WEBVTT 00:00.140 --> 00:02.450 sir there , there was this article in 00:02.450 --> 00:05.040 the Huffington Post that talks about 00:05.050 --> 00:07.161 all the equipment that we're going to 00:07.161 --> 00:09.340 leave behind in Iraq . Can you try to 00:09.340 --> 00:12.430 put into perspective for us how much 00:12.440 --> 00:15.000 equipment is going to be left behind 00:15.000 --> 00:18.120 and what kind of equipment ? Well 00:18.120 --> 00:20.430 actually , thanks jennifer for having 00:20.430 --> 00:23.060 me on your show . And actually uh yeah , 00:23.060 --> 00:26.520 I can talk about the uh , what are 00:26.530 --> 00:28.363 missions are with respect to the 00:28.363 --> 00:31.040 drawdown ? Our transfer of bases are 00:31.040 --> 00:33.540 redeployment of equipment and personnel 00:33.550 --> 00:35.772 and then what is actually saying here , 00:35.772 --> 00:39.370 if you'd like ? That sounds great . 00:39.380 --> 00:42.530 So , so what are we leaving behind and 00:42.530 --> 00:46.470 why ? Well , a lot of the equipment 00:46.470 --> 00:48.692 that is , most of the equipment that is 00:48.692 --> 00:51.670 being left behind are things like air 00:51.670 --> 00:53.559 conditioners . Let me give you an 00:53.559 --> 00:56.200 example , you know today in Baghdad , 00:56.200 --> 00:58.100 the high was 102 degrees and it's 00:58.100 --> 01:01.140 nearly october and obviously it's over 01:01.140 --> 01:03.440 1 20 or 1 30 sometimes in the summer 01:03.440 --> 01:05.580 time . So air conditioners have been 01:05.580 --> 01:07.680 pretty important to , to keep our 01:07.680 --> 01:09.847 troops able to sleep at night over the 01:09.847 --> 01:11.791 last eight years , whether they're 01:11.791 --> 01:14.360 sleeping in tents or or trailers . 01:15.140 --> 01:17.307 These air conditioners that we brought 01:17.307 --> 01:19.473 here and we've been using for the last 01:19.473 --> 01:21.696 eight years . We've got to do something 01:21.696 --> 01:23.862 with them as we transition the basis . 01:23.862 --> 01:26.084 So we really , it seems to me we really 01:26.084 --> 01:28.029 have three choices . We can either 01:28.029 --> 01:30.400 leave the equipment to whoever may find 01:30.400 --> 01:32.150 it basically abandon it as we 01:32.150 --> 01:34.800 transition the base or we can pay the 01:34.800 --> 01:36.856 millions of dollars it would take to 01:36.856 --> 01:39.022 move this equipment back to the United 01:39.022 --> 01:41.000 States or we can maintain complete 01:41.000 --> 01:43.222 accountability of it and transfer it to 01:43.222 --> 01:45.222 the government of Iraq who might be 01:45.222 --> 01:47.278 able to still get some use out of it 01:47.278 --> 01:49.389 given that we choose to take the most 01:49.389 --> 01:51.556 responsible route which is to transfer 01:51.556 --> 01:53.760 this equipment so to date . And 01:53.760 --> 01:55.816 although the numbers change a little 01:55.816 --> 01:59.110 bit , We've transferred 347 million 01:59.110 --> 02:02.460 pieces of equipment worth about $313 02:02.460 --> 02:04.516 million dollars to the government of 02:04.516 --> 02:08.370 Iraq . Things like trailers , old 02:08.370 --> 02:11.350 generators , what we call containerized 02:11.350 --> 02:14.630 housing units , which are trailers . Uh 02:14.630 --> 02:17.270 and we've saved in transportation cost 02:17.270 --> 02:20.780 the us taxpayer more than $600 million . 02:20.780 --> 02:24.590 And that's just as of today , How much 02:24.590 --> 02:26.701 is left to be transferred in the next 02:26.701 --> 02:30.290 three months ? We still have , we have 02:30.290 --> 02:33.860 redeployed or transferred about 02:34.340 --> 02:37.430 Uh more than 1.5 million pieces of 02:37.430 --> 02:39.430 equipment in the last year . And we 02:39.430 --> 02:42.240 have about 800,000 left to go before 02:42.240 --> 02:44.351 the , before the year is over . We're 02:44.351 --> 02:46.590 on track completely to transfer or 02:46.590 --> 02:49.530 redeploy all of that equipment . And 02:49.530 --> 02:52.290 it's it's an extensive logistical 02:52.290 --> 02:54.740 effort . Let me just give an example . 02:54.740 --> 02:58.470 Last week we had 571 convoys on the 02:58.470 --> 03:01.550 road coming into and going out of Iraq 03:01.560 --> 03:04.460 including more than 17,000 trucks . All 03:04.460 --> 03:06.627 of this has planned , coordinated with 03:06.627 --> 03:09.050 the Iraqi security forces synchronized . 03:09.060 --> 03:12.380 And uh it's really it's really a mark 03:12.390 --> 03:16.310 of our responsible stewardship of 03:16.320 --> 03:18.900 the U . S . Taxpayers dollars . What do 03:18.900 --> 03:20.900 you mean by those convoys those are 03:20.900 --> 03:23.233 trucks that are leading , what are they ? 03:23.233 --> 03:25.344 They're just transferring equipment . 03:26.040 --> 03:27.818 Now . Those are trucks that are 03:27.818 --> 03:29.929 actually both coming into the country 03:29.929 --> 03:31.929 and going going out . You know , we 03:31.929 --> 03:34.460 still have about 44,000 troops in Iraq . 03:34.840 --> 03:36.810 And of course we're on track to 03:36.820 --> 03:39.610 redeploy all of those troops by the by 03:39.610 --> 03:41.832 the end of the year honoring our all of 03:41.832 --> 03:43.888 our commitments to the government of 03:43.888 --> 03:46.054 Iraq under security agreement . But we 03:46.054 --> 03:49.220 still have to provide food and fuel for 03:49.220 --> 03:51.331 our equipment and our troops that are 03:51.331 --> 03:53.442 here . So some of the convoys come in 03:53.442 --> 03:56.280 with with supplies like food and fuel 03:56.290 --> 03:58.590 uh and all of them leave with equipment 03:58.600 --> 04:01.080 headed out of the country . Sir , if we 04:01.080 --> 04:03.830 do go down to zero US troops by the end 04:03.830 --> 04:06.163 of the year , as called for by the sofa , 04:06.163 --> 04:09.330 um how many security contractors will 04:09.330 --> 04:13.240 be required next year ? How many to 04:13.250 --> 04:15.730 for instance secure the embassy ? How 04:15.730 --> 04:17.900 many what are the plans for ? How many 04:17.900 --> 04:20.900 contractors will be left ? Well , 04:20.900 --> 04:23.122 currently I'll give you a scope of it . 04:23.122 --> 04:26.230 We have uh and for the most of this 04:26.230 --> 04:28.150 past year we've had slightly more 04:28.150 --> 04:31.350 contractors in Iraq than we had 04:31.360 --> 04:34.130 military personnel . Right ? As of last 04:34.130 --> 04:36.990 week we had about 52,000 contractors 04:37.010 --> 04:40.010 and 44,000 troops . Those numbers of 04:40.010 --> 04:41.880 course are going down so from a 04:41.880 --> 04:44.260 military perspective the military 04:44.270 --> 04:46.492 contractors that work for Department of 04:46.492 --> 04:48.492 Defense will go down to zero , just 04:48.492 --> 04:50.548 like the just like the troops will . 04:51.040 --> 04:53.207 Now we have contractors here that work 04:53.207 --> 04:55.373 for the embassy for example those that 04:55.373 --> 04:58.190 perform security around the perimeters 04:58.240 --> 05:01.040 of the embassy itself in Baghdad or the 05:01.040 --> 05:04.270 two consulates general in uh Air Bill 05:04.270 --> 05:06.560 and basra are contractors . The 05:06.560 --> 05:08.504 majority of the people who will be 05:08.504 --> 05:10.600 flying aircraft and supported the 05:10.600 --> 05:13.460 embassy will be contractors . Many of 05:13.460 --> 05:15.571 those missions have been performed by 05:15.571 --> 05:17.460 the by the military over the past 05:17.460 --> 05:19.127 number of years and those are 05:19.127 --> 05:21.349 transitioning the contractors , I can't 05:21.349 --> 05:24.450 give you an exact number but it will be 05:24.450 --> 05:27.840 a fairly significant number in that the 05:27.840 --> 05:31.660 embassy here in Iraq is ah 05:32.030 --> 05:34.252 commensurate with our largest embassies 05:34.252 --> 05:37.220 in the world . And when you talk about 05:37.220 --> 05:39.610 those 52,000 contractors , those are 05:39.610 --> 05:43.080 all security contractors . Uh no 05:43.080 --> 05:45.580 jennifer only about 15% our security 05:45.580 --> 05:47.913 contractors , many of them drive trucks . 05:47.913 --> 05:49.913 In fact the majority of them before 05:49.913 --> 05:52.460 missions as as we call life support . 05:52.470 --> 05:54.620 So they might be uh they might be 05:54.620 --> 05:57.250 driving trucks or working in the dining 05:57.250 --> 05:59.840 facilities , uh working in laundries , 05:59.840 --> 06:03.020 these kinds of things I've seen quoted 06:03.020 --> 06:05.470 that there would be 8000 security 06:05.470 --> 06:07.303 contractors needed to secure the 06:07.303 --> 06:10.840 embassy . Is that accurate ? I don't 06:10.840 --> 06:13.000 know the exact number . I'd have to 06:13.000 --> 06:15.056 refer you to the Department of State 06:15.056 --> 06:17.680 for numbers that they're looking for on 06:17.680 --> 06:19.880 securing the embassies , but again , 06:19.880 --> 06:22.370 it's not just the , I'm sorry , it's 06:22.370 --> 06:24.314 not just the embassy in Baghdad to 06:24.314 --> 06:27.300 consulates General in Air Bill and 06:27.300 --> 06:29.890 basra and a diplomatic security 06:29.890 --> 06:32.300 presence or a diplomatic presence in 06:32.310 --> 06:35.880 Kirk cook as well . Okay . How many 06:35.880 --> 06:39.000 bases did we have at the height of the 06:39.010 --> 06:42.900 war and how many do we have now ? We 06:42.900 --> 06:45.460 had the greatest number of bases that 06:45.460 --> 06:47.710 the US military were responsible for 06:47.720 --> 06:51.380 actually peaked in 2008 or early 06:51.380 --> 06:55.280 2008 . bases . We 06:55.280 --> 06:57.447 had transitioned the majority of those 06:57.447 --> 06:59.613 before the start of operation new dawn 06:59.613 --> 07:01.558 last year . And so at the start of 07:01.558 --> 07:04.960 September of 2010 , we were down to 92 07:05.000 --> 07:07.550 and as of last night we're down to 34 , 07:08.040 --> 07:10.262 We're on track to go to zero by the end 07:10.262 --> 07:13.920 of the year . Now explain to me a 07:13.920 --> 07:16.410 little bit more about some of the 07:16.420 --> 07:19.490 materials that are being uh that are 07:19.490 --> 07:21.212 being transferred to the Iraqi 07:21.212 --> 07:23.434 government are left behind . Are any of 07:23.434 --> 07:26.230 them tanks or Humvees or anything that 07:26.230 --> 07:29.700 one would consider a weapon ? No , 07:29.700 --> 07:32.360 actually all the military equipment and 07:32.360 --> 07:35.280 the weapons are being redeployed uh to 07:35.280 --> 07:39.060 be either reconditioned uh in kuwait 07:39.070 --> 07:41.290 and for use on word in another area , 07:41.290 --> 07:43.457 for example , Afghanistan if they need 07:43.457 --> 07:45.270 them or redeployment for future 07:45.270 --> 07:47.920 missions back in the United States over 07:47.920 --> 07:50.087 the years . We have transferred in the 07:50.087 --> 07:52.430 past . Some of this equipment To the 07:52.430 --> 07:54.360 Iraqi government to get the Iraqi 07:54.360 --> 07:56.950 security forces up and running really 07:56.950 --> 08:00.670 started in about 2004 To the point 08:00.670 --> 08:04.210 where they are now . But the 140 M1 08:04.210 --> 08:06.400 tanks that the Iraqi Army now has . 08:06.410 --> 08:08.577 They actually bought all of those from 08:08.577 --> 08:12.330 the United States , the seven uh 08:12.340 --> 08:14.562 patrol boats that are still due to come 08:14.562 --> 08:16.784 in for the rest of year . They have now 08:16.784 --> 08:18.673 five . Those were bought by , the 08:18.673 --> 08:20.729 majority of those were bought by the 08:20.729 --> 08:22.562 Iraqi government . They were not 08:22.562 --> 08:24.562 transferred To the Iraqi government 08:24.562 --> 08:26.451 from the United States at free of 08:26.451 --> 08:29.130 charge . And using the what we call the 08:29.130 --> 08:30.963 foreign military sales program . 08:31.040 --> 08:33.096 Currently right now , Iraq is paying 08:33.096 --> 08:36.350 for more than 90% of its military 08:36.360 --> 08:38.527 equipment and hardware that comes in . 08:39.640 --> 08:43.410 Okay . And so if we're leaving , 08:43.420 --> 08:45.720 I I I understand that we're leaving a 08:45.720 --> 08:47.970 large number of SUVs behind because 08:47.970 --> 08:50.026 it's cheaper than shipping them , is 08:50.026 --> 08:52.790 that correct ? Actually , the majority 08:52.790 --> 08:55.470 of the SUVs are being transferred to 08:55.470 --> 08:57.637 the State Department or to the U . S . 08:57.637 --> 09:01.340 Mission in Iraq . Um As you know , so 09:01.340 --> 09:03.980 what we really have to do with the SUVs 09:03.990 --> 09:07.110 uh is we check first and we worked with 09:07.120 --> 09:09.470 any government agency inside Iraq that 09:09.470 --> 09:11.637 may have used for this equipment . And 09:11.637 --> 09:13.470 if so we have a process where we 09:13.470 --> 09:15.760 maintain accountability and transfer 09:15.760 --> 09:18.420 the responsibility for maintaining and 09:18.420 --> 09:20.642 operating the equipment over to another 09:20.642 --> 09:23.300 government agency , if there is no need 09:23.300 --> 09:27.220 for the for the U . S . Government to 09:27.220 --> 09:29.220 use this equipment . We do have the 09:29.220 --> 09:31.053 option of transferring it to the 09:31.053 --> 09:33.164 government of Iraq . These are things 09:33.164 --> 09:35.276 like what we would call unarmored non 09:35.276 --> 09:37.890 tactical vehicles . The non tactical 09:37.890 --> 09:40.600 vehicles that are armored are , you 09:40.600 --> 09:42.544 know , the more expensive ones and 09:42.544 --> 09:44.711 those that would protect our diplomats 09:44.711 --> 09:46.544 are all being transferred to the 09:46.544 --> 09:48.211 government of our the U . S . 09:48.211 --> 09:51.060 Government agencies in Iraq . I see . 09:51.440 --> 09:54.040 So this article sounds like it was 09:54.050 --> 09:56.280 somewhat misleading in terms of the 09:56.290 --> 09:59.440 stuff that's being left behind . Well , 09:59.450 --> 10:01.506 you know , from my perspective , I I 10:01.506 --> 10:04.270 think that uh I can't address the 10:04.270 --> 10:06.437 article specifically , but but I think 10:06.437 --> 10:08.750 that there's this idea that there's 10:08.750 --> 10:11.780 been a lot of money spent in Iraq . And 10:11.780 --> 10:15.230 uh and certainly early on in this 10:15.230 --> 10:19.080 conflict , much of it was was found 10:19.080 --> 10:21.247 by various agencies , not the least of 10:21.247 --> 10:23.136 which is Department of Defense or 10:23.136 --> 10:25.358 Department of State to have been wasted 10:25.440 --> 10:27.329 and said what we've been doing is 10:27.329 --> 10:29.329 working very very hard to implement 10:29.329 --> 10:31.440 controls all along the way so that we 10:31.440 --> 10:34.170 ensure that we take care of our great 10:34.170 --> 10:36.281 partners we have in the Department of 10:36.281 --> 10:38.170 State , we take care of the Iraqi 10:38.170 --> 10:40.281 security forces and that we take care 10:40.281 --> 10:42.392 of the US taxpayer , so we don't want 10:42.392 --> 10:44.503 to abandon equipment or anything like 10:44.503 --> 10:48.440 that . Now , some some uh some things 10:48.440 --> 10:50.662 that we have learned along the way , we 10:50.662 --> 10:52.718 have changed how we do things how we 10:52.718 --> 10:55.240 approach contracting , for example , 10:55.240 --> 10:57.351 there's been a commission stood up on 10:57.351 --> 10:59.240 the it's called the Commission on 10:59.240 --> 11:01.351 wartime contracting . That has helped 11:01.351 --> 11:03.462 us learn a lot and so that we've been 11:03.462 --> 11:05.462 able to implement controls , ensure 11:05.462 --> 11:07.684 that everybody is getting actually what 11:07.684 --> 11:10.270 they pay for , what kind of should not 11:10.390 --> 11:12.723 implement as a result of the commission . 11:14.240 --> 11:17.270 Well , for example how we 11:17.280 --> 11:20.980 control how we provide oversight 11:21.170 --> 11:24.660 of each contract and ensure that that 11:24.660 --> 11:26.970 the contracts are specific for exactly 11:26.970 --> 11:29.137 what we need , what sort of checks and 11:29.137 --> 11:31.081 balances that we put into place to 11:31.081 --> 11:33.410 ensure that the person who has who has 11:33.410 --> 11:36.500 won the contract actually delivers what 11:36.500 --> 11:38.611 they're supposed to deliver , whether 11:38.611 --> 11:40.778 it's a service or a product . And then 11:40.778 --> 11:42.722 uh as well how do we terminate the 11:42.722 --> 11:44.389 contract if the person is not 11:44.389 --> 11:47.030 delivering along the way ? You know , I 11:47.030 --> 11:49.960 think it's it is important that we that 11:49.970 --> 11:51.590 we take care and we serve as 11:51.590 --> 11:54.770 responsible stewards for for what the U . 11:54.770 --> 11:58.260 S . Taxpayer has spent on 11:58.270 --> 12:01.450 uh the U . S . Involvement in Iraq . 12:01.940 --> 12:03.829 Clearly there's been a tremendous 12:03.829 --> 12:06.051 amount of sacrifice and I don't I don't 12:06.051 --> 12:08.218 want to I don't want to overshadow the 12:08.218 --> 12:10.273 sacrifice of individuals , those who 12:10.273 --> 12:13.000 have served here over the years , but 12:13.010 --> 12:15.066 you know , there are there are ideas 12:15.066 --> 12:17.410 that we have been spending money on 12:17.410 --> 12:20.740 things that is frivolous . I know that 12:20.740 --> 12:23.200 I've seen articles that say , well we 12:23.200 --> 12:25.630 have we have built up large bases with 12:25.630 --> 12:27.630 swimming pools actually those bases 12:27.630 --> 12:29.560 were in the Iraqi security forces 12:29.560 --> 12:31.870 before we came , we occupy them , they 12:31.870 --> 12:33.980 had swimming pools on them . And yes 12:33.980 --> 12:36.091 our troops have been using them , but 12:36.091 --> 12:38.313 we didn't build swimming pools on these 12:38.313 --> 12:40.200 basis . You know , I'm not gonna 12:40.200 --> 12:42.880 apologize for ensuring our soldiers can 12:42.880 --> 12:45.610 sleep at night when it's 120° outside 12:45.620 --> 12:48.000 by bringing in air conditioners . Those 12:48.000 --> 12:50.111 are examples of things that have been 12:50.111 --> 12:52.000 cited by some people have seen as 12:52.000 --> 12:54.056 frivolous and these these troops who 12:54.056 --> 12:56.220 have served here for three or four 12:56.220 --> 12:58.600 tours , you know , deserve all that we 12:58.600 --> 13:01.230 can to take care of them At the same 13:01.230 --> 13:03.840 time . The us taxpayer deserves to 13:03.840 --> 13:07.180 ensure that their investment is being 13:07.180 --> 13:09.347 wisely managed and and that's a that's 13:09.347 --> 13:11.458 a perfect example of you know , we've 13:11.458 --> 13:13.680 saved more than $600 million dollars in 13:13.680 --> 13:16.970 not shipping unnecessary things like 13:16.980 --> 13:19.540 old air conditioners or old trailers 13:19.540 --> 13:23.160 back to the United States , yep . 13:23.940 --> 13:26.730 Excellent . Now one last question about 13:26.740 --> 13:29.450 the if we transition to security 13:29.450 --> 13:31.617 contractors to protect the embassy for 13:31.617 --> 13:35.130 instance or to do missions that that um 13:35.140 --> 13:38.060 soldiers would have done perhaps in the 13:38.060 --> 13:41.000 past , what is the difference in cost 13:41.000 --> 13:43.790 to the taxpayer of having a security 13:43.790 --> 13:46.220 contractor guard the embassy as opposed 13:46.220 --> 13:49.700 to a U . S . Marine . Well we we are 13:49.700 --> 13:51.811 going to still have a marine security 13:51.811 --> 13:53.978 detachment here as part of the embassy 13:53.978 --> 13:56.144 like we do in every embassy around the 13:56.144 --> 13:57.978 world and of course they , those 13:57.978 --> 14:00.033 marines perform a tremendous service 14:00.130 --> 14:02.186 and we owe them a great amount . But 14:02.186 --> 14:04.990 even today we have security contractors 14:05.100 --> 14:08.260 that are manning the outside perimeter 14:08.540 --> 14:11.620 of the security of both consulates 14:11.620 --> 14:15.290 general and the and the embassy in 14:15.290 --> 14:17.440 Baghdad itself . I can't answer your 14:17.440 --> 14:19.607 question directly about the difference 14:19.607 --> 14:22.290 in cost , but but we in the military 14:22.290 --> 14:24.490 right now use security contractors to 14:24.490 --> 14:26.870 protect the perimeters of our basis . 14:26.980 --> 14:29.147 And that's so that we can get the best 14:29.147 --> 14:32.530 possible use of our troops who are out 14:32.530 --> 14:34.697 there actually still going on missions 14:34.697 --> 14:38.140 still advising , training , assisting 14:38.140 --> 14:40.362 and equipping the Iraqi security forces 14:40.640 --> 14:42.660 conducting missions like clearing 14:42.660 --> 14:45.540 routes to ensure that our convoys can 14:45.540 --> 14:47.660 in fact redeploy equipment . So there 14:47.660 --> 14:49.827 are some things that only the military 14:49.827 --> 14:51.716 can do and that's what we use the 14:51.716 --> 14:54.650 military for transitions are I think 14:54.650 --> 14:56.817 it's also important to understand that 14:56.817 --> 14:58.983 many of the missions that the military 14:58.983 --> 15:01.530 has been performing over the years are 15:01.530 --> 15:03.530 or have transitioned already to the 15:03.530 --> 15:06.260 embassy . A great example is police 15:06.260 --> 15:08.320 professionalization that has been a 15:08.320 --> 15:11.680 military mission since 2003 . And next 15:11.680 --> 15:14.220 month , the U . S . Mission in Iraq 15:14.230 --> 15:16.397 under the State Department's Bureau of 15:16.397 --> 15:18.174 International Narcotics and Law 15:18.174 --> 15:19.897 Enforcement will take complete 15:19.897 --> 15:21.341 responsibility for police 15:21.341 --> 15:23.508 professionalization . So there's still 15:23.508 --> 15:25.674 a need for it . And if you think about 15:25.674 --> 15:27.452 it , the experts that we in the 15:27.452 --> 15:29.674 military have been employing are mostly 15:29.674 --> 15:29.560 civilians Anyway . The guys who are 15:29.560 --> 15:31.450 teaching the Iraqis how to work a 15:31.450 --> 15:33.590 forensics lab . There are civilian 15:33.590 --> 15:35.757 contractors that have been working for 15:35.757 --> 15:37.646 us . But now they'll work for the 15:37.646 --> 15:41.180 Department of State . Great General 15:41.180 --> 15:43.291 Buchanan , Thank you so much for your 15:43.291 --> 15:45.680 time today . This is very informative 15:45.680 --> 15:48.210 and , and we'll try to uh , we'll try 15:48.210 --> 15:50.377 to put something together soon so that 15:50.377 --> 15:52.043 we can sort of give people an 15:52.043 --> 15:54.420 understanding of what's happening . Um , 15:54.430 --> 15:57.230 what is the best way for me to uh , to 15:57.230 --> 15:59.174 reach you directly in the future ? 16:01.140 --> 16:03.810 Uh , probably the best way is to uh , 16:03.820 --> 16:06.770 is to contact either the our commanding 16:06.770 --> 16:08.770 generals , public Affairs officer , 16:08.770 --> 16:10.992 Colonel Barry Johnson , I have a public 16:10.992 --> 16:13.270 Affairs officer , Captain Jaime Dobson . 16:13.270 --> 16:15.326 And we will ensure that you have the 16:15.326 --> 16:17.548 good contact information . And uh , and 16:17.548 --> 16:19.881 you can feel free to contact me anytime . 16:19.881 --> 16:23.230 That would be jennifer . Uh , if I 16:23.230 --> 16:25.397 could just one last thing . Hey look , 16:25.397 --> 16:27.850 thanks for thanks to all of the viewers 16:27.850 --> 16:30.310 out there for their tremendous support 16:30.320 --> 16:31.987 regardless of their political 16:31.987 --> 16:34.420 persuasion , regardless of whether they 16:34.420 --> 16:37.870 agreed with decisions uh , to begin 16:37.870 --> 16:40.640 operation Iraqi freedom or not , we in 16:40.640 --> 16:42.696 the military have enjoyed tremendous 16:42.696 --> 16:44.640 support from every american and we 16:44.640 --> 16:46.418 really do appreciate it makes a 16:46.418 --> 16:48.529 tremendous difference in our morale . 16:48.529 --> 16:52.460 Wonderful . Thank you . Thank you 16:52.460 --> 16:55.250 sir . We'll talk soon . Okay , thanks 16:55.250 --> 16:56.760 jennifer . Okay , bye bye .