WEBVTT 00:00.040 --> 00:03.700 So today , Iran tested nine ballistic 00:03.700 --> 00:05.422 missiles . And a member of the 00:05.422 --> 00:07.644 revolutionary guards said that at least 00:07.644 --> 00:09.830 one of those missiles could target us 00:09.830 --> 00:12.300 bases in the region . If there were a 00:12.300 --> 00:14.411 strike on Iran's nuclear facilities . 00:14.411 --> 00:16.356 Are you concerned about an Iranian 00:16.356 --> 00:18.480 attack on your forces ? I'm always 00:18.480 --> 00:20.813 concerned about any attack on my forces . 00:20.813 --> 00:24.180 But uh , not uh , haven't really began 00:24.180 --> 00:26.430 to focus on any kind of ballistic 00:26.430 --> 00:29.080 missile attack on Iran and our forces 00:29.110 --> 00:31.500 right now . What we're focused on is 00:31.510 --> 00:35.280 getting a good handle on 00:35.290 --> 00:38.430 our , our efforts against Al Qaeda in 00:38.430 --> 00:41.310 the north and also the special groups 00:41.310 --> 00:43.530 criminals that we've been focused on 00:43.740 --> 00:45.796 the southern regions . I think we've 00:45.796 --> 00:48.370 done a pretty good job . That's far . I 00:48.380 --> 00:50.547 think you're up in Mosul yesterday and 00:50.547 --> 00:52.750 you saw some of the improvements our 00:52.750 --> 00:54.972 soldiers , sailors , government marines 00:54.972 --> 00:57.028 have done a great job working really 00:57.028 --> 00:59.250 hard with the Iraqi security forces and 00:59.250 --> 01:01.610 moving things along . So for the 01:01.620 --> 01:04.550 current period , we're focused on 01:04.720 --> 01:06.887 making sure that we finished the fight 01:06.887 --> 01:09.230 against Al Qaeda and that we continue 01:09.230 --> 01:11.520 to improve in the southern regions as 01:11.520 --> 01:13.860 well . But is there an Iranian threat 01:13.860 --> 01:15.971 that you're facing right now ? And do 01:15.971 --> 01:18.138 you have any new evidence that Iran is 01:18.138 --> 01:21.170 continuing to be involved here ? As you 01:21.170 --> 01:24.960 know , we've seen a number of 01:24.970 --> 01:27.920 weapons and munitions that are of 01:27.920 --> 01:30.660 Iranian origin over time . That's no 01:30.660 --> 01:32.660 surprise to anyone . As a matter of 01:32.660 --> 01:35.790 fact , the government of Iraq , uh , 01:35.800 --> 01:38.080 put that issue up at one point with 01:38.090 --> 01:40.510 Iranian officials and I think the well 01:40.510 --> 01:44.310 publicized , we've not seen any 01:44.310 --> 01:47.110 evidence of increased activity in terms 01:47.110 --> 01:49.910 of numbers of munitions long across the 01:50.000 --> 01:52.520 Iranian border of late , But there's 01:52.520 --> 01:54.576 still less munitions and weapons out 01:54.576 --> 01:56.687 there . We've been collecting up that 01:56.687 --> 01:58.576 we found in cash is a decrease in 01:59.160 --> 02:02.930 meetings . With a 02:03.580 --> 02:07.360 a really able to say that 02:07.370 --> 02:09.148 there's many sort of measurable 02:09.148 --> 02:12.120 decrease As a as a result of those 02:12.120 --> 02:15.180 meetings , I am able to say that we've 02:15.180 --> 02:17.910 taken enough . Uh , we've taken a lot 02:17.910 --> 02:19.688 of munitions and weapons on the 02:19.688 --> 02:23.230 battlefield . And so we will continue 02:23.230 --> 02:27.160 to focus on that until we've eliminated 02:27.160 --> 02:29.990 what was here . The rocket and missile 02:29.990 --> 02:33.810 attacks from the Iranians have declined 02:33.810 --> 02:37.760 in recent weeks . What we've seen over 02:37.760 --> 02:41.190 time as you know , is uh , we've seen a 02:41.200 --> 02:44.470 lot of seven millimeter rockets , uh 02:44.480 --> 02:48.130 larger caliber rockets that the 02:48.140 --> 02:50.975 uh special groups criminal elements 02:50.975 --> 02:52.775 have used against us . That has 02:52.775 --> 02:55.805 declined significantly . We attribute 02:55.805 --> 02:58.105 that to the great work of our soldiers 02:58.105 --> 03:01.455 in terms of uh countering their methods 03:01.455 --> 03:04.565 of employment . We also attributed to 03:04.575 --> 03:08.305 our efforts to locate caches and 03:08.315 --> 03:09.926 take those munitions off the 03:09.926 --> 03:12.195 battlefield . Uh , we also , there's 03:12.195 --> 03:14.306 also been some great work done by the 03:14.306 --> 03:16.565 Iraqi security forces . They have 03:16.565 --> 03:18.865 collected up a number of cash is uh 03:18.875 --> 03:20.931 they've also conducted operations in 03:20.931 --> 03:23.555 Bosnia and in Aymara . And as you've 03:23.555 --> 03:25.935 watched that unfold , you've seen them 03:25.935 --> 03:29.345 take off just a tremendous amount of uh 03:29.355 --> 03:31.805 lethal accelerants off about 03:33.675 --> 03:35.675 comments about creating a new group 03:35.675 --> 03:37.953 that will attack on the U . S . Forces . 03:37.953 --> 03:40.119 Have you seen any indication of such a 03:40.119 --> 03:42.453 group ? Is a great question . Of course , 03:42.453 --> 03:44.905 we've seen a reporting that uh that 03:44.915 --> 03:47.026 such a thing with would occur . We've 03:47.026 --> 03:49.365 not seen any evidence that group exists 03:49.375 --> 03:52.215 today . We don't we don't necessarily 03:52.215 --> 03:54.326 discount that that could happen . But 03:54.326 --> 03:56.437 today we've we've seen no evidence of 03:56.437 --> 03:59.085 the more you talk to a few minutes ago 03:59.085 --> 04:01.252 about finishing the public in Al Qaeda 04:01.252 --> 04:03.418 continued against special groups . You 04:03.418 --> 04:05.925 get some Al Qaeda pushed further and 04:05.925 --> 04:08.995 further north , so isolated this reach . 04:09.055 --> 04:11.845 The main focus now should be on Shia 04:11.845 --> 04:15.215 groups as opposed to an Al Qaeda . Well , 04:15.225 --> 04:17.705 we have to remember that Al Qaeda still 04:17.705 --> 04:21.215 remains uh a dangerous element 04:21.285 --> 04:24.215 and it still has some capability . It 04:24.215 --> 04:27.435 was a very well organized uh effort to 04:27.435 --> 04:29.655 begin with . It has been demonstrated 04:29.655 --> 04:32.515 that it has the capability to replace 04:32.515 --> 04:35.705 to receive leadership over time . 04:37.025 --> 04:39.335 It also has demonstrated has a 04:39.345 --> 04:42.215 continued ability to resource itself in 04:42.215 --> 04:44.048 terms of providing funds for its 04:44.048 --> 04:46.215 efforts and that sort of business . So 04:46.215 --> 04:48.437 I think we have to continue to keep the 04:48.437 --> 04:50.555 pressure on on the remnants of the 04:50.555 --> 04:53.305 organization . It is in disarray . But 04:53.315 --> 04:55.935 there is work to be done yet . We see 04:55.935 --> 04:58.102 some evidence of that with V . B . I . 04:58.102 --> 05:00.625 E . S continue to occur . And that's 05:00.625 --> 05:02.885 what business . Are you concerned that 05:02.885 --> 05:04.885 your forces could get caught in the 05:04.885 --> 05:07.107 middle ? Let's say Israel were to carry 05:07.107 --> 05:09.385 out a strike on Iran's nuclear program ? 05:09.385 --> 05:12.295 You're a lot closer to Iran than Israel 05:12.295 --> 05:14.351 is are you concerned ? You could get 05:14.351 --> 05:16.406 caught in the middle of that . There 05:16.406 --> 05:18.295 are always a number of concerns , 05:18.295 --> 05:20.517 jennifer that you can paint a number of 05:20.517 --> 05:22.739 scenarios that could occur . But really 05:22.739 --> 05:25.085 what we're focused on currently is 05:25.095 --> 05:27.705 completing the work that said hand , 05:27.715 --> 05:29.885 that is against Al Qaeda and against 05:29.885 --> 05:32.915 the special groups criminals . And so , 05:32.925 --> 05:35.375 you know , we can we can speculate on a 05:35.375 --> 05:38.285 number of activities that could grab 05:38.295 --> 05:40.705 the situation one way or the other . 05:40.715 --> 05:42.937 But what we know today and what we know 05:42.937 --> 05:45.385 for the foreseeable future is that we 05:45.385 --> 05:47.607 have to eliminate the threat that we've 05:47.607 --> 05:49.718 been faced with for quite some time . 05:49.718 --> 05:53.035 Uh , that is Al Qaeda and and also the 05:53.045 --> 05:55.755 special groups criminals . Can I ask 05:55.755 --> 05:58.065 you a question about kind of the way 05:58.065 --> 06:00.176 forward for the U . S . Military here 06:00.176 --> 06:02.121 now that we're here in july at the 06:02.121 --> 06:04.287 point where the last of the five surge 06:04.287 --> 06:06.287 brigades leaving , I know there's a 06:06.287 --> 06:08.509 recommendation carry is coming up . You 06:08.509 --> 06:10.732 can give us some appeal for what you're 06:10.732 --> 06:10.595 thinking is at this point on whether it 06:10.595 --> 06:13.805 appears that further reductions are in 06:13.805 --> 06:16.875 the car possible this fall . Given the 06:16.875 --> 06:18.925 games you just referred to ? Well , 06:18.935 --> 06:21.255 interesting point , uh , as you know , 06:21.255 --> 06:23.455 we've been , my headquarters has been 06:23.465 --> 06:25.855 in command or control of the operation 06:25.855 --> 06:28.135 here for about five months now and 06:28.135 --> 06:29.913 since we've been here , are our 06:29.913 --> 06:32.035 footprints , print has decreased over 06:32.035 --> 06:34.257 time . You know , we're and as you just 06:34.257 --> 06:36.525 said , the last of the five surge 06:36.525 --> 06:39.445 brigades is will be completely out of 06:39.445 --> 06:41.945 country by the end of the month . Uh So 06:41.945 --> 06:45.515 we we've been fighting uh over an 06:45.515 --> 06:49.125 extended uh battlespace with 06:49.135 --> 06:51.355 uh a smaller number of troops . 06:51.415 --> 06:54.865 And at one point in time it was , we 06:54.865 --> 06:57.175 had a pretty intense activity ongoing 06:57.175 --> 06:59.715 as we faced special groups , criminal 06:59.725 --> 07:01.781 elements in south and completing the 07:01.781 --> 07:03.836 work against Al Qaeda in the north . 07:03.836 --> 07:05.975 We've been able to do that because 07:05.985 --> 07:07.818 we've been carefully managed our 07:07.818 --> 07:10.125 resources and got every element of uh 07:10.135 --> 07:12.191 combat part of that we have into the 07:12.191 --> 07:14.246 fight . And I think our leaders have 07:14.246 --> 07:16.579 done a tremendous job uh in that effort . 07:16.579 --> 07:19.585 Uh We've also gotten uh some 07:19.585 --> 07:22.675 significant work out of the help from 07:22.675 --> 07:24.842 the Iraqi security forces as they have 07:24.842 --> 07:26.945 matured along the way . And they are 07:26.945 --> 07:30.075 making great strides . Uh we have a 07:30.075 --> 07:32.385 ways to go before we complete their 07:32.385 --> 07:34.329 development and I think we've been 07:34.329 --> 07:36.855 clear about that over time . But I 07:36.855 --> 07:39.695 think the foreseeable future , we have 07:39.695 --> 07:42.685 to endeavor to uh to help the Iraqi 07:42.695 --> 07:46.335 forces uh mature as as much as we can , 07:46.345 --> 07:49.615 help them learn to use a choir in uh 07:49.625 --> 07:52.835 and use in combat neighbors . And what 07:52.835 --> 07:54.891 I mean by that is the ability to put 07:54.891 --> 07:57.405 the employee indirect fires , close air 07:57.405 --> 08:00.275 support . Uh the ability to support 08:00.275 --> 08:02.765 themselves logistically and they're 08:02.765 --> 08:05.115 making strides along all those efforts . 08:05.165 --> 08:08.155 Uh but uh there's a way to go yet . So 08:08.165 --> 08:12.045 we have to get more uh 08:12.055 --> 08:14.215 more help from the Iraqi security 08:14.215 --> 08:16.315 forces overall . And again , they're 08:16.315 --> 08:20.175 making improvements . Uh If things 08:20.175 --> 08:22.231 continue to improve , then certainly 08:22.231 --> 08:24.286 that gives us an opportunity for the 08:24.286 --> 08:26.119 foreseeable future . As security 08:26.119 --> 08:28.485 improves , we will capitalize 08:28.485 --> 08:32.215 on the ability to help 08:32.225 --> 08:34.336 enable the Iraqi security forces even 08:34.336 --> 08:36.336 more than we have in the past we've 08:36.336 --> 08:38.558 been fighting and enabling and training 08:38.558 --> 08:40.725 at the same time and security improves 08:40.725 --> 08:42.892 gives us a little bit more opportunity 08:42.892 --> 08:45.058 to focus on that , you prefer to say , 08:45.058 --> 08:47.114 perhaps at the level of the research 08:47.114 --> 08:49.335 level of 135 to 40 years old for the 08:49.335 --> 08:51.705 rest of the year without proper . Well , 08:51.715 --> 08:55.645 it depends , it depends on what's 08:55.645 --> 08:57.756 happening at the time that we have to 08:57.756 --> 08:59.978 make that decision uh Certainly depends 08:59.978 --> 09:02.145 on what the enemy threat looks like at 09:02.145 --> 09:03.923 that point in time that General 09:03.923 --> 09:06.185 Petraeus is making a recommendation . 09:06.195 --> 09:09.655 Uh It depends on our 09:09.655 --> 09:11.925 assessment of the Iraqi security forces 09:11.935 --> 09:14.046 in their ability to handle the threat 09:14.046 --> 09:16.268 that we're faced with . It also depends 09:16.268 --> 09:18.435 on what our stance is at that point in 09:18.435 --> 09:20.835 time . Uh But certainly every 09:20.835 --> 09:24.375 opportunity that we have to give back 09:24.385 --> 09:26.663 to the , to the military , to the army , 09:26.663 --> 09:29.845 to the Marine Corps . We've we've tried 09:29.845 --> 09:33.445 to do that we ? Re deployed uh 09:33.455 --> 09:37.155 or turned around some 300 or 09:37.155 --> 09:39.705 so mps that were destined to the deploy 09:39.705 --> 09:42.745 here a couple weeks ago . And they were 09:42.745 --> 09:44.805 not the point now because of some 09:44.805 --> 09:46.916 things that we've been able to do and 09:46.916 --> 09:49.083 we're looking for every opportunity to 09:49.083 --> 09:51.138 return that we can provide . Are you 09:51.138 --> 09:53.305 feeling pressure to reduce faster here 09:53.305 --> 09:55.361 in Iraq ? Because of the pressure in 09:55.361 --> 09:57.925 Afghanistan ? Um , we don't feel any 09:57.925 --> 10:01.075 pressure . Uh you know , our leadership 10:01.075 --> 10:03.297 has been clear about the fact that they 10:03.297 --> 10:05.131 will support our efforts here or 10:05.131 --> 10:06.908 whatever it takes . I think our 10:06.908 --> 10:08.631 leadership is focused on being 10:08.631 --> 10:10.365 successful for most . We fully 10:10.365 --> 10:12.032 understand that we need to be 10:12.032 --> 10:14.143 successful in both places , both here 10:14.143 --> 10:16.945 and in Afghanistan and we will be uh , 10:16.955 --> 10:19.485 we've made significant gains here in 10:19.485 --> 10:21.765 terms of security , we hope that we can 10:21.775 --> 10:24.715 continue to build upon those . And uh , 10:24.725 --> 10:26.447 so that that will present some 10:26.447 --> 10:30.165 opportunities to say , what are the 10:30.175 --> 10:32.685 hospital ? You probably 10:34.105 --> 10:35.395 uh 10:39.795 --> 10:42.185 a question , what would you say now ? 10:42.185 --> 10:46.045 Are the areas that concern ? A 10:46.465 --> 10:49.465 okay , you've made a very good point 10:49.465 --> 10:52.385 here and that uh , a few months ago , 10:52.395 --> 10:56.135 perhaps we were focused from Baghdad 10:56.145 --> 10:59.195 north and we had some activity going on 10:59.195 --> 11:03.105 in , in Bosnia today . We have activity 11:03.115 --> 11:05.337 throughout the country . You know , the 11:05.337 --> 11:07.504 government is now in firmly in control 11:07.504 --> 11:10.115 of the city of basra Baghdad and Mosul . 11:10.125 --> 11:12.292 And of course we have great activity , 11:12.292 --> 11:14.705 great improvements ongoing in Ramadi in 11:14.705 --> 11:17.635 those types of places . And so my goal 11:17.635 --> 11:19.325 is the multi my job is the 11:19.325 --> 11:22.085 multinational corps Commander , is to 11:22.085 --> 11:25.000 maintain a stable , secure , 11:25.000 --> 11:26.833 environmental health , the Iraqi 11:26.833 --> 11:28.944 security forces maintain a stable and 11:28.944 --> 11:30.833 secure environment throughout the 11:30.833 --> 11:32.944 country . So I have my own the entire 11:32.944 --> 11:35.000 country and we fully appreciate that 11:35.000 --> 11:37.167 things can change on either end of the 11:37.167 --> 11:39.444 country in a very short period of time . 11:39.444 --> 11:41.611 If left to their own devices , we know 11:41.611 --> 11:43.944 that al Qaeda is a very resilient enemy . 11:43.944 --> 11:46.500 We also know that that special groups , 11:46.500 --> 11:48.500 colonel elements that have left the 11:48.500 --> 11:50.556 country and gone into Iran and other 11:50.556 --> 11:52.667 places uh intend to come back at some 11:52.667 --> 11:55.080 point in time . Now , if and when they 11:55.090 --> 11:58.020 do , we will have worked to have 11:58.020 --> 12:00.450 changed the equation so that , you know , 12:00.450 --> 12:02.561 the people are no longer receptive to 12:02.561 --> 12:04.790 that type of behavior and that uh , 12:04.800 --> 12:06.744 that we have worked with the Iraqi 12:06.744 --> 12:09.650 security forces to reinforce our games .