WEBVTT 00:02.040 --> 00:04.262 Yeah , afternoon , everybody . A couple 00:04.262 --> 00:07.570 of things that that's up as soon as I 00:07.570 --> 00:10.730 get this thing to load , I think you 00:10.730 --> 00:12.830 saw are read out . The secretary did 00:12.830 --> 00:16.000 speak by phone earlier today with the 00:16.010 --> 00:18.510 Russian Minister of Defense . Sergei 00:18.510 --> 00:20.760 show you the purpose of that call was 00:20.760 --> 00:22.840 to support transparency and risk 00:22.840 --> 00:25.890 reduction efforts Following the July 28 00:25.890 --> 00:28.650 resumption of the us Russia strategic 00:28.650 --> 00:30.372 stability , dialogue in Geneva 00:30.372 --> 00:33.270 Switzerland on to other personnel 00:33.270 --> 00:35.103 issues . Last night , the Senate 00:35.103 --> 00:36.548 confirmed Gil Cisneros as 00:36.548 --> 00:38.660 undersecretary for personnel and 00:38.660 --> 00:40.604 readiness . And we look forward to 00:40.604 --> 00:42.660 welcoming Gil here to the Pentagon . 00:42.660 --> 00:44.716 Glad to have him on board And we now 00:44.716 --> 00:47.880 have 21 uh nominees to be confirmed by 00:47.880 --> 00:50.047 the Senate . Additionally , the Senate 00:50.047 --> 00:52.269 confirmed army Lieutenant General Laura 00:52.269 --> 00:54.436 Richardson to command U . S . Southern 00:54.436 --> 00:56.547 Command and receive her fourth star . 00:56.547 --> 00:58.769 Uh And so again , we're looking forward 00:58.769 --> 01:00.824 to seeing her transition to that new 01:00.824 --> 01:03.330 role uh and to assume command at the 01:03.330 --> 01:06.050 appropriate time . Um Lastly , 01:06.740 --> 01:10.460 uh just to level set , I've seen lots 01:10.460 --> 01:12.571 of press reporting this morning about 01:12.571 --> 01:14.793 assessments coming out of Afghanistan . 01:14.793 --> 01:18.130 Uh just before I I know you're all 01:18.130 --> 01:20.297 interested in that . Let me tell you , 01:20.297 --> 01:22.630 I am not going uh to talk specifically 01:22.630 --> 01:24.797 about intelligence assessments one way 01:24.797 --> 01:26.908 or the other , we continue to monitor 01:26.908 --> 01:29.074 the situation in Afghanistan closely . 01:29.074 --> 01:31.130 We are mindful of the deteriorating 01:31.130 --> 01:33.490 security situation and our focus right 01:33.490 --> 01:35.800 now remains on supporting the Afghan 01:35.800 --> 01:37.744 forces in the field where and when 01:37.744 --> 01:40.200 feasible we can from the air as well as 01:40.200 --> 01:42.311 completing our drawdown in a safe and 01:42.311 --> 01:44.311 orderly way . We are on track to do 01:44.311 --> 01:46.533 that by the end of the month . Lastly , 01:46.533 --> 01:49.600 are uh we are also remaining focused on 01:49.610 --> 01:51.777 the future bilateral relationship with 01:51.777 --> 01:54.910 Afghan forces that will be largely in a 01:54.910 --> 01:57.230 financial way and over the horizon 01:57.240 --> 02:00.360 support , as well as making sure that 02:00.360 --> 02:03.010 we maintain the capabilities we need uh 02:03.020 --> 02:04.910 to protect the homeland from any 02:04.910 --> 02:06.688 terrorist threats that might be 02:06.688 --> 02:08.850 emanating from Afghanistan in an over 02:08.850 --> 02:10.794 the horizon fashion . So , again , 02:10.794 --> 02:12.850 seeing the press reporting , I'm not 02:12.850 --> 02:14.906 going to confirm or deny the figures 02:14.906 --> 02:17.072 that some of you have been reporting . 02:17.072 --> 02:18.906 We don't talk about intelligence 02:18.906 --> 02:21.017 assessments . Our focus is on getting 02:21.017 --> 02:20.890 this draw down down in a safe and 02:20.890 --> 02:22.946 orderly way . Well , that will go to 02:22.946 --> 02:26.910 leader . Thanks . Um All right , I'm 02:26.910 --> 02:29.560 gonna take a stab at this . Okay . Um , 02:30.040 --> 02:33.460 has the United States accelerated its 02:33.460 --> 02:37.060 planning for a withdrawal or evacuation 02:37.060 --> 02:40.300 of any americans from Afghanistan ? 02:40.300 --> 02:42.950 Specifically Kabul ? Considering this 02:42.950 --> 02:45.070 deteriorating situation that everyone 02:45.070 --> 02:48.980 can see . And or has the pentagon 02:49.840 --> 02:52.970 moved any additional either forces or 02:52.980 --> 02:56.660 assets into the region to help um do 02:56.660 --> 02:58.990 some type of evacuation ? Or is that 02:59.000 --> 03:02.260 expected in the coming days ? I have no 03:02.270 --> 03:06.150 uh planning uh to speak to 03:06.160 --> 03:09.650 today . Leader and I have no uh force 03:09.650 --> 03:12.250 movement or operational transitions to 03:12.250 --> 03:15.440 speak to as well today . And just as a 03:15.450 --> 03:18.980 follow up has this situation 03:18.990 --> 03:21.400 deteriorated faster than the U . S . 03:21.400 --> 03:24.900 Was planning ? Such that is their 03:24.900 --> 03:28.200 belief that the U . S . May have to get 03:28.210 --> 03:31.770 out or get at least some people out 03:31.780 --> 03:34.300 before the end of august . Again , I'm 03:34.300 --> 03:35.911 not going to speculate about 03:35.911 --> 03:38.490 contingencies in uh you know , 03:38.500 --> 03:40.444 speculate about the future and the 03:40.444 --> 03:42.333 future security situation . We're 03:42.333 --> 03:44.500 focused on the security situation that 03:44.500 --> 03:46.278 we face now , which again we've 03:46.278 --> 03:48.444 acknowledged is deteriorating . We are 03:48.444 --> 03:50.611 certainly mindful of the advances that 03:50.611 --> 03:52.950 the Taliban have made uh in terms of 03:53.340 --> 03:56.080 taking over yet , you know , increased 03:56.080 --> 03:59.290 number of of provincial capitals . Um 03:59.300 --> 04:01.800 And our focus is on supporting the 04:01.800 --> 04:03.967 afghans in the field where and when we 04:03.967 --> 04:06.133 can and completing this drawing . I am 04:06.133 --> 04:08.189 not going to speak about uh planning 04:08.189 --> 04:10.300 contingencies or potential outcomes . 04:10.300 --> 04:12.467 And the other thing I'd say is that no 04:12.467 --> 04:14.744 potential outcome has to be inevitable , 04:14.744 --> 04:16.744 including the fall of Kabul , which 04:16.744 --> 04:18.967 everybody seems to be reporting about . 04:18.967 --> 04:21.710 It doesn't have to be that way . Uh And 04:21.710 --> 04:23.710 I think it's gonna be , it's really 04:23.710 --> 04:25.766 depends on the kind of political and 04:25.766 --> 04:27.821 military leadership that the afghans 04:27.821 --> 04:30.430 can muster . Uh to turn this around . 04:30.430 --> 04:32.430 They have the capability , have the 04:32.430 --> 04:34.652 capacity uh and now it's really time to 04:34.652 --> 04:36.750 use those things . Yes . No , Zero , 04:37.440 --> 04:41.000 thank you . And I don't know . How 04:41.000 --> 04:43.000 should I ask my question ? I cannot 04:43.000 --> 04:46.990 express my people's situation . We have 04:47.000 --> 04:50.800 300,000 Army . As President Biden said 04:50.810 --> 04:54.760 the Taliban is 73,000 people . 04:55.840 --> 04:58.120 How can the Afghan army and Afghan 04:58.130 --> 05:00.260 police is not able to defeat the 05:00.270 --> 05:02.780 Taliban ? It's high number 05:02.790 --> 05:06.660 300,000 . Yeah , we have our 05:06.660 --> 05:09.050 orders . What is the main reason that 05:09.060 --> 05:11.227 they are not able to fight against the 05:11.227 --> 05:13.449 taliban taliban really close to Kabul . 05:13.449 --> 05:16.000 We have seen , we have seen them fight 05:16.010 --> 05:18.760 and contest areas . As for 05:19.540 --> 05:22.690 why in any given place , uh the Taliban 05:22.690 --> 05:24.790 continue to make advances . That's 05:24.790 --> 05:26.840 really not a question that we're 05:26.840 --> 05:29.173 prepared to answer here at the pentagon . 05:29.173 --> 05:31.430 This is an Afghan military strategy 05:31.430 --> 05:33.541 that we are trying to support as best 05:33.541 --> 05:35.652 we can . Uh and it really is going to 05:35.652 --> 05:37.986 come down to there leadership they have , 05:37.986 --> 05:39.986 as you rightly said , they have the 05:39.986 --> 05:42.510 advantage in numbers in operational 05:42.510 --> 05:45.400 structure , in air forces , uh and in 05:45.400 --> 05:47.511 modern weaponry and it's really about 05:47.511 --> 05:49.622 having the will and the leadership to 05:49.622 --> 05:51.630 use those advantages to their own 05:51.630 --> 05:54.270 benefit and I just can't and I won't as 05:54.270 --> 05:56.270 I've been very scrupulous about not 05:56.270 --> 05:58.270 doing from the podium speaking to a 05:58.270 --> 06:00.650 daily battle field assessment when it's , 06:00.660 --> 06:03.410 it's these aren't battles that we are 06:03.420 --> 06:05.587 involved in on the ground and we are , 06:05.587 --> 06:07.587 yes , we are providing some support 06:07.587 --> 06:09.642 from the air , but this is really an 06:09.642 --> 06:11.753 afghan strategy and they should speak 06:11.753 --> 06:13.587 to that . The taliban gave their 06:13.587 --> 06:15.753 support it , which countries supported 06:15.753 --> 06:18.970 them financially . I don't have an 06:18.970 --> 06:22.520 assessment of Taliban resources . Um 06:22.520 --> 06:26.020 and so I wouldn't speculate uh , that 06:26.020 --> 06:28.260 there are a nation state or nation 06:28.260 --> 06:30.260 states that are necessarily backing 06:30.260 --> 06:34.000 them up . Um We have definitely seen in 06:34.000 --> 06:36.167 some of the things they've done on the 06:36.167 --> 06:38.330 ground have been clearly designed to 06:38.330 --> 06:40.970 help them gain revenue , um , you know , 06:40.970 --> 06:44.550 border border crossings , um uh , 06:44.560 --> 06:46.970 trying to take control over certain 06:46.980 --> 06:50.250 highways and uh 06:50.840 --> 06:53.330 uh , and avenues of transportation and 06:53.330 --> 06:56.240 communication ways that will allow them 06:56.250 --> 06:59.650 um to support themselves , uh and to 06:59.660 --> 07:02.860 gain some revenue . Uh , But beyond 07:02.860 --> 07:05.027 that , I'm really not at liberty to uh 07:05.027 --> 07:08.530 to speculate . Yeah , maybe . Yes . 07:08.540 --> 07:11.580 Um so you repeatedly getting these 07:11.580 --> 07:13.680 questions about how , why the Afghan 07:13.680 --> 07:16.010 army isn't apparently up to snuff and 07:16.010 --> 07:18.050 how America could just walk out on 07:18.050 --> 07:20.420 Afghanistan under these conditions . Do 07:20.420 --> 07:22.587 you think the Defense Department could 07:22.587 --> 07:24.809 have better done a better job in recent 07:24.809 --> 07:26.476 months or in recent years and 07:26.476 --> 07:28.476 articulating what the goals were in 07:28.476 --> 07:31.900 Afghanistan and what the what things 07:31.900 --> 07:33.844 were supposed to look like or what 07:33.844 --> 07:36.011 they're not expected to look like when 07:36.011 --> 07:38.200 we leave ? Well , I mean , I can't 07:38.200 --> 07:40.422 speak for the entire 20 year history of 07:40.422 --> 07:42.930 the war Megan , but I mean that the war 07:42.930 --> 07:45.490 has , as the president has said , I 07:45.490 --> 07:48.860 mean , the goals did migrate over time . 07:49.340 --> 07:53.210 Um and uh mm it 07:53.210 --> 07:56.360 would be it would be 07:56.740 --> 07:58.960 wrong for us not to acknowledge that 07:59.640 --> 08:03.050 that we did help enable some progress 08:03.060 --> 08:06.480 in Afghanistan . Uh more Children in 08:06.480 --> 08:09.550 schools including girls . Um 08:10.340 --> 08:12.870 economic and political and social 08:12.870 --> 08:15.850 opportunities for women . Um a 08:15.860 --> 08:18.082 democratically elected government . Not 08:18.082 --> 08:20.138 saying it's not flawless but but but 08:20.138 --> 08:22.900 but but a government um and conditions , 08:22.910 --> 08:25.320 living conditions that are much better 08:25.330 --> 08:28.840 um including life expectancy . Um 08:28.850 --> 08:30.683 so there there has been a lot of 08:30.683 --> 08:32.850 progress made over the last 20 years , 08:33.340 --> 08:35.480 but the president made this decision 08:35.530 --> 08:39.250 based on his calculus that we 08:39.250 --> 08:41.820 have greater counter terrorism threats 08:41.830 --> 08:44.500 that against this our homeland and our 08:44.500 --> 08:46.500 people and our interests than those 08:46.500 --> 08:48.722 that are emanating out of Afghanistan . 08:48.740 --> 08:50.796 That the main purpose for going into 08:50.796 --> 08:54.310 Afghanistan in 2001 has been achieved 08:54.310 --> 08:58.040 in terms of the uh significant 08:58.040 --> 09:00.350 degradation of the threat by Al Qaeda . 09:00.840 --> 09:03.560 And of course the the 09:04.240 --> 09:07.540 the death of Osama bin laden . Uh 09:07.540 --> 09:11.320 and that uh the 09:11.320 --> 09:14.440 recipe can't be just a constant U . S . 09:14.440 --> 09:16.490 Presence in Afghanistan , that that 09:16.490 --> 09:18.950 never ends . So he's been clear in his 09:18.950 --> 09:21.010 direction of what he expected this 09:21.010 --> 09:22.843 department to do since he became 09:22.843 --> 09:24.899 commander in chief . And that's what 09:24.899 --> 09:27.300 we're executing to the direction that 09:27.300 --> 09:29.560 we've been given to to do a couple of 09:29.560 --> 09:33.190 things to draw down our forces 09:33.740 --> 09:36.850 to a level that is only commensurate 09:36.850 --> 09:38.961 with helping us maintain a diplomatic 09:38.961 --> 09:41.072 presence to being able to support and 09:41.072 --> 09:42.906 protect that presence and enable 09:42.906 --> 09:45.072 diplomats to continue to do their jobs 09:45.072 --> 09:47.239 in Afghanistan and then to continue to 09:47.239 --> 09:49.128 support the Afghan forces through 09:49.128 --> 09:50.961 financial means and through some 09:50.961 --> 09:53.128 contract support and , you know , over 09:53.128 --> 09:55.294 the horizon , logistical support . And 09:55.294 --> 09:57.461 then number four to make sure that the 09:57.461 --> 09:59.461 greatly reduced threat of terrorism 09:59.461 --> 10:01.980 from Afghanistan stays greatly reduced 10:01.990 --> 10:04.130 and that the homeland doesn't become 10:04.130 --> 10:06.408 victim to an attack like we did 9 , 11 , 10:06.408 --> 10:08.890 20 years ago from terrorist networks 10:08.890 --> 10:11.112 that are operating out of Afghanistan . 10:11.640 --> 10:13.920 Let me go to the phones here . Uh Jeff 10:13.920 --> 10:17.050 show , we'll go to you . Thank you . 10:17.060 --> 10:19.910 Does the US military have any plans to 10:19.910 --> 10:23.230 destroy sensitive Afghan equipment such 10:23.230 --> 10:25.290 as their 829 days before the Taliban 10:25.290 --> 10:28.920 achieves its total victory Jeff ? 10:28.930 --> 10:30.900 Uh you're you're speculating about 10:30.910 --> 10:34.220 again an outcome that that that doesn't 10:34.220 --> 10:37.660 have to be inevitable . Um So 10:38.240 --> 10:41.750 the short answer to your question is no 10:42.840 --> 10:45.730 uh we are focused on supporting the 10:45.730 --> 10:48.550 Afghan forces where and when we can um 10:48.560 --> 10:52.390 and uh and what what we you know what I 10:52.390 --> 10:54.940 think we're all mindful of is that they 10:54.940 --> 10:57.320 have advantages and now uh an 10:57.330 --> 10:59.219 opportunity for them to use those 10:59.219 --> 11:01.300 advantages to include political and 11:01.300 --> 11:04.060 military leadership , dance gala . 11:06.040 --> 11:07.818 What is the U . S . Military is 11:07.818 --> 11:09.873 thinking about ? What is the taliban 11:09.873 --> 11:11.707 strategy ? What does the U . S . 11:11.707 --> 11:13.762 Military think about why the taliban 11:13.762 --> 11:15.818 are concentrating in the North Dan . 11:15.818 --> 11:17.762 I'm not going to speak for taliban 11:17.762 --> 11:19.873 strategy . I think you can understand 11:19.873 --> 11:22.040 why we wouldn't do that . All I can do 11:22.040 --> 11:24.096 is tell you what we're seeing on the 11:24.096 --> 11:23.560 ground and what we're seeing on the 11:23.560 --> 11:26.840 ground is uh that the taliban continues 11:26.840 --> 11:29.980 to advance uh and to 11:29.990 --> 11:33.960 assume control of district and 11:33.960 --> 11:37.410 provincial centers . Uh that 11:37.420 --> 11:41.030 clearly indicates uh that they 11:41.040 --> 11:45.020 believe uh it is possible to gain 11:45.020 --> 11:46.853 governance through force through 11:46.853 --> 11:48.798 brutality through violence through 11:48.798 --> 11:51.350 oppression . Which is at great odds 11:51.360 --> 11:54.360 with their previously stated goal of 11:54.360 --> 11:56.416 actually wanting to participate in a 11:56.416 --> 11:58.638 negotiated political solution . Clearly 11:58.638 --> 12:01.020 their actions are not uh in in 12:01.020 --> 12:03.820 resonance with what they have said they 12:03.820 --> 12:06.050 want to do at the negotiating table . 12:06.140 --> 12:08.362 Now , what their military strategy is , 12:08.362 --> 12:10.529 I think , you know , they should speak 12:10.529 --> 12:12.640 to that . We don't believe that there 12:12.640 --> 12:14.862 is an effective military solution to be 12:14.862 --> 12:16.918 had to this conflict . That the only 12:16.918 --> 12:19.029 way through is a political negotiated 12:19.029 --> 12:21.084 settlement that includes all afghans 12:21.084 --> 12:23.100 that afghan led and that the afghan 12:23.100 --> 12:26.060 people have a voice in a saying , yeah , 12:27.240 --> 12:29.460 china , is it too late for peace at 12:29.470 --> 12:32.070 this point though , I don't believe 12:32.070 --> 12:34.237 anybody thinks it's too late for peace 12:34.237 --> 12:36.181 and we wouldn't be talking about a 12:36.181 --> 12:38.403 political settlement and the need to to 12:38.403 --> 12:40.348 have a negotiated settlement if we 12:40.348 --> 12:42.403 believe that peace wasn't possible . 12:43.040 --> 12:46.690 Yeah . Mike , No , the statement you 12:46.690 --> 12:48.920 made the recipe can be a constant US 12:48.920 --> 12:51.253 presence in Afghanistan that never ends . 12:51.253 --> 12:54.930 We've had US troops in uh Europe for 12:54.930 --> 12:58.360 70 years , Including 20 years after the 12:58.370 --> 13:00.810 fall of the Soviet Union . What's the 13:00.820 --> 13:03.820 difference between that situation and 13:03.830 --> 13:06.052 Afghanistan were not in a combat role . 13:07.740 --> 13:10.450 We're not in a combat role mike . And 13:10.450 --> 13:12.450 that's what the president's talking 13:12.450 --> 13:14.561 about . I mean , we're still going to 13:14.561 --> 13:18.050 have US forces in Afghanistan 13:18.440 --> 13:20.773 to help protect our diplomatic presence . 13:21.240 --> 13:25.100 He's talking about is uh having US 13:25.100 --> 13:27.267 forces in Afghanistan in a combat role 13:27.267 --> 13:29.660 and and having this war just never end . 13:30.640 --> 13:34.580 Mhm Jeff Selden john , 13:34.580 --> 13:36.740 thanks very much for doing this . At 13:36.740 --> 13:38.462 the White House . Earlier this 13:38.462 --> 13:40.573 afternoon , Jen Psaki was asked about 13:40.573 --> 13:42.462 us airstrikes and support for the 13:42.462 --> 13:44.560 Afghan forces beyond the August 31 13:44.560 --> 13:46.590 deadline . She said it was a good 13:46.590 --> 13:49.270 question . So is the Defense Department 13:49.270 --> 13:51.450 rethinking the kinds of support it's 13:51.450 --> 13:53.850 going to offer Afghan security forces 13:53.860 --> 13:56.950 beyond that deadline . And also we keep 13:56.950 --> 13:59.061 hearing from you and from others that 13:59.061 --> 14:01.061 the Afghan security forces have the 14:01.061 --> 14:03.500 capacity they have the capability to 14:03.500 --> 14:05.500 push back against the Taliban . But 14:05.500 --> 14:07.870 they need the will . At what point does 14:07.870 --> 14:10.140 that lack of political will to stand up 14:10.140 --> 14:12.960 to the Taliban begin to endanger the 14:12.960 --> 14:15.270 embassy in Kabul and other U . S . 14:15.270 --> 14:17.437 Personnel and assets that are still in 14:17.437 --> 14:20.250 Afghanistan ? Well , I'm going on your 14:20.260 --> 14:23.520 second question . Uh I think that 14:23.520 --> 14:26.260 remains to be seen Jeff . Uh we do not 14:26.260 --> 14:29.860 believe that than any of the 14:30.240 --> 14:32.420 potential negative outcomes that we've 14:32.420 --> 14:34.620 seen reported have to be inevitable to 14:34.620 --> 14:36.820 have to happen . And I'm not prepared 14:36.820 --> 14:38.876 to go through a series of you know , 14:38.876 --> 14:41.360 what uh what factors , what conditions 14:41.360 --> 14:43.710 would lead us to believe that uh that 14:43.710 --> 14:45.488 no amount of political military 14:45.488 --> 14:48.940 leadership uh is going to turn the tide . 14:48.940 --> 14:51.720 We still think that that can happen uh 14:51.730 --> 14:54.260 that that through solid political 14:54.260 --> 14:56.300 military leadership , given the 14:56.300 --> 14:58.522 advantages that they have that they can 14:58.522 --> 15:00.633 use that . And I'm sorry you had your 15:00.633 --> 15:02.633 first question , which I completely 15:02.633 --> 15:05.960 blanked on the , the idea of the 15:05.970 --> 15:09.120 rethinking or giving the afghan 15:09.120 --> 15:11.400 security forces more help beyond the 15:11.400 --> 15:13.511 august 31st step . Yeah , Thank you . 15:13.511 --> 15:15.820 Uh right now , the the authorities that 15:15.820 --> 15:18.200 we have to support the afghans from the 15:18.200 --> 15:20.350 air expire at the end of this month 15:21.640 --> 15:24.350 with the drawdown . Um and so we are 15:24.350 --> 15:26.461 focused on using the authorities that 15:26.461 --> 15:28.572 we have the capabilities that we have 15:28.572 --> 15:30.970 uh during the rest of the drawdown to 15:30.970 --> 15:33.240 support afghan forces from the air . 15:33.240 --> 15:35.630 There has been no policy decision about 15:35.630 --> 15:37.686 what it looks like beyond that . And 15:37.686 --> 15:39.908 I'm simply not going to speculate or to 15:39.908 --> 15:42.019 what extent that the US underestimate 15:42.019 --> 15:44.074 the abilities or capabilities of the 15:44.074 --> 15:46.130 taliban to make these sorts of gains 15:46.130 --> 15:48.241 this quickly . It's not about whether 15:48.241 --> 15:48.080 we underestimated or estimated 15:48.090 --> 15:50.390 appropriately , that we had seen even 15:50.390 --> 15:52.390 before the President's announcement 15:52.390 --> 15:54.223 that the taliban had been making 15:54.223 --> 15:56.501 advances largely at the district level , 15:56.501 --> 15:59.790 But but they're they're moving in , 15:59.810 --> 16:02.180 started well before the biden 16:02.180 --> 16:04.069 administration and certainly well 16:04.069 --> 16:06.124 before the president decided that we 16:06.124 --> 16:08.180 were going to withdraw now . We have 16:08.180 --> 16:10.990 certainly seen in recent weeks um that 16:10.990 --> 16:13.670 progress advance at a clip . No 16:13.670 --> 16:15.726 question about that . It's not about 16:15.726 --> 16:17.670 surprise Orange . It's not like we 16:17.670 --> 16:19.820 weren't watching this . Uh it is 16:19.830 --> 16:21.997 obviously we're watching it with great 16:21.997 --> 16:24.219 concern , but I wouldn't say that there 16:24.219 --> 16:26.860 was uh an underestimation here . Um 16:27.340 --> 16:30.180 what still , I mean , you know , we 16:30.180 --> 16:32.291 could revisit the past all you want , 16:32.291 --> 16:34.347 but what matters really is today and 16:34.347 --> 16:37.970 where we are now . Uh and again , we 16:37.970 --> 16:40.980 believe that afghan forces have what 16:40.980 --> 16:43.220 they need to make a significant 16:43.220 --> 16:45.276 difference and it really is going to 16:45.276 --> 16:47.360 come down to leadership , john the 16:47.360 --> 16:49.582 afghan forces have what they need . Why 16:49.582 --> 16:52.220 are they losing Lucas ? I'll try this 16:52.220 --> 16:54.950 again . We we uh we had this discussion 16:54.950 --> 16:58.390 yesterday . I can't speak for afghan 16:58.390 --> 17:00.730 strategy or afghan tactics in the field . 17:00.740 --> 17:03.470 What I can tell you is that they do 17:03.470 --> 17:06.290 have those advantages , including 17:06.300 --> 17:08.840 including Lucas , the advantage of 17:08.850 --> 17:11.230 additional air support by the United 17:11.230 --> 17:13.452 States , which we continue to provide . 17:13.452 --> 17:15.630 We flew strikes Uh several sites over 17:15.630 --> 17:19.230 just the last 24-48 hours . Um so we're 17:19.230 --> 17:21.770 still supporting them as well and they 17:21.780 --> 17:23.700 have advantages that the Taliban 17:23.700 --> 17:26.380 doesn't . Um and again , I really think 17:26.390 --> 17:29.490 um as I said before , when we look back 17:29.490 --> 17:31.780 on this , we'll see that it really did 17:31.780 --> 17:34.300 come down uh to leadership , both 17:34.300 --> 17:36.522 political and military John where's the 17:36.522 --> 17:38.744 proof ? When you say that Afghan forces 17:38.744 --> 17:40.689 have advantages over the Taliban ? 17:40.689 --> 17:40.260 We're just not seeing it on the 17:40.260 --> 17:42.427 battlefield right now . What I mean is 17:42.427 --> 17:44.538 they've got greater numbers , they've 17:44.538 --> 17:46.704 got an air force and oh , by the way , 17:46.704 --> 17:48.760 the air force is also flying , uh in 17:48.760 --> 17:50.816 fact , they're flying more strikes , 17:50.816 --> 17:53.038 conducting more strikes than the United 17:53.038 --> 17:55.204 States is . Um , and it's an air force 17:55.204 --> 17:57.371 that we continue to contribute to . We 17:57.371 --> 17:59.204 just gave them another three new 17:59.204 --> 18:01.482 Blackhawks over the course of 20 years , 18:01.482 --> 18:04.160 we've added 130 some odd aircraft to 18:04.160 --> 18:06.490 their inventory . Uh , we're still 18:06.490 --> 18:08.657 providing contract maintenance support 18:08.657 --> 18:10.780 for , to keep them flying . Uh , this 18:10.780 --> 18:14.410 is not um , incapable or 18:14.410 --> 18:16.880 incompetent air force that they know 18:16.880 --> 18:19.047 how to fight from the air and they are 18:19.047 --> 18:21.158 um , they have modern weaponry , they 18:21.158 --> 18:23.324 have military organizational ability , 18:23.324 --> 18:26.510 as well as uh , 20 years of training in 18:26.510 --> 18:28.510 the field by by not just the United 18:28.510 --> 18:31.510 States , but our NATO Allied partners . 18:31.520 --> 18:33.860 So they have a lot of advantages . Uh , 18:33.870 --> 18:36.037 it's really just now about using those 18:36.037 --> 18:38.770 advantages . Last year , the Afghan 18:38.770 --> 18:41.790 government led 5000 Taliban prisoners 18:41.940 --> 18:45.510 go free . Has that been helpful ? I 18:45.510 --> 18:47.800 can't speak to what each one of those 18:47.810 --> 18:51.360 prisoners did Lucas . Um , 18:51.740 --> 18:55.280 but obviously we don't want to see uh , 18:55.290 --> 18:58.000 people rejoin the fight on on behalf of 18:58.000 --> 18:59.889 the Taliban . Are you seeing some 18:59.889 --> 19:02.056 prisoners rejoining ? I don't have any 19:02.056 --> 19:04.111 intelligence assessments on that . I 19:04.111 --> 19:06.278 don't know . Do you think the previous 19:06.278 --> 19:08.444 administrations pressure to free those 19:08.444 --> 19:10.500 prisoners ? Has that been helpful in 19:10.500 --> 19:12.667 the fight against the Taliban ? What's 19:12.667 --> 19:14.556 what's been , what's been helpful 19:14.556 --> 19:16.778 against fighting ? The Taliban is again 19:16.778 --> 19:18.833 the kinds of support that the Afghan 19:18.833 --> 19:20.889 forces have received from the United 19:20.889 --> 19:23.111 States and from our NATO partners . And 19:23.111 --> 19:25.278 that support will continue . They will 19:25.278 --> 19:27.444 release some of the prisoners from the 19:27.444 --> 19:29.830 jail . Taliban . Say we go to Qatar and 19:29.830 --> 19:31.997 make peace , but they have a condition 19:32.240 --> 19:35.770 to release 5000 more . I don't know the 19:35.770 --> 19:38.020 Afghan government , I can't speak to 19:38.020 --> 19:40.187 what's going on in negotiations in the 19:40.187 --> 19:42.353 Sierra . I mean , obviously , we don't 19:42.353 --> 19:45.530 want to see uh anybody who has . We 19:45.530 --> 19:47.641 always see anybody rejoined the fight 19:47.641 --> 19:49.808 on the side of the Taliban . Obviously 19:49.808 --> 19:51.974 that would not be a good outcome . The 19:51.974 --> 19:54.086 part of the agreement that you signed 19:54.086 --> 19:56.308 with them in Doha , Qatar , I'll let my 19:56.308 --> 19:58.530 State departments , my State Department 19:58.530 --> 20:00.586 colleagues speak to the agreement in 20:00.586 --> 20:02.641 Doha . Our focus , as I said , is on 20:02.641 --> 20:04.697 completing the drawdown , supporting 20:04.697 --> 20:06.808 the Afghans where and when we can and 20:06.808 --> 20:05.890 making sure we can protect our 20:05.890 --> 20:08.140 diplomatic presence today . Warning to 20:08.150 --> 20:10.372 Turkey and they say you are not allowed 20:10.372 --> 20:13.610 to come and take security for Kabul 20:13.610 --> 20:15.810 Airport . President Karzai , uh 20:15.820 --> 20:18.100 Karzai's airport in Afghanistan . I 20:18.100 --> 20:21.250 think Afghan government wanted to 20:21.260 --> 20:24.810 Turkey to take the security of a 20:24.820 --> 20:26.931 couple airport . I haven't seen those 20:26.931 --> 20:28.709 comments as you know , we're in 20:28.709 --> 20:32.080 discussions with Turkey about their 20:32.080 --> 20:34.302 agreement to take the lead for security 20:34.302 --> 20:36.524 at Hamid Karzai International Airport . 20:36.524 --> 20:38.747 We're grateful for their willingness to 20:38.747 --> 20:40.858 do that and we are continuing to work 20:40.858 --> 20:42.969 out with them and with the modalities 20:42.969 --> 20:45.191 and the details will be going forward . 20:45.191 --> 20:47.413 We obviously anticipate that the United 20:47.413 --> 20:47.290 States would be a part of that security 20:47.290 --> 20:49.457 posture at the airport . I can't speak 20:49.457 --> 20:51.568 to those comments in particular , Dan 20:51.568 --> 20:54.040 Lamont Washington Post . Yes , thank 20:54.040 --> 20:55.929 you john . In the last few days , 20:55.929 --> 20:57.929 president biden you and some of the 20:57.929 --> 21:00.040 other administration officials , I've 21:00.040 --> 21:02.262 stressed the capabilities of the Afghan 21:02.262 --> 21:04.096 forces and said there were about 21:04.096 --> 21:06.262 300,000 of them given ghost soldiers , 21:06.262 --> 21:08.484 desertions , defections , uh , and some 21:08.484 --> 21:10.707 of what we've seen on the battlefield . 21:10.707 --> 21:12.818 That certainly isn't the case now and 21:12.818 --> 21:15.151 hasn't been for some time . In addition , 21:15.151 --> 21:17.318 the ones who are left , uh , there are 21:17.318 --> 21:19.040 many reports of food , water , 21:19.040 --> 21:21.040 ammunition shortages , that sort of 21:21.040 --> 21:23.207 thing . Not to put too fine a point on 21:23.207 --> 21:25.040 it . But how do you explain that 21:25.040 --> 21:27.207 contradiction and how did the pentagon 21:27.207 --> 21:29.318 fall so short in training forces that 21:29.318 --> 21:31.429 are not only capable on a given day , 21:31.429 --> 21:33.429 but sustainable for a long term ? I 21:33.429 --> 21:35.096 would challenge challenge the 21:35.096 --> 21:37.096 assumption dan , that we fell short 21:37.096 --> 21:39.262 over the course of 20 years . I mean , 21:39.262 --> 21:38.910 we and our international partners 21:38.910 --> 21:41.470 helped fund , uh , Afghan National 21:41.470 --> 21:43.526 Defence and Security Forces . If you 21:43.526 --> 21:45.692 include police , that that numbered as 21:45.692 --> 21:49.250 much as 350 , And now . Can I give you 21:49.250 --> 21:51.361 what the roll call and the mustard is 21:51.361 --> 21:53.583 on any given day ? No , I can't . But I 21:53.583 --> 21:55.750 can tell you that we're confident that 21:55.750 --> 21:57.806 over the course of the 20 years , we 21:57.806 --> 21:59.917 helped raise an army and police force 21:59.917 --> 22:02.194 that numbered over 300,000 . Now again , 22:02.194 --> 22:04.417 what they're doing on any given day and 22:04.417 --> 22:06.472 who's on the field ? That's really a 22:06.472 --> 22:08.639 question for our colleagues in Kabul . 22:08.639 --> 22:10.861 But I take exception to the notion that 22:10.861 --> 22:12.806 That somehow over the course of 20 22:12.806 --> 22:14.917 years , we simply failed in trying to 22:14.917 --> 22:16.639 improve the competency and the 22:16.639 --> 22:18.750 capability of Afghan forces . When we 22:18.750 --> 22:20.861 look at what they're doing today , uh 22:20.861 --> 22:22.806 it comes down to leadership on the 22:22.806 --> 22:25.028 battlefield and leadership in Kabul and 22:25.028 --> 22:27.361 we are not on the battlefield with them . 22:27.361 --> 22:29.417 Yes , we're over the battlefield . I 22:29.417 --> 22:31.250 understand we're supporting with 22:31.250 --> 22:33.361 limited airstrikes , but we aren't in 22:33.361 --> 22:35.417 the field with them now . And and so 22:35.417 --> 22:37.528 these issues of leadership are issues 22:37.528 --> 22:40.230 that afghan leaders , both military and 22:40.230 --> 22:42.397 political have to be able to address , 22:42.930 --> 22:45.390 paul , Hanley had some culpability in 22:45.390 --> 22:47.390 this . You're just passing the buck 22:47.390 --> 22:49.501 when you say that . I'm sorry dan , I 22:49.501 --> 22:51.490 lost you . Go ahead . Doesn't the 22:51.490 --> 22:53.601 pentagon had some culpability in this 22:53.601 --> 22:55.712 though . Given the amount of billions 22:55.712 --> 22:58.470 of dollars the american lives lost , it 22:58.470 --> 23:00.470 sounds like you're passing the buck 23:00.470 --> 23:02.692 when you say that no , nobody's passing 23:02.692 --> 23:04.859 any bug stan Not at all . I mean we're 23:04.859 --> 23:06.914 all watching this with great concern 23:06.914 --> 23:08.914 clearly and the whole international 23:08.914 --> 23:10.830 community , uh certainly our NATO 23:10.830 --> 23:13.360 allies , uh we're also dutifully 23:13.370 --> 23:15.930 involved in combat , lost many lives , 23:15.940 --> 23:18.120 lots of sacrifices Over the course of 23:18.120 --> 23:20.530 20 years that we can't forget nobody's 23:20.530 --> 23:23.340 passing any bucks here . Uh We we have 23:23.340 --> 23:26.480 worked hard to improve afghan 23:26.480 --> 23:28.758 competency and capability in the field . 23:28.758 --> 23:30.980 But at some point and the president has 23:30.980 --> 23:33.036 said this very clearly at some point 23:33.140 --> 23:35.530 that competency and that capability has 23:35.530 --> 23:37.752 to be owned by the afghans themselves . 23:37.752 --> 23:40.660 And we are at that point , paul Handley 23:46.640 --> 23:48.960 Hi john , can you , can you hear me 23:48.960 --> 23:52.820 john ? Yes , sir . Okay . Yeah , a 23:52.830 --> 23:54.941 couple of things . One is when you're 23:54.941 --> 23:57.163 talking about decisions that need to be 23:57.163 --> 23:59.386 made by the afghan leadership . Today , 23:59.386 --> 24:01.330 President Ashraf Ghani went to the 24:01.330 --> 24:04.750 north where he met with Atta Mohammad 24:04.760 --> 24:08.270 Nor and the famous warlord uh dostum 24:08.640 --> 24:12.410 um at Mazar E Sharif , I'm wondering is 24:12.420 --> 24:14.642 that the kind of thing that you want to 24:14.642 --> 24:17.390 see the the Afghan government doing to 24:17.390 --> 24:20.240 unite with the old warlords and militia 24:20.240 --> 24:22.407 leaders to fight back to Taliban ? And 24:22.407 --> 24:24.870 I have a follow up . Well , we've seen 24:24.870 --> 24:27.730 reports of President Ghani's uh trip . 24:27.730 --> 24:29.841 I certainly would would let him speak 24:29.841 --> 24:32.780 to the conversations he had and uh and 24:32.780 --> 24:36.430 what uh what discussions um he's having 24:36.440 --> 24:39.310 uh with leaders up in the north um 24:39.320 --> 24:43.080 certainly uh as the president of his 24:43.080 --> 24:45.191 country and the Commander in chief of 24:45.191 --> 24:48.180 his forces , um he should uh he should 24:48.190 --> 24:50.190 make those decisions and have those 24:50.190 --> 24:52.412 discussions that he believes are in the 24:52.412 --> 24:54.357 best interests of of defending his 24:54.357 --> 24:57.660 people in his territory . But is that 24:57.660 --> 24:59.716 the kind of thing you'd like them to 24:59.716 --> 25:01.827 see , do you think would be effective 25:01.827 --> 25:03.938 for their fight against the Taliban ? 25:03.938 --> 25:06.410 Were not prescribing specific methods 25:06.420 --> 25:09.400 of of defense for him ? Uh is his 25:09.400 --> 25:11.622 country , He's the Commander in Chief . 25:11.622 --> 25:14.730 Um and we're not going to uh pass a 25:14.740 --> 25:16.962 certain judgment about what discussions 25:16.962 --> 25:19.660 he's having or or uh or what other 25:19.660 --> 25:21.604 leaders he's meeting with and what 25:21.604 --> 25:23.827 they're saying . I mean , I would defer 25:23.827 --> 25:25.771 to President Ghani to speak to his 25:25.771 --> 25:27.827 discussions and and uh and what what 25:27.827 --> 25:29.882 the goals were , what the objectives 25:29.882 --> 25:32.049 were of his visit . Uh This is again , 25:32.049 --> 25:34.440 um he's the Commander in Chief and um 25:34.450 --> 25:36.450 it's his political leadership , his 25:36.450 --> 25:38.506 political will . That can make a big 25:38.506 --> 25:41.140 difference here here . We assume that 25:41.150 --> 25:43.372 the topic of Afghanistan didn't come up 25:43.372 --> 25:45.450 during the telephone call in between 25:45.460 --> 25:47.370 the secretary and his Russian 25:47.370 --> 25:49.850 counterpart . We provided a readout and 25:49.850 --> 25:51.906 I'm going to leave it at that here . 25:51.906 --> 25:54.183 I'm not going to go beyond the readout . 25:54.183 --> 25:54.860 Hey Jared . 25:58.640 --> 26:00.807 Hi john , thanks for doing this . Just 26:00.807 --> 26:02.751 wondering if you could tell us the 26:02.751 --> 26:02.480 latest , what is the latest 26:02.480 --> 26:04.313 conversation between D . O . D . 26:04.313 --> 26:05.869 Officials and their Turkish 26:05.869 --> 26:07.758 counterparts on the Kabul airport 26:07.758 --> 26:09.758 mission . And I have a follow up to 26:09.758 --> 26:11.980 that . I don't have any specific update 26:11.980 --> 26:11.740 for you . We continue to have 26:11.740 --> 26:13.690 discussions with the Turks about 26:13.700 --> 26:15.700 security at the airport . Obviously 26:15.700 --> 26:18.140 we're mindful that security at the 26:18.140 --> 26:20.570 airport is critical for our ability to 26:20.570 --> 26:22.237 have a diplomatic presence in 26:22.237 --> 26:24.348 Afghanistan as well as our allies and 26:24.348 --> 26:26.570 partners . And so those discussions are 26:26.570 --> 26:28.737 ongoing . I don't have any updates for 26:28.737 --> 26:31.340 you . Okay , and if I might uh we've 26:31.340 --> 26:33.507 seen that the taliban has alleged that 26:33.507 --> 26:36.080 the US has gone back on its agreement 26:36.080 --> 26:38.160 with these airstrikes . Um has there 26:38.160 --> 26:40.049 been any consideration that these 26:40.049 --> 26:42.271 airstrikes could be potentially putting 26:42.271 --> 26:45.260 the , you know , the agreed Turkish 26:45.260 --> 26:47.980 mission in jeopardy or making it more 26:47.990 --> 26:50.101 challenging or complicated to fulfill 26:50.101 --> 26:52.157 the airstrikes , putting the Turkish 26:52.157 --> 26:54.580 mission more jeopardy because the 26:54.580 --> 26:56.691 Taliban has accused the United States 26:56.691 --> 26:58.691 of reneging on its agreement . Well 26:58.691 --> 27:00.913 look , uh it's it's it's not the United 27:00.913 --> 27:04.570 States that uh that continues to exert 27:04.570 --> 27:08.280 violence on the Afghan people uh 27:08.290 --> 27:11.060 and attempt to try to find a military 27:11.060 --> 27:13.227 solution to what should be a political 27:13.227 --> 27:15.449 settlement . It's not the United States 27:15.449 --> 27:17.650 um that is now using oppression and 27:17.650 --> 27:21.410 brutality uh and fear uh to try to 27:21.410 --> 27:23.354 gain some level of governance over 27:23.354 --> 27:25.354 parts of Afghanistan . It's not the 27:25.354 --> 27:29.050 United States um that um uh 27:30.840 --> 27:34.840 trying to undo what the taliban have 27:34.840 --> 27:37.118 previously said they were committed to , 27:37.118 --> 27:39.284 which was again a negotiated political 27:39.284 --> 27:41.550 solution . Uh We are as we've said , 27:41.560 --> 27:44.770 and we've been fairly honest about it 27:44.780 --> 27:47.260 to the degree we can uh continuing to 27:47.260 --> 27:49.482 support Afghan forces in the field with 27:49.482 --> 27:51.704 the capabilities that we have available 27:51.704 --> 27:54.270 to us . Last question . Real , 27:55.540 --> 27:58.470 okay , privilege me change the subject 27:58.470 --> 28:01.360 a little bit today . The secretary 28:01.740 --> 28:04.050 spoke by all with his Russian 28:04.050 --> 28:06.560 counterpart , but the secretary has 28:06.570 --> 28:09.360 also been willing to engage with his 28:09.370 --> 28:12.710 chinese counterpart . Uh Could you give 28:12.710 --> 28:15.470 us an update on the secretary's airport 28:15.480 --> 28:18.090 or progress to engage with the chinese ? 28:18.100 --> 28:20.211 I would not say that the secretary is 28:20.211 --> 28:21.878 waiting to engage his chinese 28:21.878 --> 28:23.656 counterpart . There has been no 28:23.656 --> 28:26.670 discussion uh at his level with a 28:26.680 --> 28:30.430 counterpart in china and uh when that 28:30.440 --> 28:33.230 makes the most sense , you know , we'll 28:33.230 --> 28:35.440 pursue that . But I have no discussion 28:35.440 --> 28:37.551 to announce or to anticipated to read 28:37.551 --> 28:40.990 out today quick for uh , I'm wondering 28:41.000 --> 28:44.540 who is the most appropriate counterpart 28:44.550 --> 28:47.850 approach ? A most appropriate chinese 28:47.860 --> 28:49.916 counterpart to the U . N . Secretary 28:49.916 --> 28:51.527 Defense from the deal . This 28:51.527 --> 28:53.610 perspective is that the chinese 28:53.620 --> 28:56.950 Minister of defense or vice chairman of 28:56.960 --> 29:00.810 the china's central . I think we've I 29:00.810 --> 29:04.410 think we've said clearly there for the 29:04.420 --> 29:06.310 for the purposes of the kinds of 29:06.310 --> 29:09.560 discussions that that we 29:10.140 --> 29:12.362 uh , I think are important with china , 29:12.362 --> 29:15.660 it's at the vice chairman level . Are 29:15.660 --> 29:17.771 you gonna be throwing service members 29:17.771 --> 29:19.882 in the brig if they refuse to get the 29:19.882 --> 29:21.882 jab Lucas ? We talked about this as 29:21.882 --> 29:24.220 well . Yesterday . I'm happy to go back 29:24.220 --> 29:28.190 over it again at we believe 29:28.200 --> 29:31.770 that our commanders should 29:32.340 --> 29:35.010 an individual not want to take the 29:35.010 --> 29:37.010 vaccine for other than religious or 29:37.010 --> 29:39.177 medical purposes , that our commanders 29:39.177 --> 29:41.399 will have a range of tools available to 29:41.399 --> 29:44.890 them to help these individuals make the 29:44.890 --> 29:46.946 best decision for them and for their 29:46.946 --> 29:49.057 families for their teammates that are 29:49.057 --> 29:51.460 short of using the uniform code of 29:51.460 --> 29:53.460 military justice . In other words , 29:53.460 --> 29:56.150 disciplinary measures . Yes . Once a 29:56.150 --> 30:00.010 vaccine has been mandated , uh , 30:00.020 --> 30:04.000 it becomes a lawful order , Uh , to 30:04.010 --> 30:06.290 to compel an individual to take that 30:06.290 --> 30:09.070 vaccine , we do this across the force . 30:09.080 --> 30:12.160 Uh , 17 some odd vaccines , eight of 30:12.160 --> 30:14.700 which are required just to get into 30:14.700 --> 30:18.220 boot camp . Um , I've been stuck myself 30:18.230 --> 30:20.452 all throughout the course of 29 years . 30:20.452 --> 30:23.200 Um , it's not , we have a process in 30:23.200 --> 30:25.450 place and it's just generally not a big 30:25.450 --> 30:27.672 problem . Um , and I , and , and as you 30:27.672 --> 30:30.780 saw in the secretary's memo uh , once 30:30.780 --> 30:32.730 we get to a point where we're now 30:32.740 --> 30:35.300 executing a new vaccination program , 30:35.310 --> 30:37.310 in other words , mandatory that he 30:37.310 --> 30:39.630 expects commanders will execute that 30:39.630 --> 30:41.940 program with skill and professionalism . 30:41.950 --> 30:44.117 And he also used the word compassion , 30:44.117 --> 30:45.728 understanding that there are 30:45.728 --> 30:47.920 trepidations out there . And so our 30:47.920 --> 30:50.390 expectation is if an individual doesn't 30:50.390 --> 30:52.550 want to take the vaccine that we're 30:52.550 --> 30:54.550 going to provide them , uh , some 30:54.550 --> 30:56.383 counseling , both from a medical 30:56.383 --> 30:59.080 perspective , access to docs and access 30:59.080 --> 31:01.247 to leaders in their chain of command . 31:01.247 --> 31:03.830 So they fully understand the 31:03.830 --> 31:06.080 implications and repercussions to them 31:06.090 --> 31:08.430 if they don't take the vaccine , but I 31:08.430 --> 31:10.486 don't want to speculate it will be a 31:10.486 --> 31:12.708 case by case basis , Lucas . It's not , 31:12.708 --> 31:14.930 it's not like the department's going to 31:14.930 --> 31:17.097 have some sort of blanket disciplinary 31:17.097 --> 31:19.152 policy . We expect commanders to use 31:19.152 --> 31:21.374 the tools that they will have available 31:21.374 --> 31:23.860 to them , uh , to uh , to get soldiers 31:23.860 --> 31:26.000 and sailors and airmen and guardians 31:26.000 --> 31:28.400 and uh , marines to do the right thing . 31:28.470 --> 31:30.414 This building has a lot of blanket 31:30.414 --> 31:32.470 policies . Can't you just say if you 31:32.470 --> 31:34.692 don't get the vaccine , you know , lose 31:34.692 --> 31:36.748 liberty , lose vacation time , maybe 31:36.748 --> 31:38.803 get docked and pay . We don't rank , 31:38.803 --> 31:40.859 but Lucas , we don't do that now for 31:40.859 --> 31:40.650 mandatory vaccines . We don't have a 31:40.650 --> 31:43.570 blanket departmental policy for , uh , 31:43.580 --> 31:46.640 you know , the polio vaccine or , or 31:46.650 --> 31:50.390 smallpox or , or even the flu . I 31:50.400 --> 31:52.622 mean , we , you know , we leave that up 31:52.622 --> 31:54.733 to commanders in their discretion and 31:54.733 --> 31:56.733 like I said , they've got plenty of 31:56.733 --> 31:58.567 tools available to them short of 31:58.567 --> 32:00.789 disciplinary action to try to get their 32:00.789 --> 32:03.011 troops to do the right thing . When you 32:03.011 --> 32:05.067 mention religious exemptions , which 32:05.067 --> 32:04.770 religions are we talking about here ? 32:05.140 --> 32:07.084 It doesn't , there's no , it's not 32:07.340 --> 32:10.190 Lucas , there's not a list of , you 32:10.190 --> 32:12.246 know , religions . It's about , it's 32:12.246 --> 32:14.079 about , it's about the religious 32:14.079 --> 32:16.560 beliefs that an individual might have , 32:16.570 --> 32:18.940 that they believe should exempt them 32:18.940 --> 32:20.800 from the vaccine . And as I said 32:20.810 --> 32:23.390 yesterday , there's a whole process 32:23.390 --> 32:25.223 written down an instruction that 32:25.223 --> 32:27.980 governs that process to include , again , 32:27.990 --> 32:30.212 counselling by doctors , counselling by 32:30.212 --> 32:32.120 commanders . And there's a , each 32:32.120 --> 32:34.342 service does this differently . I won't 32:34.342 --> 32:36.064 speak for them to handle these 32:36.064 --> 32:38.287 applications for religious exemptions . 32:38.287 --> 32:40.509 But it's not , you know , it's not like 32:40.509 --> 32:42.564 it's written , it's not uh , there's 32:42.564 --> 32:45.000 not a list of acceptable religions here . 32:45.010 --> 32:47.670 It's about taking these concerns by 32:47.740 --> 32:49.907 individuals very seriously and we take 32:49.907 --> 32:52.018 freedom of religion very seriously in 32:52.018 --> 32:54.630 the military . Yeah , john a lot of 32:54.630 --> 32:56.600 what we heard today is frustration 32:56.610 --> 32:59.350 concerns . Um , some of the questions 32:59.360 --> 33:01.730 seem to focus on inevitability of a 33:01.730 --> 33:04.150 negative outcome . Um , but what are 33:04.150 --> 33:06.094 some of the positives that you are 33:06.094 --> 33:09.140 seeing from the Afghan forces right now ? 33:09.150 --> 33:11.372 And what are some of the positives that 33:11.372 --> 33:13.530 you're seeing from the current US 33:13.660 --> 33:16.950 support being provided to the louis ? 33:16.950 --> 33:20.060 We have seen ? We have seen 33:20.540 --> 33:23.030 afghan forces fight back in certain 33:23.030 --> 33:26.020 places . In fact , there's fighting 33:26.020 --> 33:29.540 going on as we speak . Um We have 33:29.540 --> 33:32.400 seen the Afghan air force Be very 33:32.400 --> 33:34.470 aggressive , as I've said , they 33:34.480 --> 33:36.860 conducted many more strikes in just the 33:36.860 --> 33:40.480 last 24 hours than we have . Um uh 33:40.490 --> 33:42.450 their professional , they're well 33:42.450 --> 33:46.330 trained and they are in the air . Um uh 33:46.340 --> 33:48.820 and I would also say , you know , for 33:48.820 --> 33:50.890 our perspective though , we are 33:50.890 --> 33:54.060 conducting fewer airstrikes . We're 33:54.060 --> 33:56.750 very confident that the strikes were 33:56.750 --> 33:58.917 conducting are hitting the targets are 33:58.917 --> 34:00.750 meant to hit , that we are being 34:00.750 --> 34:03.090 precise and that we are having an 34:03.090 --> 34:05.480 impact at the tactical level . Now . 34:05.480 --> 34:07.647 Clearly from a strategic perspective , 34:08.040 --> 34:10.262 the Taliban keep advancing . There's no 34:10.262 --> 34:13.030 question about that , but the narrative 34:13.030 --> 34:16.440 that in every place , in every way 34:16.450 --> 34:19.270 um the afghan forces are simply folding 34:19.270 --> 34:21.381 up and walking away is not accurate . 34:21.381 --> 34:24.440 Uh I'm not at all and don't , nobody 34:24.440 --> 34:26.496 should take away from this . And I'm 34:26.496 --> 34:28.273 discounting what we're seeing a 34:28.273 --> 34:30.218 deteriorating security situation . 34:30.218 --> 34:32.218 We've been nothing but candid about 34:32.218 --> 34:34.218 that . But to your exact question , 34:34.218 --> 34:36.440 there are places and there are times uh 34:36.440 --> 34:38.607 including today where afghan forces in 34:38.607 --> 34:40.773 the field are putting up a fight . And 34:40.773 --> 34:42.940 does that mean that at some point it's 34:42.940 --> 34:45.162 possible that the Afghan forces will be 34:45.162 --> 34:46.829 strong enough to reconstitute 34:46.829 --> 34:46.410 themselves so that they could 34:46.410 --> 34:48.132 potentially take back . But we 34:48.132 --> 34:49.966 certainly would like to see that 34:49.966 --> 34:52.077 eventuality , as I've said many times 34:52.077 --> 34:54.354 before , no outcome is inevitable here . 34:54.354 --> 34:56.577 Um and the afghan forces , they do have 34:56.577 --> 35:00.400 uh they do have the capacity to do 35:00.400 --> 35:02.456 exactly that . It's really about the 35:02.456 --> 35:04.567 will and the and the leadership on on 35:04.567 --> 35:06.733 the field to make that happen . That's 35:06.733 --> 35:08.789 where and that's not uncommon in any 35:08.789 --> 35:12.530 military uh equipment training . 35:12.540 --> 35:15.710 All that's important . But it is often 35:15.710 --> 35:18.020 for not if you don't have the 35:18.020 --> 35:20.190 leadership and the will to use those 35:20.190 --> 35:23.280 advantages to your benefit . But at 35:23.280 --> 35:25.280 this point now has the happy Afghan 35:25.280 --> 35:28.390 forces recaptured any terrain that was 35:28.390 --> 35:30.612 taken by the Taliban . I would tell you 35:30.612 --> 35:32.612 that again , without getting into a 35:32.612 --> 35:34.779 battlefield assessment because I don't 35:34.779 --> 35:36.890 want to do that . Uh , there are , as 35:36.890 --> 35:38.612 we speak , there are places in 35:38.612 --> 35:40.668 Afghanistan which are actively being 35:40.668 --> 35:42.990 contested right now . Okay . Thanks 35:42.990 --> 35:45.050 everybody . Mhm .