WEBVTT 00:00.036 --> 00:02.049 - [Peter Cook] A few remarks. 00:02.049 --> 00:03.797 He is going to be joined by Admiral Tidd as well, 00:03.797 --> 00:06.294 Commander of the Southern Command. 00:06.294 --> 00:08.131 - Hi everyone thanks for being here. 00:08.131 --> 00:11.579 This is Admiral Kurt Tidd who is the Commander 00:11.579 --> 00:15.079 of the U.S. Southern Command, which is one 00:15.084 --> 00:16.334 of two commands 00:16.392 --> 00:18.809 that work in this hemisphere. 00:19.715 --> 00:23.132 The other one being the Northern Command. 00:23.375 --> 00:26.625 And so I'm pleased that he can be here. 00:26.759 --> 00:30.592 I want to commend him, especially because he's 00:30.693 --> 00:33.285 been very involved in the last few days on 00:33.285 --> 00:36.368 hurricane relief, especially in Haiti 00:38.024 --> 00:40.137 which is a very important matter. 00:40.137 --> 00:43.629 And obviously our hearts go out to people of Haiti 00:43.629 --> 00:46.546 trying to deal with this situation. 00:46.798 --> 00:47.985 Course, they're not the only country, 00:47.985 --> 00:52.152 including parts of my own that were affected by it. 00:52.706 --> 00:54.123 This meeting is a 00:55.430 --> 00:57.430 very, very important one 00:58.469 --> 01:01.219 for our hemisphere and our world. 01:01.400 --> 01:04.589 And I have had, as it turns out, just speaking personally, 01:04.589 --> 01:08.652 the privilege of observing for the last quarter century 01:08.652 --> 01:12.819 as it has grown with the region, and the region's own 01:16.911 --> 01:21.078 development in the security field, all of us together. 01:21.565 --> 01:25.732 And even the export from this region by various countries 01:28.431 --> 01:31.764 to other parts of the world of security. 01:32.087 --> 01:33.864 And that's very heartening, 01:33.864 --> 01:37.004 because our world's very much in need of security. 01:37.004 --> 01:39.004 But it was 24 years ago, 01:40.929 --> 01:42.613 I guess, and I was working 01:42.613 --> 01:44.580 in the Department of Defense at that time. 01:44.580 --> 01:48.384 This wasn't my responsibility, but I remember the 01:48.384 --> 01:52.134 great aspiration of the moment, and it's very 01:53.436 --> 01:57.186 heartening to me to see it these years later. 01:57.909 --> 02:01.383 We talked about a number of subjects today, 02:01.383 --> 02:05.550 me and my colleagues from around the hemisphere today. 02:06.506 --> 02:10.226 There were two in particular, I'll just mention to you 02:10.226 --> 02:13.277 of all the things that were discussed, that I mentioned 02:13.277 --> 02:15.043 in my own comments today, 02:15.043 --> 02:17.317 but a number of others did as well. 02:17.317 --> 02:21.484 The first is the hemisphere-wide cooperation in the 02:22.565 --> 02:26.732 field of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. 02:27.309 --> 02:31.059 This is an area of obviously great importance 02:31.790 --> 02:33.373 to our populations. 02:34.588 --> 02:38.334 It's a place where our military capabilities can make a big 02:38.334 --> 02:41.001 difference to helping our people 02:42.584 --> 02:44.667 when there is a disaster. 02:45.878 --> 02:49.961 And it's a place where countries working together 02:52.030 --> 02:56.197 is the only way to deal with disasters which, of course are 02:56.883 --> 03:01.050 not national phenomena, they're international phenomena 03:02.016 --> 03:06.183 and they know no borders, as was said by many today 03:06.688 --> 03:09.983 including the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago 03:09.983 --> 03:12.407 in his opening statement today. 03:12.407 --> 03:16.490 Another thing I mentioned today and that happy to 03:17.819 --> 03:19.236 say more about is 03:23.394 --> 03:25.144 institutional reform. 03:26.629 --> 03:28.962 This also is very important. 03:29.444 --> 03:32.644 All of our defense ministries are constantly trying 03:32.644 --> 03:36.811 to change themselves, improve themselves, connect with 03:37.663 --> 03:41.830 our populations, make sure we're serving our populations, 03:43.003 --> 03:45.938 make sure we're living in accordance with the principles 03:45.938 --> 03:48.355 for which we were established 03:48.863 --> 03:50.780 and are given authority 03:51.036 --> 03:53.657 by our governments and our people. 03:53.657 --> 03:55.874 And so we're all constantly in that process 03:55.874 --> 03:58.707 and we can learn from one another. 03:58.707 --> 04:01.803 So I expect to learn from my colleagues around the 04:01.803 --> 04:04.949 hemisphere and I think they may be able to learn 04:04.949 --> 04:07.330 from some of the experiences we've had. 04:07.330 --> 04:11.497 But that area, again, all of us have made great effort, 04:12.445 --> 04:15.834 but also great progress in the last 24 years. 04:15.834 --> 04:20.001 I had also some very productive bilateral meetings, 04:20.617 --> 04:23.618 separate meetings and I'll just mention a few of them. 04:23.618 --> 04:27.535 Today of course, first and foremost is our host 04:27.577 --> 04:28.861 Trinidad and Tobago. 04:28.861 --> 04:31.100 I'm very pleased the prime minister was able to take 04:31.100 --> 04:35.267 a few minutes to be with me, and we discussed a number 04:35.902 --> 04:39.097 of very important issues, and I was able to give him the 04:39.097 --> 04:43.264 opportunity to thank him for hosting this, and also recall 04:43.785 --> 04:46.785 President Obama's visit here in 2009 04:49.226 --> 04:53.393 which began a whole new era in our relations here. 04:54.096 --> 04:56.316 But Trinidad and Tobago's done an absolutely 04:56.316 --> 04:58.006 superb job of hosting this. 04:58.006 --> 04:59.242 I'm very grateful. 04:59.242 --> 05:03.202 I think everybody in the entire hemisphere is grateful 05:03.202 --> 05:06.643 to them for the big effort that it takes to do something 05:06.643 --> 05:10.726 like this, but it's truly an act of statesmanship 05:11.679 --> 05:13.929 by a country in the region. 05:14.659 --> 05:18.263 I also had the opportunity, and this is worth noting, 05:18.263 --> 05:22.430 to speak yesterday by telephone to the defense minister 05:22.906 --> 05:27.073 of Columbia who could not be here today, because he's 05:27.381 --> 05:30.048 working very hard to find a path 05:32.039 --> 05:33.789 to a just and lasting 05:34.313 --> 05:38.078 peace in that country, something we all support. 05:38.078 --> 05:40.602 But I did get a chance to talk to him today, 05:40.602 --> 05:44.201 and I talked by phone yesterday to meet in person 05:44.201 --> 05:46.429 with his vice minister today. 05:46.429 --> 05:49.869 And in addition to that issue, we really discussed 05:49.869 --> 05:53.702 the whole wide range of security contributions 05:54.469 --> 05:55.446 that Columbia makes. 05:55.446 --> 05:57.564 Not just to security within it's own borders, 05:57.564 --> 06:00.204 but in the region and indeed the entire world. 06:00.204 --> 06:03.371 And it's one of the most well-regarded 06:06.228 --> 06:07.311 and effective 06:07.369 --> 06:10.786 military's that's widely viewed that way. 06:11.418 --> 06:14.051 Certainly, we in the United States view it that way 06:14.051 --> 06:17.055 and they are a very good partner for us. 06:17.055 --> 06:20.388 I can say the same also of my colleagues 06:20.870 --> 06:23.703 from Brazil and Mexico, and Chile, 06:24.097 --> 06:27.094 whom I also had separate meetings with today. 06:27.094 --> 06:28.844 I'm grateful to them. 06:29.639 --> 06:31.737 And we discussed a great number of issues, 06:31.737 --> 06:35.818 but in each case, you have very capable institutions 06:35.818 --> 06:39.122 with which we partner and are grateful for that partnership. 06:39.122 --> 06:41.296 I'll just mention one specific thing. 06:41.296 --> 06:43.129 We did sign with Chile 06:45.020 --> 06:46.601 a bilateral agreement, 06:46.601 --> 06:49.562 an important agreement covering research, development, 06:49.562 --> 06:51.663 tests, and evaluation, cooperation 06:51.663 --> 06:53.420 between Chile and the United States. 06:53.420 --> 06:57.420 That's historic and it allows us to do even more 06:57.985 --> 07:01.402 in a field that we're doing much already. 07:02.609 --> 07:04.990 So, this is an important meeting. 07:04.990 --> 07:07.941 I'm grateful to have been a part of it. 07:07.941 --> 07:11.800 I guess the only thing I can say in closing is CDMA 07:11.800 --> 07:13.023 is here to stay. 07:13.023 --> 07:14.466 (laughing) 07:14.466 --> 07:16.256 I think I learned that here. 07:16.256 --> 07:18.973 Thank you, and once again we're pleased to answer 07:18.973 --> 07:22.973 your questions and where Admiral Tidd can answer 07:23.105 --> 07:26.577 it also, I'll turn to him, but please go ahead. 07:26.577 --> 07:28.216 - [Guest] (static drowns out speaker) In July, 07:28.216 --> 07:30.488 you mentioned that there was concern of radicalism possibly 07:30.488 --> 07:32.671 spreading to Central and South America. 07:32.671 --> 07:34.229 We heard those same concerns voiced this morning in 07:34.229 --> 07:35.675 statements from the partner nations. 07:35.675 --> 07:36.508 - Sure. 07:38.779 --> 07:39.612 - [Guest] As ISIS, ISIL faces the 07:39.612 --> 07:42.951 (static drowns out speaker) in Iraq and Syria and threatens 07:42.951 --> 07:45.091 winter to different parts of the world. 07:45.091 --> 07:47.117 What steps can be taken to insure that 07:47.117 --> 07:49.422 their influence does not extend to this region? 07:49.422 --> 07:51.154 - Well, I'll say something about that and ask 07:51.154 --> 07:53.237 Admiral Tidd to chime in. 07:54.020 --> 07:55.937 It was discussed today. 07:56.373 --> 08:00.540 It's an issue that all of our countries are aware of. 08:01.648 --> 08:05.815 And I'll say in a moment what we can do to cooperate 08:07.257 --> 08:09.804 against it, but just to speak to the issue of ISIL 08:09.804 --> 08:10.971 in particular. 08:11.063 --> 08:12.896 ISIL will be defeated. 08:15.122 --> 08:18.289 And that will occur in Iraq and Syria. 08:20.036 --> 08:21.953 And that will mean that 08:24.861 --> 08:26.944 this evil movement cannot 08:27.197 --> 08:31.197 claim to have a physical home in Iraq and Syria. 08:31.520 --> 08:35.687 There are some cells of it around the world, Libya, 08:35.968 --> 08:37.551 Afghanistan, and so forth. 08:37.551 --> 08:41.634 We work with partners also to stamp it out there. 08:45.029 --> 08:46.930 Countries in this region, which include the United 08:46.930 --> 08:50.847 States, obviously are gonna be on the watch for 08:51.521 --> 08:54.104 anybody who tries to come back, 08:54.669 --> 08:57.169 who may have been radicalized. 08:57.684 --> 08:59.178 But of course, you don't have to have physically 08:59.178 --> 09:02.281 gone and come back anymore to be radicalized. 09:02.281 --> 09:04.824 In today's world, you can be radicalized on the internet. 09:04.824 --> 09:08.280 So I understand your question was about foreign 09:08.280 --> 09:12.447 fighters, but I think also lone wolves or self-inspired 09:13.056 --> 09:16.510 people are a concern to all of our countries. 09:16.510 --> 09:19.954 And so all of us play a role in that along with our 09:19.954 --> 09:22.896 colleagues from other agencies in our governments. 09:22.896 --> 09:24.657 And you say, "What can we do together?" 09:24.657 --> 09:26.756 I think the principle thing we can do together is 09:26.756 --> 09:28.256 share information. 09:30.266 --> 09:32.517 And I think, certainly the United States, is committed 09:32.517 --> 09:33.510 to doing that. 09:33.510 --> 09:37.677 We did discuss that among the Ministers so that each of us 09:39.181 --> 09:43.348 has all the awareness we can possibly have of anyone 09:43.396 --> 09:47.313 who might try to return to any of our countries 09:48.728 --> 09:51.478 who's associated with this group. 09:52.303 --> 09:53.278 And with that, let me see if Kurt 09:53.278 --> 09:54.835 wants to add anything, Kurt? 09:54.835 --> 09:57.820 - Just to chime in with the Secretary said, all 09:57.820 --> 10:00.786 of the Security Chiefs from throughout the region 10:00.786 --> 10:03.640 recognize that this phenomena of self-radicalization 10:03.640 --> 10:06.500 is something that literally can strike in any country. 10:06.500 --> 10:08.894 So, none of us is immune from it. 10:08.894 --> 10:11.317 And it can happen rapidly and has been pointed out, 10:11.317 --> 10:14.328 the most effective solution is effective information 10:14.328 --> 10:16.745 sharing between the countries 10:17.853 --> 10:21.520 as deeply and as rapidly as we possibly can. 10:22.621 --> 10:26.788 - (Guest) Secretary Carter, Captain Davis today at the 10:27.729 --> 10:31.358 Pentagon hinted that the U.S. is potentially considering 10:31.358 --> 10:34.780 retaliatory strikes against whoever fired those missiles 10:34.780 --> 10:38.535 at the USS Mason including that those shots were fired 10:38.535 --> 10:39.785 at their peril. 10:39.820 --> 10:43.987 Is it (static drowns out speaker) strikes against the actor 10:44.036 --> 10:45.940 of overt violence (static drowns out speaker) 10:45.940 --> 10:47.089 partners or unilaterally? 10:47.089 --> 10:51.006 - We're, first and foremost trying to determine 10:51.672 --> 10:55.589 who did this and what the intent was behind it. 10:56.408 --> 10:59.908 But he's absolutely right that not only do 11:02.764 --> 11:06.431 U.S. Forces everywhere in the world have the 11:06.508 --> 11:09.997 right and tremendous capability to defend themselves. 11:09.997 --> 11:13.693 And that we're not to underestimate that we also have 11:13.693 --> 11:17.112 the capability to take action against anybody 11:17.112 --> 11:18.779 who has taken action 11:19.670 --> 11:21.337 or aggressive action 11:21.804 --> 11:23.387 against our forces. 11:24.497 --> 11:27.222 And anybody who contemplates such action 11:27.222 --> 11:30.889 ought to understand that, that is capability 11:31.334 --> 11:32.867 the United States has. 11:32.867 --> 11:34.381 That's all I'm gonna say for now. 11:34.381 --> 11:38.156 We are in the process of investigating that incident 11:38.156 --> 11:42.323 and understand that then we'll take the appropriate steps. 11:45.106 --> 11:47.317 - [Guest] Mr. Secretary, Faine Richards 11:47.317 --> 11:48.634 from TV 6 news, just following up 11:48.634 --> 11:50.090 on my colleagues question about ISIS. 11:50.090 --> 11:53.980 In this region, we have concerns that we have people in ISIS 11:53.980 --> 11:56.873 who are members of this or other Caribbean nations 11:56.873 --> 11:58.776 and who may return home. 11:58.776 --> 12:01.139 One of the suggestions is to essentially make them 12:01.139 --> 12:03.774 stateless, which would leave them in limbo 12:03.774 --> 12:06.412 and essentially being denied entry because we have 12:06.412 --> 12:08.102 (static drowns out speaker) monitoring system 12:08.102 --> 12:10.217 (static drowns out speaker) or the U.S. be able 12:10.217 --> 12:13.388 to track them should they be allowed to return to Trinidad. 12:13.388 --> 12:15.671 Is that the suggestion you think is practicable 12:15.671 --> 12:18.763 for smaller countries to adopt to deal with that problem? 12:18.763 --> 12:22.930 - That was not something that was discussed today. 12:22.949 --> 12:26.343 I think we all have legal systems and criminal justice 12:26.343 --> 12:28.593 systems in our countries to 12:32.101 --> 12:33.684 mete out justice to 12:34.412 --> 12:37.495 anybody who harms or attempts to harm 12:38.216 --> 12:40.383 people in our populations. 12:41.551 --> 12:44.970 If they're on the battlefield in Syria and Iraq, 12:44.970 --> 12:49.137 as I said, they're subject to the ongoing campaign 12:49.304 --> 12:53.387 that the International Coalition is waging there. 12:57.079 --> 13:01.246 If they're citizens of a state, that state has the 13:02.834 --> 13:05.198 ultimate disposition of them as 13:05.198 --> 13:07.948 a law enforcement matter in that. 13:12.154 --> 13:14.262 - (Guest) This morning Prime Minister 13:14.262 --> 13:17.141 Dr. Keith Rowley expressed his concern, his disappointment 13:17.141 --> 13:20.641 of Cuba not being part of this conference. 13:20.691 --> 13:23.164 What do you have for us on that? 13:23.164 --> 13:25.431 - Well, I agree, I regret it. 13:25.431 --> 13:26.773 I think they made a mistake. 13:26.773 --> 13:30.523 We obviously were in favor of including Cuba. 13:30.880 --> 13:32.233 I think that's important. 13:32.233 --> 13:36.066 The United States strongly suggested that idea 13:36.576 --> 13:39.076 and Cuba missed an opportunity 13:40.877 --> 13:42.355 by not being here today. 13:42.355 --> 13:45.438 So I second what my hosts had to say. 13:48.337 --> 13:50.144 - [Peter Cook] I'm sure we gotta catch a plane in just a -- 13:50.144 --> 13:51.534 - Thank you all so much for being here. 13:51.534 --> 13:54.811 Just once again, to thank the government of Trinidad 13:54.811 --> 13:57.978 and Tobago for doing this, it's a huge 14:01.127 --> 14:02.592 commitment that we 14:02.592 --> 14:06.673 all make to security in our hemisphere and our world. 14:06.673 --> 14:09.656 This is a place where we all get together, people of 14:09.656 --> 14:12.492 good will and try to think about how we can make 14:12.492 --> 14:14.042 a better world for our children 14:14.042 --> 14:15.459 and you were very 14:15.751 --> 14:17.561 gracious and wonderful hosts. 14:17.561 --> 14:20.388 And so to the people of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as, 14:20.388 --> 14:22.310 the government, thank you. 14:22.310 --> 14:23.523 - [Peter Cook] Thanks everybody. Appreciate it.