WEBVTT 00:03.330 --> 00:05.770 this is C Span's newsmakers program and 00:05.770 --> 00:07.881 Major General Rick lynch , Commanding 00:07.881 --> 00:09.992 general of the multinational division 00:09.992 --> 00:13.420 center of the Iraq . Uh let me start 00:13.420 --> 00:15.880 again . Sorry , I apologize everybody . 00:29.990 --> 00:32.101 This is C Span's newsmakers program . 00:32.101 --> 00:34.270 And joining us from Baghdad is Major 00:34.270 --> 00:35.992 General Rick Lynch who was the 00:35.992 --> 00:38.214 commanding general of the multinational 00:38.214 --> 00:40.600 division center in Iraq here to 00:40.600 --> 00:42.656 question him on newsmakers and scott 00:42.656 --> 00:44.878 Tyson of the Washington post and Gordon 00:44.878 --> 00:46.767 loophole of the christian science 00:46.767 --> 00:48.822 monitor General , if I can start the 00:48.822 --> 00:51.400 questioning this . Uh this morning . Um 00:51.410 --> 00:53.910 Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Michael 00:53.910 --> 00:56.140 Mullen yesterday said at a hearing at 00:56.140 --> 00:59.380 the Armed Forces Committee that the 00:59.390 --> 01:01.910 Armed Forces are significantly stressed 01:01.920 --> 01:04.110 because of operations in Iraq and 01:04.110 --> 01:06.460 Afghanistan and that the pace of 01:06.470 --> 01:09.340 ongoing operations has prevented our 01:09.340 --> 01:11.562 forces from fully training for the full 01:11.562 --> 01:14.160 spectrum of operations and that impacts 01:14.160 --> 01:16.104 our ability to be ready to counter 01:16.104 --> 01:18.104 future threat . You agree with that 01:18.104 --> 01:20.810 statement ? Well , I mean , there's a 01:20.810 --> 01:23.143 lot of variables in that peter , I mean , 01:23.143 --> 01:25.310 just think about what you said . We as 01:25.310 --> 01:27.477 a division 11 months ago as we trained 01:27.477 --> 01:29.532 for Operation Iraqi Freedom , we had 01:29.532 --> 01:32.060 the time to do full spectrum operations 01:32.060 --> 01:34.227 training . We get everything from coin 01:34.227 --> 01:35.893 operations through high level 01:35.893 --> 01:37.893 collective gonna We were able to do 01:37.893 --> 01:40.004 that . And then since we've been here 01:40.004 --> 01:42.227 we've been able to use those skills and 01:42.227 --> 01:44.171 a variety of needs . The stress is 01:44.171 --> 01:46.338 really on the soldier and the soldiers 01:46.338 --> 01:48.504 family . I mean , these these 15 month 01:48.504 --> 01:50.727 deployments are difficult deployments , 01:50.727 --> 01:52.782 15 months is not 12 plus three , but 01:52.782 --> 01:54.838 you end up doing is missing multiple 01:54.838 --> 01:54.800 holidays , two christmases , two 01:54.800 --> 01:56.850 easters , two sets of birthdays and 01:56.850 --> 01:59.000 that's difficult for the soldier and 01:59.000 --> 02:01.278 it's difficult for the soldiers family . 02:01.278 --> 02:03.444 But I got to tell you my soldiers over 02:03.444 --> 02:05.556 here are focused on the mission . You 02:05.556 --> 02:07.778 know , we continue to talk about taking 02:07.778 --> 02:09.944 the fight to the enemy . We make every 02:09.944 --> 02:12.111 opportunity available for them to talk 02:12.111 --> 02:14.278 back to their families . We as an army 02:14.278 --> 02:16.500 are focused on the families . We signed 02:16.500 --> 02:18.556 the army family covenant to focus on 02:18.556 --> 02:20.722 the families and to meet their needs . 02:20.722 --> 02:22.944 So there's a stress . It's not a stress 02:22.944 --> 02:22.670 and being trained and ready because we 02:22.670 --> 02:24.503 were able to do that at least my 02:24.503 --> 02:26.559 division was The stress is really on 02:26.559 --> 02:28.503 the families and the separation of 02:28.503 --> 02:31.440 these long deployments cubs . Now 02:31.450 --> 02:34.050 turning to the operations in Iraq . 02:34.060 --> 02:36.420 General Petraeus has recently indicated 02:36.420 --> 02:39.520 the need for a slowdown or a brief 02:39.530 --> 02:43.180 pause was ranged from 1 to 3 months or 02:43.180 --> 02:46.340 so in the drawdown of troops there to 02:46.340 --> 02:49.210 assess the impact of pulling out the 02:49.220 --> 02:52.210 surge forces . What is your sense from 02:52.210 --> 02:55.150 where you sit in in the Central Iraq of 02:55.220 --> 02:57.910 the need for a pause and furthermore , 02:57.910 --> 03:00.132 what do you see if the changes in troop 03:00.132 --> 03:02.980 levels in your area where in the past 03:02.980 --> 03:04.980 you warrant that ? Any drug down in 03:04.980 --> 03:08.830 your area would be very dangerous . And 03:08.830 --> 03:10.941 thanks for that question . You know , 03:10.941 --> 03:12.886 everything over here is conditions 03:12.886 --> 03:14.552 based and we focused on three 03:14.552 --> 03:16.219 conditions , the level of the 03:16.219 --> 03:18.386 insurgency capability , Iraqi security 03:18.386 --> 03:20.052 forces and the capacity , the 03:20.052 --> 03:22.274 government at all levels . So those are 03:22.274 --> 03:24.441 the conditions that we watched all the 03:24.441 --> 03:26.441 time . So in my area , as you say , 03:26.441 --> 03:26.160 it's multinational business center , so 03:26.160 --> 03:28.327 it's the southern belts of Baghdad and 03:28.327 --> 03:30.493 the southern provinces . I can look at 03:30.493 --> 03:32.327 those variables very closely and 03:32.327 --> 03:34.438 determine where can we afford to thin 03:34.438 --> 03:36.327 the lines by moving out coalition 03:36.327 --> 03:38.438 forces and where do we need to stay ? 03:38.438 --> 03:40.660 And in some places in my battle space , 03:40.660 --> 03:42.716 I'm able to thin the lines and other 03:42.716 --> 03:44.882 places I need to stay in strength . So 03:44.882 --> 03:47.049 what we've done over here based on the 03:47.049 --> 03:47.000 direction General Petraeus and General 03:47.000 --> 03:49.167 Odierno is we look closely at what can 03:49.167 --> 03:51.222 we do between now and july and we've 03:51.222 --> 03:52.944 got enough visibility on those 03:52.944 --> 03:55.167 variables that we make determinations . 03:55.167 --> 03:57.167 So in my area there'll be some with 03:57.167 --> 03:59.278 direction , withdraw in production of 03:59.278 --> 04:01.611 coalition forces but to look past alive . 04:01.611 --> 04:03.667 Well , that's a Herculean feat . You 04:03.667 --> 04:05.889 know , I went to West Point , I've been 04:05.889 --> 04:05.480 doing this for 30 years , but nobody 04:05.480 --> 04:07.536 taught me how to read a crystal ball 04:07.536 --> 04:09.480 and I'm not really sure what those 04:09.480 --> 04:11.424 conditions going to be like in the 04:11.424 --> 04:13.591 summertime . So we've got to make sure 04:13.591 --> 04:15.758 we look at this as this progresses . I 04:15.758 --> 04:15.210 mean , conditions here change all the 04:15.210 --> 04:17.099 time and it's not like everything 04:17.099 --> 04:18.766 across Iraq is the same where 04:18.766 --> 04:20.766 everything across a province of the 04:20.766 --> 04:22.821 same , this location by location and 04:22.821 --> 04:24.766 you got to give us time to address 04:24.766 --> 04:26.877 those variables and make sure that we 04:26.877 --> 04:28.877 got a sustained security presence , 04:28.877 --> 04:31.099 That's what this place is all about . I 04:31.099 --> 04:33.266 mean , when I got here in March , when 04:33.266 --> 04:33.130 I got here in March , let me finish 04:33.130 --> 04:35.186 this . When I got here in March , we 04:35.186 --> 04:37.352 were getting attacked 25 times a day . 04:37.352 --> 04:39.408 Now we're getting attacked less than 04:39.408 --> 04:39.240 five times a day . So we made 04:39.240 --> 04:41.130 significant progress , but it's a 04:41.130 --> 04:43.297 tenuous situation right now . It's not 04:43.297 --> 04:46.760 time to walk away from you . So there's 04:46.760 --> 04:49.260 that very uncertainty leads you to 04:49.260 --> 04:52.550 support the idea of having a hiatus in 04:52.550 --> 04:54.860 withdrawals , not continuing them at 04:54.870 --> 04:57.610 the current rate , but to assess the 04:57.620 --> 05:00.170 situation further before moving ahead . 05:00.180 --> 05:04.050 So you can't make a call in february 05:04.060 --> 05:06.227 for what this place is gonna look like 05:06.227 --> 05:08.116 in july , we've got to assess the 05:08.116 --> 05:10.004 situation as we get closer to the 05:10.004 --> 05:11.782 summer time . Like I said , the 05:11.782 --> 05:13.838 withdrawal of the fire brigades were 05:13.838 --> 05:15.671 all convinced we can manage it , 05:15.671 --> 05:15.600 improved capability , Iraqi security 05:15.600 --> 05:17.600 forces , the use of these concerned 05:17.600 --> 05:19.600 local citizens , we can manage that 05:19.600 --> 05:21.767 withdrawal . But you've got to give us 05:21.767 --> 05:23.933 time between now and the summer to see 05:23.933 --> 05:23.750 how the conditions are going and what's 05:23.750 --> 05:26.180 changing and where can we indeed thin 05:26.180 --> 05:28.402 the lines . And we talked about picking 05:28.402 --> 05:30.624 the lines with coalition forces , Iraqi 05:30.624 --> 05:32.902 security forces and concerned citizens . 05:32.902 --> 05:34.680 Now it's times okay , given the 05:34.680 --> 05:36.902 security situation where can within the 05:36.902 --> 05:39.013 lines , but you gotta give us time to 05:39.013 --> 05:41.236 do that assessment . can you give us an 05:41.236 --> 05:43.013 assessment a little more on the 05:43.013 --> 05:45.236 concerned local citizens understand now 05:45.236 --> 05:47.458 you refer to them as the sons of Iraq , 05:47.458 --> 05:49.513 what what are the numbers ? What are 05:49.513 --> 05:52.230 the impact they're having in your area ? 05:52.240 --> 05:55.160 But also the going concern . When I was 05:55.170 --> 05:57.337 there , I talked to some of your folks 05:57.337 --> 05:59.559 about the concerns of how you feed them 05:59.559 --> 06:02.640 back into the security forces or not . 06:02.650 --> 06:04.706 Talk about the jobs program and what 06:04.706 --> 06:08.170 the alternatives are . So yeah . Thanks . 06:08.170 --> 06:10.114 Gordon ? And then we do indeed now 06:10.114 --> 06:13.200 refer to them as the Sons of Iraq on on 06:13.200 --> 06:16.920 all Iraq because the people of Iraq and 06:16.920 --> 06:19.087 Iraqi security forces find out to be a 06:19.087 --> 06:21.198 more comfortable phrase and concerned 06:21.198 --> 06:23.420 local citizens just wasn't working . So 06:23.420 --> 06:25.420 there has been a name change if you 06:25.420 --> 06:27.253 will because it's better for the 06:27.253 --> 06:27.090 government . Iraq , the Iraqi security 06:27.090 --> 06:29.520 forces and the people of Iraq . So in 06:29.520 --> 06:31.631 my area now , Gordon ? I've got about 06:31.631 --> 06:33.820 32,000 of these Sons of Iraq . These 06:33.820 --> 06:35.764 the individuals who said enough is 06:35.764 --> 06:38.042 enough , enough of the violence enough . 06:38.042 --> 06:40.209 The intimidation let us be part of the 06:40.209 --> 06:42.431 solution , not part of the problem . So 06:42.431 --> 06:42.320 they're secure in their local areas . 06:42.330 --> 06:44.219 They're securing infrastructure , 06:44.219 --> 06:46.052 they're securing roads , they're 06:46.052 --> 06:48.108 securing their villages and of those 06:48.108 --> 06:50.108 32,000 best case , about a third of 06:50.108 --> 06:52.330 them will go into Iraqi security forces 06:52.330 --> 06:54.552 one because they want to and to because 06:54.552 --> 06:56.441 they can they meet the literature 06:56.441 --> 06:58.274 requirements , they meet the age 06:58.274 --> 07:00.219 requirements and meet the physical 07:00.219 --> 07:02.441 conditioning . So in my particular case 07:02.441 --> 07:04.497 that gives me about two thirds of my 07:04.497 --> 07:04.180 concerned citizens , I need to 07:04.180 --> 07:06.347 transition over time to something else 07:06.347 --> 07:08.513 because you can't just pay these folks 07:08.513 --> 07:10.736 for a period of time and they say I got 07:10.736 --> 07:13.069 a good idea , I'm gonna stop paying you . 07:13.069 --> 07:15.291 It doesn't work that way over here . So 07:15.291 --> 07:17.347 what we're looking closely at now is 07:17.347 --> 07:16.890 things like public works , 07:16.890 --> 07:18.834 organizations , Director of public 07:18.834 --> 07:21.057 works , you know , I'm the installation 07:21.057 --> 07:23.223 commander at fort Stewart fort Stewart 07:23.223 --> 07:25.334 Georgia . I have a director of public 07:25.334 --> 07:27.112 works and they take care of the 07:27.112 --> 07:27.060 infrastructure , the roads , the 07:27.060 --> 07:29.430 buildings , the lines , they take care 07:29.430 --> 07:31.374 of that . And we're creating those 07:31.374 --> 07:33.541 kinds of things over here . So sons of 07:33.541 --> 07:35.319 Iraq were no longer needed in a 07:35.319 --> 07:37.430 security posture , but you still need 07:37.430 --> 07:39.597 to be employed were transition through 07:39.597 --> 07:41.819 a variety of job means for sending them 07:41.819 --> 07:43.763 off the votes , actually give them 07:43.763 --> 07:45.930 marketable skills . We're working with 07:45.930 --> 07:48.041 local councils to figure out what the 07:48.041 --> 07:47.910 needs of the local area and then 07:47.910 --> 07:50.077 informing people to meet those needs . 07:50.077 --> 07:52.840 A few things that I could . One is , 07:52.840 --> 07:54.896 I'm just curious with the perception 07:54.896 --> 07:57.062 that the term concerned local citizens 07:57.062 --> 08:00.170 sounded to Western , but also , uh , do 08:00.170 --> 08:02.660 you in your area that you have the 08:02.660 --> 08:05.070 resources or the kind of non military 08:05.070 --> 08:08.650 civilian resources to address that 08:08.660 --> 08:11.420 transition for those two thirds who are 08:11.420 --> 08:12.809 not going to go into the 08:14.870 --> 08:17.500 first off the , when you translated 08:17.500 --> 08:20.520 concerned local citizens into Arabic 08:20.640 --> 08:22.696 that portrayed an individual who was 08:22.696 --> 08:24.473 worried and that's not what are 08:24.473 --> 08:26.529 concerned citizens are . They're not 08:26.529 --> 08:28.696 worried , their courageous men who are 08:28.696 --> 08:30.918 trying to secure their local areas . So 08:30.918 --> 08:33.084 we try to do is find a phrase that was 08:33.084 --> 08:35.307 comfortable and acceptable and on on on 08:35.307 --> 08:37.362 Iraq , the sons of Iraq's seem to be 08:37.362 --> 08:39.307 the most useful phrase . So that's 08:39.307 --> 08:41.529 that's what we're doing with the naming 08:41.529 --> 08:43.473 now and we spend way too much time 08:43.473 --> 08:45.529 talking about the name we have in my 08:45.529 --> 08:47.620 area sufficient help to help us 08:47.620 --> 08:50.250 structure this transition from security 08:50.250 --> 08:52.850 forces , Sons of Iraq to public works 08:52.850 --> 08:54.961 units , civilian conservation Force , 08:54.961 --> 08:56.961 those kinds of things . We're using 08:56.961 --> 08:59.183 these E . P . R . T . S that are proven 08:59.183 --> 09:01.183 to be very effective at the brigade 09:01.183 --> 09:03.350 level to figure out , okay , what does 09:03.350 --> 09:05.461 this area need and then who should be 09:05.461 --> 09:07.628 employed to meet those needs ? So it's 09:07.628 --> 09:07.460 not just the military saying , okay , 09:07.460 --> 09:09.293 one day you're a son of Iraq and 09:09.293 --> 09:11.516 tomorrow you're a street sweeper , it's 09:11.516 --> 09:13.627 taken through with the local councils 09:13.627 --> 09:15.627 and with the members of the U . S . 09:15.627 --> 09:15.400 Government , how do we best transition 09:15.400 --> 09:17.920 into productive jobs ? I mean , Gordon ? 09:17.920 --> 09:19.920 The conversation has changed as you 09:19.920 --> 09:22.031 were here in august remember when you 09:22.031 --> 09:24.142 were here in august I fly into patrol 09:24.142 --> 09:26.253 base and I find myself planning major 09:26.253 --> 09:28.198 combat operations . Now I fly into 09:28.198 --> 09:30.309 patrol base , I get in the vehicle or 09:30.309 --> 09:32.420 do a dismounted patrol and I walk out 09:32.420 --> 09:34.531 to talk to the people of Iraq and the 09:34.531 --> 09:36.420 conversation goes like this . How 09:36.420 --> 09:38.531 security , Security is fine . What do 09:38.531 --> 09:40.364 you need ? I need a job , I need 09:40.364 --> 09:42.587 employment , I need the school sticks , 09:42.587 --> 09:42.020 they need the roads repaired , I need 09:42.020 --> 09:44.020 water , I need electricity . So the 09:44.020 --> 09:46.187 conversation has changed but I do have 09:46.187 --> 09:48.353 sufficient help from all the different 09:48.353 --> 09:50.576 agencies to help us work through that . 09:52.450 --> 09:55.600 I'd like to ask about the concerned 09:55.610 --> 09:58.340 citizens to and whether you see them 09:58.340 --> 10:02.110 being attacked by Al Qaeda in Iraq or 10:02.110 --> 10:05.370 other insurgents . Um how much are they 10:05.370 --> 10:07.580 being threatened ? And how do you see 10:07.760 --> 10:10.960 the insurgency trying to counter attack 10:10.970 --> 10:13.450 your successes there ? And tell me a 10:13.450 --> 10:15.672 little bit about your operation , marin 10:15.672 --> 10:18.640 Thunderbolt . Okay , I'll work through 10:18.640 --> 10:20.862 those and one of the time and then if I 10:20.862 --> 10:23.029 missed something , please come back to 10:23.029 --> 10:25.084 me . Uh , what we , what we found is 10:25.084 --> 10:27.362 well , I'll just do the last one first , 10:27.362 --> 10:26.900 but that's the one I remember martin 10:26.900 --> 10:28.956 thunderball . The enemy is still out 10:28.956 --> 10:31.122 there . We are in a relentless pursuit 10:31.122 --> 10:34.060 phase of this operation . So early on 10:34.060 --> 10:36.004 back in june when the surge forces 10:36.004 --> 10:38.610 arrive , we did martin torch focusing 10:38.610 --> 10:40.970 on arab job or because that area around 10:40.970 --> 10:43.110 the tigers river was a rat line of in 10:43.110 --> 10:45.054 service into Baghdad . Remember my 10:45.054 --> 10:46.777 number one job was the block . 10:46.777 --> 10:48.832 Accelerants of violence in Baghdad . 10:48.832 --> 10:51.166 The second was to secure the population . 10:51.166 --> 10:53.499 The third was defeat sectarian violence . 10:53.499 --> 10:55.554 So we had to do something about arab 10:55.554 --> 10:54.910 divorce , we did with martin towards 10:54.910 --> 10:56.850 one and martin towards to but I 10:56.850 --> 10:59.072 couldn't reach in the southern parts of 10:59.072 --> 11:01.183 marriage divorce and that's where the 11:01.183 --> 11:01.020 enemy was hanging out . That's where al 11:01.020 --> 11:02.964 Qaeda was . So I went to the corps 11:02.964 --> 11:05.020 commander . He gave me an additional 11:05.020 --> 11:07.020 battalion . We did detailed shaping 11:07.020 --> 11:09.187 operations in the month of january and 11:09.187 --> 11:11.409 then committed ground forces . And what 11:11.409 --> 11:13.464 we did is we went to where the enemy 11:13.464 --> 11:12.920 was . There was a major road 11:12.920 --> 11:15.142 intersection in southern herbivore that 11:15.142 --> 11:17.364 the enemy wanted . We took it away from 11:17.364 --> 11:19.420 him . We built patrol based need and 11:19.420 --> 11:21.364 from patrol based meat . Now we're 11:21.364 --> 11:23.364 doing operations in southern europe 11:23.364 --> 11:23.160 before . And what's happening here . 11:23.160 --> 11:25.160 And as I told you before is when we 11:25.160 --> 11:27.104 build these patrol bases where the 11:27.104 --> 11:28.993 enemy was the local citizens come 11:28.993 --> 11:30.993 forward and ask two questions . The 11:30.993 --> 11:33.049 first question is , are you going to 11:33.049 --> 11:35.216 stay and answer that question is yes , 11:35.216 --> 11:37.271 we're not going to leave . I have 53 11:37.271 --> 11:36.940 patrol base in our area . We're not 11:36.940 --> 11:39.051 gonna leave that patrol base until we 11:39.051 --> 11:40.996 can hand it off to a capable Iraqi 11:40.996 --> 11:42.829 security forces . And the second 11:42.829 --> 11:45.051 question that the locals ask is how can 11:45.051 --> 11:47.107 I help ? And that's how this concern 11:47.107 --> 11:49.273 Local citizen program has come up . So 11:49.273 --> 11:51.384 we're at the waning days now of marin 11:51.384 --> 11:53.496 thunderbolt . What we've been able to 11:53.496 --> 11:55.718 take all of their job or now and secure 11:55.718 --> 11:57.884 all of their job or we've got a lot of 11:57.884 --> 11:57.410 concerned citizens out there . We're 11:57.410 --> 11:59.632 building local councils , were spending 11:59.632 --> 12:01.688 a lot of effort meeting the needs of 12:01.688 --> 12:03.854 the people , getting the water pumps , 12:03.854 --> 12:03.550 working in , getting the electricity 12:03.550 --> 12:05.920 flowing , getting jobs created using 12:05.920 --> 12:08.087 micrograms to get the store stood up . 12:08.087 --> 12:10.142 So we're transitioning and arab more 12:10.142 --> 12:12.970 now from security stability . But that 12:12.970 --> 12:15.137 really took a lot of combat operations 12:15.137 --> 12:17.137 to get to that . So that's the more 12:17.137 --> 12:19.359 intangible piece . And you have another 12:19.359 --> 12:18.420 question .