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Former defense secretary on the anniversary of bin Laden's killing, its politicization and the state of Afghanistan
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Mr.
-- -- you sir thank you.
As CM.
A year ago -- a year ago that some bin Laden was sent killed by our people and I'm.
So going to print perspective from look at the present oversees -- Afghanistan.
Your thoughts on us.
Well it was a huge accomplishment it was there something that that took a lot of cooperation.
Between our intelligence people on our special operations forces.
Over many many years and and accumulating pieces of information and finally being.
Able to pinpoint an act -- that great precision we're we're so fortunate to have.
What have to be described as the finest warriors on the face of the earth in our special operations forces and Navy SEALs.
How do we avoid having -- a poisonous fact that then it becomes a -- political.
Weapon -- by either side at this point.
I don't know how you do that -- I think that.
You know from a purely military standpoint.
The all the information coming out of the government basically the White House and I'm not the department of defense and not these special operations forces.
Is not helpful to those people the the -- that's known about what they do and how they do with the better off we are in the fewer lives will be lost down the road.
It is it's I -- partly natural to think that these things would come up in a certain way you think in a political environment that we're living in.
But the from a standpoint of the armed forces of the United States I mean -- think of those people what they did was they trained for years.
They went in at night in a foreign country.
Not knowing what they would -- line in this compound.
You know booby traps armed resistance.
And and executed the operation with just enormous skill and precision.
And others will need to do that in the future and and the less details that come out about it it seems to me the better off we are and and I think politicizing it is unfortunate.
Is politicizing of putting it in -- campaign -- saying.
Essentially I did it I can make the tough decisions and I can make the right decisions isn't that politicizing it or is that sending a message American people.
That I'm not wish you -- she or I know how to do my job I can be the commander in chief.
I think I think we you know you could describe it either way.
I think that calling it a bumper sticker is -- -- political and is it is a bit of a reach.
I think that.
It's it's is certainly a president has to run his record and -- this -- a significant accomplishment for the administration.
And and it's the world's a better place for that amount of the global war on terror is not over.
The problems are still -- and terrorists are still being trained and recruited funded.
So.
But -- I do worry that something is.
Secret.
As the special operations forces have to be if they're going to be successful.
Has become so central in the campaign.
I might add that that there is a a special.
Operations warriors foundation that.
If people are interest that they can send money to have that support the and they have a website for special operations warrior foundation.
Yes I asset mix -- on a one hand I know I admire a decision the president made admired him for doing so I think it's a very tough decision.
Another Hansel part of me I mean it's sort of the midwest who -- added that the people who put their lives at risk who executed this flawlessly.
Because of that because of their jobs it can never take a bow.
-- because you wanna keep the protective -- cancer that -- I want -- I I hope they don't think they're sitting there that we think that'd do anything because we're not like tip and I had to them.
Well I think that if you talk to people who are in the special operations forces and people who have been him.
That they had to be grinding their teeth when they saw this flow of information about the attack on bin Laden's compound.
I think it's it's I suppose the inevitable that there would be.
Television and and reporting about it on the other hand from their standpoint that the people whose lives are at risk.
That that information didn't come out of the Pentagon didn't come on the special operations forces it came on the White House senate came out of the congress people who work hard in the political side as opposed to leave the military side.
And I and I know they -- they had to be deeply concerned about.
-- UNICEF from a security point of view and and send them but there's another there's another part so that.
I know that they don't do this job to get -- special credit for anything -- for -- but I think that.
You know -- -- -- -- job so well meanwhile little acknowledgment like you know.
You know what that that was unbelievable but we don't know their names -- we can't even do that instead you know instead it becomes their part of the political dialogue.
Now where it looks like get you know where those who get who really.
Risked their lives don't quite get the attention that I would think they deserve.
I feel the same way I you do want to recognize them and and they deserve.
The appreciation of a nation.
You mentioned it was a tough decision I don't think it was a tough decision.
We've seen a lot of instances where president's.
Over the years have have had to make decisions like that.
I think after spending that amount of time that number of years from that much money we increased the special operations forces by about.
50% we increase their budget we increase their equipment.
And and they develop the skill sets and -- for improved intelligence capability of our country.
And finally -- all that comes together to not make that decision it seemed to me it would just be.
Dumb -- me I can't imagine any president not making that decision that's not to say it wasn't a huge accomplishment and it -- us.
But not -- but in your -- not tough decision will not at all.
Up presence in Afghanistan now.
There back carefully.
We gap in the middle of the night.
So that that he could -- execute this this agreement with the Afghani.
Government did after we would actually have against enemy -- ten year program where we help but security would the economy.
I'm curious found do you have any differences with him and how he is here.
-- the war so far.
Well.
You know if I've been out for six years and end to.
Try to second guess it from a distance is is hard and I I know what I know and I know what I don't know.
And what I don't know is a lot I didn't worry about the frequent changes of ambassadors in Afghanistan.
I'll be honest I also worry about increasing the number of troops to the extent we did.
And I also worried about changing the commanders has frequently is -- we did and I think that people need to be in those jobs a little longer so that they can.
Actually get some traction.
And and to pull Petraeus out and put them dependent a CIA is with impressed -- plus or minus here.
And an -- to keep changing the ambassadors.
I think is probably not a great idea now.
And we don't want to help train and equip the Arab -- Afghan security forces you bet.
Have they had a lot of successes of course they have they've had an election they elected president -- cut drafted a constitution they've elected parliament.
They've they've.
They've got a tough situation you know nearly a decade of occupation by the Soviets they've had drought they've had civil war they've got tough neighbors they've got a high illiteracy rate.
And it's not an easy path that is if we expect that -- become -- an instant model democracy I think I think we're making a mistake but I think that the United States has has given them a chance to make it.
And and that that NAFTA it's been a good thing to have done a -- al-Qaeda has been badly damaged.
The -- -- and taken out of power in that country and and and they are they wouldn't -- vicious rules.
It's Taliban I -- I was in act.
Afghanistan secretary of state Hillary Clinton met -- them with a bunch of women and she promised that.
We wouldn't abandon the women when the Taliban is out of -- the biggest admirable and -- me is the biggest fear for the women.
Do you have any.
Suspicion -- any thoughts about what work -- -- 2004 to Wear out even though in the strategic agreement.
What have visited Taliban comeback in and is there any way your mind they reformed the way -- -- the way they think of women the way they treat women.
Well of course who.
Women were not allowed out without a member of their -- families say they weren't allowed to go to school they weren't allowed to see doctors because there were enough women doctors.
And that was that was -- -- rule we re using this soccer stadiums to cut off people's -- this is still.
I'm gonna change if they think they think we're we're beyond that or is that still a huge risk for women.
Well I think there's still a risk and inevitably mean if you've got that much the dollar bond didn't disappear and that that's strain of thinking that view of the world still exists.
And it's.
Largely been shoved in the Pakistan along the Federally Administered Tribal Areas there but they -- to come back.
Can and it's gonna take the Afghan people on the Afghan security forces and the political leadership to resist that.
And the Afghan people ultimately mean it's their country.
They're gonna have to manage their country eventually.
Can -- For now I really don't have a guy.
In and out of government so many times it's a privilege to serve our country but.
I'm enjoying life.
The sectors I just say sir thank you address.
