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Former Defense Secretary William Cohen weighs in on how U.S. should respond
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We US secretary of defense William Cohen who served from under President Bill Clinton before that he served as a Republican vote in the house and the United States senate not to see you sir thank you to.
Can -- -- it this is a complicated relationship with Pakistan.
It's complicated with many countries.
Throughout the Middle East and throughout the Muslim world.
It's complicated even in China as we saw our investors -- a car come under some most sort of attack because of the controversy between.
Japan and China over some important -- But nonetheless going back to go to the Muslim world.
That world this in many ways in transition and in turmoil.
And so as this is unfolding.
We have to take care yes we have free speech in this country.
-- words have consequences I think when we insult a religion.
Under these circumstances is found to produce and we know -- will produce a very strong reaction we saw that -- the burning the Koran and our.
Chairman of the joint chiefs spoke out saying that that was putting our soldiers and and -- were on the front lines in jeopardy so.
Yes we have freedom of speech that we should take care as well but that doesn't go the fundamental problem here we have people in these countries.
Who really I hate America.
Who want to take advantage of any turmoil of any kind of controversy to carry out acts of terror.
I believe that was done in Libya I think that there are groups -- not Egypt and elsewhere Pakistan who want to achieve the same thing.
So we've got to depend upon these other government that they want -- relationship with us.
They have to protect our embassy and our people and if they don't do that then we have to think very seriously -- recalling our people.
And cutting off any kind of assistance because we can't tolerate a situation where the government of any country is promoting anti Americanism.
Egypt has been one of the staunchest allies.
At least it's been one that has kept the violence down that this sort of treaty of sorts -- With Israel couldn't be much more important that that that's a delicate line there is there.
It's a very delicate line because I gamble looking and I a country in transition they have a new president.
We have new institutions we hope are being built democratic institutions.
And so there is a real well a fine line they have to walk by shoring up their own support of their.
They're Muslim population -- -- -- in -- at the same time.
Making sure they don't allow the provocation.
-- to exercise of their free speech to jeopardize their lives and in -- -- so we have to take care I think that.
This is going to be some time before -- fully unfolds and we have to be on guard.
But before we go with secretary former Defense Secretary would look when looking at this war.
The war in Afghanistan.
We've had a lot of different goals over the course of this war you can't deny that that the goal that we seem to have now the last goal left.
Is to train the Afghan forces so they can take over the whole mess over there.
And now they've been killing so many of our people that we can't even work next to them to train them we're -- on temporary but frankly indefinite hold.
What in the world is going on with this war and and explain to -- how in the world.
This can't change the timeline for withdrawal if we can't train them then we got a trainer change or gold belt when.
I think that's.
-- -- the ultimate result we have more countries who are urging -- -- governments to pull out.
-- their soldiers -- we develop wanna be left all on our own and I think this is going to call the question our relationship unless.
President Karzai is going to step forward.
And do much more vetting in the live in in terms of the police were being trained if we can't trust the people that we are training.
Not to -- -- us and have so called blue against green.
Then there's going to be very little effort to oracle desire willingness on the part of our military and our hopefully our government.
To wanna say miss secretary I said that as an outside observer just looking at it looked like maybe would have to change our only remaining goal in this war and you agreed.
If we change the last goal what would we make the next goal.
Just to Gail -- that.
The next goal has to be an international.
Effort this cannot be the -- -- sole goal of the United States we can't carry out the transition.
Of the Afghan people into a democracy it's going to take years decades unless we have an international commitment to do that.
The United States can't do it alone and shouldn't be doing it alone so we need to have they are much greater participation by other countries in addition to the United States absent that.
I'm afraid that's when he fourteen deadline is going to to loom even closer former Defense Secretary William Cohen thank you sir while -- we would welcome more details today of.
