1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,000 2 00:00:04,140 --> 00:00:07,060 Okay , good afternoon everybody . Um 3 00:00:08,040 --> 00:00:11,380 I think you know , I'm honored and 4 00:00:11,390 --> 00:00:13,223 privileged to be joined today by 5 00:00:13,223 --> 00:00:15,057 General van Commander of U . S . 6 00:00:15,057 --> 00:00:17,730 Northern Command NORAD . Uh generals 7 00:00:17,730 --> 00:00:20,830 got an update for you on his work for 8 00:00:20,830 --> 00:00:23,030 Operation Allies . Welcome and all the 9 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:25,320 good work that we're doing across basis 10 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:27,320 here in the United States . General 11 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:29,487 have some opening comments . I'll turn 12 00:00:29,487 --> 00:00:31,709 it over him in a second . Uh , and then 13 00:00:31,709 --> 00:00:33,764 we'll moderate questions and answers 14 00:00:33,764 --> 00:00:35,876 just like we've done before . I'll go 15 00:00:35,876 --> 00:00:38,042 ahead and choose you . Please identify 16 00:00:38,042 --> 00:00:40,264 who you are uh , and what outlet you're 17 00:00:40,264 --> 00:00:42,042 with before you ask the general 18 00:00:42,042 --> 00:00:41,920 questions so he knows who he's talking 19 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:44,087 to . Uh and we've got about 30 minutes 20 00:00:44,087 --> 00:00:46,309 for that . Then when that's over , I'll 21 00:00:46,309 --> 00:00:48,476 stay behind and we'll uh do some other 22 00:00:48,476 --> 00:00:50,642 business of the day here from from the 23 00:00:50,642 --> 00:00:52,809 podium . General , can you hear me and 24 00:00:52,809 --> 00:00:54,809 see me okay sir ? Have you loud and 25 00:00:54,809 --> 00:00:56,864 clear and I see you just fine , john 26 00:00:56,864 --> 00:00:59,087 turn the floor over to you sir . Thanks 27 00:00:59,087 --> 00:01:01,198 again for joining us . Okay thank you 28 00:01:01,198 --> 00:01:03,420 john and good afternoon to all of you . 29 00:01:03,420 --> 00:01:05,587 Let me begin by just saying thanks for 30 00:01:05,587 --> 00:01:07,642 spending some time with me today and 31 00:01:07,642 --> 00:01:09,753 allowing me to talk about the amazing 32 00:01:09,753 --> 00:01:11,920 efforts that are taking place At eight 33 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:13,864 respective task forces across this 34 00:01:13,864 --> 00:01:16,031 country . The men and women at U . S . 35 00:01:16,031 --> 00:01:18,087 Northern Command along with our many 36 00:01:18,087 --> 00:01:20,309 partners are proud to support Operation 37 00:01:20,309 --> 00:01:22,309 Allies . Welcome and I'm pleased to 38 00:01:22,309 --> 00:01:24,198 provide you with an update on the 39 00:01:24,198 --> 00:01:26,198 efforts today as the lead combatant 40 00:01:26,198 --> 00:01:28,198 Command for this operation . United 41 00:01:28,198 --> 00:01:30,031 States Northern Command provides 42 00:01:30,031 --> 00:01:32,031 oversight of D . O . D . Forces and 43 00:01:32,031 --> 00:01:34,253 activities in support of the Department 44 00:01:34,253 --> 00:01:36,476 of Homeland Security , the lead federal 45 00:01:36,476 --> 00:01:38,698 agency . While Deity is not responsible 46 00:01:38,698 --> 00:01:40,753 for the immigration process . We are 47 00:01:40,753 --> 00:01:42,864 working hand in hand with DHS and the 48 00:01:42,864 --> 00:01:45,031 other agencies to enable the process . 49 00:01:45,031 --> 00:01:46,976 We have built housing capacity and 50 00:01:46,976 --> 00:01:49,087 we're providing our afghan guests the 51 00:01:49,087 --> 00:01:51,198 environment they need while they work 52 00:01:51,198 --> 00:01:53,087 through the immigration process . 53 00:01:53,087 --> 00:01:55,142 Essentials such as a safe and secure 54 00:01:55,142 --> 00:01:57,253 environment , nutritious meals , warm 55 00:01:57,253 --> 00:01:59,253 clothing , primary medical care and 56 00:01:59,253 --> 00:02:01,364 other services Today . Total capacity 57 00:02:01,364 --> 00:02:03,587 at the eight different installations is 58 00:02:03,587 --> 00:02:05,880 over 64,000 . And our Afghan evacuee 59 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:08,860 population is approximately 53,000 . 60 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:11,607 More than 10,000 D . O . D . Personnel 61 00:02:11,607 --> 00:02:13,551 are currently supporting Operation 62 00:02:13,551 --> 00:02:15,773 Allies . Welcome Since we last spoke my 63 00:02:15,773 --> 00:02:17,940 team and I have continued traveling to 64 00:02:17,940 --> 00:02:20,107 the D . O . D . Installations and Task 65 00:02:20,107 --> 00:02:22,273 forces across this country . I've seen 66 00:02:22,273 --> 00:02:24,162 firsthand seven of the eight task 67 00:02:24,162 --> 00:02:26,273 forces and I plan to visit the Eighth 68 00:02:26,273 --> 00:02:28,440 Task Force when I visit camp Atterbury 69 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:30,440 in the very near future . Following 70 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:32,662 each visit , I walk away impressed with 71 00:02:32,662 --> 00:02:34,551 how well the soldiers , sailors , 72 00:02:34,551 --> 00:02:36,718 airmen , marines , Coast Guard members 73 00:02:36,718 --> 00:02:38,773 and the interagency team are working 74 00:02:38,773 --> 00:02:40,773 together to ensure afghan guests as 75 00:02:40,773 --> 00:02:42,829 well as the personnel supporting the 76 00:02:42,829 --> 00:02:44,662 mission . Feel safe , secure and 77 00:02:44,662 --> 00:02:46,718 respected . Now , before I take your 78 00:02:46,718 --> 00:02:48,718 questions today , I want to briefly 79 00:02:48,718 --> 00:02:50,662 talk about three specific types of 80 00:02:50,662 --> 00:02:52,551 issues that have generated a fair 81 00:02:52,551 --> 00:02:54,384 amount of attention in the media 82 00:02:54,384 --> 00:02:56,607 recently . I want you to have the facts 83 00:02:56,607 --> 00:02:58,440 about the good and the dedicated 84 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:00,607 efforts that respective task forces in 85 00:03:00,607 --> 00:03:02,662 their agency teammates uh to address 86 00:03:02,662 --> 00:03:04,829 those issues . So I want to ensure you 87 00:03:04,829 --> 00:03:07,107 have that information straight from me . 88 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:09,490 The three specific issues are the 89 00:03:09,490 --> 00:03:11,657 living conditions at each task force , 90 00:03:11,657 --> 00:03:13,730 the medical care and vaccinations 91 00:03:13,730 --> 00:03:15,674 efforts that are underway with our 92 00:03:15,674 --> 00:03:17,786 afghan guests . And then finally some 93 00:03:17,786 --> 00:03:19,841 of the law enforcement challenges we 94 00:03:19,841 --> 00:03:21,841 have seen and addressed at the task 95 00:03:21,841 --> 00:03:24,063 forces . First let me talk about living 96 00:03:24,063 --> 00:03:26,174 conditions at the task forces and I'd 97 00:03:26,174 --> 00:03:28,119 say they're similar to and in many 98 00:03:28,119 --> 00:03:30,174 cases exactly the same as conditions 99 00:03:30,174 --> 00:03:32,490 provided to us service members during 100 00:03:32,490 --> 00:03:34,840 exercise and training missions . The 101 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:36,850 task forces stood up to build eight 102 00:03:36,850 --> 00:03:39,183 small cities under emergency conditions . 103 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:42,040 Well it hasn't been perfect . I have 104 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:44,207 seen firsthand how committed our teams 105 00:03:44,207 --> 00:03:46,429 are to improving every single day . Our 106 00:03:46,429 --> 00:03:48,596 afghan guests are living in a safe and 107 00:03:48,596 --> 00:03:50,373 secure environment with climate 108 00:03:50,373 --> 00:03:52,262 controlled billets , eating three 109 00:03:52,262 --> 00:03:53,873 healthy meals and culturally 110 00:03:53,873 --> 00:03:56,096 appropriate meals each day including 24 111 00:03:56,096 --> 00:03:58,200 7 grab and go options and enjoying 112 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:00,150 recreational classroom and other 113 00:04:00,150 --> 00:04:02,590 activities while areas for improvement 114 00:04:02,590 --> 00:04:04,590 are identified either by the afghan 115 00:04:04,590 --> 00:04:06,646 guests or task force teams . We work 116 00:04:06,646 --> 00:04:08,312 with our Interagency partners 117 00:04:08,312 --> 00:04:10,900 volunteers and afghan guests to address 118 00:04:10,900 --> 00:04:13,300 them quickly . My visit to Fort McCoy 119 00:04:13,300 --> 00:04:15,189 this past sunday , which included 120 00:04:15,189 --> 00:04:17,411 interactions with the afghan population 121 00:04:17,540 --> 00:04:19,540 indicates they are grateful for the 122 00:04:19,540 --> 00:04:21,540 accommodations were providing while 123 00:04:21,540 --> 00:04:23,429 they work through the immigration 124 00:04:23,429 --> 00:04:25,680 process . Secondly medical efforts 125 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:27,791 truly have been a good news story and 126 00:04:27,791 --> 00:04:30,013 the health of our afghan guest is a top 127 00:04:30,013 --> 00:04:33,380 priority . There are more than 1700 128 00:04:33,380 --> 00:04:35,158 medical professionals and staff 129 00:04:35,158 --> 00:04:37,213 attending to the needs of the Afghan 130 00:04:37,213 --> 00:04:39,520 personnel . Afghan guests have access 131 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:41,298 to necessary medical services , 132 00:04:41,298 --> 00:04:43,409 including essential family medicine , 133 00:04:43,409 --> 00:04:45,520 pediatric care , emergency medicine , 134 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:47,742 basic laboratory radiology , pharmacy , 135 00:04:47,742 --> 00:04:50,540 pharmacy services , primary dental care , 136 00:04:50,550 --> 00:04:53,060 psychosocial support uh and mental 137 00:04:53,060 --> 00:04:55,338 health services . Additionally , the U . 138 00:04:55,338 --> 00:04:57,504 S . Government continues to take every 139 00:04:57,504 --> 00:04:59,671 precaution to stop the spread of covid 140 00:04:59,671 --> 00:05:01,838 and other diseases consistent with CDC 141 00:05:01,838 --> 00:05:03,920 guidance . The task forces have 142 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:05,976 undertaken vaccination campaigns and 143 00:05:05,976 --> 00:05:08,270 they are rapidly approaching 100% 144 00:05:08,270 --> 00:05:11,120 completion of all required vaccines for 145 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:15,060 100% of the eligible Afghans . 100% of 146 00:05:15,060 --> 00:05:18,100 the Afghans are COVID tested in 84% 147 00:05:18,100 --> 00:05:20,150 have received COVID vaccinations to 148 00:05:20,150 --> 00:05:22,720 date . Covid positivity rates are 149 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:26,150 approximately 0.4% well below rates 150 00:05:26,150 --> 00:05:28,410 across the United States . Our nation's 151 00:05:28,410 --> 00:05:30,521 citizens should feel confident in the 152 00:05:30,521 --> 00:05:32,577 work that D . O . D . Along with our 153 00:05:32,577 --> 00:05:34,632 contract medical partners that we're 154 00:05:34,632 --> 00:05:36,900 doing and will continue to do uh to 155 00:05:36,900 --> 00:05:39,122 enable our afghan guests to be ready to 156 00:05:39,122 --> 00:05:41,067 begin their lives in America . Now 157 00:05:41,067 --> 00:05:43,122 finally , there have been reports of 158 00:05:43,122 --> 00:05:45,344 various law enforcement challenges at a 159 00:05:45,344 --> 00:05:47,511 few of the task forces . We along with 160 00:05:47,511 --> 00:05:49,289 our federal state and local law 161 00:05:49,289 --> 00:05:51,400 enforcement partners take each report 162 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:53,456 seriously and the task forces worked 163 00:05:53,456 --> 00:05:55,511 closely with the interagency team to 164 00:05:55,511 --> 00:05:57,233 address them expeditiously and 165 00:05:57,233 --> 00:05:59,480 appropriately . The safety and security 166 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:01,702 of all personnel at each task force and 167 00:06:01,702 --> 00:06:03,924 on each installation is paramount . And 168 00:06:03,924 --> 00:06:06,036 we will continue taking all necessary 169 00:06:06,036 --> 00:06:08,091 measures to ensure the safety of not 170 00:06:08,091 --> 00:06:10,258 only our military and civilian members 171 00:06:10,258 --> 00:06:13,000 as well as our afghan guests . What we 172 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:15,111 have seen a small number of incidents 173 00:06:15,111 --> 00:06:17,056 reported , You may not realize the 174 00:06:17,056 --> 00:06:19,111 reports are often coming from afghan 175 00:06:19,111 --> 00:06:21,278 guests who are seeking out our service 176 00:06:21,278 --> 00:06:23,056 members and our law enforcement 177 00:06:23,056 --> 00:06:25,389 professionals at the task forces . Well , 178 00:06:25,389 --> 00:06:28,040 I'm obviously not condoning anything 179 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:29,762 that diminishes good order and 180 00:06:29,762 --> 00:06:31,707 discipline at the task forces that 181 00:06:31,707 --> 00:06:33,762 afghans are reporting incidents is a 182 00:06:33,762 --> 00:06:35,873 good indicator of their commitment to 183 00:06:35,873 --> 00:06:37,984 keeping the community safe as well as 184 00:06:37,984 --> 00:06:40,300 their confidence in our people . Our 185 00:06:40,300 --> 00:06:42,189 commitment to maintain safety and 186 00:06:42,189 --> 00:06:44,411 security for the entire population that 187 00:06:44,411 --> 00:06:46,522 each installation remains steadfast . 188 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:48,840 Operation Allies welcome truly is an 189 00:06:48,840 --> 00:06:50,780 unprecedented effort . The Afghan 190 00:06:50,780 --> 00:06:52,840 personnel I've met and spoken with 191 00:06:52,850 --> 00:06:54,961 throughout my visits are appreciative 192 00:06:54,961 --> 00:06:57,190 of our support and our Eagle to begin 193 00:06:57,200 --> 00:06:59,420 are eager to begin their lives in 194 00:06:59,420 --> 00:07:01,476 America . You know , I'm proud to be 195 00:07:01,476 --> 00:07:03,840 part of this whole of government effort 196 00:07:03,850 --> 00:07:05,961 and the entire United States Northern 197 00:07:05,961 --> 00:07:08,183 Command team is honored to support . So 198 00:07:08,183 --> 00:07:10,406 I'm ready to take your questions , john 199 00:07:10,406 --> 00:07:12,628 thank you . General uh we'll start with 200 00:07:12,628 --> 00:07:16,110 the leader belt or a p general thanks 201 00:07:16,110 --> 00:07:18,390 so much for doing this . Can you give 202 00:07:18,390 --> 00:07:20,557 us a little bit more detail on some of 203 00:07:20,557 --> 00:07:22,723 the law enforcement issues ? Obviously 204 00:07:22,723 --> 00:07:25,800 a lot of us heard about the military 205 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:27,790 service member who was apparently 206 00:07:27,790 --> 00:07:30,670 attacked . Um Do you have any more 207 00:07:30,670 --> 00:07:32,726 details on that as to whether or not 208 00:07:32,726 --> 00:07:35,460 anyone has been either detained or um 209 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:39,260 otherwise caught in regard to that ? 210 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:43,060 And then can you give us the numbers of 211 00:07:44,140 --> 00:07:47,120 violent or other incidents , law 212 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:49,120 enforcement incidents that you have 213 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:52,020 seen ? And are they concentrated , you 214 00:07:52,020 --> 00:07:54,131 know , in one base or they spread out 215 00:07:54,131 --> 00:07:55,964 and just give us a more detailed 216 00:07:55,964 --> 00:07:59,770 picture of that . Thanks leader . So 217 00:07:59,770 --> 00:08:03,740 there are two afghan evacuees that are 218 00:08:03,740 --> 00:08:06,560 currently detained in federal 219 00:08:07,140 --> 00:08:10,160 custody . Those cases occurred I 220 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,460 believe at Fort McCoy . Uh , those 221 00:08:13,460 --> 00:08:15,630 folks have been charged and will be 222 00:08:15,630 --> 00:08:17,640 charged and and through the federal 223 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:19,840 process , not by the Department of 224 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:23,190 Defense . What I would tell you is For 225 00:08:23,190 --> 00:08:26,060 a population of approximately 53,000 226 00:08:26,060 --> 00:08:29,550 personnel . I've done some research and 227 00:08:29,550 --> 00:08:32,430 how that compares to populations across 228 00:08:32,430 --> 00:08:34,652 the United States and what we're seeing 229 00:08:34,652 --> 00:08:37,320 is uh law enforcement 230 00:08:37,330 --> 00:08:40,880 violations that are on par and in most 231 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:43,280 cases significantly lower than the 232 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:45,336 rates that we're seeing in similar , 233 00:08:45,336 --> 00:08:48,360 similar sized populations across the 234 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:51,960 United States . For example , in six 235 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:55,220 weeks In Operation Allies welcome in a 236 00:08:55,220 --> 00:08:57,750 population of 53,000 . There have been 237 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:00,050 eight reported cases of robbery and 238 00:09:00,050 --> 00:09:03,430 theft . An average six week period in a 239 00:09:03,430 --> 00:09:06,460 similar place is in excess of 150 . 240 00:09:07,540 --> 00:09:10,400 I'm extremely proud of our team . We 241 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:14,080 have on average more than 600 security 242 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:16,136 and law enforcement professionals at 243 00:09:16,136 --> 00:09:19,080 each task force each and every day . Uh , 244 00:09:19,090 --> 00:09:21,730 if you look across uh , that is about 245 00:09:21,730 --> 00:09:25,340 3-4 times the average of most cities 246 00:09:25,350 --> 00:09:27,572 around the globe , if you will . And so 247 00:09:27,572 --> 00:09:29,683 we're taking this very seriously . We 248 00:09:29,683 --> 00:09:33,230 take every uh accusation or incident uh 249 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:35,610 to heart and take action right away , 250 00:09:35,620 --> 00:09:37,731 not only with our D . O . D . Members 251 00:09:37,731 --> 00:09:39,676 but primarily with our federal law 252 00:09:39,676 --> 00:09:41,564 enforcement , state and local law 253 00:09:41,564 --> 00:09:44,760 enforcement leader Megan 254 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:48,240 and any more reports of security 255 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:50,480 incidents involving service members , 256 00:09:50,490 --> 00:09:52,434 attacks on service members of vice 257 00:09:52,434 --> 00:09:56,120 versa . No , I'm aware of 258 00:09:56,130 --> 00:09:58,074 one incident that I believe you're 259 00:09:58,074 --> 00:10:00,019 referring to that occurred at Fort 260 00:10:00,019 --> 00:10:01,852 Bliss . I believe on the 17th of 261 00:10:01,852 --> 00:10:03,510 september that is under FBI 262 00:10:03,510 --> 00:10:06,060 investigation there , the lead agency 263 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:08,607 and that's the only one that I'm aware 264 00:10:08,607 --> 00:10:12,020 of . Thank you . Mm . Uh huh . Hi there . 265 00:10:12,020 --> 00:10:14,187 Barbara click out . Can you give us an 266 00:10:14,187 --> 00:10:16,020 update on the situation with the 267 00:10:16,020 --> 00:10:18,800 measles and a number of cases 268 00:10:18,810 --> 00:10:21,710 vaccination rate and how much longer 269 00:10:21,710 --> 00:10:25,190 you expect that hold up the processing . 270 00:10:26,740 --> 00:10:28,930 So I'm aware of 24 total cases of 271 00:10:28,930 --> 00:10:32,880 measles . 12 active cases . The 272 00:10:32,890 --> 00:10:35,620 vaccination rate is nearing or it will 273 00:10:35,620 --> 00:10:39,580 be at 100% today For measles , the 274 00:10:39,580 --> 00:10:42,700 21 day period varies depending on 275 00:10:42,710 --> 00:10:45,000 individual and uh when they arrived 276 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:47,167 where they received their vaccinations 277 00:10:47,167 --> 00:10:50,050 I expect uh initially completion of 21 278 00:10:50,050 --> 00:10:52,161 day period to begin early next week , 279 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:56,090 Lucas follow General Lucas , tomlinson 280 00:10:56,090 --> 00:10:58,550 Fox news . What's the vaccination rate 281 00:10:58,560 --> 00:11:00,616 for the afghans when it comes to the 282 00:11:00,616 --> 00:11:04,260 coronavirus ? 84% Lucas today . 283 00:11:04,940 --> 00:11:07,162 And how long are the afghan is going to 284 00:11:07,162 --> 00:11:08,607 be on us military basis ? 285 00:11:10,740 --> 00:11:13,160 That's a great question Lucas were 286 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:15,400 prepared to be here as long as we need 287 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:17,400 to , to conduct this mission that's 288 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:19,280 best addressed by DHS , the lead 289 00:11:19,290 --> 00:11:21,610 federal agency we stand ready to 290 00:11:21,610 --> 00:11:23,610 support will be ready if we need to 291 00:11:23,610 --> 00:11:25,721 support through the winter months and 292 00:11:25,721 --> 00:11:27,832 into the spring through this spring . 293 00:11:27,832 --> 00:11:30,320 General Lucas , as I said , we're ready 294 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:33,000 to support as long as required or until 295 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:35,167 the secretary of defense directs me to 296 00:11:35,167 --> 00:11:37,470 stand down support . We'll go back to 297 00:11:37,470 --> 00:11:39,581 the phones here , jennifer steinhauer 298 00:11:39,581 --> 00:11:41,692 from the new york times . Thank you . 299 00:11:41,692 --> 00:11:43,470 Um if I could follow up on that 300 00:11:43,470 --> 00:11:45,692 question sir , do you have a little bit 301 00:11:45,692 --> 00:11:47,526 of visibility into what um , the 302 00:11:47,526 --> 00:11:49,748 components are there taking the longest 303 00:11:49,748 --> 00:11:51,970 to move on The evacuees in out of these 304 00:11:51,970 --> 00:11:53,748 bases into into their permanent 305 00:11:53,748 --> 00:11:55,692 situations ? Is it mostly security 306 00:11:55,692 --> 00:11:57,914 checks . Um , are you flagging anything 307 00:11:57,914 --> 00:11:59,748 um , of concern and the security 308 00:11:59,748 --> 00:12:01,540 component or is it mostly the 309 00:12:01,540 --> 00:12:03,707 vaccination immigration process . What 310 00:12:03,707 --> 00:12:05,873 is it ? That doesn't seem to be taking 311 00:12:05,873 --> 00:12:07,984 quite a while ? Well , thanks for the 312 00:12:07,984 --> 00:12:09,873 question . It is not the security 313 00:12:09,873 --> 00:12:12,040 checks and it's not the vaccination or 314 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:14,390 the medical portion . We have 24,000 315 00:12:14,390 --> 00:12:16,557 today that have completed the complete 316 00:12:16,557 --> 00:12:19,560 medical portion of it . I would defer 317 00:12:19,560 --> 00:12:23,430 to the relocation folks that 318 00:12:23,430 --> 00:12:25,597 have lead some of our non governmental 319 00:12:25,597 --> 00:12:28,280 agencies on specific details . But the 320 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:32,010 assurances peace were very not 321 00:12:32,010 --> 00:12:34,177 we , but the lead federal agencies and 322 00:12:34,177 --> 00:12:36,343 the non governmental organizations are 323 00:12:36,343 --> 00:12:39,080 very conscious to ensure that each of 324 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:41,740 the afghan guests have a great place to 325 00:12:41,740 --> 00:12:44,710 land and have assurances for where 326 00:12:44,710 --> 00:12:46,710 they're going to relocate to . So I 327 00:12:46,710 --> 00:12:49,710 understand that that right now is the 328 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:51,164 limiting factor on output 329 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:56,060 Kourtney in general . It's Courtney QB 330 00:12:56,060 --> 00:12:58,060 from NBC News . I just want to make 331 00:12:58,060 --> 00:12:59,893 sure I understand one thing . So 332 00:12:59,893 --> 00:13:02,610 flights are still not coming in . Right ? 333 00:13:02,630 --> 00:13:04,852 And that's because of the measles . And 334 00:13:04,852 --> 00:13:06,963 do you have any sense of when they're 335 00:13:06,963 --> 00:13:09,186 going to restart ? And I have one other 336 00:13:09,186 --> 00:13:11,490 question , Hey Courtney . So I would 337 00:13:11,490 --> 00:13:14,280 anticipate that flights will start here 338 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:17,020 in the very near future . I don't have 339 00:13:17,020 --> 00:13:19,131 any confirmation on an exact date for 340 00:13:19,131 --> 00:13:21,850 you . But as potentially next week we 341 00:13:21,850 --> 00:13:24,010 could see something because of the 21 342 00:13:24,010 --> 00:13:27,590 day dates that oversees our 343 00:13:27,590 --> 00:13:29,960 complete with their vaccination process . 344 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:32,607 And then just to be clear , so there's 345 00:13:32,607 --> 00:13:36,110 currently 53,000 evacuees on military 346 00:13:36,110 --> 00:13:39,290 installations . Um have you , do you 347 00:13:39,290 --> 00:13:42,710 have any sense of like a daily cost of 348 00:13:42,710 --> 00:13:44,821 how much this is costing two to house 349 00:13:44,821 --> 00:13:46,932 and care for these people ? Or weekly 350 00:13:46,932 --> 00:13:48,960 or monthly or any estimate for cost 351 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:52,262 Kourtney ? I don't I would defer to the 352 00:13:52,262 --> 00:13:54,262 osd comptroller for a question like 353 00:13:54,262 --> 00:13:56,318 that . I'm not sure what the cost is 354 00:13:56,640 --> 00:13:59,180 that always did . Will that be 355 00:13:59,180 --> 00:14:01,402 reimbursed by the federal government or 356 00:14:01,402 --> 00:14:03,624 is that going to be a cost that will be 357 00:14:03,624 --> 00:14:05,791 continue to be borne by D . O . D . Do 358 00:14:05,791 --> 00:14:08,540 you know I don't know if you're asking 359 00:14:08,540 --> 00:14:11,300 me , Courtney ? Uh , that's that the 360 00:14:11,310 --> 00:14:13,477 financial aspect is not in a combatant 361 00:14:13,477 --> 00:14:15,790 commanders line question for the record 362 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:18,860 and get back to you uh , here 363 00:14:19,540 --> 00:14:21,707 from al Arabiya General . If you don't 364 00:14:21,707 --> 00:14:24,850 mind just to confirm that the refugees 365 00:14:24,860 --> 00:14:27,620 are offered halal meat and are offered 366 00:14:27,620 --> 00:14:31,550 also a place for prayers . That 367 00:14:31,550 --> 00:14:35,370 is correct . Halal meals are provided 368 00:14:35,370 --> 00:14:37,700 three times per day plus the 24 hour 369 00:14:37,710 --> 00:14:40,300 option for grab and go and we have set 370 00:14:40,300 --> 00:14:43,520 up places for worship and prayer for 371 00:14:43,530 --> 00:14:45,960 each of the task forces . Thank you 372 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:49,150 jenny . Thank you . Senator 373 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:53,440 on the U . S . Missile depends against 374 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:56,260 the North Korea . You said that the 375 00:14:56,270 --> 00:15:00,040 last time that you are already 24 376 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:03,560 7 26 5 . If North Korea 377 00:15:03,570 --> 00:15:06,550 decides to run a ballistic missiles , 378 00:15:06,940 --> 00:15:09,560 how is the United States missile 379 00:15:09,570 --> 00:15:12,760 defense capability against the North 380 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:16,270 Korea's hypersonic ? Besides lunch this 381 00:15:16,270 --> 00:15:20,080 week , I'm aware of 382 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:23,180 the the reference you're making . I 383 00:15:23,180 --> 00:15:25,291 understand the intelligence community 384 00:15:25,291 --> 00:15:28,990 is still making an assessment of the 385 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:31,880 North korean claimed to have tested a 386 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:34,340 hypersonic . We'll just have to see 387 00:15:34,340 --> 00:15:36,562 that capability right now . It would be 388 00:15:36,562 --> 00:15:38,673 my assessment that the homeland would 389 00:15:38,673 --> 00:15:40,910 be safe and secure from a hypersonic 390 00:15:40,910 --> 00:15:44,780 capability . As North Korea claims 391 00:15:44,780 --> 00:15:47,060 they have tested . Mhm . 392 00:15:49,140 --> 00:15:51,307 Thank you . General Travis Triton with 393 00:15:51,307 --> 00:15:53,362 military dot com . Could you give us 394 00:15:53,362 --> 00:15:55,529 some sense of the processing rate ? Um 395 00:15:55,529 --> 00:15:57,418 you know how many of these Afghan 396 00:15:57,418 --> 00:15:59,860 refugees are moving off installations 397 00:15:59,860 --> 00:16:02,200 into society per day . Or give us some 398 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:05,080 sense of that ? Yeah that's best 399 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:07,260 answered by homeland security . 400 00:16:08,140 --> 00:16:10,090 What I can tell you is there's 401 00:16:10,090 --> 00:16:13,120 approximately 4000 that are complete 402 00:16:13,130 --> 00:16:16,460 with the process pending resettlement 403 00:16:16,940 --> 00:16:19,450 at this time . With assurances for 404 00:16:19,460 --> 00:16:23,010 relocation back to the 405 00:16:23,010 --> 00:16:25,330 phones Tony . Do you have a question 406 00:16:25,330 --> 00:16:26,330 for the general 407 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:32,607 general ? Yeah Tony could pass through 408 00:16:32,607 --> 00:16:34,384 with Bloomberg . I did have one 409 00:16:34,384 --> 00:16:36,607 question where the biometric screenings 410 00:16:36,607 --> 00:16:38,829 that were done in Afghanistan had those 411 00:16:38,829 --> 00:16:40,829 aided in getting the people who are 412 00:16:40,829 --> 00:16:42,829 coming here a proper identification 413 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:46,720 Tonia . That's again that's best for 414 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:50,520 homeland security . I I understand 415 00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:53,080 that biometric screening biographical 416 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:55,390 screening continues even after they 417 00:16:55,390 --> 00:16:57,446 arrive at the task force locations . 418 00:16:57,740 --> 00:16:59,518 But to specifically answer your 419 00:16:59,518 --> 00:17:01,684 question I can't do that . You need to 420 00:17:01,684 --> 00:17:03,573 refer that to DHS Okay . Thanks . 421 00:17:05,740 --> 00:17:09,410 Yes Carla . Um so when you said that 422 00:17:09,420 --> 00:17:11,309 there were 4000 complete with the 423 00:17:11,309 --> 00:17:13,810 process pending for resettlement ? Um 424 00:17:13,820 --> 00:17:16,570 about 53,000 number . Is that the total 425 00:17:16,570 --> 00:17:18,403 number of Afghan evacuees ? That 426 00:17:18,403 --> 00:17:20,348 doesn't include any that have been 427 00:17:20,348 --> 00:17:22,126 resettled so far none have been 428 00:17:22,126 --> 00:17:24,014 resettled . Is that what I'm am I 429 00:17:24,014 --> 00:17:26,126 interpreting you ? Right . That's not 430 00:17:26,126 --> 00:17:28,459 correct . I I apologize if I misled you . 431 00:17:28,459 --> 00:17:31,920 So uh so far resettled is over 432 00:17:31,930 --> 00:17:35,020 2600 or so of which more than half of 433 00:17:35,020 --> 00:17:37,131 those have been resettled through the 434 00:17:37,131 --> 00:17:39,187 uh either the S . I . V . Process or 435 00:17:39,187 --> 00:17:42,100 the refugee process at this time ? Okay 436 00:17:42,100 --> 00:17:44,044 thank you . And you say your total 437 00:17:44,044 --> 00:17:47,120 capacity now with 64,000 when you talk 438 00:17:47,120 --> 00:17:48,676 to your um and your centcom 439 00:17:48,676 --> 00:17:51,270 counterparts , how many total more 440 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:54,850 afghans are you expecting ? What we're 441 00:17:54,850 --> 00:17:57,680 seeing in the U . Command centcom A . R . 442 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:00,640 S . Right now is slightly over 14,000 443 00:18:00,650 --> 00:18:02,483 that are still remaining to come 444 00:18:02,483 --> 00:18:05,460 forward to the eight Task forces . So 445 00:18:05,460 --> 00:18:07,682 when you do the math you see that we're 446 00:18:07,682 --> 00:18:10,220 relying on the output to ensure that we 447 00:18:10,220 --> 00:18:12,710 have enough capacity uh for the 448 00:18:12,710 --> 00:18:14,970 additional remaining afghans coming 449 00:18:14,970 --> 00:18:18,900 this way back to the phones . Uh Tara , 450 00:18:18,900 --> 00:18:21,680 did you have a question ? Yes . Um 451 00:18:21,690 --> 00:18:24,700 General on the security clearance 452 00:18:24,700 --> 00:18:28,370 process , how many of the afghans have 453 00:18:28,370 --> 00:18:31,570 completed and are completely cleared to 454 00:18:31,570 --> 00:18:34,310 resettle . And as you said it's it's a 455 00:18:34,310 --> 00:18:36,532 question of having a spot available for 456 00:18:36,532 --> 00:18:39,650 them to resettle too . I don't have the 457 00:18:39,650 --> 00:18:41,872 specific number but it's I believe it's 458 00:18:41,872 --> 00:18:43,840 slightly over 40 at this time have 459 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:47,340 completed medical all their their 460 00:18:47,340 --> 00:18:49,340 screening processes and are pending 461 00:18:49,340 --> 00:18:52,730 assurances for relocation . And then 462 00:18:52,740 --> 00:18:55,640 of uh of all of the afghans that are 463 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:57,640 still going undergoing the security 464 00:18:57,640 --> 00:18:59,690 clearance process or the vetting 465 00:18:59,700 --> 00:19:03,400 process . Um How many total have been 466 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:05,670 pulled for additional screening because 467 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:08,950 uh something popped popped red ? 468 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:12,862 Yeah I don't have that number . I would 469 00:19:12,862 --> 00:19:16,610 defer that to DHS again . Uh And 470 00:19:16,620 --> 00:19:18,590 I'm not aware of any significant 471 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:20,767 problems that we've had once they have 472 00:19:20,767 --> 00:19:22,767 arrived at any of our task forces ? 473 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:26,870 Okay . And then just to follow on my 474 00:19:26,870 --> 00:19:28,870 colleague Lucas question , you know 475 00:19:28,870 --> 00:19:31,260 when Uh when the bases were first 476 00:19:31,260 --> 00:19:34,310 preparing to receive Afghan evacuees , 477 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:37,100 there was a general thought that this 478 00:19:37,100 --> 00:19:39,100 would be a very short process . You 479 00:19:39,100 --> 00:19:41,267 know , maybe 10 days , maybe two weeks 480 00:19:41,267 --> 00:19:41,230 before they went through . And 481 00:19:41,230 --> 00:19:43,341 obviously the numbers are far greater 482 00:19:43,341 --> 00:19:45,860 and it's taking a much longer time . Um 483 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:48,407 What kind of planning discussions have 484 00:19:48,407 --> 00:19:50,870 there been if this needs to be a long 485 00:19:50,870 --> 00:19:52,592 term solution ? If there isn't 486 00:19:52,592 --> 00:19:54,814 somewhere for some of these evacuees to 487 00:19:54,814 --> 00:19:56,981 go and they are reliant on D . O . D . 488 00:19:56,981 --> 00:19:59,340 To provide a long term housing solution 489 00:19:59,340 --> 00:20:02,240 for them . Yeah . So two points to that 490 00:20:02,250 --> 00:20:04,560 first uh like I said we we were 491 00:20:04,570 --> 00:20:06,870 remained ready to do this until the 492 00:20:06,870 --> 00:20:09,840 mission is complete . The numbers I 493 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:12,260 think you're referring to were likely 494 00:20:12,270 --> 00:20:14,760 numbers that came out of our initial 495 00:20:15,340 --> 00:20:18,690 housing of afghan uh S ivy 496 00:20:18,690 --> 00:20:20,870 applicants as they came into fort lee 497 00:20:20,870 --> 00:20:23,610 where we were averaging about 5 to 5 to 498 00:20:23,610 --> 00:20:26,180 seven days of processing time because 499 00:20:26,180 --> 00:20:28,458 they were further along in the process , 500 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:31,490 I'll have to defer the State Department 501 00:20:31,490 --> 00:20:33,980 on the total numbers . But you know 502 00:20:33,980 --> 00:20:36,240 that the numbers of S . I . V . S . And 503 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:38,184 where they are in the process . It 504 00:20:38,184 --> 00:20:41,170 makes it a shorter process for them if 505 00:20:41,170 --> 00:20:43,392 you're just at the beginning of the S . 506 00:20:43,392 --> 00:20:45,530 I . V . Process or not in the process 507 00:20:45,530 --> 00:20:47,910 in european one or P . Two in the 508 00:20:47,910 --> 00:20:50,470 refugee process . Now that's a separate 509 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:52,990 uh a way to go forward for how they're 510 00:20:52,990 --> 00:20:56,260 going to move onward to be a you know , 511 00:20:56,270 --> 00:20:59,460 a settlement into the United States . 512 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:02,660 Does that make sense to you ? Yes , 513 00:21:02,660 --> 00:21:06,390 thank you Alex generals . Alex 514 00:21:06,390 --> 00:21:08,570 Marquardt from CNN I was speaking with 515 00:21:08,570 --> 00:21:10,681 a senior Afghan general who's here in 516 00:21:10,681 --> 00:21:14,580 the States and he was feeling like 517 00:21:14,580 --> 00:21:17,950 he deserved some preferential treatment 518 00:21:17,950 --> 00:21:19,839 if you will . I was wondering the 519 00:21:19,839 --> 00:21:22,061 conditions , the lodgings , the feeding 520 00:21:22,061 --> 00:21:26,060 the food um for all afghans are is 521 00:21:26,060 --> 00:21:28,171 it completely egalitarian or they are 522 00:21:28,171 --> 00:21:30,393 they all are all conditions the same or 523 00:21:30,393 --> 00:21:32,338 any priority is given to anybody ? 524 00:21:32,340 --> 00:21:34,562 They're all the same . I'm not aware of 525 00:21:34,562 --> 00:21:36,960 any priority being given over any 526 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:40,070 afghan based on prior position job or 527 00:21:40,070 --> 00:21:42,014 anything . Can I just follow up on 528 00:21:42,014 --> 00:21:44,181 Lucas questions ? Well , you said that 529 00:21:44,181 --> 00:21:47,410 84% or vaccine for COVID . Is there any 530 00:21:47,410 --> 00:21:51,200 notion of vaccination ? Hesitancy among 531 00:21:51,210 --> 00:21:53,266 these Afghan arrivals or is that not 532 00:21:53,266 --> 00:21:55,377 even a factor because they have to be 533 00:21:55,377 --> 00:21:57,670 back . I'm not aware of any hesitancy . 534 00:21:58,300 --> 00:22:02,050 The vaccination protocols are part of 535 00:22:02,050 --> 00:22:05,640 the process for clearance and onward 536 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:08,990 movement . It's time for just a couple 537 00:22:08,990 --> 00:22:12,280 more 00 Academy afghan journalist 538 00:22:12,290 --> 00:22:15,980 General I would like to ask in these 539 00:22:15,990 --> 00:22:19,080 camps . Any afghan government officials 540 00:22:19,090 --> 00:22:21,710 among this refugee that you arrived at 541 00:22:21,710 --> 00:22:24,650 the United States . I'm not aware 542 00:22:24,650 --> 00:22:26,740 specifically . I would defer you to 543 00:22:26,740 --> 00:22:29,270 either DHS or State Department for any 544 00:22:29,740 --> 00:22:32,460 specifics on any prior afghan officials . 545 00:22:34,140 --> 00:22:36,196 All right , Lucas . You get the last 546 00:22:36,196 --> 00:22:38,140 one at the general , go ahead . My 547 00:22:38,140 --> 00:22:39,862 colleague Alex question is the 548 00:22:39,862 --> 00:22:41,973 coronavirus vaccine mandatory for the 549 00:22:41,973 --> 00:22:45,310 afghan refugees . General . I'd have to 550 00:22:45,310 --> 00:22:48,430 go check , but I believe it is Lucas as 551 00:22:48,430 --> 00:22:50,263 part of the protocols for onward 552 00:22:50,263 --> 00:22:52,630 movement . Why is it 84% of Afghan 553 00:22:52,630 --> 00:22:54,852 refugees have the coronavirus vaccine , 554 00:22:54,852 --> 00:22:57,270 but 100% have the measles . That's 555 00:22:57,270 --> 00:22:59,410 correct today . Uh , you know , we're 556 00:22:59,410 --> 00:23:01,970 continuing to work through the vaccine 557 00:23:01,980 --> 00:23:04,860 vaccine regimen . The measles took 558 00:23:05,540 --> 00:23:07,596 Prioring because of the , you know , 559 00:23:07,596 --> 00:23:10,410 the trans Mississippi rate of the 560 00:23:10,420 --> 00:23:12,476 disease . If you will . So , we made 561 00:23:12,476 --> 00:23:14,642 sure we got 100% through as quickly as 562 00:23:14,642 --> 00:23:17,260 possible . Go and ask . 563 00:23:18,540 --> 00:23:21,840 Go ahead . Courtney used to talk . Yeah . 564 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:24,040 Yeah . 565 00:23:33,740 --> 00:23:36,080 General . Do you have us ? Yeah , I do . 566 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:39,040 I I responded back for something I 567 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:41,440 wanted to uh , to remind Lucas is that 568 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:44,930 the covid positivity rate Is 569 00:23:44,930 --> 00:23:48,580 .4% less than 1% . And so 570 00:23:48,590 --> 00:23:51,090 we haven't had significant challenges . 571 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:54,570 I will tell you that the the task 572 00:23:54,570 --> 00:23:58,510 force's concern is primarily flu 573 00:23:58,510 --> 00:24:00,454 outbreak at this point . And we're 574 00:24:00,454 --> 00:24:02,570 working hard to get to flu vaccine as 575 00:24:02,570 --> 00:24:06,150 well across all of the afghans . Did 576 00:24:06,150 --> 00:24:07,970 you have a question , Herc it's 577 00:24:07,970 --> 00:24:09,470 Courtney QB just one quick 578 00:24:09,470 --> 00:24:12,410 clarification is that 84% 2 shots of 579 00:24:12,410 --> 00:24:15,630 the covid vaccine or one Kourtney . 580 00:24:15,630 --> 00:24:17,852 I'll have to go uh , confirm that . But 581 00:24:17,852 --> 00:24:19,741 I believe we're given johnson and 582 00:24:19,741 --> 00:24:21,630 johnson and those are single shot 583 00:24:21,630 --> 00:24:24,570 vaccines . Thanks . Okay . General , 584 00:24:24,570 --> 00:24:26,514 thanks so much for your time . I'm 585 00:24:26,514 --> 00:24:28,570 going to turn it back over to you if 586 00:24:28,570 --> 00:24:30,737 you have any closing thoughts . Yeah . 587 00:24:30,737 --> 00:24:32,792 Thanks john thanks to all of you for 588 00:24:32,792 --> 00:24:34,959 being here and taking some time to let 589 00:24:34,959 --> 00:24:36,848 me tell a little bit of the story 590 00:24:36,848 --> 00:24:38,959 that's ongoing . I'm incredibly proud 591 00:24:38,959 --> 00:24:41,700 of the entire D . O . D . Team and the 592 00:24:41,700 --> 00:24:43,644 Interagency team for the work that 593 00:24:43,644 --> 00:24:45,756 they're doing . We continue to strive 594 00:24:45,756 --> 00:24:47,867 to improve to be the best that we can 595 00:24:47,867 --> 00:24:50,033 going forward . And we look forward to 596 00:24:50,033 --> 00:24:52,144 continuing to be part of the solution 597 00:24:52,144 --> 00:24:55,020 for the uh 60 some odd 1000 that will 598 00:24:55,020 --> 00:24:57,700 eventually be here to move them on . I 599 00:24:57,710 --> 00:24:59,654 continue to be focused on being as 600 00:24:59,654 --> 00:25:01,766 transparent as possible with you that 601 00:25:01,766 --> 00:25:04,690 that can be uh indicated by the media 602 00:25:04,700 --> 00:25:07,490 at fort McCoy . Today we're happy to do 603 00:25:07,490 --> 00:25:09,712 that . We look forward to continuing to 604 00:25:09,712 --> 00:25:11,879 be transparent with you and thanks for 605 00:25:11,879 --> 00:25:13,823 the opportunity john , thank you . 606 00:25:13,823 --> 00:25:15,879 General appreciate your time today . 607 00:25:15,879 --> 00:25:19,250 Okay , um I'll go ahead and get on to 608 00:25:19,250 --> 00:25:21,472 some other things as well . I think you 609 00:25:21,472 --> 00:25:23,417 saw that today . The Department of 610 00:25:23,417 --> 00:25:25,639 Defense released the calendar year 2020 611 00:25:25,639 --> 00:25:27,806 annual suicide report . We continue to 612 00:25:27,806 --> 00:25:29,861 take action to prevent suicide while 613 00:25:29,861 --> 00:25:31,861 supporting our military members and 614 00:25:31,861 --> 00:25:33,972 their families . As the secretary has 615 00:25:33,972 --> 00:25:35,806 said every death by suicide is a 616 00:25:35,806 --> 00:25:39,220 tragedy . The current year 2020 suicide 617 00:25:39,220 --> 00:25:42,600 report presents uh recent suicide data 618 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:44,767 for service members and their families 619 00:25:44,767 --> 00:25:46,600 and describes current and future 620 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:48,656 efforts underway to combat suicide . 621 00:25:48,656 --> 00:25:50,767 This is a paramount challenge for the 622 00:25:50,767 --> 00:25:52,656 department . We must redouble our 623 00:25:52,656 --> 00:25:54,711 efforts to provide all of our people 624 00:25:54,711 --> 00:25:56,767 with the care and the resources they 625 00:25:56,767 --> 00:25:58,933 need to reduce stigmas and barriers to 626 00:25:58,933 --> 00:26:00,933 to that care and to ensure that our 627 00:26:00,933 --> 00:26:03,044 community uses simple safety measures 628 00:26:03,044 --> 00:26:05,156 and precautions to reduce the risk of 629 00:26:05,156 --> 00:26:07,267 future tragedies and will continue to 630 00:26:07,267 --> 00:26:09,211 work swiftly and urgently in close 631 00:26:09,211 --> 00:26:11,378 collaboration with our our partners at 632 00:26:11,378 --> 00:26:14,180 the apartment of Veteran affairs . Also 633 00:26:14,180 --> 00:26:16,700 this morning Joining Forces and the 634 00:26:16,700 --> 00:26:18,478 National Security Council staff 635 00:26:18,478 --> 00:26:20,422 released the White House report on 636 00:26:20,422 --> 00:26:22,256 strengthening America's military 637 00:26:22,256 --> 00:26:24,144 families . That was signed by the 638 00:26:24,144 --> 00:26:26,144 president and the secretaries of 15 639 00:26:26,144 --> 00:26:28,144 executive departments including the 640 00:26:28,144 --> 00:26:30,033 Secretary of Defense . The report 641 00:26:30,033 --> 00:26:29,900 outlines the first round of 642 00:26:29,900 --> 00:26:31,900 administration wide commitments and 643 00:26:31,900 --> 00:26:33,789 proposals to support military and 644 00:26:33,789 --> 00:26:35,678 veteran families , caregivers and 645 00:26:35,678 --> 00:26:37,900 survivors . And that full report can be 646 00:26:37,900 --> 00:26:40,050 found at www dot White House dot gov 647 00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:42,600 backslash joining forces . And I 648 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:44,767 encourage you to take a look at that . 649 00:26:44,767 --> 00:26:46,822 And with that we'll take questions . 650 00:26:46,822 --> 00:26:48,767 Leader , did you have one for me ? 651 00:26:51,540 --> 00:26:53,707 Sorry , I'll let someone else go since 652 00:26:53,707 --> 00:26:55,850 I already have a shot . Okay . 653 00:26:57,740 --> 00:26:59,930 All right . Going to see where we were 654 00:26:59,930 --> 00:27:01,960 gonna meet up . Okay , Laura 655 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:06,000 Millie during his testimony earlier 656 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:08,710 this week said that the U . S . Lost 657 00:27:08,710 --> 00:27:10,877 the war in Afghanistan and called it a 658 00:27:10,877 --> 00:27:13,150 strategic failure . So can you tell me 659 00:27:13,150 --> 00:27:15,150 does the department agree with that 660 00:27:15,150 --> 00:27:17,470 assessment ? Well , I mean , I think I 661 00:27:17,470 --> 00:27:19,581 would point you to what the secretary 662 00:27:19,581 --> 00:27:21,680 said in his opening statement and 663 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:23,736 throughout two days of congressional 664 00:27:23,736 --> 00:27:27,490 testimony that that we we shouldn't 665 00:27:27,490 --> 00:27:30,160 lose sight of the fact that We 666 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:32,550 prevented another attack like 9:11 on 667 00:27:32,550 --> 00:27:36,210 American soil . Um and that uh we 668 00:27:36,220 --> 00:27:38,880 significantly degraded al Qaeda's 669 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:42,380 capability . Uh and that uh and that 670 00:27:42,380 --> 00:27:44,280 other progress was made in inside 671 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:46,336 Afghanistan . But he also said and I 672 00:27:46,336 --> 00:27:48,820 thought it was Very frank about some of 673 00:27:48,820 --> 00:27:51,110 the tough questions that he thinks we 674 00:27:51,110 --> 00:27:53,054 need to consider and ask ourselves 675 00:27:53,054 --> 00:27:55,110 going forward now that we found that 676 00:27:55,110 --> 00:27:57,277 these 20 years of war is over and it's 677 00:27:57,277 --> 00:27:59,610 gonna take some time to go through that . 678 00:27:59,610 --> 00:27:59,300 But you know take a look at the 679 00:27:59,300 --> 00:28:01,780 strategy or strategies that we had to 680 00:28:01,790 --> 00:28:05,600 take a look at uh being 681 00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:07,750 humbled to take a look at our ability 682 00:28:07,750 --> 00:28:11,060 to uh stand up State 683 00:28:11,060 --> 00:28:12,980 institutions in a country like 684 00:28:12,980 --> 00:28:15,036 Afghanistan and whether whether that 685 00:28:15,036 --> 00:28:17,258 was done uh the best way it could be or 686 00:28:17,258 --> 00:28:18,980 appropriately . So I think the 687 00:28:18,980 --> 00:28:21,520 secretary was very frank about all the 688 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:23,631 things that we need to consider uh as 689 00:28:23,631 --> 00:28:25,742 we look back at 20 years of war . Not 690 00:28:25,742 --> 00:28:27,964 just look back at the last two months . 691 00:28:27,964 --> 00:28:29,742 And then just to follow up on a 692 00:28:29,742 --> 00:28:32,076 different question is the D . O . D . I . 693 00:28:32,076 --> 00:28:34,353 G . Considering a probe into the S . I . 694 00:28:34,353 --> 00:28:36,520 V . Program , the department's role in 695 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:38,742 that I'm not aware . And I point you to 696 00:28:38,742 --> 00:28:40,520 the D . O . D . I . G . It's an 697 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:42,520 independent entity so I wouldn't be 698 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:44,576 able to speak for them anyway . No . 699 00:28:44,576 --> 00:28:47,010 Zero . Thank you . Jim many reports the 700 00:28:47,010 --> 00:28:49,370 taliban killing afghan commandos , all 701 00:28:49,370 --> 00:28:51,880 the U . S . Operation that work very 702 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:54,510 hard with them . But I'm sure that the 703 00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:56,742 taliban torture them and kill them . Do 704 00:28:56,742 --> 00:28:59,510 you have any plan ? David has a plan to 705 00:28:59,510 --> 00:29:01,621 bring them at the United States which 706 00:29:01,621 --> 00:29:03,843 is status ? Do it again . I'd point you 707 00:29:03,843 --> 00:29:05,954 to what the secretary testified to in 708 00:29:05,954 --> 00:29:08,420 the last two days just because the 709 00:29:08,430 --> 00:29:10,486 military footprint in Afghanistan is 710 00:29:10,486 --> 00:29:13,610 gone . Doesn't mean that the effort to 711 00:29:13,610 --> 00:29:16,710 bring our afghan allies uh , and 712 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:18,831 whatever americans still want to come 713 00:29:18,831 --> 00:29:21,109 out come out that that still continues . 714 00:29:21,109 --> 00:29:23,220 Uh so we're going to continue to work 715 00:29:23,220 --> 00:29:25,109 at that in concert with the State 716 00:29:25,109 --> 00:29:27,164 Department and with uh nonprofit and 717 00:29:27,164 --> 00:29:29,110 other you know , civilian uh lead 718 00:29:29,110 --> 00:29:32,670 opportunities as well jay done 719 00:29:33,940 --> 00:29:36,860 K . I . D . D . On the K . I . D . The 720 00:29:36,860 --> 00:29:39,160 U . S . And South Korea integrate 721 00:29:39,170 --> 00:29:42,960 depends . Dialogue was having sold 722 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:46,560 This week 27 and 28 . 723 00:29:47,340 --> 00:29:50,970 What was discussed and only the upon 724 00:29:50,970 --> 00:29:54,950 with this meeting . Um , 725 00:29:59,940 --> 00:30:03,690 so what I can tell you is that we did 726 00:30:03,690 --> 00:30:06,450 have good session , 727 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:10,007 good set of meetings . Um , you know , 728 00:30:10,007 --> 00:30:12,270 this is a regularly occurring set of 729 00:30:12,270 --> 00:30:15,080 talks . Uh , and I think without 730 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:17,136 getting into the too much detail . I 731 00:30:17,136 --> 00:30:19,150 mean the whole panoply of issues 732 00:30:19,150 --> 00:30:21,370 regarding our alliance and and trying 733 00:30:21,370 --> 00:30:23,426 to make sure that that alliance stay 734 00:30:23,426 --> 00:30:25,592 strong were all discussed . And also , 735 00:30:26,140 --> 00:30:27,973 you know , continued North Korea 736 00:30:27,973 --> 00:30:31,480 continues missile launch . What is the 737 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:35,370 United States anil itis of nurse 738 00:30:35,370 --> 00:30:39,170 Korea's hypersonic missile ranch . 739 00:30:39,180 --> 00:30:42,750 Do you have anything look at it for 740 00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:45,700 deeply for this missile launch for this 741 00:30:45,700 --> 00:30:49,640 way ? Not you're talking about the 742 00:30:49,650 --> 00:30:53,560 yeah . Yeah . So again , I'd 743 00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:56,540 point you back to what the general said . 744 00:30:56,550 --> 00:30:58,661 We're aware of the missile launch and 745 00:30:58,661 --> 00:31:00,550 we're consulting closely with our 746 00:31:00,550 --> 00:31:03,500 allies and partners . Um while we've 747 00:31:03,500 --> 00:31:05,667 assessed that this event does not pose 748 00:31:05,667 --> 00:31:07,389 an immediate threat to U . S . 749 00:31:07,389 --> 00:31:09,722 Personnel or territory or to our allies . 750 00:31:09,722 --> 00:31:11,722 It does highlight the destabilizing 751 00:31:11,722 --> 00:31:13,790 impact of the DpRK s illicit weapons 752 00:31:13,790 --> 00:31:16,080 program . And nothing changes about our 753 00:31:16,080 --> 00:31:18,136 commitment to our alliance with both 754 00:31:18,136 --> 00:31:20,780 Japan and South Korea thoughts this 755 00:31:20,790 --> 00:31:24,490 recognized uh , this missile is the 756 00:31:24,500 --> 00:31:27,260 hypersonic missiles were still 757 00:31:27,260 --> 00:31:29,490 assessing the specific nature of this 758 00:31:29,500 --> 00:31:31,960 launch event and I won't go beyond that . 759 00:31:32,740 --> 00:31:34,684 Okay . Yeah . Thank you . You said 760 00:31:34,684 --> 00:31:36,851 either last week or two weeks ago that 761 00:31:36,851 --> 00:31:39,073 Secretary Austin was open to relocating 762 00:31:39,073 --> 00:31:41,340 the families affected by the august 763 00:31:41,340 --> 00:31:43,490 29th strike . Is there any update on 764 00:31:43,490 --> 00:31:45,823 that or on the payments to the families ? 765 00:31:45,823 --> 00:31:47,934 Don't . And I think you heard General 766 00:31:47,934 --> 00:31:49,990 Mackenzie and the Secretary speak to 767 00:31:49,990 --> 00:31:52,820 this yesterday . The secretary made it 768 00:31:52,820 --> 00:31:55,130 clear in testimony that he does support 769 00:31:55,140 --> 00:31:57,510 the relocation of the family back to 770 00:31:57,510 --> 00:31:59,732 the United States . If that's something 771 00:31:59,732 --> 00:32:01,954 that they want to do . I don't have any 772 00:32:01,954 --> 00:32:03,954 update for progress on that . And I 773 00:32:03,954 --> 00:32:03,340 think you heard General Mackenzie say 774 00:32:03,340 --> 00:32:06,120 yesterday that uh , that uh , that 775 00:32:06,130 --> 00:32:07,908 we're still working through the 776 00:32:07,908 --> 00:32:10,186 payments and what that would look like , 777 00:32:10,186 --> 00:32:12,360 how that would be affected . And we 778 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:14,930 hear OsD and our policy shop are 779 00:32:14,940 --> 00:32:17,590 assisting in that effort as well . But 780 00:32:17,590 --> 00:32:19,757 I didn't have any specific updates for 781 00:32:19,757 --> 00:32:22,490 you Alex payments john when it was 782 00:32:22,490 --> 00:32:24,657 first mentioned . I mean , it's been a 783 00:32:24,657 --> 00:32:26,601 couple of weeks since it was first 784 00:32:26,601 --> 00:32:28,768 mentioned . What are the challenges if 785 00:32:28,768 --> 00:32:30,768 you could just get into ? Why is it 786 00:32:30,768 --> 00:32:32,990 complicated to figure out how a payment 787 00:32:32,990 --> 00:32:35,212 is made , how much is made ? That seems 788 00:32:35,212 --> 00:32:37,379 like a much easier thing to do than to 789 00:32:37,379 --> 00:32:39,434 relocate a family from Afghanistan ? 790 00:32:39,434 --> 00:32:41,546 Well , I don't know whether it's easy 791 00:32:41,546 --> 00:32:43,657 or not , Alex . Uh I think you've got 792 00:32:43,657 --> 00:32:46,940 to not only do you , you know , I have 793 00:32:46,940 --> 00:32:50,510 to work out the communications with 794 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:52,750 the recipients and making sure that 795 00:32:52,750 --> 00:32:54,861 you're talking to the right people uh 796 00:32:54,861 --> 00:32:56,806 and that they whoever it is you're 797 00:32:56,806 --> 00:32:58,750 talking to um are empowered by the 798 00:32:58,750 --> 00:33:00,639 family to make decisions on their 799 00:33:00,639 --> 00:33:02,750 behalf . Uh And then , you know , you 800 00:33:02,750 --> 00:33:04,861 you make an assessment about what the 801 00:33:04,861 --> 00:33:06,806 proper amount is and then how that 802 00:33:06,806 --> 00:33:08,750 amount would be transmitted to the 803 00:33:08,750 --> 00:33:10,583 family and those discussions are 804 00:33:10,583 --> 00:33:14,100 ongoing . It's not that it's it uh it's 805 00:33:14,100 --> 00:33:16,510 not that because we haven't done it yet , 806 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:18,131 that it's some sort of hyper 807 00:33:18,131 --> 00:33:20,280 complicated process . It's just that 808 00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:22,447 we're working our way through that and 809 00:33:22,447 --> 00:33:24,447 we want to do it the right way . We 810 00:33:24,447 --> 00:33:26,558 want to make sure that that it's done 811 00:33:26,558 --> 00:33:29,410 with sincerity and solemnity and uh in 812 00:33:29,410 --> 00:33:31,577 the in the appropriate manner . And so 813 00:33:31,577 --> 00:33:33,410 we're still working that through 814 00:33:33,410 --> 00:33:35,521 obviously extremely sensitive process 815 00:33:35,840 --> 00:33:38,220 in past when it's been done in the past . 816 00:33:38,220 --> 00:33:40,400 How does it typically work ? Because I 817 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:42,622 imagine to be difficult for the U . S . 818 00:33:42,622 --> 00:33:44,789 Military to say this is an amount that 819 00:33:44,789 --> 00:33:47,230 we think would be appropriate or is it 820 00:33:47,230 --> 00:33:49,286 the U . S . Side that would make the 821 00:33:49,286 --> 00:33:51,230 first step is the family side that 822 00:33:51,230 --> 00:33:51,200 would make the first suggestion . I'm 823 00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:53,367 not an expert on the payment process . 824 00:33:53,367 --> 00:33:55,422 So I better take the question rather 825 00:33:55,422 --> 00:33:57,644 than try to speculate here and I'll see 826 00:33:57,644 --> 00:33:59,644 if I can get you a process oriented 827 00:33:59,644 --> 00:34:01,920 answer . My guess would be that it's 828 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:04,300 different for each situation and with 829 00:34:04,300 --> 00:34:06,230 each family . But let me take the 830 00:34:06,230 --> 00:34:08,320 question but without speculating and 831 00:34:08,330 --> 00:34:10,219 and we'll see if we can get you a 832 00:34:10,219 --> 00:34:12,386 better process oriented answer . Mhm . 833 00:34:12,940 --> 00:34:15,510 You own with the testimony yesterday , 834 00:34:15,510 --> 00:34:18,480 General uh Secretary Austin was talking 835 00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:21,150 about explaining how a Neo evacuation 836 00:34:21,150 --> 00:34:23,060 couldn't start until the State 837 00:34:23,060 --> 00:34:25,004 Department assuming the ambassador 838 00:34:25,004 --> 00:34:27,171 started it . And then Millie was asked 839 00:34:27,171 --> 00:34:29,282 about the question again and he asked 840 00:34:29,282 --> 00:34:31,504 should the Neo started earlier . And he 841 00:34:31,504 --> 00:34:33,560 said that's a valid question that we 842 00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:35,671 need to look into , was this building 843 00:34:35,671 --> 00:34:37,782 was the pentagon pressuring the State 844 00:34:37,782 --> 00:34:39,782 department Secretary Blinken or the 845 00:34:39,782 --> 00:34:42,140 ambassador to start a Neo earlier . And 846 00:34:42,140 --> 00:34:44,710 it's so at what date was that ? So a 847 00:34:44,710 --> 00:34:46,932 noncombatant evacuation does have to be 848 00:34:46,932 --> 00:34:49,154 called by the State Department . That's 849 00:34:49,154 --> 00:34:51,210 doctrine , that's the way that's the 850 00:34:51,210 --> 00:34:53,377 policy , that's the way it works . And 851 00:34:53,377 --> 00:34:55,099 as you heard the secretary say 852 00:34:55,099 --> 00:34:56,877 yesterday , we were in constant 853 00:34:56,877 --> 00:34:59,099 communication with our State Department 854 00:34:59,099 --> 00:35:01,321 colleagues throughout august about that 855 00:35:01,321 --> 00:35:02,932 and other issues of course , 856 00:35:02,932 --> 00:35:05,099 particularly in terms of uh you know , 857 00:35:05,099 --> 00:35:07,210 moving people out of the embassy . So 858 00:35:07,210 --> 00:35:09,321 when there was a lot of communication 859 00:35:09,321 --> 00:35:09,300 with the State Department , this was 860 00:35:09,300 --> 00:35:11,600 one of many topics that was frequently 861 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:13,900 and routinely discussed with the State 862 00:35:13,900 --> 00:35:16,122 Department . And I think you also heard 863 00:35:16,122 --> 00:35:18,122 the Secretary say yesterday that um 864 00:35:18,122 --> 00:35:20,344 that while we certainly had a view , we 865 00:35:20,344 --> 00:35:22,930 respected the fact that they too had of 866 00:35:22,930 --> 00:35:26,160 you remember that right up until 867 00:35:26,540 --> 00:35:28,762 uh you know , it was clear that we were 868 00:35:28,762 --> 00:35:31,940 going to have to leave because of the 869 00:35:31,950 --> 00:35:34,400 fall of the Ghana government . The 870 00:35:34,410 --> 00:35:36,299 State Department had been given a 871 00:35:36,299 --> 00:35:38,466 mission by the President of the United 872 00:35:38,466 --> 00:35:40,243 States to maintain a diplomatic 873 00:35:40,243 --> 00:35:42,466 presence in Afghanistan . In fact , our 874 00:35:42,466 --> 00:35:44,980 role in that it was to get down to a 875 00:35:44,980 --> 00:35:47,091 level of force commensurate with what 876 00:35:47,091 --> 00:35:49,340 would be required to protect and defend 877 00:35:49,350 --> 00:35:51,430 the work of our diplomats but their 878 00:35:51,430 --> 00:35:53,541 mission in Afghanistan while ours was 879 00:35:53,541 --> 00:35:55,870 ending from a combat train and advise 880 00:35:55,870 --> 00:35:58,120 is this perspective , the plan had been 881 00:35:58,120 --> 00:36:00,231 that their mission would continue and 882 00:36:00,231 --> 00:36:02,120 that means maintaining an embassy 883 00:36:02,120 --> 00:36:04,176 populating that embassy , continuing 884 00:36:04,176 --> 00:36:06,231 the programs and initiatives that we 885 00:36:06,231 --> 00:36:08,342 had that we had done because again we 886 00:36:08,342 --> 00:36:11,700 all uh until the very end , as the 887 00:36:11,700 --> 00:36:13,922 secretary said , we're working with the 888 00:36:13,922 --> 00:36:16,089 democratically elected partner and the 889 00:36:16,089 --> 00:36:18,089 Ghana government . And so the State 890 00:36:18,089 --> 00:36:20,089 Department had different equities . 891 00:36:20,089 --> 00:36:22,256 That's that's the way it's supposed to 892 00:36:22,256 --> 00:36:23,922 be . Uh So there was constant 893 00:36:23,922 --> 00:36:25,589 communication between the two 894 00:36:25,589 --> 00:36:27,860 departments about um about what an 895 00:36:27,860 --> 00:36:29,916 evacuation operation might look like 896 00:36:29,916 --> 00:36:32,082 and when would be the right time to do 897 00:36:32,082 --> 00:36:34,780 that ? Yeah , I wanted to ask you about 898 00:36:34,790 --> 00:36:36,900 last week's squad summit coming 899 00:36:36,900 --> 00:36:39,178 together , the four countries together . 900 00:36:39,178 --> 00:36:41,380 How does it help you in addressing the 901 00:36:41,390 --> 00:36:43,557 challenge posed by china in the in the 902 00:36:43,557 --> 00:36:45,501 past reputation from you there are 903 00:36:45,501 --> 00:36:48,920 there are lots of outcomes 904 00:36:50,130 --> 00:36:53,170 to the quad relationship and they don't 905 00:36:53,180 --> 00:36:56,790 all have to do with china . Um so I 906 00:36:56,790 --> 00:36:58,901 think that's an important thing to to 907 00:36:58,901 --> 00:37:01,123 state upfront . It's uh you know , it's 908 00:37:01,123 --> 00:37:04,410 not the quad exists simply um uh to 909 00:37:04,410 --> 00:37:07,160 counter china or their influence . Now , 910 00:37:07,170 --> 00:37:09,750 obviously what china is doing in the 911 00:37:09,750 --> 00:37:13,040 indo pacific region , uh the 912 00:37:13,050 --> 00:37:16,160 aggressiveness , the coercive nature 913 00:37:16,170 --> 00:37:18,980 with which they try to press their 914 00:37:18,980 --> 00:37:22,590 claims um certainly is a frequent 915 00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:24,850 topic of discussion with all our allies 916 00:37:24,850 --> 00:37:26,906 and partners and certainly inside uh 917 00:37:26,906 --> 00:37:30,670 the quad um what the quad arrangement 918 00:37:30,670 --> 00:37:33,580 gives us is a terrific , Another 919 00:37:33,590 --> 00:37:35,060 terrific opportunity 920 00:37:36,530 --> 00:37:39,460 to work multilaterally 921 00:37:39,830 --> 00:37:43,160 on all kinds of initiatives that can 922 00:37:43,160 --> 00:37:45,500 help create what we really want here 923 00:37:45,500 --> 00:37:48,660 which is a free and open indo pacific 924 00:37:48,660 --> 00:37:50,882 region and there's a lot that goes into 925 00:37:50,882 --> 00:37:52,993 that and not all of it has to do with 926 00:37:52,993 --> 00:37:55,440 china Travis on the hearings on the 927 00:37:55,440 --> 00:37:57,840 hill this week when there were 928 00:37:57,840 --> 00:37:59,980 questions about Pakistan and its link 929 00:37:59,980 --> 00:38:02,930 with Taliban . And I see both Secretary 930 00:38:02,940 --> 00:38:04,940 Defense and these two journals said 931 00:38:04,940 --> 00:38:06,940 they wanted to discuss , not in the 932 00:38:06,940 --> 00:38:10,560 close setting , why what is so unknown 933 00:38:10,560 --> 00:38:12,616 thing that you don't want to discuss 934 00:38:12,616 --> 00:38:14,838 about the relationship Pakistan has the 935 00:38:14,838 --> 00:38:16,727 Taliban . And I I think they were 936 00:38:16,727 --> 00:38:20,250 referring to specific uh issues uh 937 00:38:20,260 --> 00:38:22,870 regarding the threat of terrorism , um , 938 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:25,130 and particularly along that border , 939 00:38:25,140 --> 00:38:27,410 that they felt would be better done in 940 00:38:27,410 --> 00:38:29,577 a classified setting . And I don't I'm 941 00:38:29,577 --> 00:38:32,200 not gonna uh talk about those kinds of 942 00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:34,311 issues here from the podium . I would 943 00:38:34,311 --> 00:38:36,533 just say what we said before . I mean , 944 00:38:36,620 --> 00:38:40,480 that that as a neighboring nation 945 00:38:40,480 --> 00:38:42,591 and an important neighboring nation , 946 00:38:42,591 --> 00:38:45,980 Pakistan , you know , certainly has uh 947 00:38:45,990 --> 00:38:47,934 equities and responsibilities with 948 00:38:47,934 --> 00:38:50,210 respect to terrorism in that part of 949 00:38:50,210 --> 00:38:52,377 the world . And we've been very honest 950 00:38:52,377 --> 00:38:54,543 about our concerns with Pakistan for a 951 00:38:54,543 --> 00:38:56,599 long time uh , about the safe havens 952 00:38:56,599 --> 00:38:58,766 that exist on their side of the border 953 00:38:58,766 --> 00:39:00,654 along that spine . Um , and those 954 00:39:00,654 --> 00:39:03,210 concerns are still valid today . And we 955 00:39:03,210 --> 00:39:05,620 continue to have candid conversations 956 00:39:05,620 --> 00:39:07,480 with Pakistani leaders about our 957 00:39:07,480 --> 00:39:09,591 concerns in that regard . And I would 958 00:39:09,591 --> 00:39:11,758 remind . And I think it's important to 959 00:39:11,758 --> 00:39:13,990 continue to remind that that the 960 00:39:13,990 --> 00:39:17,810 Pakistani people likewise have been uh 961 00:39:17,820 --> 00:39:20,920 rendered victim by terrorist threats 962 00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:23,040 that emanate from those groups and 963 00:39:23,040 --> 00:39:24,873 along that same border . But the 964 00:39:24,873 --> 00:39:27,910 specifics uh , I think I would , I'm 965 00:39:27,910 --> 00:39:30,132 certainly not gonna say from the podium 966 00:39:30,132 --> 00:39:32,750 here what the Secretary and the 967 00:39:32,750 --> 00:39:34,972 chairman might want it to have conveyed 968 00:39:34,972 --> 00:39:37,194 in a classified setting . Travis thanks 969 00:39:37,194 --> 00:39:39,810 john back in june the deputy secretary 970 00:39:39,810 --> 00:39:42,400 had ordered that the U . AP task force 971 00:39:42,410 --> 00:39:45,020 be formalized and that their department 972 00:39:45,020 --> 00:39:47,430 create a process for collecting and 973 00:39:47,430 --> 00:39:49,652 compiling all that information . Do you 974 00:39:49,652 --> 00:39:52,210 have any update on that process ? I do 975 00:39:52,210 --> 00:39:54,377 not . But let me take the question and 976 00:39:54,377 --> 00:39:56,488 we'll see if we get you an update . I 977 00:39:56,488 --> 00:39:58,432 don't have anything updated . Just 978 00:39:58,432 --> 00:40:00,766 follow up once that process is complete . 979 00:40:00,766 --> 00:40:03,170 Um Do you anticipate that some of that 980 00:40:03,170 --> 00:40:05,392 information in some form is going to be 981 00:40:05,392 --> 00:40:07,337 released to the public ? Or do you 982 00:40:07,337 --> 00:40:09,392 believe that it's going to be mostly 983 00:40:09,392 --> 00:40:11,226 classified information . But the 984 00:40:11,226 --> 00:40:13,559 process itself , the reports themselves . 985 00:40:13,559 --> 00:40:15,670 Once there's a system to collect , we 986 00:40:15,670 --> 00:40:17,670 will be as transparent as we can be 987 00:40:17,670 --> 00:40:20,450 Travis but we also have an obligation 988 00:40:20,450 --> 00:40:24,170 to protect uh uh sensitive information , 989 00:40:24,170 --> 00:40:26,290 classified information . And so like 990 00:40:26,290 --> 00:40:28,720 with any other program that that we're 991 00:40:28,730 --> 00:40:30,930 evaluating here at the pentagon or 992 00:40:30,930 --> 00:40:33,800 initiating we'll have to 993 00:40:33,810 --> 00:40:37,240 balance the very real 994 00:40:37,610 --> 00:40:40,640 uh rights and responsibilities to be 995 00:40:40,640 --> 00:40:42,418 transparent with our rights and 996 00:40:42,418 --> 00:40:44,473 responsibilities to protect national 997 00:40:44,473 --> 00:40:47,010 security information . So it'll be a 998 00:40:47,020 --> 00:40:49,131 it'll be a balance . I'm not going to 999 00:40:49,131 --> 00:40:52,170 commit right now to Uh two releases of 1000 00:40:52,170 --> 00:40:55,110 any specific nature . And is there a 1001 00:40:55,160 --> 00:40:57,660 question one question the Taliban 1002 00:40:57,660 --> 00:41:00,270 warned the United States that not use 1003 00:41:00,270 --> 00:41:03,880 Afghanistan with their drown two days 1004 00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:06,190 ago . the warning , we've already 1005 00:41:06,190 --> 00:41:08,357 addressed this , I don't have anything 1006 00:41:08,357 --> 00:41:10,523 additional that we believe we have the 1007 00:41:10,523 --> 00:41:12,746 authorities that we need to continue to 1008 00:41:12,746 --> 00:41:14,746 protect the nation . And the second 1009 00:41:14,746 --> 00:41:16,801 question , do you support the Afghan 1010 00:41:16,801 --> 00:41:19,023 government and exiled by Ghani ? That's 1011 00:41:19,023 --> 00:41:21,190 a question for the State Department is 1012 00:41:21,190 --> 00:41:23,412 zero . Not for the Defense Department . 1013 00:41:23,412 --> 00:41:25,690 Yeah . Back there for Laura's question , 1014 00:41:25,690 --> 00:41:29,230 you mentioned that you have Degraded 1015 00:41:29,240 --> 00:41:33,150 al Qaeda and then also you prevented 1016 00:41:33,150 --> 00:41:35,480 another 911 and also some other 1017 00:41:35,480 --> 00:41:37,920 achievements in Afghanistan . Can you 1018 00:41:37,920 --> 00:41:41,610 talk about the other achievements as we 1019 00:41:41,610 --> 00:41:43,777 have seen ? Pretty much everything has 1020 00:41:43,777 --> 00:41:45,777 been reversed by Taliban ? Well , I 1021 00:41:45,777 --> 00:41:47,721 think you heard the Secretary talk 1022 00:41:47,721 --> 00:41:49,832 about this in his opening statement , 1023 00:41:49,832 --> 00:41:51,888 there's been progress in Afghanistan 1024 00:41:51,888 --> 00:41:54,020 that that that he believes the 1025 00:41:54,020 --> 00:41:56,020 international community should work 1026 00:41:56,020 --> 00:41:58,076 hard to preserve . And a lot of that 1027 00:41:58,076 --> 00:42:00,430 had to do with uh rights for women and 1028 00:42:00,430 --> 00:42:02,541 girls . And we're already seeing them 1029 00:42:02,541 --> 00:42:04,930 erode some of those uh education , uh 1030 00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:09,660 commerce and business , um great 1031 00:42:09,660 --> 00:42:11,750 progress in Afghanistan economically 1032 00:42:11,760 --> 00:42:13,970 flying over Kabul in March . It was 1033 00:42:13,980 --> 00:42:16,840 stunning . Uh what what a bustling city 1034 00:42:16,840 --> 00:42:19,440 that it had become . Afghanistan is not 1035 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:21,970 the same Afghanistan . That , that the 1036 00:42:21,970 --> 00:42:25,310 Taliban Took in 1995 . It certainly 1037 00:42:25,310 --> 00:42:26,921 wasn't this isn't the same . 1038 00:42:26,921 --> 00:42:29,650 Afghanistan , that it was uh in 2001 , 1039 00:42:29,650 --> 00:42:32,790 it's a very young now population , very 1040 00:42:32,790 --> 00:42:34,734 tech savvy , very connected to the 1041 00:42:34,734 --> 00:42:38,080 outside world . Um and if the Taliban , 1042 00:42:38,090 --> 00:42:40,910 if they're sincere about what they 1043 00:42:40,910 --> 00:42:43,077 claim they desire , which is some sort 1044 00:42:43,077 --> 00:42:45,132 of sense of international legitimacy 1045 00:42:45,132 --> 00:42:47,021 and international support , which 1046 00:42:47,021 --> 00:42:49,243 they're going to need certainly from an 1047 00:42:49,243 --> 00:42:51,466 economic perspective then they would do 1048 00:42:51,466 --> 00:42:55,220 well to to to to maintain 1049 00:42:55,230 --> 00:42:58,060 some of that progress uh and to to 1050 00:42:58,060 --> 00:43:00,100 abide by some of their own promises 1051 00:43:00,110 --> 00:43:02,810 about maintaining some of that progress 1052 00:43:03,800 --> 00:43:05,856 is johnson and johnson vaccine being 1053 00:43:05,856 --> 00:43:08,030 administered to the U . S . Duty 1054 00:43:08,030 --> 00:43:10,363 personal , civilian and military . Some . 1055 00:43:10,363 --> 00:43:12,530 Yeah . I mean we have used the johnson 1056 00:43:12,530 --> 00:43:14,641 vaccine particularly overseas and for 1057 00:43:14,641 --> 00:43:16,586 troops deployed again . One of the 1058 00:43:16,586 --> 00:43:18,752 advantages of it is that you only need 1059 00:43:18,752 --> 00:43:21,680 one shot . So uh for some deployed 1060 00:43:21,690 --> 00:43:24,320 units it made the most sense uh so that 1061 00:43:24,320 --> 00:43:26,598 they could get one vaccine and be done . 1062 00:43:27,000 --> 00:43:30,210 Yeah . Uh on the suicide report john 1063 00:43:30,220 --> 00:43:34,050 the rate from 2015 to 2020 1064 00:43:34,050 --> 00:43:36,740 was over 40% . Which is which is pretty 1065 00:43:36,740 --> 00:43:39,080 staggering and yet it wasn't clear from 1066 00:43:39,080 --> 00:43:40,969 the port and I did I tried to ask 1067 00:43:40,969 --> 00:43:42,858 during the briefing earlier but I 1068 00:43:42,858 --> 00:43:45,800 wasn't able to to what the Defense 1069 00:43:45,800 --> 00:43:48,820 Department attributes that 40% jump . 1070 00:43:49,200 --> 00:43:51,311 We did hear from the secretary of the 1071 00:43:51,311 --> 00:43:53,256 army saying that there is no clear 1072 00:43:53,256 --> 00:43:55,311 reason , but for a figure that big , 1073 00:43:55,311 --> 00:43:57,533 you think that there would be some real 1074 00:43:57,533 --> 00:43:59,367 factors there . And they did say 1075 00:43:59,367 --> 00:44:01,589 earlier today that Covid was not one of 1076 00:44:01,589 --> 00:44:03,811 them in the past year at least . Yeah , 1077 00:44:03,811 --> 00:44:05,922 I can't I don't know that I'm able to 1078 00:44:05,922 --> 00:44:08,144 give you a better answer Alex . Uh it's 1079 00:44:08,144 --> 00:44:10,311 a fair question and I think one of the 1080 00:44:10,311 --> 00:44:12,533 things that is bedeviling about suicide 1081 00:44:12,533 --> 00:44:15,880 is that there's it's often very hard to 1082 00:44:15,890 --> 00:44:19,260 connect dots uh in causality , 1083 00:44:19,430 --> 00:44:21,510 what leads somebody to make that 1084 00:44:21,990 --> 00:44:25,590 decision ? It's not and often you never 1085 00:44:25,590 --> 00:44:28,450 really know . So it's difficult to 1086 00:44:28,450 --> 00:44:31,770 denote specific causality with suicide 1087 00:44:31,770 --> 00:44:33,881 on an individual basis , let alone an 1088 00:44:33,881 --> 00:44:35,770 institutional basis . And I think 1089 00:44:35,770 --> 00:44:37,937 that's why it's so difficult for us to 1090 00:44:37,937 --> 00:44:40,048 to speak with it with any speak to it 1091 00:44:40,048 --> 00:44:42,270 with any specificity except to say that 1092 00:44:42,270 --> 00:44:44,214 obviously we take this very , very 1093 00:44:44,214 --> 00:44:46,430 seriously . Um nobody wants to see the 1094 00:44:46,430 --> 00:44:49,830 numbers that we reported out today and 1095 00:44:49,840 --> 00:44:52,640 we continue to look for ways to get 1096 00:44:52,640 --> 00:44:54,640 smarter about prevention and I know 1097 00:44:54,640 --> 00:44:56,807 that they detailed for you some of the 1098 00:44:56,807 --> 00:44:58,584 things and initiatives that the 1099 00:44:58,584 --> 00:45:00,640 department is doing , we're going to 1100 00:45:00,640 --> 00:45:02,862 continue to refine them , review them , 1101 00:45:02,862 --> 00:45:02,740 change them , adapt them as we need to 1102 00:45:02,740 --> 00:45:06,380 going forward . Laura . Yeah , earlier 1103 00:45:06,380 --> 00:45:08,560 today the Taliban accused the US of 1104 00:45:08,560 --> 00:45:10,671 violating the withdrawal agreement by 1105 00:45:10,671 --> 00:45:12,350 continuing to fly drones over 1106 00:45:12,350 --> 00:45:15,090 Afghanistan um and warned us against 1107 00:45:15,090 --> 00:45:16,868 doing that in the future one of 1108 00:45:16,868 --> 00:45:19,090 consequences . So what is your response 1109 00:45:19,090 --> 00:45:22,080 to that ? And how how do we continue 1110 00:45:22,090 --> 00:45:24,090 counterterrorism operations without 1111 00:45:24,090 --> 00:45:26,190 flying drones over ? So two very 1112 00:45:26,190 --> 00:45:28,990 distinct questions . One I've not seen 1113 00:45:29,000 --> 00:45:32,600 this comment . All I would say uh 1114 00:45:32,790 --> 00:45:35,610 is that as I said the other day we have 1115 00:45:35,610 --> 00:45:37,388 the authorities that we need to 1116 00:45:37,388 --> 00:45:39,750 continue to defend our interests and uh 1117 00:45:39,760 --> 00:45:41,927 the security of the american people uh 1118 00:45:41,927 --> 00:45:44,093 there and around the world . And we're 1119 00:45:44,093 --> 00:45:46,316 gonna do that . The second thing that I 1120 00:45:46,316 --> 00:45:48,830 pointed to laura is that uh over the 1121 00:45:48,830 --> 00:45:52,300 horizon operations don't always have to 1122 00:45:52,300 --> 00:45:55,320 include unmanned aerial assets and they 1123 00:45:55,320 --> 00:45:58,930 don't um that uh that we use 1124 00:45:58,930 --> 00:46:01,300 unmanned aerial assets clearly is true . 1125 00:46:01,300 --> 00:46:03,522 And Secretary cited one that was just a 1126 00:46:03,522 --> 00:46:07,150 week or two ago , uh in Syria . But but 1127 00:46:07,160 --> 00:46:09,160 over the Risen doesn't have to mean 1128 00:46:09,160 --> 00:46:11,327 unmanned . It doesn't even always have 1129 00:46:11,327 --> 00:46:14,950 to mean aviation over the Rising , as 1130 00:46:14,950 --> 00:46:17,061 the Secretary defined , it means that 1131 00:46:17,061 --> 00:46:19,460 the strike assets and the target 1132 00:46:19,460 --> 00:46:22,160 analysis comes from outside the country 1133 00:46:22,170 --> 00:46:24,530 in which the operation occurs and we 1134 00:46:24,530 --> 00:46:27,100 can do that in a variety of means . 1135 00:46:27,980 --> 00:46:29,924 This was on their official twitter 1136 00:46:29,924 --> 00:46:32,147 account . So is this something that you 1137 00:46:32,147 --> 00:46:34,202 would be concerned about saying that 1138 00:46:34,202 --> 00:46:36,480 this violates the withdrawal agreement , 1139 00:46:36,480 --> 00:46:38,480 concerned about is making sure that 1140 00:46:38,480 --> 00:46:40,536 this country can't be attacked again 1141 00:46:40,536 --> 00:46:42,647 from Afghanistan . And we're going to 1142 00:46:42,647 --> 00:46:44,480 maintain , as the Secretary said 1143 00:46:44,480 --> 00:46:46,480 yesterday , a laser focus on that ? 1144 00:46:46,480 --> 00:46:48,591 Yeah , john is reporting Reuters that 1145 00:46:48,591 --> 00:46:50,591 the Afghan central bank drained its 1146 00:46:50,591 --> 00:46:52,424 cash before Kabul fell . Can you 1147 00:46:52,424 --> 00:46:54,140 confirm that ? I cannot Be an 1148 00:46:54,140 --> 00:46:56,251 indication that some people knew that 1149 00:46:56,251 --> 00:46:58,140 the Afghan government is going to 1150 00:46:58,140 --> 00:47:00,084 collapse if they're taking all the 1151 00:47:00,084 --> 00:47:02,251 casual because I can't confirm it . So 1152 00:47:02,251 --> 00:47:02,100 I can't speculate , you confirm that 1153 00:47:02,100 --> 00:47:04,160 the suicide bomber who killed 13 1154 00:47:04,160 --> 00:47:06,930 American troops was once a prisoner at 1155 00:47:06,930 --> 00:47:09,152 either bagram airbase or another prison 1156 00:47:09,152 --> 00:47:11,319 in Kabul or somewhere in Afghanistan . 1157 00:47:11,319 --> 00:47:13,486 I'm not able to confirm that . Are you 1158 00:47:13,486 --> 00:47:15,430 concerned that this suicide bomber 1159 00:47:15,430 --> 00:47:17,763 could be a prisoner ? A former prisoner ? 1160 00:47:17,763 --> 00:47:20,490 Our concern is that 1161 00:47:21,780 --> 00:47:25,350 we lost 13 men and women at the Abbey 1162 00:47:25,350 --> 00:47:29,060 Gate On 26 August . And our 1163 00:47:29,060 --> 00:47:31,390 concern is that we continue to make 1164 00:47:31,390 --> 00:47:33,430 sure that we take care and support 1165 00:47:33,430 --> 00:47:36,680 their families . I can't confirm this 1166 00:47:36,680 --> 00:47:38,570 report . So I'm not going to 1167 00:47:38,580 --> 00:47:41,340 characterize it or qualify it right now . 1168 00:47:41,350 --> 00:47:43,517 Is investigating . I don't know of any 1169 00:47:43,517 --> 00:47:46,520 investigation into this . Uh , Lucas . 1170 00:47:46,530 --> 00:47:49,180 Um , that would be a question really 1171 00:47:49,180 --> 00:47:51,291 for the intelligence community . Uh , 1172 00:47:51,291 --> 00:47:53,013 and I don't know of any formal 1173 00:47:53,013 --> 00:47:55,124 investigation into this . But clearly 1174 00:47:55,124 --> 00:47:57,347 if we get to a point where we know more 1175 00:47:57,347 --> 00:47:59,347 and can speak about it more , we we 1176 00:47:59,347 --> 00:48:01,236 would certainly do that . This is 1177 00:48:01,236 --> 00:48:03,402 something US military should look into 1178 00:48:03,402 --> 00:48:05,624 since this bomber killed 13 Americans . 1179 00:48:05,624 --> 00:48:07,791 I think it's fair to say Lucas that we 1180 00:48:07,791 --> 00:48:09,958 want to know as much as possible about 1181 00:48:09,958 --> 00:48:12,069 that deadly attack . And yes , we are 1182 00:48:12,069 --> 00:48:14,291 looking into learning as much as we can 1183 00:48:14,291 --> 00:48:16,291 about the bomber himself . Um , and 1184 00:48:16,291 --> 00:48:18,458 about the chain of events which led to 1185 00:48:18,458 --> 00:48:20,624 that very deadly day from the military 1186 00:48:20,624 --> 00:48:22,736 is not investigating this . I know of 1187 00:48:22,736 --> 00:48:24,958 no investigation into this Lucas area . 1188 00:48:24,958 --> 00:48:26,958 Thank you , john one question about 1189 00:48:26,958 --> 00:48:29,160 china , the Deputy Assistant Secretary 1190 00:48:29,160 --> 00:48:31,820 of the Fast , Michael Dr Michael Chase 1191 00:48:31,830 --> 00:48:34,600 met virtually his chinese counterpart 1192 00:48:34,610 --> 00:48:37,870 this week . Was their progress made to 1193 00:48:37,870 --> 00:48:40,110 have a secretary level engagement in 1194 00:48:40,110 --> 00:48:43,720 the future . I think we saw that we uh 1195 00:48:43,730 --> 00:48:45,980 that we gave a readout out of that 1196 00:48:45,990 --> 00:48:49,280 meeting . Um I won't go beyond that , 1197 00:48:49,290 --> 00:48:51,234 but I I know I have nothing on the 1198 00:48:51,234 --> 00:48:53,290 schedule to announce with respect to 1199 00:48:53,290 --> 00:48:55,401 the Secretary's engagement . This was 1200 00:48:55,401 --> 00:48:57,123 an important first step in the 1201 00:48:57,123 --> 00:49:01,100 communications process . Uh again , uh 1202 00:49:01,110 --> 00:49:02,999 as we read it out , we found that 1203 00:49:02,999 --> 00:49:05,110 exchange to be productive and I won't 1204 00:49:05,110 --> 00:49:07,277 go beyond that today . Yeah , one more 1205 00:49:07,277 --> 00:49:09,277 question . Last week , when India's 1206 00:49:09,277 --> 00:49:11,443 prime Minister , Narendra modi met the 1207 00:49:11,443 --> 00:49:13,166 president in the oval Office , 1208 00:49:13,166 --> 00:49:15,388 president biden announced the launch of 1209 00:49:15,388 --> 00:49:17,499 a new chapter in the history of India 1210 00:49:17,499 --> 00:49:19,610 US relationship . I haven't seen that 1211 00:49:19,610 --> 00:49:21,777 chapter . You might have , what is the 1212 00:49:21,777 --> 00:49:23,888 defense perspective in the chapter of 1213 00:49:23,888 --> 00:49:25,554 the few sections of different 1214 00:49:25,554 --> 00:49:27,832 approaches to the White House for that . 1215 00:49:27,832 --> 00:49:29,721 I mean , we have a strong defense 1216 00:49:29,721 --> 00:49:31,721 partnership with India . One of the 1217 00:49:31,721 --> 00:49:33,888 secretaries . First stops overseas was 1218 00:49:33,888 --> 00:49:35,943 to New Delhi . Uh and we're going to 1219 00:49:35,943 --> 00:49:37,943 continue to explore ways to improve 1220 00:49:37,943 --> 00:49:40,054 that and and uh and deepen it , but I 1221 00:49:40,054 --> 00:49:42,221 don't have anything beyond beyond that 1222 00:49:42,221 --> 00:49:44,443 to say . I mean , I haven't gone to the 1223 00:49:44,443 --> 00:49:44,080 phones Tar did you have a question for 1224 00:49:44,080 --> 00:49:46,910 me ? I did . Thank you so much . I 1225 00:49:46,910 --> 00:49:48,966 wanted to ask a follow up to laura's 1226 00:49:48,966 --> 00:49:51,021 question uh at yesterday's hearing . 1227 00:49:51,021 --> 00:49:52,910 When Representative kim asked the 1228 00:49:52,910 --> 00:49:55,077 Secretary under what authorities , the 1229 00:49:55,077 --> 00:49:57,540 U . S . Would continue to fly aircraft 1230 00:49:57,540 --> 00:49:59,930 whether they're manned or drone over 1231 00:49:59,930 --> 00:50:01,930 Afghanistan . The Secretary said he 1232 00:50:01,930 --> 00:50:04,097 would have to provide those details in 1233 00:50:04,097 --> 00:50:06,319 closed session . I'm just wondering why 1234 00:50:06,319 --> 00:50:08,263 would those authorities need to be 1235 00:50:08,263 --> 00:50:10,580 classified if they're not a um for 1236 00:50:10,580 --> 00:50:13,180 maybe not article to what are they ? 1237 00:50:13,560 --> 00:50:16,870 And does that mean potentially that 1238 00:50:16,880 --> 00:50:19,210 those The D . O . D . is no longer 1239 00:50:19,210 --> 00:50:21,321 conducting these strikes ? That there 1240 00:50:21,321 --> 00:50:23,560 may be being done under title 50 or no 1241 00:50:23,560 --> 00:50:26,540 longer title 10 . Again , I won't speak 1242 00:50:26,540 --> 00:50:30,160 to what the secretary conveyed 1243 00:50:30,170 --> 00:50:34,040 or plans to convey um in a classified 1244 00:50:34,050 --> 00:50:37,020 setting . Again , we have uh the 1245 00:50:37,020 --> 00:50:40,180 authorities that we need . Um And as a 1246 00:50:40,180 --> 00:50:42,530 matter of Domestic Law , the President 1247 00:50:42,530 --> 00:50:44,752 has authorized the United States Forces 1248 00:50:44,752 --> 00:50:46,490 to strike ISIS K . Targets in 1249 00:50:46,490 --> 00:50:49,080 Afghanistan pursuant to the 2000 and 1250 00:50:49,080 --> 00:50:52,920 one a.m. F . Uh over the horizon 1251 00:50:52,930 --> 00:50:55,740 is being taken under a U . M . F . 1252 00:50:55,740 --> 00:50:57,684 Those are the authorities that are 1253 00:50:57,684 --> 00:50:59,629 being used or just to clarify what 1254 00:50:59,629 --> 00:51:01,684 authorities are being used and cited 1255 00:51:01,684 --> 00:51:03,684 for the continuing over the horizon 1256 00:51:03,684 --> 00:51:06,960 attacks ? As I just said , Tara , as a 1257 00:51:06,960 --> 00:51:09,127 matter of Domestic Law , President has 1258 00:51:09,127 --> 00:51:11,349 authorized US forces to strike ISIS K . 1259 00:51:11,349 --> 00:51:13,404 Targets in Afghanistan , pursuant to 1260 00:51:13,404 --> 00:51:15,571 the 2000 and one a.m. F Tony . Did you 1261 00:51:15,571 --> 00:51:19,300 have a question for me ? Yeah john a 1262 00:51:19,310 --> 00:51:22,250 question the the conversation between 1263 00:51:22,250 --> 00:51:24,028 Michael Chase and his P . L . A 1264 00:51:24,028 --> 00:51:26,250 counterpart . Can you give us any sense 1265 00:51:26,250 --> 00:51:28,306 of the substance and the tone of the 1266 00:51:28,306 --> 00:51:30,472 conversations and was a potential trip 1267 00:51:30,472 --> 00:51:33,690 to china by the sec def discussed ? I 1268 00:51:33,700 --> 00:51:37,050 won't go beyond the readout Tony . Um I 1269 00:51:37,050 --> 00:51:39,990 can uh what I can say is that the 1270 00:51:40,360 --> 00:51:42,860 discussion was professional and as I 1271 00:51:42,860 --> 00:51:46,020 mentioned earlier , productive in terms 1272 00:51:46,020 --> 00:51:49,960 of having establishing and 1273 00:51:49,960 --> 00:51:52,770 having uh that that first contact 1274 00:51:52,780 --> 00:51:56,030 between the office of the Secretary uh 1275 00:51:56,040 --> 00:51:58,207 china and we'll see where it goes from 1276 00:51:58,207 --> 00:52:00,373 here , but I wouldn't speculate beyond 1277 00:52:00,373 --> 00:52:02,429 that . What can I just ask you ? Was 1278 00:52:02,429 --> 00:52:01,900 there any discussion of improving the 1279 00:52:01,900 --> 00:52:04,150 technical communications links between 1280 00:52:04,150 --> 00:52:06,206 D . O . D . And the P . L . A . Just 1281 00:52:06,206 --> 00:52:08,428 that aspect of it and I won't go beyond 1282 00:52:08,428 --> 00:52:10,700 the readout Tony . But uh it suffices 1283 00:52:10,700 --> 00:52:13,270 to say that uh the secretary believes 1284 00:52:13,270 --> 00:52:14,850 that uh an open channel of 1285 00:52:14,850 --> 00:52:16,950 communication is important . He 1286 00:52:16,950 --> 00:52:19,590 encourages that . Um , and as I said 1287 00:52:19,590 --> 00:52:21,757 before , I think I mentioned this last 1288 00:52:21,757 --> 00:52:23,701 week . I mean , we there's lots of 1289 00:52:23,701 --> 00:52:25,757 vehicles for that . Uh and uh and we 1290 00:52:25,757 --> 00:52:27,868 want to make sure that that that line 1291 00:52:27,868 --> 00:52:29,757 of communication stays as open as 1292 00:52:29,757 --> 00:52:31,701 possible so that we can reduce the 1293 00:52:31,701 --> 00:52:34,470 risks of miscalculation and uh and 1294 00:52:34,470 --> 00:52:36,990 rising tensions . Okay , Thanks 1295 00:52:36,990 --> 00:52:39,212 everybody , appreciate it . Have a good 1296 00:52:39,212 --> 00:52:38,990 day