAY THAT BECAUSE WE 10:47:53 WENT THROUGH AN EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION AND NEGOTIATION AND 10:47:56 WE ENDED UP WITH A BUDGET WE ENDED UP WITH WHICH WAS THEN 10:47:59 REDUCED BY CONGRESS. >> LAST TUESDAY EVENING, THE 10:48:04 SENATE PASSED AN APPROPRIATION FOR $13 -- $13 BILLION. 10:48:11 IS IT A WASTE? >> IT IS CLEARLY NEEDED. 10:48:16 >> WHY DID YOU ASK FOR THAT CLEARLY NEEDED MONEY? 10:48:19 >> WE DID TALK TO THE WHITE HOUSE ABOUT IT AND THAT IS WHERE 10:48:21 THE NUMBER CAME FROM FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 10:48:26 >> MR. SECRETARY WHAT YOU WERE SAYING HE'S EITHER DO WOULD ASK 10:48:29 FOR THE MONEY AND THEY SAID NO OR YOU ACCEPTED IN LIMIT DESPITE 10:48:33 THE NEEDS THAT YOU RECOGNIZE. IT IS ONE OR THE OTHER. 10:48:38 >> YOU HAVE LOST ME. >> I THINK YOU HAVE LOST 10:48:42 EVERYONE. >> FIRST WERE TALKING ABOUT $4.9 10:48:46 BILLION NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE $13.1 BILLION, AND WE HAVE 10:48:51 REQUESTED THAT AND THEY HAVE REQUESTED OF CONGRESS AND 10:48:55 CONGRESS HAS PUT IT IN THE BILL AS I ENTER STAND IT. 10:48:59 >> WHEN DID YOU REQUEST THE $13 BILLION? 10:49:03 >> WITHIN THE LAST MONTHS, WEEKS. 10:49:06 >> WEEKS? >> WEEKS. 10:49:10 >> DAYS? WHAT DID YOU REQUEST THE $13 10:49:13 BILLION WHEN IT WAS BEING PREPARED TO BE SENT TO CONGRESS? 10:49:17 >> THE BUDGET WAS NOT BEEN PREPARED TO BE SENT TO CONGRESS, 10:49:20 IT WOULD HAVE BEEN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR FOR THE BUDGET THAT 10:49:26 HAS STILL NOT BEEN PASSED BY THE CONGRESS THIS YEAR. 10:49:30 FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LATE LAST YEAR AT THE 10:49:33 BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR BUT THE AND WHEN THOSE BUDGETS ARE 10:49:36 PREPARED. WE GAIN KNOWLEDGE EVERY MONTH 10:49:42 IT GOES BY AND IT IS CLEAR WE HAVE A RESET PROBLEM AND IT IS 10:49:44 ALSO CLEAR THAT THE $13 BILLION IS NEEDED. 10:49:48 >> IT IS QUITE CLEAR THAT TWO- THIRDS OF THE ACTIVE RESERVE IS 10:49:51 NOW REPORTING AS UNREADY. THERE'S NOT A SINGLE ON DEPLOYED 10:49:56 TEAM IN UNITED STATES THAT IS READY TOEPLOY 3 THE BOTTOM 10:50:00 LINE IS WE HAVE NO READY STRATEGIC RESERVE. 10:50:04 THIS IS A STUNNING INDICTMENT. >> I THINK IT IS AN INACCURATE 10:50:08 STATEMENT. >> HOW SO? 10:50:11 HAVE YOU SEEN THE REPORTS? >> I HAVE. 10:50:15 >> IT IS INACCURATE TO SAY THAT IT DOES NOT INDICATE SHOULD HEAR 10:50:19 -- SEVERE SHORTAGES? MANY BRIGADE'S NOT DEPLOYABLE? 10:50:25 >> ALLOW ME A FEW MINUTES TO RESPOND. 10:50:28 IT IS COMPLICATED. I STAND WITH WHAT I SAY. 10:50:32 THE CHARACTERIZATION THAT HE MADE IS NOT ACCURATE. 10:50:37 IT IS COMPLICATED. IF ONE SEES A CHART THAT SHOWS 10:50:41 THE DETERIORATION LIKE THIS OVER A FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, 10 YOUR 10:50:46 TIME -- YEAR PERIOD, IT SEEMS TO DETERIORATE. 10:50:56 IF YOU BEGIN WITH A STANDARD OF REQUIREMENT THAT IS EX AND THEN 10:51:01 YOU SHOW THE BEGINNING OF THE CHART AND THEN AT THE END YOU 10:51:04 HAVE CHANGED YOUR REQUIREMENT BECAUSE YOU HAVE DECIDED UNIQUE 10:51:07 DIFFERENT THINGS AND YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF 10:51:10 THE LAST YEARS AND YOU HAVE INCREASED REQUIREMENTS TO 10:51:17 5X SO IF YOU HAVE IMPROVED 300% YOU WERE AT 100% TO BEGAN AND I 10:51:24 YOU NEED 5X AND YOU HAVE IMPROVED 300% TO GET THERE, YOU 10:51:32 ARE STILL SHORT OF THAT REQUIREMENT AND THAT IS WHAT 10:51:35 SHOWS THE DETERIORATION. THE FACT IS THE EQUIPMENT THAT 10:51:38 THE MILITARY HAS TODAY IS VASTLY BETTER TODAY THAN IT WAS FIVE 10:51:42 YEARS AGO. THE READINESS OF OUR 10:51:45 CAPABILITIES IF YOU MEASURE THEM AGAINST FULL SPECTRUM YOU CAN 10:51:49 SAY THEY ARE NOT READY TO DO EVERYTHING THAT ANYONE 10:51:53 CONCEIVABLY MIGHT NEED TO DO. ON THETHER HAND, IF YOU ASK 10:51:56 THE READINESS OF THE FORCES TO WHAT THEY ARE ASKED TO DO, ARE 10:52:01 THEY CAPABLE OF DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING? 10:52:04 EQUIPPED AND TRAINED? HE WILL TELL YOU YES. 10:52:07 IF YOU ASK THE GENERAL ON THE ARMED FORCES OF THE U.S. BETTER 10:52:11 TODAY, MORE CAPABLE, BETTER EQUIPPED THAN FIVE YEARS AGO? 10:52:15 HE WILL SAY YES. IF YOU ASK GENERAL PAYS THE 10:52:20 QUESTION, IS THE UNITED STATES TODAY CAPABLE OF FULFILLING THE 10:52:25 REQUIREMENTS THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS PUT ON THEM, THE ANSWER IS 10:52:29 YES. >> LET ME TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY. 10:52:33 >> YOU ARE WAY OVER YOUR TIME. WE NEED TO ALLOW THE WITNESS TO 10:52:37 FULLY RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTION. WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER ROUND AND 10:52:43 YOU CAN PURSUE THIS AT THAT TIME. 10:52:46 I HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE OTHER MEMBERS. 10:52:48 BOURKE-WHITE A BIT OVER YOUR TIME. 10:52:51 AS THE WITNESS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY RESPOND? 10:52:56 >> I HAVE. IT WOULD BE USEFUL IF THE 10:52:59 SENATORS LAST QUESTION -- >> MR. CHAIRMAN, WOULD YOU ALLOW 10:53:04 ME TO ASK MY QUESTION? >> WE HAVE ALLOWED YOU TO ASK 10:53:11 YOUR QUESTION FULLY. IT WAS STATED AND IT IS IN THE 10:53:14 RECORD. I THINK WITH CLARITY AND THE 10:53:18 SECRETARY HAS RESPONDED. WE WILL HAVE A SECOND NOW AT 10:53:21 WHICH TIME WE CAN FURTHER PURSUE THIS. 10:53:28 NOW, THE SECRETARY HAS ASKED THE GENERAL TO GIVE HIS PERSPECTIVE. 10:53:34 >> MR. CHAIRMAN, IF ON CUE. -- THANK YOU. 10:53:41 READINESS IS REFLECTED IN TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT AND 10:53:44 PERSONNEL. ANYTIME A UNIT COMES BACK FROM 10:53:48 ANY DEPLOYMENT, WHEN I WAS BAALION COMMANDER, THE UNIT AS 10:53:52 PEOPLE WHO CHANGE OUT AND THEREFORE THE PERSONNEL NUMBERS 10:53:57 GO DOWN IN THE TRAINING AS A RESULT OF PEOPLE COMING BACK 10:54:01 STARTS OUT A NEW INTO THE NEW CYCLE AND EQUIPMENT IS TAKEN 10:54:06 FROM WHAT HAS BEEN USED AND PUT INTO MAINTENANCE. 10:54:09 THAT IS NORMAL PEACETIME. IN WARTIME, WE'RE USING THE 10:54:14 EQUIPMENT AT MUCH GREATER RATES. SO YOU HAVE A UNIT THAT HAS 100 10:54:22 TRUCKS AND THEY DEPLOY AND THEY COME BACK. 10:54:24 AND THE TRUCKS NORMALLY WILL BE DRIVEN 1,000 MILES A YEAR AND 10:54:30 10,000 MILES IN COMBAT. YOU HAVE A LARGER NUMBER OF 10:54:33 THOSE VEHICLES THAT END UP BEING PUT INTO MAINTENANCE WHICH FOR 10:54:39 THE UNIT THAT IS HOME IN REDUCES THEIR READINESS BASED ON 10:54:44 AVAILABILITY OF EQUIPMENT. THE UNITS THAT ARE FORWARD HAVE 10:54:49 NOT ONLY THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY WENT OVER WITH BUT AUGMENTED 10:54:53 THINKS TO THE CONGRESS PROVIDING THE FUNDING. 10:54:57 FOR EXAMPLE, ARE HUMVEES -- OUR HUMVEES. 10:55:04 IN SEPTEMBER OF 2001 IT WAS ABOUT 2000. 10:55:07 THAT NUMBER NOW IS UP AT 12,000. WE HAVE BOUGHT UP TO THOSE 10:55:14 12,000 AND WE HAVE USED THEM IN COMBAT AND NOW A NUMBER OF 10:55:18 THOSE 12,000 ARE CURRENTLY IN MAINTENANCE WAITING. 10:55:22 WE ARE WAY OVER THE 2000 RESTARTED TO BEGIN WITH BUT NOW 10:55:25 BECAUSE OF MAINTENANCE USAGE AND COMBAT LOSSES WE ARE BELOW THE 10:55:32 12,000 FOLKS ARE ASKING FOR TODAY. 10:55:34 IT IS DIFFICULT WHEN YOU TURN THE KALEIDOSCOPE TO SEE ALL THE 10:55:37 PIECES AND IT DOES NOT ALLOW ITSELF TO HAVE A STRAIGHT, IT 10:55:42 EASY ANSWER. FUNDAMENTALLY, THE UNITED STATES 10:55:45 ARMY IS MUCH MORE CAPABLE TODAY. FUNDAMENTALLY, THE ARMY THAT IS 10:55:50 FIGHTING OUR FORCE TODAY IS IN TREMENDOUS SHAPE. 10:55:55 PERSONNEL, TRAINING, AND EQUIPMENT. 10:55:58 IT IS ABSOLUTELY IN FACT THAT FOR VARIOUS BUDGETARY REASONS, 10:56:02 SOME OF WHICH ARE RESULT OF ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE CONGRESS, 10:56:05 THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING CURRENTLY TO PROVIDE 10:56:11 FOR THE REPAIR OF ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT CURRENTLY SITS AT 10:56:16 OUR DEPOTS WAITING TO BE REPAIRED. 10:56:22 THAT IS THE DIALOGUE ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY IS NEEDED, AND $13.1 10:56:27 BILLION, IF APPROVED BY CONGRESS, IT WILL ALLOW THE 10:56:30 MARINE CORPS AND THE ARMY TO TAKE THE EQUIPMENT THAT IS 10:56:33 CURRENTLY STACKED UP AT THEIR DEPOTS AND HARD WORK FORCE AND 10:56:37 BEGIN THE PROCESS. WHAT THIS HAPPENED -- SOME OF 10:56:45 THE WORK FORCE HAS HAD TO BE LET GO. 10:56:48 AND WE CANNOT HAVE THE DEPOTS NOT KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE 10:56:55 GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE FUNDING LONG-TERM TO HIRE 10:56:59 PEOPLE. WE CANNOT HIRE A MECHANIC FOR 10:57:01 SIX MONTHS AND THEN LET HIM GO AND THEN HIRE HIM BACK AGAIN. 10:57:05 I WOULD ASK THAT WE LOOK AT SOME KIND OF FUNDING THAT IS FOCUSED 10:57:10 ON THE BACKLOG OF EQUIPMENT REPAIR THAT WILL ALLOW THE 10:57:13 DEPOTS TO CONSCIOUSLY GO OUT AND HIRE PEOPLE WHO CAN STAY IN THE 10:57:18 WORKFORCE LONG ENOUGH TO GET THIS WORK DONE. 10:57:20 THANK YOU. >> TO READ IS AN IMPORTANT 10:57:24 QUESTION. MR. SECRETARY, I'M GOING TO GET 10:57:30 DOCUMENTATION THAT I LOOKED OUT FOR YOU DID ENGAGE ABOUT THE 10:57:35 NEED FOR THESE FUNDS. I THINK THAT DOCUMENTATION WILL 10:57:39 BE PUT IN THIS. BEFORE YOU BEGAN, SENATOR, WE 10:57:45 HAVE TO BACK-TO-BACK VOTES. IT IS MY ATTENTION TO VOTE 10:57:49 QUICKLY AND SENATOR MCCAIN I'M GOING TO BE ABSENT. 10:57:57 WE WILL KEEP THE HEARING GOING, COLLEAGUES, AS MEMBERS COME AND 10:58:01 GO ON THESE BOATS. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, I DO 10:58:07 WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING THE GENERAL THE OPPORTUNITY TO 10:58:12 RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION. AN EXCELLENT RESPONSE. 10:58:19 LET ME MAKE A COUPLE OF OBSERVATIONS. 10:58:23 I FIND IT REALLY INTERESTING, I THINK MOST OF THE MEMBERS OF 10:58:27 THIS COMMITTEE HAVE BEEN TO IRAQ A NUMBER OF TIMES. 10:58:33 SEVERAL WHO HAVE NOT BEEN OF ALL. 10:58:35 AND WHEN YOU GET THE REACTION, THE RESPONSE AND OPINIONS 10:58:38 FORMULATED BY THOSE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN THERE, IT IS TOTALLY 10:58:41 DIFFERENT THAN THOSE WHO HAVE REALLY BEEN THERE AND 10:58:44 UNDERSTAND FIRSTHAND WHAT IS GOING ON. 10:58:47 THERE IS NO BETTER EXAMPLE OF DEATH IN AN ARTICLE THAT WAS IN 10:58:50 THE PAPER IN USA TODAY THAT SAID THAT ONLY, WITHOUT QUOTING 10:58:56 A SOURCE, OF THE 18 PROVINCES ONLY ONE WAS ABLE TO BE SECURED 10:59:04 JUST WITH THE IRAQIS. ON THE OTHER HAND, A DOCTOR 11:00:00 HUSSEIN AND HE HATED AMERICANS. 11:00:02 UNTIL HE STARTED EMBEDDED TRAINING WITH MARINES AND HE 11:00:06 SAID WHEN HE ROTATED HIM OUT HE CRIED. 11:00:10 HE DID NOT RENAME THE IRAQI SECURITY FORCES AT FALLUJAH THE 11:00:16 FALLUJAH MARINES. . 11:00:51 BUT WHEN YOU SIT DOWN AND SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH THEM YOU GET A 11:00:56 DIFFERENT IMPRESSION THAT YOU DO LOOKING AT THE MEDIA HERE. 11:01:01 . GENERAL PACE SAID, AND I WOULD 11:01:09 LIKE GENERAL ABIZAID MAY BE TO RESPOND TO THIS, HE SAID AT THAT 11:01:15 TIME OF THOSE 36 BRIGADES, 17 -- THE IRAQI BRIGADES -- 17 WORK AT 11:01:21 LEVEL 2, CAPABLE OF OF THOMAS CARPER RATIONS, AND OF THE 112 11:01:27 BATTALIONS, 62 WERE AT LEVEL 2. THIS IS TWO MONTHS AGO. 11:01:32 DO YOU AGREE WITH HIS ASSESSMENT AT THAT TIME THAT THOSE WHO ARE 11:01:38 TRAINED AND EQUIPPING IRAQI SECURITY FORCES, AND HAS THAT 11:01:43 CHANGED IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS? >> I THINK THE BEST WAY TO 11:01:48 CHARACTERIZE WHERE THE IRAQIS ARE DOING MORE HAS TO DO WITH 11:01:53 UNITS THAT ARE IN THE LEAD IN THE SECURITY STRUCTURE IN 11:01:58 WHATEVER AREA THAT HAS BEEN ASSIGNED. 11:02:02 IN OCTOBER OF 2004, ONE DIVISION, FOR BRIGADES -- 11:02:24 I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE 11:02:29 THERE ARE WARNING SIGNALS ABOUT SECTARIAN VIOLENCE, THE MOST 11:02:34 IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT THE ARMY IS 11:02:39 HOLDING TOGETHER A AND THE GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO 11:02:44 BRINGING THE SECTARIAN VIOLENCE UNDER CONTROL. 11:02:49 SO THE QUESTION IS, AM I OPTIMISTIC WHETHER OR NOT IRAQI 11:02:54 FORCES WITH OUR SUPPORT AND WITH THE BACKING OF THE WRECKING 11:02:59 GOVERNMENT -- >> I HAVE TO SAY THAT I WAS 11:03:12 INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED. WE ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH 11:03:54 THE IRAQI SOLDIERS ARE FIGHTING, TAKING CASUALTIES, 11:03:59 FIGHTING FOR THEIR NATION AND TRYING TO GET SOME -- SECTARIAN 11:04:04 VIOLENCE IN THE INSURGENCY UNDER CONTROL AND THEY DESERVE AN 11:04:09 ENORMOUS ABOUT -- AMOUNT OF OUR RESPECT AND SUPPORT. 11:04:14 SOMETIMES WE SEEM TO THINK WE ARE THE ONLY FORCES THERE. 11:04:19 WE ARE NOT. THERE ARE OVER 20 20,000 IRAQIS 11:04:23 OUT THERE FIGHTING AND DOING A PRETTY GOOD JOB. 11:04:28 THERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS IN THE ORGANIZATIONS BUT THEY ARE 11:04:33 MATURING AND ARE DOING BETTER. >> AND THEY ARE COMMITTED. 11:04:38 I HAPPEN TO BE IN THE HOMETOWN OF SADDAM HUSSEIN WHEN THE 11:04:43 TRAINING AREA WAS BOMBED BY THE TERRORISTS -- ABOUT 40 OF THEM 11:04:48 WERE EITHER KILLED OR INJURED. THOSE 40 FAMILIES RESUPPLIED A 11:04:53 MEMBER OF THEIR FAMILY TO REPLACE THE ONE THAT WAS KILLED. 11:04:58 I KNOW MY TIME IS EXPIRED, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THEM TO GIVE 11:05:04 US SOME INFORMATION. I KNOW THE ORGANIZATIONAL 11:05:18 STRUCTURE OF SIMPLE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES IS NOT THERE, BUT I 11:05:23 WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO CORRECT A LOGISTICAL 11:05:28 PROBLEMS. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. 11:05:31 >> SENATOR BEN NELSON? >> THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN, FOR 11:05:36 BEING HERE TODAY. I SINK YOUR TESTIMONY RESPONSE 11:05:41 TO QUESTIONS HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL. 11:05:44 IN CONNECTION WITH THE NUMBER OF IRAQI TROOPS THAT ARE COMBAT 11:05:50 CAPABLE, OUT OF THE OVER 250,000 SECURITY FORCES THAT ARE THERE, 11:05:55 ARE THERE ANY ESTIMATE OF THE NUMBER THAT WOULD BE COMBAT 11:06:00 CAPABLE? >> SENATOR, FOR THE RECORD, THE 11:06:04 NUMBER OF TRAINED IRAQI POLICE, SECURITY AND IRAQI MILITARY 11:06:10 FORCES, THE NUMBER IS CLOSER TO 275,000. 11:06:15 THE CAPABILITY WAS IN THE ARMY, I THINK AGAIN THE BEST MEASURE 11:06:20 OF THOSE UNITS THAT ARE IN AT THE LEAD, WHICH ARE SORT 11:06:25 DIVISIONS, 21 BRIGADES, AND 77 BATTALIONS, BUT THERE IS A VERY 11:06:31 DETAILED LIST OF WHAT UNIT IS AT WHAT LEVEL THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY 11:06:36 PROVIDE TO YOU. >> THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. 11:06:41 >> THEY ARE MUCH IMPROVED AND THEY CONTINUE TO IMPROVE. 11:06:46 >> WHICH IS PART OF THE EMPHASIS OF STANDING THERE A MILITARY UP 11:06:51 SO WE CAN STAD HOURS DOWN. THE MORE CAPABLE THEY ARE, 11:06:56 HOPEFULLY THERE SHOULD BE A CONNECTION WITH THE REDUCTION OF 11:07:01 OUR FORCES. IN TERMS OF THE POLICE, LET'S 11:07:05 SAY THE MUNICIPAL POLICE, DO WE KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE FOR WHAT 11:07:11 NUMBER OF THE TOTAL NUMBER YOU WOULD LOOK AT AS BEING NOT ONLY 11:07:16 CAPABLE THE TRAINED BUT HONEST AND AS PART OF THE OVERALL 11:07:21 GOVERNMENT AS OPPOSED TO A MILITIA? 11:07:25 >> IT IS A DIFFICULT QUESTION TO ANSWER. 11:07:30 THERE ARE SOME PLACES WHERE THE LOCAL POLICE ARE EXCEPTIONALLY 11:07:35 EAST ASIAN AND VERY HONEST AND VERY CAPABLE. 11:07:39 THERE ARE OTHER AREAS WHERE WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE BEEN 11:07:44 INFILTRATED BY VARIOUS MILITIAS SUCH AS IN WHERE THE FORCES ARE 11:07:49 DOING THEIR BEST TO STAND DOWN THOSE UNITS ON LINE IN THE -- 11:07:55 CAPABLE MANNER. AS FAR AS NATIONAL POLICE FORCE 11:07:59 IS OUR CONCERN BASRA, IN BAD THAT IT IS CLEAR THERE ARE A 11:08:04 NUMBER OF BATTALIONS -- AGAIN, WITHOUT MY NOTES IN FRONT TO ME 11:08:09 -- THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BATTALIONS THAT NEED TO BE STOOD 11:08:14 DOWN AND RETRAINED, AND THEY ARE WORKING TO DO THAT NOW. 11:08:19 >> TO KNOW IF IT IS 50% OR 30 PERCENT? 11:08:23 >> THAT IS NATIONAL POLICE WHICH IS SEPARATE AND DISTINCT FROM 11:08:29 MUNICIPAL. >> I THINK THE DEBATE ABOUT 11:08:33 WHETHER WE HAVE A DATE FOR WITHDRAWAL, WHETHER THERE IS AN 11:08:38 OPEN-ENDED COMMITMENTS, HOPEFULLY THE DEBATE WILL 11:08:42 CONTINUE BUT I WONDER ABOUT AN APPROACH THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN 11:08:48 SETTING A DATE FOR WITHDRAWAL AND TO CLOSE ANY QUESTION ABOUT 11:08:53 WHETHER IT IS AN OPEN ENDED EQUIPMENT WOULD BE BETTER 11:08:58 APPROACHED FORT SETTING CONDITIONS FOR STAYING WITH THE 11:09:02 PRIME MINISTER WITH THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT. 11:09:07 IN OTHER WORDS, THERE IS A LOT OF SLIPPING AS TO HOW WE HAVE 11:09:12 STANDING UP AND STANDING DOWN FROM OUR MILITARY VERSUS THEIR 11:09:17 MILITARY BECAUSE THINGS CHANGE. BUT WE DO HAVE -- DO WE HAVE AN 11:09:22 IDEA OF WHAT THE STAYING CONDITIONS ARE? 11:09:26 THE TIPPING POINT IS THEIR ABILITY OR INABILITY TO GET TO A 11:09:32 CERTAIN LEVEL? THE ABILITY TO GOVERN -- GOVERN 11:09:36 THEMSELVES AS WELL AS SECURE THEMSELVES? 11:09:40 I GUESS I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IF WE CAN ESTABLISH 11:09:45 SOME SORT OF METRICS TO KNOW WHAT IT TAKES IN TERMS OF 11:09:50 PERCENTAGE, NUMBERS, AND WHAT IT WOULD TAKE IN TERMS OF TIME SO 11:09:55 THAT WE CAN SAY THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF NOT ONLY GOVERNING 11:10:00 THEMSELVES WITH THE ELECTED GOVERNMENT BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF 11:10:06 SECURING THEMSELVES SO THEY CAN GOVERN THEMSELVES. 11:10:10 I DO NOT KNOW WHO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THAT QUESTION, BUT I THROW 11:10:16 IT OUT TO ALL THREE OF YOU. >> SENATOR, THE GOVERNMENT HAS 11:10:21 BEEN IN EXISTENCE NOW FORCE THREE MONTHS. 11:10:25 THEY HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO CEMENT THEIR CAPABILITY, IT IS A 11:10:30 DIFFICULT THING TO DO WITH SECTARIAN VIOLENCE AND 11:10:35 INSURGENTS. I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR 11:10:39 PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE THERE MAY BE A MILITARY METRIC 11:10:44 TO UNITS IN THE IRAQI ARMY BETTER EQUIPPED AND TRAINED AND 11:10:49 THEN TAKEN OVER BATTLE SPACE, THERE IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT 11:10:54 POLITICAL ASPECT TO THIS REDUCTION OF SECTARIAN VIOLENCE 11:10:59 WHICH IS THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES GETTING TOGETHER AND AGREEING 11:11:05 UPON WAYS TO REDUCE SECTARIAN VIOLENCE THEMSELVES. 11:11:09 IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THERE BE A NATIONAL RECONCILIATION EFFORT 11:11:15 AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THERE BE AGREED UPON MEASURES TO MOVE 11:11:20 FORWARD WITH VERY SMALL BUSHELS -- MILITIAS OPERATING OUTSIDE 11:11:25 THE GOVERNMENT. I THINK THE COMBINATON WILL 11:11:29 LEAD TO LESS VIOLENCE, ESTABLISHED THE ROLE OF THE 11:11:34 NATIONAL GOVERNMENT IN IRAQ AND ALLOW US TO BRING OUR LEVEL OF 11:11:39 FORCE IS DOWN AS APPROPRIATE. >> SENATOR NELSON, I JUST ADD 11:11:44 THAT THE U.S. AMBASSADOR AND GENERAL KASEY HAVE ESTABLISHED A 11:11:50 COMMITTEE WITH THE NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT AND THE NATIONAL 11:11:55 SECURITY OFFICIALS IN THAT GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS THE VERY 11:12:00 ISSUES YOU ARE RAISING AS TO WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT NEED TO 11:12:05 BE DONE. AS GENERAL ABIZAID DIRECTLY -- 11:12:09 POINTED OUT, IT IS WELL BEYOND THE MILITARY. 11:12:13 >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWERS. >> SANK, MR. IRVING CHAIRMAN. 11:12:18 MR. SECRETARY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR 11:12:23 RESPONSES. I TALKED TO A SOLDIER LAST WEEK 11:12:27 WHO HAS HAD TO DEPLOYMENTS TO IRAQ, AND RAISED A QUESTION 11:12:32 ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT ARE THE OBJECTIVES AND GOALS THAT WE 11:12:37 HAVE IN IRAQ ARE ALIGNED WITH THE GOALS THAT THE IRAQI PEOPLE 11:12:43 HAVE. AND IT SEEMS TO ME IF WE ARE 11:12:46 GOING TO GET CONTROL OF THE SECTARIAN SITUATION THE IRAQI 11:12:51 PEOPLE HAVE TO BUY INTO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN IRAQ. 11:12:56 HIS SUGGESTION WAS THAT THEY HAVE NOT. 11:13:00 I WAS THERE A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK WITH THE DELEGATION WITH 11:13:05 SENATOR MCCAIN, WE HEAR FROM OBVIOUSLY THE COMMANDERS AND OUR 11:13:10 TROOPS, AND IN MOST CASES WE DID NOT HAVE A LOT OF INTERACTION 11:13:16 WITH IRAQI PEOPLE. BUT I WAS WONDERING IF YOU CAN 11:13:20 TALK ABOUT THE INTERACTION THAT WE HAVE WITH THE IRAQI PEOPLE, 11:13:26 THE TROOPS ON THE GROUND OVER THERE, THE TEMPERATURE IN TERMS 11:13:31 OF THEIR WILLINGNESS TO BE PART OF A NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT, 11:13:36 A DEMOCRATIC IRAQ AND THAT SORT OF THING RELATIVE TO WHAT WE'RE 11:13:42 TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. THIS IS ONE SOLDIER WHO SAYS HE 11:13:46 VISITS WITH THEM OVER TIME AND SAYS THERE GOALS ARE NOT ALIGNED 11:13:52 WITH OURS. >> THERE ARE CERTAINLY PEOPLE IN 11:13:56 IRAQ WHO DO NOT WANT THE COUNTRY TO COME TOGETHER AS AN 11:14:01 INDEPENDENT STATE. THERE ARE TERRORIST GROUPS THAT 11:14:06 WANT IRAQ TO DESCEND INTO ANARCHY AND CHAOS SO THEY CAN 11:14:10 ESTABLISH SAFE HAVENS FOR TERRORISTS. 11:14:14 BUT I THINK AS I GO AROUND AND TALK TO OFFICERS AND GOVERNMENT 11:14:20 OFFICIALS AND PEOPLE SORT OUT WHAT COUNTRY, AND I THINK THE 11:14:25 GENERAL WILL ECHO THIS, THE MAJORITY WANT IRAQ TO COME 11:14:30 TOGETHER AS A FREE AND INDEPENDENT NATION CAPABLE OF 11:14:34 BEING A MEANINGFUL MEMBER -- MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY OF 11:14:39 NATIONS IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD NOT DOMINATED BY IRANIANS 11:14:44 OR SUNNI EXTREMISTS GROUPS. I KNOW THEY HAVE TO FIGHT TO 11:14:49 ACHIEVE THAT. >> IT IS NOT SURPRISING, 11:14:53 SENATOR, THAT AN AMERICAN SOLDIER WOULD VISIT WITH THE 11:14:58 IRAQIS AND SEE THAT THEY DO HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. 11:15:03 THEY HAVE A DFFERENT HISTORY AND IS FULLY UNDERSTANDABLE. 11:15:08 ON THE OTHER HAND, 12 MILLION OF THEM WENT OUT AND VOTED AND 11:15:13 FASHIONED A CONSTITUTION AND RATIFIED IT. 11:15:18 IT IS THERE FOR THE WORLD TO SEE, AND THEY HAVE BEEN VOTING 11:15:23 IN INCREASING NUMBERS. GENERAL ABIZAID IS CERTAINLY 11:15:27 RIGHT THAT THERE ARE SOME WHO WANT TO TAKE BACK THE COUNTRY, 11:15:33 AND THOSE WHO WANT TO DOMINATE IT TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE 11:15:38 SUNNIS, BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT 12,000,001 OUT 11:15:43 AND VOTED FOR THAT CONSTITUTION, AND THAT IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT. 11:15:48 >> I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT THAT I HEARD YOU MAKE PREVIOUSLY 11:15:53 AS WELL THAT THE FORCES WHO WANT TO HOLD TO -- THE COUNTRY 11:15:58 TOGETHER ARE GREATER THAN THOSE WHO WANT TO SEE IT FAIL. 11:16:03 BUT I JUST WANTED TO GET YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE GROUND, 11:16:08 AVERAGE IRAQI ON THE STREET VIEW OF WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE 11:16:13 BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME AT LEAST THAT THAT IS A KEY COMPONENT IN 11:16:19 THE STARTING TO TURN OVER INFORMATION ON SOME OF THE BAD 11:16:24 GUYS THAT ARE COMMITTING THE VIOLENCE. 11:16:28 ONE OTHER QUESTION HAS TO DO IT AGAIN WITH THE BORDERS AND HOW 11:16:33 ARE WE DOING WITH RESPECT TO IRAN AND SYRIA, THE FOREIGN ARMS 11:16:38 THAT SERVE AS THE LIFEBLOOD TO THE INSURGENT GROUPS. 11:16:43 ARE THE IRAQIS SEEING THAT AS A SIRET TO SOVEREIGNTY AND ARE 11:16:48 THEY DOING THE WORK TO PROTECT THE BORDERS AND MAKING SURE THAT 11:16:53 THE ARMS THAT ARE COMING IN ARE BEING CUT OFF. 11:16:58 I'D ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT IBM IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES, 11:17:03 AND HOW THEY GET MATERIALS TO MAKE THEM AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S 11:17:08 COMING FROM THESE OTHER COUNTRIES. 11:17:12 I KNOW IT IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH THE LENGTH OF THE BORDERS TO 11:17:17 COMPLETELY SHUT IT OFF, BUT ARE THERE MEASURES BEING TAKEN TO 11:17:22 REGULATE WHAT IS COMING IN? >> YES, SENATOR. 11:17:27 THERE IS A BORDER FORCE AFFECTED AND SOME AREAS, AND LESS 11:17:32 EFFECTIVE IN OTHERS. THE SYRIAN BORDER REMAINS THE 11:17:36 PRIMARY CONDUIT FOR FOREIGN FIGHTERS. 11:17:40 I THINK THE NUMBERS REMAIN AT LESS THAN 100 THAT ARE 11:17:45 TRANSITING BACK AND FORTH. DEMOLITIONS -- THE MUNITIONS 11:17:50 USED INSIDE IRAQ COME FROM IRAQ. THERE ARE SMUGGLING GROUPS THAT 11:17:55 IRANIAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD PEOPLE ARE USING TO BRING IN 11:18:00 INTERNET -- IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES IN THE SOUTH. 11:18:05 IT IS CLEAR THAT HAT HAS TAKEN PLACE. 11:18:09 > THOSE WEAPONS THAT WERE DISCOVERED, HASN'T BEEN 11:18:14 DETERMINED THAT THOSE ARE LEFTOVERS FROM THE PREVIOUS 11:18:19 REGIME OF THOSE FLOODED IN FROM OTHER COUNTRIES? 11:18:23 >> I WOULD HAVE TO SEE THE SPECIFC REPORT. 11:18:27 THERE ARE WEAPONS FOUND EVERY DAY. 11:18:31 >> WE HAVE HAD 420,000 TONS OF MUNITIONS CAPTURED AND DESTROYED 11:18:37 IN SOME OF 14,000 LOCATIONS. SO IT IS A HUGE LOCATION THAT WE 11:18:42 FIND IT EVERYDAY. > THANK YOU. 11:18:45 AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO YOUR 11:18:50 COUNTRY. MR. CHAIRMAN, I YIELD BACK. 11:18:54 >> SENATOR CLINTON? >> SANK YOU VERY MUCH, SENATOR 11:18:59 MCCAIN. MR. SECRETARY, I AM GLAD YOU ARE 11:19:03 HERE. IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENT YOU 11:19:07 REFERENCE THE COMMON SENSE OF AMERICANS. 11:19:11 I SINK IT IS FAIR TO SAY IT THE COLLECTIVE COMMON SENSE 11:19:16 OVERWHELMINGLY THIS NOT EITHER UNDERSTAND OR APPROVE OF THE WAY 11:19:21 YOU OR THE ADMINISTRATION ARE HANDLING IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. 11:19:26 UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP THERE HAVE BEEN ERRORS IN JUDGMENT THAT 11:19:31 HAVE LED US WHERE WE ARE IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. 11:19:36 WE HAVE A FULL-FLEDGED INSURGENCY AND SECTARIAN 11:19:40 CONFLICT IN IRAQ. WHETHER YOU LABEL IT A CIVIL WAR 11:19:45 OR NOT, -- IT HAS CREATED A SITUATION OF EXTREME VIOLENCE 11:19:50 AND LOSS OF LIFE AMONG OUR TROOPS AND THE IRAQIS. 11:19:55 WE DID NOT GO INTO IRAQ WITH ENOUGH TROOPS TO ESTABLISH LAW 11:20:00 AND ORDER. HE DISBANDED THE ENTIRE IRAQI 11:20:04 ARMY, NOW TRYING TO RECREATE IT. DID NOT DO ENOUGH PLANNING FOR 11:20:09 PHASE 4 AND REJECTED ALL THE PLANNING THAT HAD BEEN DONE 11:20:14 PREVIOUSLY TO MAINTAIN STABILITY AFTER THE REGIME WAS OVERTHROWN. 11:20:20 NEW UNDERESTIMATED THE NATURE AND STRENGTH OF THIS INSURGENCY, 11:20:25 SECTARIAN VIOLENCE, AND SPREAD OF IRANIAN INFLUENCE. 11:20:30 LAST YEAR CONGRESS PASSED THE UNITED STATES POLICY IN IRAQ ACT 11:20:35 THAT I SUPPORTED. IT DECLARES 2006 TO BE A YEAR OF 11:20:40 SIGNIFICANT TRANSITION TO FULL IRAQI SOVEREIGNTY WITH IRAQI 11:20:45 SECURITY FORCES TAKING THE LEAD IN THE SECURITY OF A FREE AND 11:20:50 SOVEREIGN IRAQ, CREATING CONDITIONS FOR THE PHASE 11:20:54 REDEPLOYMENT. HOWEVER WE APPEAR TO BE MOVING 11:20:59 IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE NUMBER OF U.S. TROOPS IN 11:21:04 IRAQ ARE SCHEDULED TO INCREASE, AND NOT DECREASE, AND THAT IS 11:21:09 THE ONLY WAY I THINK YOU CAN FAIRLY CONSIDER THE DECISION 11:21:14 WITH RESPECT TO THE 172ND STRIKER BRIGADE. 11:21:18 MR. SECRETARY, AS WE RETURNED TO OUR STATES BEFORE THE AUGUST 11:21:23 RECESS, CONSTITUENTS HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CURRENT 11:21:28 STATE OF AFFAIRS. I DO NOT NEED TO REMIND ANY OF 11:21:33 US THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOSE OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN, 120 FROM 11:21:38 NEW YORK ALONE. BESIDE THE U.S. LOSSES, OF 11:21:42 VIOLENCE DOES SEEM TO BE INCREASING. 11:21:46 FROM JANUARY TO JUNE THERE WERE OVER 14,000 IRAQI CIVILIAN 11:21:51 CASUALTIES, AT LEAST AS FAR AS ANYONE CAN COUNT. 11:21:56 IN A JULY 22 ARTICLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES JOURNAL OF THE SEA 11:22:01 WAS QUOTED AS SAYING -- TWO MONTHS AFTER THE IRAQI 11:22:06 GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN OFFICE, THE SECURITY GAINS HAVE NOT BEEN 11:22:11 ACHIEVED. THEN THERE WAS THE BIG 11:22:14 ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE COMMITMENT OF THE NEW IRAQI 11:22:19 GOVERNMENT TO SECURE BAGHDAD. TWO MONTHS INTO THAT IT IS CLEAR 11:22:24 IT IS NOT WORKING AND WE ARE NOW PUTTING IN MORE AMERICAN TROOPS, 11:22:30 AND FOLLOWING THE LEAD OF SENATOR MCCAIN, REMOVING THEM 11:22:35 FROM OTHER PLACES THAT ARE HARDLY STABLE AND SECURE. 11:22:39 IN AFGHANISTAN YOUR ADMINISTRATION'S CREDIBILITY IS 11:22:44 ALSO SUSPECT. IN DECEMBER 2002 YOU SAID THE 11:22:48 TALIBAN WAS GONE, INTO OUT -- THE PRESIDENT ALSO SAID IT IS NO 11:22:54 LONGER IN EXISTENCE. IN 2005 ATTACKS BY THE CALIBAN 11:22:58 AND OTHER ANTI COALITION FORCES WERE UP 20%, AND THESE 11:23:03 INSURGENTS WERE A GREATER THREAT TO THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT EFFORTS 11:23:09 TO EXPAND ITS AUTHORITY SINCE ANY TIME SINCE 2001. 11:23:13 FURTHER, GENERAL EIKENBERRY MADE A COMMENT ABOUT THE DANGERS THAT 11:23:19 ARE NOW OF GOING ON IN AFGHANISTAN AND THE FAILURE TO 11:23:24 BE ABLE TO SECURE IT. OBVIOUSLY I COULD GO ON AND ON. 11:23:28 IN A RECENT BOOK APTLY TITLED FIASCO DESCRIBES IN SOME DETAIL 11:23:34 THE DECISION MAKING APPARATUS THAT HAS LED US TO THIS 11:23:38 SITUATION. SO, MR. SECRETARY, WHEN OUR 11:23:42 CONSTITUENTS ASK FOR EVIDENCE THAT YOUR POLICY IN IRAQ AND 11:23:48 AFGHANISTAN WILL BE SUCCESSFUL, YOU DO NOT LEAVE US WITH MUCH TO 11:23:53 TALK ABOUT. YES, WE HEAR ABOUT HAPPY TALK 11:23:57 AND ROSY SCENARIOS, BECAUSE OF THE ADMINISTRATION IS STRATEGIC 11:24:02 BLUNDERS AND FRANKLY THE RECORD OF INCOMPETENCE IN EXECUTING, 11:24:08 YOU ARE PRESIDING OVER A FAILED POLICY. 11:24:12 GIVEN YOUR TRACK RECORD, SECRETARY OF RUMSFELD, WHY 11:24:16 SHOULD WE BELIEVE YOUR ASSURANCES NOW? 11:24:20 >> MY GOODNESS. FIRST, -- I TRIED TO MAKE NOTES 11:24:25 AND FOLLOW THE PREPARED STATEMENT SAID YOU HAVE 11:24:29 PRESENTED. FIRST OF ALL, IT IS TRUE THAT 11:24:33 THERE IS SECTARIAN STRIFE IN IRAQ AND IT IS A LOSS OF LIFE 11:24:38 AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE AND TRAGIC THAT THIS HAS TAKEN PLACE. 11:24:44 IT IS TRUE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE ATTEMPTING TO PREVENT 11:24:49 THAT GOVERNMENT FROM BEING SUCCESSFUL. 11:24:53 AND AS THEY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BLOWING UP BUILDINGS AND 11:24:58 KILLING INNOCENT MEN AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND TAKING OFF THE 11:25:03 HEADS OF PEOPLE ON TELEVISION. AND AT THE IDEA THAT THEY ARE 11:25:08 PREVAILING IS UNACCEPTABLE. SECONDLY, WE'VE SAID THE NUMBER 11:25:14 OF TROOPS WERE WRONG. I GUESS HISTORY WILL MAKE A 11:25:18 JUDGMENT. THE NUMBER OF TROOPS THAT WENT 11:25:22 IN AND THE NUMBER OF TROOPS THERE EVERY MONTH SINCE AND THE 11:25:27 NUMBER TODAY REFLECTED THE BEST JUDGMENT OF THE MILITARY 11:25:32 COMMANDERS ON THE GROUND, THEIR SUPERIORS, THE GENERAL PACE, 11:25:38 GENERAL ABIZAID, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. 11:25:42 I THINK IT IS NOT CORRECT TO ASSUME THEY WERE WRONG NUMBERS. 11:25:48 AND I DO NOT THINK THE EVIDENCE SUGGEST THAT ENDED WOULD BE 11:25:53 INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT HISTORY BESIDES. 11:25:57 THE BALANCE BETWEEN HAVING TOO MANY AND CONTRIBUTING TO AN 11:26:02 INSURGENCY BY THE FEELING OF OCCUPATION AND THE RISK OF 11:26:07 HAVING TOO FEW AND HAVING THE SECURITY SITUATION NOT BE 11:26:12 SUFFICIENT FOR POLITICAL PROGRESS TO GO FORWARD, IS A 11:26:16 COMPLICATED SET OF DECISIONS, AND I DID NOT KNOW THAT THERE IS 11:26:22 ANY GUIDE BOOK THAT TELLS YOU HOW TO DO WITH. 11:26:26 NO RULE BOOK, NO HISTORY FOR THIS, AND THE JUDGMENTS THAT 11:26:31 HAVE BEEN MADE HAVE BEEN MADE BY EXCEEDINGLY WELL TRAINED PEOPLE. 11:26:37 THE GENTLEMAN SITTING NEXT TO ME, THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND IN 11:26:42 IRAQ. THEY WERE STUDIED AND EXAMINED 11:26:46 AND ANALYZED BY CIVILIAN LEADERSHIP AND THE PRESIDENT AND 11:26:51 THEY WERE CONFIRMED. SO I THINK YOUR ASSERTION IS AT 11:26:55 LEAST DEBATABLE. THE IDEA THAT THE ARMY WAS 11:27:00 DISBANDED IS I THINK ONE THAT IS FLYING AROUND. 11:27:04 MIGHT IMPRESSION IS THAT TO THE GREATEST EXTET THAT ARMY 11:27:09 DISBANDED ITSELF -- IT WAS MADE UP OF A LOT OF SHIITE CONSCRIPTS 11:27:15 THAT DID NOT WANT TO BE IN ITS, AND MANY HUNDREDS OF SUNNIS WHO 11:27:20 WERE NOT ABOUT TO HANG AROUND AFTER SADDAM HUSSEIN AND HIS 11:27:25 SONS AND THAT ADMINISTRATION WAS REPLACED. 11:27:29 THE WORK TO BUILD A NEW ARMY HAS INCLUDED AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE 11:27:35 FROM THE PRIOR ORMY AND IT HAS BENEFITED FROM THAT. 11:27:39 CERTAINLY, THE ASSERTION THAT THE GOVERNMENT REJECTED ALL OF 11:27:44 THE PLANNING THAT HAD BEEN DONE BEFORE IS SIMPLY FALSE. 11:27:49 IT IS NOT THE CASE. THE PLANNING THAT WAS DONE IT 11:27:54 WAS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BY THE PEOPLE EXECUTING THE POST MAJOR 11:27:59 COMBAT. THE COMMENTS ABOUT BAD DEBT, 11:28:03 I'LL POSSIBLY LET GENERAL ABIZAID COMMENT ON. 11:28:07 THE GOAL IS NOT TO HAVE U.S. FORCES DO WITH THE HEAVY LIFTING 11:28:13 IN BAGHDAD. THERE ARE MANY, MANY MORE IRAQI 11:28:17 FORCES IN BAGHDAD. THE ROLE OF THE U.S. FORCES IS 11:28:22 TO HELP THEM, PROVIDE LOGISTICS, ASSIST THEM AS NEEDED, AND TO 11:28:27 CREATE A PRESENCE THAT WILL ALLOW THE IRAQI SECURITY FORCES 11:28:32 TO SUCCEED AND THEN AS OUR FORCES STEPPED BACK IT ALLOWS 11:28:37 THE IRAQI SECURITY FORCES TO BE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN ORDER IN 11:28:42 THIS CITY. I CANNOT PREDICT IF IT WILL WORK 11:28:47 THIS TIME. IT MAY OR MAY NOT, BUT IT 11:28:50 HAPPENS TO REPRESENT THE BEST JUDGMENT OF THE GENERALS AND THE 11:28:56 MILITARY LEADERSHIP, AND GENERAL ABIZAID AND GENERAL PACE AND I 11:29:01 HAVE REVIEWED IT AND WE FEEL IT IS A SENSIBLE APPROACH. 11:29:06 AFGHANISTAN -- I DO NOT KNOW WHO SAID WHAT ABOUT WHETHER TALIBAN 11:29:11 IS GONE, BUT THE TALENT AND THAT WAS RULING AFGHANISTAN WERE 11:29:17 REPLACED AND REPLACED BY AN ELECTION THAT TOOK PLACE IN THAT 11:29:22 COUNTRY. IN TERMS OF THE GOVERNMENT OR 11:29:26 GOVERNMENT ENTITY, THEY WERE GONE, AND THAT IS THE FACT. 11:29:31 ARE THERE STILL SOME OF THEM AROUND, YOU BET. 11:29:35 ARE THEY IN PAKISTAN AND OTHER PLACES, CERTAINLY. 11:29:40 IS THE VIOLENCE UP? YES. 11:29:43 DOES IT TEND TO BE U IN THE SUMMER, SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL 11:29:48 MONTHS? YES. 11:29:51 AND IT DECLINED TO THE WINTER. DOES THAT REPRESENT A FAILED 11:29:56 POLICY? I DO NOT KNOW. 11:29:59 I THINK WE HAVE AN AWFUL LOT OF TALENTED PEOPLE IN ENGAGED IN 11:30:04 THIS AND THE DECISIONS ARE MADE WITH GREAT CARE AFTER A GREAT 11:30:09 DEAL OF CONSIDERATION. ARTHUR SETBACKS AND THINGS THAT 11:30:14 PEOPLE CANNOT ANTICIPATE? DOES THE ENEMY HAVE A BRAIN AND 11:30:19 MAKES ADJUSTMENTS ON THE GROUND, REQUIRING US TO DO THE SAME? 11:30:24 YES. IS THE PROBLEM GOING TO BE 11:30:28 SOLVED IN THE NEAR TERM, THIS LONG STRUGGLE AGAINST EXTREMISM? 11:30:33 NO, I THINK IT WILL TAKE TIME. SOME WARS HAVE LASTED THREE 11:30:38 YEARS, SOME FOUR YEARS, FIVE YEARS -- THE COLD WAR LASTED 11:30:43 OVER 40 YEARS AND THE STRUGGLE AGAINST VIOLENT EXTREMISTS WHO 11:30:49 ARE DETERMINED TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM EXERCISING THEIR RIGHTS IS 11:30:54 GOING TO GO ON A LONG TIME AND IT IS GOING TO BE TOUGH. 11:30:59 IT DOES NOT MEAN WE HAVE TO SPEND THE REST OF OUR LIVES AS
Footage Information
Source | ABCNEWS VideoSource |
---|---|
Title: | Iraq, Afghanistan and the Global War on Terror 1030-1130 |
Date: | 08/03/2006 |
Library: | ABC |
Tape Number: | DCBB134672B-1 |
Content: | 10:31:00 LEADERSHIP, THAT WOULD GIVE THEM THE ABILITY TO NOT BE INVOLVED 10:31:02 IN THIS, TO QUELL THE VIOLENCE, AND TO EVENTUALLY HELP PRESIDENT 10:31:13 MALIKI DISARM AND DISMANTLE THE MILITIAS? 10:31:19 >> SENATOR, I THINK YOUR POINT IS A VALID ONE, THAT ULTIMATELY 10:31:25 THE SECTARIAN VIOLENCE IS GOING TO BE DEALT WITH BY IRAQIS, AND 10:31:29 IS GOING TO BE DEALT WITH BY IRAQI SECURITY FORCES. 10:31:41 MOLECULE, THE PRIME MINISTER, AND OTHERS ARE TRYING TO DESIGN 10:31:47 IT IN A WAY THAT WILL PULL TOGETHER ELEMENTS WITHIN THE 10:31:50 COUNTRY AND THEREBY REDUCE SECTARIAN VIOLENCE. 10:31:54 I WOUN&L];8x 6M[#" GENERAL'S COMMENTS ON THE 10:31:57 TRAINING EXCEPT TO SAY THAT THE SITUATION OF TRAINING IN IRAQ IN 10:32:01 18 PROVINCES IS QUITE DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT PROVINCES AND WE 10:32:04 HAVE FORCES IN MOST PROVINCES AN THE TRAINING IS DIFFERENT 10:32:09 WITH DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES THE FACE. 10:32:11 ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE IS HAVE 10:32:14 EXTENSIVE LESSONS LEARNED FROM WHAT IS TAKING PLACE IN IRAQ IN 10:32:18 DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY BROUGHT BACK TO THE JOINT FORCES 10:32:22 COMMAND AND THE NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER AND THE TROOPS 10:32:24 ARE BEING TRAINED UP CAREFULLY TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE 10:32:29 KIND OF -- BEST KIND OF TRAINING THEY CAN HAVE FOR THE 10:32:32 CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE BELIEVE THEY'RE GOING TO FIND IN THE 10:32:37 AREAS THEY'RE GOING TO BE ASSIGNED TO. 10:32:39 >> COULD YOU EXPAND ON THIS, ABOUT GETTING IN WITH THE GROWTH 10:32:43 OF THE SECTARIAN VIOLENCE. HOW DO WHERE TROOPS GET IN THERE 10:32:46 AND NOT GET EMBROILED IN THE SECTARIAN VIOLENCE? 10:32:51 IS THIS THE BEGINNING FOR THE END OF THE INCREASED NUMBERS OF 10:32:55 TROOPS THAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED OVER THERE? 10:33:00 HOW WAS THE BACKGROUND AND TRAINING ACTUALLY GOING TO PULL 10:33:05 THAT SECTARIAN VIOLENCE THAT YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED AS ESCALATING AT 10:33:08 THE PRESENT TIME. >> SENATOR KENNEDY THE FIRST 10:33:12 LINE AGAIN SECTARIAN VIOLENCE IS THE IRAQI ARMED FORCES. 10:33:16 THEY KNOW WHERE THE PROBLEMS ARE COMING FROM AN UNRECOGNIZED IT 10:33:21 EASIER THAN OUR TROOPS CAN. I WOULD TELL YOU THAT OUR 10:33:26 FORCES TO HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO PRECISELY TARGETED THE CELLULAR 10:33:31 DEATH SQUAD STRUCTURE THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ACTIVITY. 10:33:34 THE MORE AND MORE OVERTIME WE HAVE BECOME PROFICIENT AND BEING 10:33:38 ABLE TO ATTACK THE CELLULAR STRUCTURE OF AL QAEDA AND WE 10:33:43 INTEND TO USE THAT CAPABILITY AND INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES THAT 10:33:47 WE HAVE USED BEFORE TO TARGET THE MILITIA DEATH SQUADS THAT WE 10:33:52 SEE OPERATING OUT IN BAGHDAD WITH A CERTAIN DEGREE OF 10:33:55 FREEDOM. >> THANK YOU. 10:33:58 >> FOR THE RECORD, THIS IS THE JOURNAL'S FULL STATEMENT, JULY 10:34:05 27, 2006. HE SAID "FOR THE MILITARY THE 10:34:09 PLANT IS UNCHARTED GROUND. QUITE FRANKLY, IN 33 YEARS IN 10:34:14 THE UNITED STATES ARMY I NEVER TRAINED TO STOP THE SECTARIAN 10:34:18 FIGHT. THIS IS SOMETHING." 10:34:21 THAT IS THE " TO WHICH I REFERRED TO PURE YEAR SENATOR 10:34:25 MCCAIN? >> MY FIRM BELIEF THAT WE CAN 10:34:33 AND MUST WHEN INTERACT -- THE CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE WOULD BE 10:34:39 CATASTROPHIC. HE SAID THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY 10:34:42 OF THE SITUATION IN IRAQ DEVOLVING INTO CIVIL WAR, 10:34:46 CORRECT? DID YOU ANTICIPATE THIS 10:34:49 SITUATION ONE YEAR AGO? >> NO, SIR. 10:34:56 >> DID YOU? >> I BELIEVE THAT ONE YEAR AGO 10:35:03 SECTARIAN TENSIONS WERE INCREASING. 10:35:06 NOPE. -- NO. 10:35:14 >> WE ARE MOVING TROOPS INTO BAGHDAD, IS THAT CORRECT? 10:35:18 >> THE NUMBER IS CLOSER TO 3500. PLUS MILITARY POLICE THAT WERE 10:35:25 GOING THERE FOR OTHER DUTIES THAT ARE BEING USED IN THE 10:35:30 OUTER AREAS, A MILITARY POLICEMAN IN PARTICULAR. 10:35:35 >> WHERE ARE THESE TROOPS COMING FROM? 10:35:38 >> THE TROOPS ARE COMING DOWN. >> IS THE SITUATION UNDER 10:35:44 CONTROL IN RAMADI? >> BETTER THAN IT WAS TWO MONTHS 10:35:50 AGO. >> IS THE SITUATION UNDER 10:35:52 CONTROL IN RAMADI? >> I THINK THE SITUATION IN 10:35:57 RAMADI IS WORKABLE. >> AND CHIPS FROM RAMADI CAME 10:36:01 FROM FALLUJAH, ISN'T THAT CORRECT? 10:36:05 THAT IS MY INFORMATION. WE ARE PLAYING A GAME AND OF 10:36:14 WHACK-'EM-ALL. FALLUJAH BECAME A BASE SO WE HAD 10:36:20 TO GO INTO FALLUJAH AND FIGHT ONE OF THE GREAT BATTLES IN 10:36:24 MARINE PORT/ARMY HISTORY. THEN WE WENT BACK THEY'RE NOT 10:36:27 TOO LONG AGO. WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE 10:36:33 TROOPS? WE MOVE THEM FROM FALLUJAH, NOW 10:36:36 WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE TROOPS INTO BAGHDAD FROM 10:36:39 SOMEPLACE ELSE. IT IS VERY DISTURBING. 10:36:43 AND IF IT IS ALL UP TO THE IRAQI MILITARY, GENERAL JOHN ABIZAID, 10:36:49 IF IT IS ALL OF THEM, AND WONDER WHY WE HAVE TO MOVE TROOPS INTO 10:36:53 BAGHDAD TO INTERVENE IN WHAT IS CLEARLY SECTARIAN VIOLENCE. 10:37:00 >> SENATOR, IRAQI TROOPS ARE BEING MOVED INTO BAGHDAD. 10:37:04 THE NUMBER OF IRAQI TROOPS IN THE BAGHDAD AREA IS GREATER THAN 10:37:08 OUR TROOPS. WE ARE IN SUPPORT WITH THEM IN 10:37:11 THE MAIN OPERATIONAL AREAS AND I BELIEVE THAT UNDER THE CURRENT 10:37:16 CIRCUMSTANCES THAT IRAQI FORCES NEED TO BENEFIT FROM OUR COMMAND 10:37:20 AND CONTROL CAPABILITIES AND THE SYSTEMS OF UNITS SUCH AS A 10:37:26 STRIKER BRIGADE THAT HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE SOUTH. 10:37:28 >> I WOULD ANTICIPATE PUTTING AMERICAN TROOPS INTO THIS 10:37:32 VOLATILE SITUATION. HE SAID AMERICAN CASUALTIES WILL 10:37:36 PROBABLY GO UP? >> I THINK IT IS POSSIBLE THAT 10:37:44 IN THE TIME AHEAD OF US IN BAGHDAD THAT WILL TAKE INCREASED 10:37:49 CASUALTIES, IT IS POSSIBLE. >> THE SITUATION IN SOUTHERN 10:37:53 IRAQ, I WAS BRIEFED BY BRITISH MILITARY AND OTHERS THAT THERE 10:38:00 IS A GRAVE CONCERN ABOUT IRANIAN PENETRATION THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN 10:38:05 IRAQ. IS THAT A SERIOUS ISSUE? 10:38:08 >> IRANIAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD COULD FORCE INTELLIGENCE 10:38:18 AGENCIES AND EQUIP WHAT I COULD CALL GROWTH GROUPS AND IT IS A 10:38:23 CONCERN. >> IS BASARA IN CONTROL OF THE 10:38:32 ISSUES? >> THE MILITIAS HAVE GREATER 10:38:35 CONTROL IN BASARA, AND THAT IS WHY THE PRIME MINISTER HAS 10:38:40 APPOINTED A MILITARY OFFICER TO GO DOWN THERE AND GET THE 10:38:43 SECURITY SITUATION BACK UNDER CONTROL. 10:38:46 >> DO YOU HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE IRAQI MINISTER OF INTERIOR? 10:38:50 >> I DO NOT KNOW THE IRAQI MINISTER OF INTERIOR OF THE WAY 10:38:54 THAT I KNOW THE DEFENSE MINISTER. 10:38:56 I HAVE NO REASON NOT TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN HIM. 10:39:00 >> DAY AFTER DAY, PEOPLE ARE RUNNING AMOK IN POLICE UNIFORMS 10:39:05 AND ARMY UNIFORMS AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY MALICIOUS AND KILLING 10:39:07 PEOPLE. -- MILITIAS KILLING PEOPLE. 10:39:17 IT IS AN EMERGENCY THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE KILLED. 10:39:24 TO THE STATE OTHE TRAINING NOT OF THE IRAQI MILITARY BUT OF 10:39:28 IRAQI POLICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. 10:39:31 CAN YOU COMMENT ON THAT SITUATION? 10:39:34 >> DURING THE TIME AFTER THE NATIONAL ELECTION WE KNOW 10:39:39 GOVERNANCE FORMED, OF THE INTERIOR MINISTRY IN PARTICULAR, 10:39:45 DID NOT DEVELOP ITS FORCES IN THE WAY THAT WE HAD ANTICIPATED 10:39:48 THAT THEY WOULD OR SHOULD. MILITARY FORCES ON THE OTHER 10:39:52 HAND CONTINUE TO DEVELOP WELL AND PERFORM WELL BUT THERE IS NO 10:39:57 DOUBT THAT POLICE UNITS ESPECIALLY LOCAL POLICE UNITS 10:40:01 WERE INFILTRATED IN BOSNIA -- BASARA IN PARTICULAR BY LOCAL 10:40:07 MILITIAS AND THEY PUT THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO THE MALICIOUS 10:40:11 AHEAD OF THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO THE STATE IT IS VITAL THAT WE TURN 10:40:16 THIS AROUND. >> THE OUTSIDER CONTINUES TO BE 10:40:20 A MAJOR OBSTACLE TO PROGRESS IN IRAQ. 10:40:23 ARE WE -- I BELIEVE THERE IS STILL AN OUTSTANDING AWARD FOR 10:40:27 HIS ARREST -- ARMY'S GOING TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE? 10:40:31 >> THE ISSUE WILL BE ADDRESSED BY THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT. 10:40:35 >> NOT BY US? >> BE ADDRESSED BY THE IRAQI 10:40:40 GOVERNMENT. >> ALL MY COLLEAGUES ARE HERE'S 10:40:45 OUR WANT TO NOT TAKE TIME -- I JUST WANT TO CONCLUDE -- 10:40:49 SECRETARY RUMSFELD WE PASSED AN AMENDMENT ON THE AUTHORIZATION 10:40:52 BILL WHICH I AM CONFIDENT WILL BE ACCEPTED IN CONFERENCE. 10:40:57 AND THAT REQUIRES THAT OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN BE 10:41:02 INCLUDED IN THE REGULAR BUDGET TO RICK -- BUDGETARY PROCESS. 10:41:07 WE ARE HEARING STORY AFTER STORY ABOUT CORRUPTION'S, ETC. CURIA 10:41:12 WE MUST HAVE SUFFICIENT CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT. 10:41:15 I HOPE YOU ARE MAKING PLANS TO INCLUDE SPENCES INVOLVED IN 10:41:21 OPERATIONS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN IN THE NORMAL 10:41:24 BUDGETARY PROCESS AND NOT AS A "EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL." 10:41:31 YOU SHOULD AT THIS TIME BE ABLE TO PREDICT WHAT THOSE COSTS 10:41:36 MIGHT BE. I WANT TO SAY, AGAIN, YOU WILL 10:41:41 HAVE A SHOWDOWN UNLESS BOTH WITHIN HIS BODY AND WITHIN THE 10:41:46 EXECUTIVE BRANCH UNLESS WE START GOING THROUGH THE NORMAL 10:41:48 BUDGETARY PROCESS TO FUND THIS CONFLICT WHICH I THINK ALL OF US 10:41:52 AGREE WE WILL BE INVOLVED IN FOREIGN LONG TIME. 10:42:01 >> WE ARE AWARE OF THE AMENDMENT AND NEEDLESS TO SAY WE WILL 10:42:05 COMPLY WITH THE LAW. FROM OUR STANDPOINT WE CAN DO IT 10:42:08 EITHER WAY AND IT HAS BEEN A MATTER THAT HAS BEEN WORKED OF 10:42:11 GENERALLY OVER THE YEAR BETWEEN THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE 10:42:14 LEADERSHIP AND CONGRESS. THE REALITY IS THAT WHAT WE 10:42:20 WOULD HAVE TO DO AS YOU SUGGESTED WOULD BE TO PROVIDE 10:42:23 THE BEST ESTIMATES THAT WE CAN AND PROJECTIONS AND THEN MAKE 10:42:27 ADJUSTMENTS FOR THEM AS TIME PASSED AND WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO 10:42:32 DO THAT. >> MR. CHAIRMAN -- ONE 10:42:38 CLARIFICATION. SO THOSE WATCHING US TO NOT 10:42:41 BELIEVE THAT THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS WERE NOT PROPERLY 10:42:44 TRAINED TO HANDLE THE KIND OF VIOLENCE THAT THE SECTARIAN 10:42:49 VIOLENCE IS CREATING. WHAT HE SAID IS EXACTLY TRUE 10:42:51 THAT WE DO NOT TRAIN TO SEPARATE SECTARIAN VIOLENCE AND THAT IS 10:42:56 VERY MUCH IRRESPONSIBILITY ON THE POLITICIANS AND AS WE TALKED 10:43:00 ABOUT ALREADY TO IRAQI PEOPLE NEED TO DO THAT. 10:43:03 WITH REGARD TO THOSE ON PATROL IN BAGHDAD WITH HIS -- WITH HIS 10:43:09 PLATOON, REGARDLESS OF SHI'IA, OR SUNNI, OUR SOLDIERS AND 10:43:14 MARINES ARE WELL TRAINED TO HANDLE THAT. 10:43:17 THERE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE KIND OF VIOLENCE THEY HAVE 10:43:20 TO HANDLE AND WHAT WILL PREVENT THE VIOLENCE. 10:43:22 OF PREVENTING THAT VIOLENCE IS THE ROLE OF THE POLITICAL 10:43:27 LEADERS. TO SOLVE. 10:43:30 >> THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS HEARING, TO CLARIFY THESE PUBLIC 10:43:36 STATEMENTS THAT COME BEFORE THIS AND THE AMERICAN PUBLIC. 10:43:39 THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN PACE. >> GENERAL JOHN ABIZAID, IN YOUR 10:43:47 OPINION IS IT AND A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION WITH IMPLICIT 10:43:53 SUPPORT FROM THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT? 10:43:57 >> THERE ARE GROUPS WITHIN THE ARMY THAT ARE UNDER THE PAY OF 10:44:02 THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT THAT ARE TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS. 10:44:05 I AM NOT SURE I CAN SAY THAT IS NECESSARILY TRUE ABOUT THE 10:44:09 ENTIRE ORGANIZATION. >> THERE IS AN OUTSTANDING 10:44:13 WARRANT FOR THE LEADER OF THE ARMY AND HE IS A PROMINENT 10:44:19 MEMBER OF THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT, IS THAT CORRECT -- CORRECT? 10:44:28 >> YES. >> IN FACT IS PART OF THE 10:44:32 GOVERNMENT? >> I BELIEVE THAT THE PRIME 10:44:35 MINISTER AND HIS GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE THE STEPS NECESSARY TO GET 10:44:39 THE SECTARIAN VIOLENCE UNDER CONTROL AND TO WHAT HAS TO BE 10:44:41 DONE AGAINST THE DEATH SQUADS. >> YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF THE 10:44:45 TIMING OF THIS, WITH RESPE TO THE TIMING? 10:44:53 >> I WOULD NOT CHARACTERIZE THE TARGET. 10:44:56 I WOULD SAY THERE ARE ELEMENTS THAT ARE BEING -- THAT WILL BE 10:45:01 TARGETED BECAUSE OF PARTICIPATING IN DEBT SQUAD 10:45:03 ACTIVITIES. WITH THE ENCOURAGEMENT, THE 10:45:08 PERMISSION, THE TOLERANCE OF THEM? 10:45:13 >> I COULD NOT SAY WHETHER THERE WAS PERMISSION OR TOLERANCE. 10:45:17 I CAN SAY THAT THE PRIME MINISTER KNOWS AND HAS BEEN 10:45:20 FORCEFUL ABOUT SAYING THAT MALICIOUS MUST BE BROUGHT UNDER 10:45:23 CONTROL. HE HAS A WIDE RANGE OF POINTS 10:45:29 THAT GO ALL THE WAYS FROM DIRECT MILITARY CONFRONTATION TO AN 10:45:34 AGREEMENT WITH VARIOUS MALICIOUS. 10:45:35 >> WE WILL NOT BE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS? 10:45:39 IT WILL BE EXCLUSIVELY UP TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND HIS FORCES? 10:45:43 >> I WOULD NOT SAY HE WOULD BE EXCLUSIVELY THE WORK OF IRAQIS. 10:45:48 IT IS CLEAR THAT OUR FORCES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE IRAQIS WILL 10:45:53 HELP TARGET DEATH SQUAD ORGANIZATIONS. 10:45:58 >> MR. SECRETARY, UP $4.9 BILLION IN FUNDING, THE ARMY 10:46:06 REQUESTED FOR RESET WHICH IS REPAIRED AND REPLACING OF 10:46:10 EQUIPMENT, WAS DENIED BEFORE THE REQUEST WAS SUBMITTED TO 10:46:13 CONGRESS. DID YOU DENIED THIS REQUEST OR 10:46:17 DID THE BUDGET DENIED THE REQUEST? 10:46:21 >> AS YOU KNOW, THE NORMAL PROCESS IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT 10:46:24 IS GIVEN A BUDGET BY THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT, AND WE TAKE THAT 10:46:31 BUDGET AND WORK WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT TO TRY TO FASHION A 10:46:36 BUDGET THAT IS BALANCED THAT MAKES SENSE. 10:46:39 IN THE EVENT WE HAVE TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL FUNDS WE HAVE DONE 10:46:47 THAT. I DO NOT KNOW PRECISELY WHICH 10:46:53 4.9 -- >> MR. SECRETARY, DID YOU GO 10:46:55 BACK TO THE PRESIDENT AND ASK FOR MORE FUNDS BECAUSE OF THE 10:46:59 CRITICAL NEEDS? >> WE HAVE CERTAINLY GONE TO THE 10:47:03 PRESIDENT AND THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET AND 10:47:05 EXPLAIN THE NEED FOR RESET AND NEGOTIATED EXTENSIVELY WITH THE 10:47:10 OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET AND REGRETTABLY THERE HAVE BEEN 10:47:13 CUTS MADE BY CONGRESS EVERY YEAR IN THE DEFENSE BUDGET AND HAVE 10:47:17 BEEN NOT ONLY REDUCTIONS IN OUR BUDGET THERE HAVE BEEN THINGS 10:47:20 THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED IN THAT WE DID NOT REQUEST THAT REPORT IS 10:47:23 TO TAKE MONEY FROM OTHER THINGS AND THIRD THERE HAVE BEEN THINGS 10:47:27 REQUIRED OF US THAT WE WERE PREVENTED FROM MAKING SAVINGS 10:47:31 AND THE NET EFFECT IF YOU LOOK JUST TODAY IN THE AUTHORIZATION 10:47:35 AND APPROPRIATION BILLS THE RUN SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10, 15, $20 10:47:40 BILLION. >> SO THE WHITE HOUSE DID TURN 10:47:43 DOWN YOUR REQUEST? >> THAT WOULD NOT BE CORRECT. 10:47:48 >> YOU DID NOT ASK? >> I CANNOT SAY THAT BECAUSE WE 10:47:53 WENT THROUGH AN EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION AND NEGOTIATION AND 10:47:56 WE ENDED UP WITH A BUDGET WE ENDED UP WITH WHICH WAS THEN 10:47:59 REDUCED BY CONGRESS. >> LAST TUESDAY EVENING, THE 10:48:04 SENATE PASSED AN APPROPRIATION FOR $13 -- $13 BILLION. 10:48:11 IS IT A WASTE? >> IT IS CLEARLY NEEDED. 10:48:16 >> WHY DID YOU ASK FOR THAT CLEARLY NEEDED MONEY? 10:48:19 >> WE DID TALK TO THE WHITE HOUSE ABOUT IT AND THAT IS WHERE 10:48:21 THE NUMBER CAME FROM FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 10:48:26 >> MR. SECRETARY WHAT YOU WERE SAYING HE'S EITHER DO WOULD ASK 10:48:29 FOR THE MONEY AND THEY SAID NO OR YOU ACCEPTED IN LIMIT DESPITE 10:48:33 THE NEEDS THAT YOU RECOGNIZE. IT IS ONE OR THE OTHER. 10:48:38 >> YOU HAVE LOST ME. >> I THINK YOU HAVE LOST 10:48:42 EVERYONE. >> FIRST WERE TALKING ABOUT $4.9 10:48:46 BILLION NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE $13.1 BILLION, AND WE HAVE 10:48:51 REQUESTED THAT AND THEY HAVE REQUESTED OF CONGRESS AND 10:48:55 CONGRESS HAS PUT IT IN THE BILL AS I ENTER STAND IT. 10:48:59 >> WHEN DID YOU REQUEST THE $13 BILLION? 10:49:03 >> WITHIN THE LAST MONTHS, WEEKS. 10:49:06 >> WEEKS? >> WEEKS. 10:49:10 >> DAYS? WHAT DID YOU REQUEST THE $13 10:49:13 BILLION WHEN IT WAS BEING PREPARED TO BE SENT TO CONGRESS? 10:49:17 >> THE BUDGET WAS NOT BEEN PREPARED TO BE SENT TO CONGRESS, 10:49:20 IT WOULD HAVE BEEN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR FOR THE BUDGET THAT 10:49:26 HAS STILL NOT BEEN PASSED BY THE CONGRESS THIS YEAR. 10:49:30 FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LATE LAST YEAR AT THE 10:49:33 BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR BUT THE AND WHEN THOSE BUDGETS ARE 10:49:36 PREPARED. WE GAIN KNOWLEDGE EVERY MONTH 10:49:42 IT GOES BY AND IT IS CLEAR WE HAVE A RESET PROBLEM AND IT IS 10:49:44 ALSO CLEAR THAT THE $13 BILLION IS NEEDED. 10:49:48 >> IT IS QUITE CLEAR THAT TWO- THIRDS OF THE ACTIVE RESERVE IS 10:49:51 NOW REPORTING AS UNREADY. THERE'S NOT A SINGLE ON DEPLOYED 10:49:56 TEAM IN UNITED STATES THAT IS READY TOEPLOY 3 THE BOTTOM 10:50:00 LINE IS WE HAVE NO READY STRATEGIC RESERVE. 10:50:04 THIS IS A STUNNING INDICTMENT. >> I THINK IT IS AN INACCURATE 10:50:08 STATEMENT. >> HOW SO? 10:50:11 HAVE YOU SEEN THE REPORTS? >> I HAVE. 10:50:15 >> IT IS INACCURATE TO SAY THAT IT DOES NOT INDICATE SHOULD HEAR 10:50:19 -- SEVERE SHORTAGES? MANY BRIGADE'S NOT DEPLOYABLE? 10:50:25 >> ALLOW ME A FEW MINUTES TO RESPOND. 10:50:28 IT IS COMPLICATED. I STAND WITH WHAT I SAY. 10:50:32 THE CHARACTERIZATION THAT HE MADE IS NOT ACCURATE. 10:50:37 IT IS COMPLICATED. IF ONE SEES A CHART THAT SHOWS 10:50:41 THE DETERIORATION LIKE THIS OVER A FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, 10 YOUR 10:50:46 TIME -- YEAR PERIOD, IT SEEMS TO DETERIORATE. 10:50:56 IF YOU BEGIN WITH A STANDARD OF REQUIREMENT THAT IS EX AND THEN 10:51:01 YOU SHOW THE BEGINNING OF THE CHART AND THEN AT THE END YOU 10:51:04 HAVE CHANGED YOUR REQUIREMENT BECAUSE YOU HAVE DECIDED UNIQUE 10:51:07 DIFFERENT THINGS AND YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF 10:51:10 THE LAST YEARS AND YOU HAVE INCREASED REQUIREMENTS TO 10:51:17 5X SO IF YOU HAVE IMPROVED 300% YOU WERE AT 100% TO BEGAN AND I 10:51:24 YOU NEED 5X AND YOU HAVE IMPROVED 300% TO GET THERE, YOU 10:51:32 ARE STILL SHORT OF THAT REQUIREMENT AND THAT IS WHAT 10:51:35 SHOWS THE DETERIORATION. THE FACT IS THE EQUIPMENT THAT 10:51:38 THE MILITARY HAS TODAY IS VASTLY BETTER TODAY THAN IT WAS FIVE 10:51:42 YEARS AGO. THE READINESS OF OUR 10:51:45 CAPABILITIES IF YOU MEASURE THEM AGAINST FULL SPECTRUM YOU CAN 10:51:49 SAY THEY ARE NOT READY TO DO EVERYTHING THAT ANYONE 10:51:53 CONCEIVABLY MIGHT NEED TO DO. ON THETHER HAND, IF YOU ASK 10:51:56 THE READINESS OF THE FORCES TO WHAT THEY ARE ASKED TO DO, ARE 10:52:01 THEY CAPABLE OF DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING? 10:52:04 EQUIPPED AND TRAINED? HE WILL TELL YOU YES. 10:52:07 IF YOU ASK THE GENERAL ON THE ARMED FORCES OF THE U.S. BETTER 10:52:11 TODAY, MORE CAPABLE, BETTER EQUIPPED THAN FIVE YEARS AGO? 10:52:15 HE WILL SAY YES. IF YOU ASK GENERAL PAYS THE 10:52:20 QUESTION, IS THE UNITED STATES TODAY CAPABLE OF FULFILLING THE 10:52:25 REQUIREMENTS THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS PUT ON THEM, THE ANSWER IS 10:52:29 YES. >> LET ME TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY. 10:52:33 >> YOU ARE WAY OVER YOUR TIME. WE NEED TO ALLOW THE WITNESS TO 10:52:37 FULLY RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTION. WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER ROUND AND 10:52:43 YOU CAN PURSUE THIS AT THAT TIME. 10:52:46 I HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE OTHER MEMBERS. 10:52:48 BOURKE-WHITE A BIT OVER YOUR TIME. 10:52:51 AS THE WITNESS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY RESPOND? 10:52:56 >> I HAVE. IT WOULD BE USEFUL IF THE 10:52:59 SENATORS LAST QUESTION -- >> MR. CHAIRMAN, WOULD YOU ALLOW 10:53:04 ME TO ASK MY QUESTION? >> WE HAVE ALLOWED YOU TO ASK 10:53:11 YOUR QUESTION FULLY. IT WAS STATED AND IT IS IN THE 10:53:14 RECORD. I THINK WITH CLARITY AND THE 10:53:18 SECRETARY HAS RESPONDED. WE WILL HAVE A SECOND NOW AT 10:53:21 WHICH TIME WE CAN FURTHER PURSUE THIS. 10:53:28 NOW, THE SECRETARY HAS ASKED THE GENERAL TO GIVE HIS PERSPECTIVE. 10:53:34 >> MR. CHAIRMAN, IF ON CUE. -- THANK YOU. 10:53:41 READINESS IS REFLECTED IN TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT AND 10:53:44 PERSONNEL. ANYTIME A UNIT COMES BACK FROM 10:53:48 ANY DEPLOYMENT, WHEN I WAS BAALION COMMANDER, THE UNIT AS 10:53:52 PEOPLE WHO CHANGE OUT AND THEREFORE THE PERSONNEL NUMBERS 10:53:57 GO DOWN IN THE TRAINING AS A RESULT OF PEOPLE COMING BACK 10:54:01 STARTS OUT A NEW INTO THE NEW CYCLE AND EQUIPMENT IS TAKEN 10:54:06 FROM WHAT HAS BEEN USED AND PUT INTO MAINTENANCE. 10:54:09 THAT IS NORMAL PEACETIME. IN WARTIME, WE'RE USING THE 10:54:14 EQUIPMENT AT MUCH GREATER RATES. SO YOU HAVE A UNIT THAT HAS 100 10:54:22 TRUCKS AND THEY DEPLOY AND THEY COME BACK. 10:54:24 AND THE TRUCKS NORMALLY WILL BE DRIVEN 1,000 MILES A YEAR AND 10:54:30 10,000 MILES IN COMBAT. YOU HAVE A LARGER NUMBER OF 10:54:33 THOSE VEHICLES THAT END UP BEING PUT INTO MAINTENANCE WHICH FOR 10:54:39 THE UNIT THAT IS HOME IN REDUCES THEIR READINESS BASED ON 10:54:44 AVAILABILITY OF EQUIPMENT. THE UNITS THAT ARE FORWARD HAVE 10:54:49 NOT ONLY THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY WENT OVER WITH BUT AUGMENTED 10:54:53 THINKS TO THE CONGRESS PROVIDING THE FUNDING. 10:54:57 FOR EXAMPLE, ARE HUMVEES -- OUR HUMVEES. 10:55:04 IN SEPTEMBER OF 2001 IT WAS ABOUT 2000. 10:55:07 THAT NUMBER NOW IS UP AT 12,000. WE HAVE BOUGHT UP TO THOSE 10:55:14 12,000 AND WE HAVE USED THEM IN COMBAT AND NOW A NUMBER OF 10:55:18 THOSE 12,000 ARE CURRENTLY IN MAINTENANCE WAITING. 10:55:22 WE ARE WAY OVER THE 2000 RESTARTED TO BEGIN WITH BUT NOW 10:55:25 BECAUSE OF MAINTENANCE USAGE AND COMBAT LOSSES WE ARE BELOW THE 10:55:32 12,000 FOLKS ARE ASKING FOR TODAY. 10:55:34 IT IS DIFFICULT WHEN YOU TURN THE KALEIDOSCOPE TO SEE ALL THE 10:55:37 PIECES AND IT DOES NOT ALLOW ITSELF TO HAVE A STRAIGHT, IT 10:55:42 EASY ANSWER. FUNDAMENTALLY, THE UNITED STATES 10:55:45 ARMY IS MUCH MORE CAPABLE TODAY. FUNDAMENTALLY, THE ARMY THAT IS 10:55:50 FIGHTING OUR FORCE TODAY IS IN TREMENDOUS SHAPE. 10:55:55 PERSONNEL, TRAINING, AND EQUIPMENT. 10:55:58 IT IS ABSOLUTELY IN FACT THAT FOR VARIOUS BUDGETARY REASONS, 10:56:02 SOME OF WHICH ARE RESULT OF ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE CONGRESS, 10:56:05 THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING CURRENTLY TO PROVIDE 10:56:11 FOR THE REPAIR OF ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT CURRENTLY SITS AT 10:56:16 OUR DEPOTS WAITING TO BE REPAIRED. 10:56:22 THAT IS THE DIALOGUE ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY IS NEEDED, AND $13.1 10:56:27 BILLION, IF APPROVED BY CONGRESS, IT WILL ALLOW THE 10:56:30 MARINE CORPS AND THE ARMY TO TAKE THE EQUIPMENT THAT IS 10:56:33 CURRENTLY STACKED UP AT THEIR DEPOTS AND HARD WORK FORCE AND 10:56:37 BEGIN THE PROCESS. WHAT THIS HAPPENED -- SOME OF 10:56:45 THE WORK FORCE HAS HAD TO BE LET GO. 10:56:48 AND WE CANNOT HAVE THE DEPOTS NOT KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE 10:56:55 GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE FUNDING LONG-TERM TO HIRE 10:56:59 PEOPLE. WE CANNOT HIRE A MECHANIC FOR 10:57:01 SIX MONTHS AND THEN LET HIM GO AND THEN HIRE HIM BACK AGAIN. 10:57:05 I WOULD ASK THAT WE LOOK AT SOME KIND OF FUNDING THAT IS FOCUSED 10:57:10 ON THE BACKLOG OF EQUIPMENT REPAIR THAT WILL ALLOW THE 10:57:13 DEPOTS TO CONSCIOUSLY GO OUT AND HIRE PEOPLE WHO CAN STAY IN THE 10:57:18 WORKFORCE LONG ENOUGH TO GET THIS WORK DONE. 10:57:20 THANK YOU. >> TO READ IS AN IMPORTANT 10:57:24 QUESTION. MR. SECRETARY, I'M GOING TO GET 10:57:30 DOCUMENTATION THAT I LOOKED OUT FOR YOU DID ENGAGE ABOUT THE 10:57:35 NEED FOR THESE FUNDS. I THINK THAT DOCUMENTATION WILL 10:57:39 BE PUT IN THIS. BEFORE YOU BEGAN, SENATOR, WE 10:57:45 HAVE TO BACK-TO-BACK VOTES. IT IS MY ATTENTION TO VOTE 10:57:49 QUICKLY AND SENATOR MCCAIN I'M GOING TO BE ABSENT. 10:57:57 WE WILL KEEP THE HEARING GOING, COLLEAGUES, AS MEMBERS COME AND 10:58:01 GO ON THESE BOATS. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, I DO 10:58:07 WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING THE GENERAL THE OPPORTUNITY TO 10:58:12 RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION. AN EXCELLENT RESPONSE. 10:58:19 LET ME MAKE A COUPLE OF OBSERVATIONS. 10:58:23 I FIND IT REALLY INTERESTING, I THINK MOST OF THE MEMBERS OF 10:58:27 THIS COMMITTEE HAVE BEEN TO IRAQ A NUMBER OF TIMES. 10:58:33 SEVERAL WHO HAVE NOT BEEN OF ALL. 10:58:35 AND WHEN YOU GET THE REACTION, THE RESPONSE AND OPINIONS 10:58:38 FORMULATED BY THOSE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN THERE, IT IS TOTALLY 10:58:41 DIFFERENT THAN THOSE WHO HAVE REALLY BEEN THERE AND 10:58:44 UNDERSTAND FIRSTHAND WHAT IS GOING ON. 10:58:47 THERE IS NO BETTER EXAMPLE OF DEATH IN AN ARTICLE THAT WAS IN 10:58:50 THE PAPER IN USA TODAY THAT SAID THAT ONLY, WITHOUT QUOTING 10:58:56 A SOURCE, OF THE 18 PROVINCES ONLY ONE WAS ABLE TO BE SECURED 10:59:04 JUST WITH THE IRAQIS. ON THE OTHER HAND, A DOCTOR 11:00:00 HUSSEIN AND HE HATED AMERICANS. 11:00:02 UNTIL HE STARTED EMBEDDED TRAINING WITH MARINES AND HE 11:00:06 SAID WHEN HE ROTATED HIM OUT HE CRIED. 11:00:10 HE DID NOT RENAME THE IRAQI SECURITY FORCES AT FALLUJAH THE 11:00:16 FALLUJAH MARINES. . 11:00:51 BUT WHEN YOU SIT DOWN AND SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH THEM YOU GET A 11:00:56 DIFFERENT IMPRESSION THAT YOU DO LOOKING AT THE MEDIA HERE. 11:01:01 . GENERAL PACE SAID, AND I WOULD 11:01:09 LIKE GENERAL ABIZAID MAY BE TO RESPOND TO THIS, HE SAID AT THAT 11:01:15 TIME OF THOSE 36 BRIGADES, 17 -- THE IRAQI BRIGADES -- 17 WORK AT 11:01:21 LEVEL 2, CAPABLE OF OF THOMAS CARPER RATIONS, AND OF THE 112 11:01:27 BATTALIONS, 62 WERE AT LEVEL 2. THIS IS TWO MONTHS AGO. 11:01:32 DO YOU AGREE WITH HIS ASSESSMENT AT THAT TIME THAT THOSE WHO ARE 11:01:38 TRAINED AND EQUIPPING IRAQI SECURITY FORCES, AND HAS THAT 11:01:43 CHANGED IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS? >> I THINK THE BEST WAY TO 11:01:48 CHARACTERIZE WHERE THE IRAQIS ARE DOING MORE HAS TO DO WITH 11:01:53 UNITS THAT ARE IN THE LEAD IN THE SECURITY STRUCTURE IN 11:01:58 WHATEVER AREA THAT HAS BEEN ASSIGNED. 11:02:02 IN OCTOBER OF 2004, ONE DIVISION, FOR BRIGADES -- 11:02:24 I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE 11:02:29 THERE ARE WARNING SIGNALS ABOUT SECTARIAN VIOLENCE, THE MOST 11:02:34 IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT THE ARMY IS 11:02:39 HOLDING TOGETHER A AND THE GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO 11:02:44 BRINGING THE SECTARIAN VIOLENCE UNDER CONTROL. 11:02:49 SO THE QUESTION IS, AM I OPTIMISTIC WHETHER OR NOT IRAQI 11:02:54 FORCES WITH OUR SUPPORT AND WITH THE BACKING OF THE WRECKING 11:02:59 GOVERNMENT -- >> I HAVE TO SAY THAT I WAS 11:03:12 INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED. WE ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH 11:03:54 THE IRAQI SOLDIERS ARE FIGHTING, TAKING CASUALTIES, 11:03:59 FIGHTING FOR THEIR NATION AND TRYING TO GET SOME -- SECTARIAN 11:04:04 VIOLENCE IN THE INSURGENCY UNDER CONTROL AND THEY DESERVE AN 11:04:09 ENORMOUS ABOUT -- AMOUNT OF OUR RESPECT AND SUPPORT. 11:04:14 SOMETIMES WE SEEM TO THINK WE ARE THE ONLY FORCES THERE. 11:04:19 WE ARE NOT. THERE ARE OVER 20 20,000 IRAQIS 11:04:23 OUT THERE FIGHTING AND DOING A PRETTY GOOD JOB. 11:04:28 THERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS IN THE ORGANIZATIONS BUT THEY ARE 11:04:33 MATURING AND ARE DOING BETTER. >> AND THEY ARE COMMITTED. 11:04:38 I HAPPEN TO BE IN THE HOMETOWN OF SADDAM HUSSEIN WHEN THE 11:04:43 TRAINING AREA WAS BOMBED BY THE TERRORISTS -- ABOUT 40 OF THEM 11:04:48 WERE EITHER KILLED OR INJURED. THOSE 40 FAMILIES RESUPPLIED A 11:04:53 MEMBER OF THEIR FAMILY TO REPLACE THE ONE THAT WAS KILLED. 11:04:58 I KNOW MY TIME IS EXPIRED, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THEM TO GIVE 11:05:04 US SOME INFORMATION. I KNOW THE ORGANIZATIONAL 11:05:18 STRUCTURE OF SIMPLE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES IS NOT THERE, BUT I 11:05:23 WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO CORRECT A LOGISTICAL 11:05:28 PROBLEMS. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. 11:05:31 >> SENATOR BEN NELSON? >> THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN, FOR 11:05:36 BEING HERE TODAY. I SINK YOUR TESTIMONY RESPONSE 11:05:41 TO QUESTIONS HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL. 11:05:44 IN CONNECTION WITH THE NUMBER OF IRAQI TROOPS THAT ARE COMBAT 11:05:50 CAPABLE, OUT OF THE OVER 250,000 SECURITY FORCES THAT ARE THERE, 11:05:55 ARE THERE ANY ESTIMATE OF THE NUMBER THAT WOULD BE COMBAT 11:06:00 CAPABLE? >> SENATOR, FOR THE RECORD, THE 11:06:04 NUMBER OF TRAINED IRAQI POLICE, SECURITY AND IRAQI MILITARY 11:06:10 FORCES, THE NUMBER IS CLOSER TO 275,000. 11:06:15 THE CAPABILITY WAS IN THE ARMY, I THINK AGAIN THE BEST MEASURE 11:06:20 OF THOSE UNITS THAT ARE IN AT THE LEAD, WHICH ARE SORT 11:06:25 DIVISIONS, 21 BRIGADES, AND 77 BATTALIONS, BUT THERE IS A VERY 11:06:31 DETAILED LIST OF WHAT UNIT IS AT WHAT LEVEL THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY 11:06:36 PROVIDE TO YOU. >> THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. 11:06:41 >> THEY ARE MUCH IMPROVED AND THEY CONTINUE TO IMPROVE. 11:06:46 >> WHICH IS PART OF THE EMPHASIS OF STANDING THERE A MILITARY UP 11:06:51 SO WE CAN STAD HOURS DOWN. THE MORE CAPABLE THEY ARE, 11:06:56 HOPEFULLY THERE SHOULD BE A CONNECTION WITH THE REDUCTION OF 11:07:01 OUR FORCES. IN TERMS OF THE POLICE, LET'S 11:07:05 SAY THE MUNICIPAL POLICE, DO WE KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE FOR WHAT 11:07:11 NUMBER OF THE TOTAL NUMBER YOU WOULD LOOK AT AS BEING NOT ONLY 11:07:16 CAPABLE THE TRAINED BUT HONEST AND AS PART OF THE OVERALL 11:07:21 GOVERNMENT AS OPPOSED TO A MILITIA? 11:07:25 >> IT IS A DIFFICULT QUESTION TO ANSWER. 11:07:30 THERE ARE SOME PLACES WHERE THE LOCAL POLICE ARE EXCEPTIONALLY 11:07:35 EAST ASIAN AND VERY HONEST AND VERY CAPABLE. 11:07:39 THERE ARE OTHER AREAS WHERE WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE BEEN 11:07:44 INFILTRATED BY VARIOUS MILITIAS SUCH AS IN WHERE THE FORCES ARE 11:07:49 DOING THEIR BEST TO STAND DOWN THOSE UNITS ON LINE IN THE -- 11:07:55 CAPABLE MANNER. AS FAR AS NATIONAL POLICE FORCE 11:07:59 IS OUR CONCERN BASRA, IN BAD THAT IT IS CLEAR THERE ARE A 11:08:04 NUMBER OF BATTALIONS -- AGAIN, WITHOUT MY NOTES IN FRONT TO ME 11:08:09 -- THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BATTALIONS THAT NEED TO BE STOOD 11:08:14 DOWN AND RETRAINED, AND THEY ARE WORKING TO DO THAT NOW. 11:08:19 >> TO KNOW IF IT IS 50% OR 30 PERCENT? 11:08:23 >> THAT IS NATIONAL POLICE WHICH IS SEPARATE AND DISTINCT FROM 11:08:29 MUNICIPAL. >> I THINK THE DEBATE ABOUT 11:08:33 WHETHER WE HAVE A DATE FOR WITHDRAWAL, WHETHER THERE IS AN 11:08:38 OPEN-ENDED COMMITMENTS, HOPEFULLY THE DEBATE WILL 11:08:42 CONTINUE BUT I WONDER ABOUT AN APPROACH THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN 11:08:48 SETTING A DATE FOR WITHDRAWAL AND TO CLOSE ANY QUESTION ABOUT 11:08:53 WHETHER IT IS AN OPEN ENDED EQUIPMENT WOULD BE BETTER 11:08:58 APPROACHED FORT SETTING CONDITIONS FOR STAYING WITH THE 11:09:02 PRIME MINISTER WITH THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT. 11:09:07 IN OTHER WORDS, THERE IS A LOT OF SLIPPING AS TO HOW WE HAVE 11:09:12 STANDING UP AND STANDING DOWN FROM OUR MILITARY VERSUS THEIR 11:09:17 MILITARY BECAUSE THINGS CHANGE. BUT WE DO HAVE -- DO WE HAVE AN 11:09:22 IDEA OF WHAT THE STAYING CONDITIONS ARE? 11:09:26 THE TIPPING POINT IS THEIR ABILITY OR INABILITY TO GET TO A 11:09:32 CERTAIN LEVEL? THE ABILITY TO GOVERN -- GOVERN 11:09:36 THEMSELVES AS WELL AS SECURE THEMSELVES? 11:09:40 I GUESS I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IF WE CAN ESTABLISH 11:09:45 SOME SORT OF METRICS TO KNOW WHAT IT TAKES IN TERMS OF 11:09:50 PERCENTAGE, NUMBERS, AND WHAT IT WOULD TAKE IN TERMS OF TIME SO 11:09:55 THAT WE CAN SAY THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF NOT ONLY GOVERNING 11:10:00 THEMSELVES WITH THE ELECTED GOVERNMENT BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF 11:10:06 SECURING THEMSELVES SO THEY CAN GOVERN THEMSELVES. 11:10:10 I DO NOT KNOW WHO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THAT QUESTION, BUT I THROW 11:10:16 IT OUT TO ALL THREE OF YOU. >> SENATOR, THE GOVERNMENT HAS 11:10:21 BEEN IN EXISTENCE NOW FORCE THREE MONTHS. 11:10:25 THEY HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO CEMENT THEIR CAPABILITY, IT IS A 11:10:30 DIFFICULT THING TO DO WITH SECTARIAN VIOLENCE AND 11:10:35 INSURGENTS. I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR 11:10:39 PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE THERE MAY BE A MILITARY METRIC 11:10:44 TO UNITS IN THE IRAQI ARMY BETTER EQUIPPED AND TRAINED AND 11:10:49 THEN TAKEN OVER BATTLE SPACE, THERE IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT 11:10:54 POLITICAL ASPECT TO THIS REDUCTION OF SECTARIAN VIOLENCE 11:10:59 WHICH IS THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES GETTING TOGETHER AND AGREEING 11:11:05 UPON WAYS TO REDUCE SECTARIAN VIOLENCE THEMSELVES. 11:11:09 IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THERE BE A NATIONAL RECONCILIATION EFFORT 11:11:15 AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THERE BE AGREED UPON MEASURES TO MOVE 11:11:20 FORWARD WITH VERY SMALL BUSHELS -- MILITIAS OPERATING OUTSIDE 11:11:25 THE GOVERNMENT. I THINK THE COMBINATON WILL 11:11:29 LEAD TO LESS VIOLENCE, ESTABLISHED THE ROLE OF THE 11:11:34 NATIONAL GOVERNMENT IN IRAQ AND ALLOW US TO BRING OUR LEVEL OF 11:11:39 FORCE IS DOWN AS APPROPRIATE. >> SENATOR NELSON, I JUST ADD 11:11:44 THAT THE U.S. AMBASSADOR AND GENERAL KASEY HAVE ESTABLISHED A 11:11:50 COMMITTEE WITH THE NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT AND THE NATIONAL 11:11:55 SECURITY OFFICIALS IN THAT GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS THE VERY 11:12:00 ISSUES YOU ARE RAISING AS TO WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT NEED TO 11:12:05 BE DONE. AS GENERAL ABIZAID DIRECTLY -- 11:12:09 POINTED OUT, IT IS WELL BEYOND THE MILITARY. 11:12:13 >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWERS. >> SANK, MR. IRVING CHAIRMAN. 11:12:18 MR. SECRETARY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR 11:12:23 RESPONSES. I TALKED TO A SOLDIER LAST WEEK 11:12:27 WHO HAS HAD TO DEPLOYMENTS TO IRAQ, AND RAISED A QUESTION 11:12:32 ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT ARE THE OBJECTIVES AND GOALS THAT WE 11:12:37 HAVE IN IRAQ ARE ALIGNED WITH THE GOALS THAT THE IRAQI PEOPLE 11:12:43 HAVE. AND IT SEEMS TO ME IF WE ARE 11:12:46 GOING TO GET CONTROL OF THE SECTARIAN SITUATION THE IRAQI 11:12:51 PEOPLE HAVE TO BUY INTO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN IRAQ. 11:12:56 HIS SUGGESTION WAS THAT THEY HAVE NOT. 11:13:00 I WAS THERE A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK WITH THE DELEGATION WITH 11:13:05 SENATOR MCCAIN, WE HEAR FROM OBVIOUSLY THE COMMANDERS AND OUR 11:13:10 TROOPS, AND IN MOST CASES WE DID NOT HAVE A LOT OF INTERACTION 11:13:16 WITH IRAQI PEOPLE. BUT I WAS WONDERING IF YOU CAN 11:13:20 TALK ABOUT THE INTERACTION THAT WE HAVE WITH THE IRAQI PEOPLE, 11:13:26 THE TROOPS ON THE GROUND OVER THERE, THE TEMPERATURE IN TERMS 11:13:31 OF THEIR WILLINGNESS TO BE PART OF A NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT, 11:13:36 A DEMOCRATIC IRAQ AND THAT SORT OF THING RELATIVE TO WHAT WE'RE 11:13:42 TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. THIS IS ONE SOLDIER WHO SAYS HE 11:13:46 VISITS WITH THEM OVER TIME AND SAYS THERE GOALS ARE NOT ALIGNED 11:13:52 WITH OURS. >> THERE ARE CERTAINLY PEOPLE IN 11:13:56 IRAQ WHO DO NOT WANT THE COUNTRY TO COME TOGETHER AS AN 11:14:01 INDEPENDENT STATE. THERE ARE TERRORIST GROUPS THAT 11:14:06 WANT IRAQ TO DESCEND INTO ANARCHY AND CHAOS SO THEY CAN 11:14:10 ESTABLISH SAFE HAVENS FOR TERRORISTS. 11:14:14 BUT I THINK AS I GO AROUND AND TALK TO OFFICERS AND GOVERNMENT 11:14:20 OFFICIALS AND PEOPLE SORT OUT WHAT COUNTRY, AND I THINK THE 11:14:25 GENERAL WILL ECHO THIS, THE MAJORITY WANT IRAQ TO COME 11:14:30 TOGETHER AS A FREE AND INDEPENDENT NATION CAPABLE OF 11:14:34 BEING A MEANINGFUL MEMBER -- MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY OF 11:14:39 NATIONS IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD NOT DOMINATED BY IRANIANS 11:14:44 OR SUNNI EXTREMISTS GROUPS. I KNOW THEY HAVE TO FIGHT TO 11:14:49 ACHIEVE THAT. >> IT IS NOT SURPRISING, 11:14:53 SENATOR, THAT AN AMERICAN SOLDIER WOULD VISIT WITH THE 11:14:58 IRAQIS AND SEE THAT THEY DO HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. 11:15:03 THEY HAVE A DFFERENT HISTORY AND IS FULLY UNDERSTANDABLE. 11:15:08 ON THE OTHER HAND, 12 MILLION OF THEM WENT OUT AND VOTED AND 11:15:13 FASHIONED A CONSTITUTION AND RATIFIED IT. 11:15:18 IT IS THERE FOR THE WORLD TO SEE, AND THEY HAVE BEEN VOTING 11:15:23 IN INCREASING NUMBERS. GENERAL ABIZAID IS CERTAINLY 11:15:27 RIGHT THAT THERE ARE SOME WHO WANT TO TAKE BACK THE COUNTRY, 11:15:33 AND THOSE WHO WANT TO DOMINATE IT TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE 11:15:38 SUNNIS, BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT 12,000,001 OUT 11:15:43 AND VOTED FOR THAT CONSTITUTION, AND THAT IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT. 11:15:48 >> I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT THAT I HEARD YOU MAKE PREVIOUSLY 11:15:53 AS WELL THAT THE FORCES WHO WANT TO HOLD TO -- THE COUNTRY 11:15:58 TOGETHER ARE GREATER THAN THOSE WHO WANT TO SEE IT FAIL. 11:16:03 BUT I JUST WANTED TO GET YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE GROUND, 11:16:08 AVERAGE IRAQI ON THE STREET VIEW OF WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE 11:16:13 BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME AT LEAST THAT THAT IS A KEY COMPONENT IN 11:16:19 THE STARTING TO TURN OVER INFORMATION ON SOME OF THE BAD 11:16:24 GUYS THAT ARE COMMITTING THE VIOLENCE. 11:16:28 ONE OTHER QUESTION HAS TO DO IT AGAIN WITH THE BORDERS AND HOW 11:16:33 ARE WE DOING WITH RESPECT TO IRAN AND SYRIA, THE FOREIGN ARMS 11:16:38 THAT SERVE AS THE LIFEBLOOD TO THE INSURGENT GROUPS. 11:16:43 ARE THE IRAQIS SEEING THAT AS A SIRET TO SOVEREIGNTY AND ARE 11:16:48 THEY DOING THE WORK TO PROTECT THE BORDERS AND MAKING SURE THAT 11:16:53 THE ARMS THAT ARE COMING IN ARE BEING CUT OFF. 11:16:58 I'D ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT IBM IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES, 11:17:03 AND HOW THEY GET MATERIALS TO MAKE THEM AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S 11:17:08 COMING FROM THESE OTHER COUNTRIES. 11:17:12 I KNOW IT IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH THE LENGTH OF THE BORDERS TO 11:17:17 COMPLETELY SHUT IT OFF, BUT ARE THERE MEASURES BEING TAKEN TO 11:17:22 REGULATE WHAT IS COMING IN? >> YES, SENATOR. 11:17:27 THERE IS A BORDER FORCE AFFECTED AND SOME AREAS, AND LESS 11:17:32 EFFECTIVE IN OTHERS. THE SYRIAN BORDER REMAINS THE 11:17:36 PRIMARY CONDUIT FOR FOREIGN FIGHTERS. 11:17:40 I THINK THE NUMBERS REMAIN AT LESS THAN 100 THAT ARE 11:17:45 TRANSITING BACK AND FORTH. DEMOLITIONS -- THE MUNITIONS 11:17:50 USED INSIDE IRAQ COME FROM IRAQ. THERE ARE SMUGGLING GROUPS THAT 11:17:55 IRANIAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD PEOPLE ARE USING TO BRING IN 11:18:00 INTERNET -- IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES IN THE SOUTH. 11:18:05 IT IS CLEAR THAT HAT HAS TAKEN PLACE. 11:18:09 > THOSE WEAPONS THAT WERE DISCOVERED, HASN'T BEEN 11:18:14 DETERMINED THAT THOSE ARE LEFTOVERS FROM THE PREVIOUS 11:18:19 REGIME OF THOSE FLOODED IN FROM OTHER COUNTRIES? 11:18:23 >> I WOULD HAVE TO SEE THE SPECIFC REPORT. 11:18:27 THERE ARE WEAPONS FOUND EVERY DAY. 11:18:31 >> WE HAVE HAD 420,000 TONS OF MUNITIONS CAPTURED AND DESTROYED 11:18:37 IN SOME OF 14,000 LOCATIONS. SO IT IS A HUGE LOCATION THAT WE 11:18:42 FIND IT EVERYDAY. > THANK YOU. 11:18:45 AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO YOUR 11:18:50 COUNTRY. MR. CHAIRMAN, I YIELD BACK. 11:18:54 >> SENATOR CLINTON? >> SANK YOU VERY MUCH, SENATOR 11:18:59 MCCAIN. MR. SECRETARY, I AM GLAD YOU ARE 11:19:03 HERE. IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENT YOU 11:19:07 REFERENCE THE COMMON SENSE OF AMERICANS. 11:19:11 I SINK IT IS FAIR TO SAY IT THE COLLECTIVE COMMON SENSE 11:19:16 OVERWHELMINGLY THIS NOT EITHER UNDERSTAND OR APPROVE OF THE WAY 11:19:21 YOU OR THE ADMINISTRATION ARE HANDLING IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. 11:19:26 UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP THERE HAVE BEEN ERRORS IN JUDGMENT THAT 11:19:31 HAVE LED US WHERE WE ARE IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. 11:19:36 WE HAVE A FULL-FLEDGED INSURGENCY AND SECTARIAN 11:19:40 CONFLICT IN IRAQ. WHETHER YOU LABEL IT A CIVIL WAR 11:19:45 OR NOT, -- IT HAS CREATED A SITUATION OF EXTREME VIOLENCE 11:19:50 AND LOSS OF LIFE AMONG OUR TROOPS AND THE IRAQIS. 11:19:55 WE DID NOT GO INTO IRAQ WITH ENOUGH TROOPS TO ESTABLISH LAW 11:20:00 AND ORDER. HE DISBANDED THE ENTIRE IRAQI 11:20:04 ARMY, NOW TRYING TO RECREATE IT. DID NOT DO ENOUGH PLANNING FOR 11:20:09 PHASE 4 AND REJECTED ALL THE PLANNING THAT HAD BEEN DONE 11:20:14 PREVIOUSLY TO MAINTAIN STABILITY AFTER THE REGIME WAS OVERTHROWN. 11:20:20 NEW UNDERESTIMATED THE NATURE AND STRENGTH OF THIS INSURGENCY, 11:20:25 SECTARIAN VIOLENCE, AND SPREAD OF IRANIAN INFLUENCE. 11:20:30 LAST YEAR CONGRESS PASSED THE UNITED STATES POLICY IN IRAQ ACT 11:20:35 THAT I SUPPORTED. IT DECLARES 2006 TO BE A YEAR OF 11:20:40 SIGNIFICANT TRANSITION TO FULL IRAQI SOVEREIGNTY WITH IRAQI 11:20:45 SECURITY FORCES TAKING THE LEAD IN THE SECURITY OF A FREE AND 11:20:50 SOVEREIGN IRAQ, CREATING CONDITIONS FOR THE PHASE 11:20:54 REDEPLOYMENT. HOWEVER WE APPEAR TO BE MOVING 11:20:59 IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE NUMBER OF U.S. TROOPS IN 11:21:04 IRAQ ARE SCHEDULED TO INCREASE, AND NOT DECREASE, AND THAT IS 11:21:09 THE ONLY WAY I THINK YOU CAN FAIRLY CONSIDER THE DECISION 11:21:14 WITH RESPECT TO THE 172ND STRIKER BRIGADE. 11:21:18 MR. SECRETARY, AS WE RETURNED TO OUR STATES BEFORE THE AUGUST 11:21:23 RECESS, CONSTITUENTS HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CURRENT 11:21:28 STATE OF AFFAIRS. I DO NOT NEED TO REMIND ANY OF 11:21:33 US THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOSE OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN, 120 FROM 11:21:38 NEW YORK ALONE. BESIDE THE U.S. LOSSES, OF 11:21:42 VIOLENCE DOES SEEM TO BE INCREASING. 11:21:46 FROM JANUARY TO JUNE THERE WERE OVER 14,000 IRAQI CIVILIAN 11:21:51 CASUALTIES, AT LEAST AS FAR AS ANYONE CAN COUNT. 11:21:56 IN A JULY 22 ARTICLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES JOURNAL OF THE SEA 11:22:01 WAS QUOTED AS SAYING -- TWO MONTHS AFTER THE IRAQI 11:22:06 GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN OFFICE, THE SECURITY GAINS HAVE NOT BEEN 11:22:11 ACHIEVED. THEN THERE WAS THE BIG 11:22:14 ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE COMMITMENT OF THE NEW IRAQI 11:22:19 GOVERNMENT TO SECURE BAGHDAD. TWO MONTHS INTO THAT IT IS CLEAR 11:22:24 IT IS NOT WORKING AND WE ARE NOW PUTTING IN MORE AMERICAN TROOPS, 11:22:30 AND FOLLOWING THE LEAD OF SENATOR MCCAIN, REMOVING THEM 11:22:35 FROM OTHER PLACES THAT ARE HARDLY STABLE AND SECURE. 11:22:39 IN AFGHANISTAN YOUR ADMINISTRATION'S CREDIBILITY IS 11:22:44 ALSO SUSPECT. IN DECEMBER 2002 YOU SAID THE 11:22:48 TALIBAN WAS GONE, INTO OUT -- THE PRESIDENT ALSO SAID IT IS NO 11:22:54 LONGER IN EXISTENCE. IN 2005 ATTACKS BY THE CALIBAN 11:22:58 AND OTHER ANTI COALITION FORCES WERE UP 20%, AND THESE 11:23:03 INSURGENTS WERE A GREATER THREAT TO THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT EFFORTS 11:23:09 TO EXPAND ITS AUTHORITY SINCE ANY TIME SINCE 2001. 11:23:13 FURTHER, GENERAL EIKENBERRY MADE A COMMENT ABOUT THE DANGERS THAT 11:23:19 ARE NOW OF GOING ON IN AFGHANISTAN AND THE FAILURE TO 11:23:24 BE ABLE TO SECURE IT. OBVIOUSLY I COULD GO ON AND ON. 11:23:28 IN A RECENT BOOK APTLY TITLED FIASCO DESCRIBES IN SOME DETAIL 11:23:34 THE DECISION MAKING APPARATUS THAT HAS LED US TO THIS 11:23:38 SITUATION. SO, MR. SECRETARY, WHEN OUR 11:23:42 CONSTITUENTS ASK FOR EVIDENCE THAT YOUR POLICY IN IRAQ AND 11:23:48 AFGHANISTAN WILL BE SUCCESSFUL, YOU DO NOT LEAVE US WITH MUCH TO 11:23:53 TALK ABOUT. YES, WE HEAR ABOUT HAPPY TALK 11:23:57 AND ROSY SCENARIOS, BECAUSE OF THE ADMINISTRATION IS STRATEGIC 11:24:02 BLUNDERS AND FRANKLY THE RECORD OF INCOMPETENCE IN EXECUTING, 11:24:08 YOU ARE PRESIDING OVER A FAILED POLICY. 11:24:12 GIVEN YOUR TRACK RECORD, SECRETARY OF RUMSFELD, WHY 11:24:16 SHOULD WE BELIEVE YOUR ASSURANCES NOW? 11:24:20 >> MY GOODNESS. FIRST, -- I TRIED TO MAKE NOTES 11:24:25 AND FOLLOW THE PREPARED STATEMENT SAID YOU HAVE 11:24:29 PRESENTED. FIRST OF ALL, IT IS TRUE THAT 11:24:33 THERE IS SECTARIAN STRIFE IN IRAQ AND IT IS A LOSS OF LIFE 11:24:38 AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE AND TRAGIC THAT THIS HAS TAKEN PLACE. 11:24:44 IT IS TRUE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE ATTEMPTING TO PREVENT 11:24:49 THAT GOVERNMENT FROM BEING SUCCESSFUL. 11:24:53 AND AS THEY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BLOWING UP BUILDINGS AND 11:24:58 KILLING INNOCENT MEN AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND TAKING OFF THE 11:25:03 HEADS OF PEOPLE ON TELEVISION. AND AT THE IDEA THAT THEY ARE 11:25:08 PREVAILING IS UNACCEPTABLE. SECONDLY, WE'VE SAID THE NUMBER 11:25:14 OF TROOPS WERE WRONG. I GUESS HISTORY WILL MAKE A 11:25:18 JUDGMENT. THE NUMBER OF TROOPS THAT WENT 11:25:22 IN AND THE NUMBER OF TROOPS THERE EVERY MONTH SINCE AND THE 11:25:27 NUMBER TODAY REFLECTED THE BEST JUDGMENT OF THE MILITARY 11:25:32 COMMANDERS ON THE GROUND, THEIR SUPERIORS, THE GENERAL PACE, 11:25:38 GENERAL ABIZAID, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. 11:25:42 I THINK IT IS NOT CORRECT TO ASSUME THEY WERE WRONG NUMBERS. 11:25:48 AND I DO NOT THINK THE EVIDENCE SUGGEST THAT ENDED WOULD BE 11:25:53 INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT HISTORY BESIDES. 11:25:57 THE BALANCE BETWEEN HAVING TOO MANY AND CONTRIBUTING TO AN 11:26:02 INSURGENCY BY THE FEELING OF OCCUPATION AND THE RISK OF 11:26:07 HAVING TOO FEW AND HAVING THE SECURITY SITUATION NOT BE 11:26:12 SUFFICIENT FOR POLITICAL PROGRESS TO GO FORWARD, IS A 11:26:16 COMPLICATED SET OF DECISIONS, AND I DID NOT KNOW THAT THERE IS 11:26:22 ANY GUIDE BOOK THAT TELLS YOU HOW TO DO WITH. 11:26:26 NO RULE BOOK, NO HISTORY FOR THIS, AND THE JUDGMENTS THAT 11:26:31 HAVE BEEN MADE HAVE BEEN MADE BY EXCEEDINGLY WELL TRAINED PEOPLE. 11:26:37 THE GENTLEMAN SITTING NEXT TO ME, THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND IN 11:26:42 IRAQ. THEY WERE STUDIED AND EXAMINED 11:26:46 AND ANALYZED BY CIVILIAN LEADERSHIP AND THE PRESIDENT AND 11:26:51 THEY WERE CONFIRMED. SO I THINK YOUR ASSERTION IS AT 11:26:55 LEAST DEBATABLE. THE IDEA THAT THE ARMY WAS 11:27:00 DISBANDED IS I THINK ONE THAT IS FLYING AROUND. 11:27:04 MIGHT IMPRESSION IS THAT TO THE GREATEST EXTET THAT ARMY 11:27:09 DISBANDED ITSELF -- IT WAS MADE UP OF A LOT OF SHIITE CONSCRIPTS 11:27:15 THAT DID NOT WANT TO BE IN ITS, AND MANY HUNDREDS OF SUNNIS WHO 11:27:20 WERE NOT ABOUT TO HANG AROUND AFTER SADDAM HUSSEIN AND HIS 11:27:25 SONS AND THAT ADMINISTRATION WAS REPLACED. 11:27:29 THE WORK TO BUILD A NEW ARMY HAS INCLUDED AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE 11:27:35 FROM THE PRIOR ORMY AND IT HAS BENEFITED FROM THAT. 11:27:39 CERTAINLY, THE ASSERTION THAT THE GOVERNMENT REJECTED ALL OF 11:27:44 THE PLANNING THAT HAD BEEN DONE BEFORE IS SIMPLY FALSE. 11:27:49 IT IS NOT THE CASE. THE PLANNING THAT WAS DONE IT 11:27:54 WAS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BY THE PEOPLE EXECUTING THE POST MAJOR 11:27:59 COMBAT. THE COMMENTS ABOUT BAD DEBT, 11:28:03 I'LL POSSIBLY LET GENERAL ABIZAID COMMENT ON. 11:28:07 THE GOAL IS NOT TO HAVE U.S. FORCES DO WITH THE HEAVY LIFTING 11:28:13 IN BAGHDAD. THERE ARE MANY, MANY MORE IRAQI 11:28:17 FORCES IN BAGHDAD. THE ROLE OF THE U.S. FORCES IS 11:28:22 TO HELP THEM, PROVIDE LOGISTICS, ASSIST THEM AS NEEDED, AND TO 11:28:27 CREATE A PRESENCE THAT WILL ALLOW THE IRAQI SECURITY FORCES 11:28:32 TO SUCCEED AND THEN AS OUR FORCES STEPPED BACK IT ALLOWS 11:28:37 THE IRAQI SECURITY FORCES TO BE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN ORDER IN 11:28:42 THIS CITY. I CANNOT PREDICT IF IT WILL WORK 11:28:47 THIS TIME. IT MAY OR MAY NOT, BUT IT 11:28:50 HAPPENS TO REPRESENT THE BEST JUDGMENT OF THE GENERALS AND THE 11:28:56 MILITARY LEADERSHIP, AND GENERAL ABIZAID AND GENERAL PACE AND I 11:29:01 HAVE REVIEWED IT AND WE FEEL IT IS A SENSIBLE APPROACH. 11:29:06 AFGHANISTAN -- I DO NOT KNOW WHO SAID WHAT ABOUT WHETHER TALIBAN 11:29:11 IS GONE, BUT THE TALENT AND THAT WAS RULING AFGHANISTAN WERE 11:29:17 REPLACED AND REPLACED BY AN ELECTION THAT TOOK PLACE IN THAT 11:29:22 COUNTRY. IN TERMS OF THE GOVERNMENT OR 11:29:26 GOVERNMENT ENTITY, THEY WERE GONE, AND THAT IS THE FACT. 11:29:31 ARE THERE STILL SOME OF THEM AROUND, YOU BET. 11:29:35 ARE THEY IN PAKISTAN AND OTHER PLACES, CERTAINLY. 11:29:40 IS THE VIOLENCE UP? YES. 11:29:43 DOES IT TEND TO BE U IN THE SUMMER, SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL 11:29:48 MONTHS? YES. 11:29:51 AND IT DECLINED TO THE WINTER. DOES THAT REPRESENT A FAILED 11:29:56 POLICY? I DO NOT KNOW. 11:29:59 I THINK WE HAVE AN AWFUL LOT OF TALENTED PEOPLE IN ENGAGED IN 11:30:04 THIS AND THE DECISIONS ARE MADE WITH GREAT CARE AFTER A GREAT 11:30:09 DEAL OF CONSIDERATION. ARTHUR SETBACKS AND THINGS THAT 11:30:14 PEOPLE CANNOT ANTICIPATE? DOES THE ENEMY HAVE A BRAIN AND 11:30:19 MAKES ADJUSTMENTS ON THE GROUND, REQUIRING US TO DO THE SAME? 11:30:24 YES. IS THE PROBLEM GOING TO BE 11:30:28 SOLVED IN THE NEAR TERM, THIS LONG STRUGGLE AGAINST EXTREMISM? 11:30:33 NO, I THINK IT WILL TAKE TIME. SOME WARS HAVE LASTED THREE 11:30:38 YEARS, SOME FOUR YEARS, FIVE YEARS -- THE COLD WAR LASTED 11:30:43 OVER 40 YEARS AND THE STRUGGLE AGAINST VIOLENT EXTREMISTS WHO 11:30:49 ARE DETERMINED TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM EXERCISING THEIR RIGHTS IS 11:30:54 GOING TO GO ON A LONG TIME AND IT IS GOING TO BE TOUGH. 11:30:59 IT DOES NOT MEAN WE HAVE TO SPEND THE REST OF OUR LIVES AS |
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