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Secretary of state reflects on accountability for the Benghazi tragedy, whether the US will return to the region and Egypt's controversial president
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-- -- and I say yeah great to see you Greta thank you yeah I'm good I actually great I'm.
You know in the final stages of -- as secretary of state term and I'm trying to get everything possibly done that I can it go fast.
It went really fast it's hard to imagine now.
Quickly the time passed there was so much going.
That.
Which -- you know one thing after another day yesterday the world is still quite turbulent as today about Egypt and it -- -- chaos it's breaking out there.
-- your thoughts on.
What's gonna happen.
What.
Should we do if anything and what does it mean for the region while those -- -- really important questions and I think that.
Post -- Arab revolutions that took place in Egypt Libya and Tunisia and you know bursts of them elsewhere in the region.
There was always going to be a period of adjustment and what we have to work for along with the international community.
As well as people inside Egypt is not to seat these revolutions hijacked by extremists.
Not to see the return.
Dictatorial rule the absence of the rule of law.
And it's hard it's hard going from.
Decades.
Under.
One party or one man rule.
As somebody said.
Waking up from a political coma and understanding democracies so we have a lot at stake in trying to keep moving.
These transformations in the right direction is present -- -- though is he.
So with the program -- this or not because he's had some horrible things about Israelis.
Two years ago Anderson things printed today from one of the senior aides about that the Holocaust didn't existed so there's sort of very -- -- suspicious things he's saying it -- all the -- well.
I'm wondering if it is -- is he with us or against us.
Well we were quite concerned about those statements and the Egyptian presidency repudiated them and reaffirmed a commitment to -- Israel Egypt peace treaty which is of course.
-- -- -- -- Everything that we hope to see happen in the Middle East.
But you have to I think take a step back and look at.
The fact that the people now in power in these countries have never been government never had a chance to.
Really.
Learn how to run agencies or to make decisions.
So.
We don't just certainly condoned or in any way approve.
What a lot of these leaders are doing or failing to do.
But we also know how important it is that.
We try to avoid.
Even more extreme elements which are active across the region.
Taking control of territory even threatening.
A regime where -- people are often American educated.
Have some.
And ongoing.
Commitment to you know make tough decisions when I negotiated.
Cease fire in Gaza with president -- he was.
You know very involved -- obviously gone to Israel first and I went to Egypt and we.
Got it done it still holding so we have to.
You know keep pushing forward and yet call it like we -- yet when we think something is not appropriate as we did with those statements when you met him to give a sense that he was a good partner someone that we can -- -- doing acting us you know be very cautious with him.
I think he has a lot of the right intentions.
You know certainly in my long conversations with -- the many.
Reports of meetings that I've received other American officials -- recent.
Congressional delegation.
You do get the impression that he.
-- the team around him are trying to deal with.
The economy that is in very bad shape in Egypt.
The loss of foreign.
Currency and investment.
The tourism trade.
The political reforms that are necessary.
But that near the jury's out -- I've been around long enough so.
It's not what somebody says it's what they do and some of what he's done we have approved -- and support -- and some of what he's done like.
Abrogating a lot of power on to himself personally.
Reinstating.
Emergency.
Law provisions that had been a hallmark of the Mubarak regime are very troubling and you know we have a balancing act to do as do the Egyptian people as to how this is going to turn out.
I'm -- suspicion of him because he had he invited president.
But shares Sudan essentially gave a state visit to Egypt a couple months ago when he should've at least in my view is under indictment of the international criminal questioned and arrested so I -- anyone who -- lending hand to present but you're not a resting him.
Made me suspicious item in light of the fact that Iran -- after their eyeballs with Sudan.
Well unfortunately.
That's not an uncommon story across the African continent and we have reached out to numerous times to.
Countries that have given Bashir.
A welcome allowed him to come to meetings because he is under indictment and he does.
Need to be held accountable for.
What -- happen on his watch as president.
On the other hand though this is a long border with Egypt one of the biggest problems that Egypt is facing is the lack of border security.
The importation of weapons on their way to Gaza for example.
Coming out of -- so.
What we have a lot very.
Intense discussions.
With our Egyptian counterparts including -- As to let you know let's prioritize we need to stop extremism.
In Egypt we need to stop weapons coming across your border.
We need to reassert order in the Sinai it's it Egypt's interests it's in Israel's interest.
We need to try to stop.
Hamas from it's that constant attacks on Israel something that also -- downs to the detriment of Egypt over the long run because.
It could become uncontrollable we have a long list.
Important issues that we are racing with them and obviously.
Their borders with Libya and Sudan are critical.
Your predecessor.
As secretary of state Henry Kissinger said the other night that.
Iran if Iran's nuclear weapon that it is a turning point in history and everybody lives in fear or whether it's President Obama.
Has said things you've said things your predecessors.
-- prime minister Netanyahu and no one wants Iran to have nuclear weapons.
But as we all sort of say that they're marching forward in time.
What's gonna happen there.
Well as you know our policy is prevention not containment and we have through the hard work we've undertaken with the international community.
Impose the toughest set of sanctions international and bilateral.
On any country we know it's having an effect we have eight.
Great deal of evidence about the economic impact at the sanctions are happening on the Iranian economy.
And therefore on the political and clerical leadership.
Now part of what we have to continue to do is keep them isolated keep all the countries including Russia and China on board as they have been up to now.
So we've said from the very beginning.
We're open to diplomacy we are doing so -- me -- so called.
But this is an unacceptable.
Past that they must.
Stop or.
Action we'll have to be taken at this point.
We are continuing to keep the pressure on them in the pressure track.
And making it clear that.
You know there's not going to be any alternative.
But to deny them in nuclear weapons program.
I'm not suggesting -- have military action against -- I sort of looking at it from afar and I see a country that firstly yes we -- based -- but we do give waivers to some countries and in some countries get to do business with them a little bit so it's not a completely hermetically sealed country.
They do get some relief.
But the obvious at their behind.
That I'm prompted Syria.
You know I'm I'm with Hezbollah with Hamas.
Mean Iraq and they're they're destabilizing to Israel -- hateful things to Israel.
We're busy trying to contain them but we may be on different time track than their nuclear weapons program and would he have been in May be a faster.
Program -- -- -- that is so you know -- there is gonna come a time when.
We know we're -- can we might make a different decision.
Well we've always said all options are on the table the president's been very clear about that and I'm glad you raised.
The terrorism.
Aspect.
Iran's behavior because there's so much attention and the effort to prevent them from getting -- nuclear weapon that we.
Sometimes overlook.
The very active efforts by the -- and revolutionary guard there could force.
Their proxies like -- the Lebanese -- and others.
The litigation assassinations.
Bombings.
Destabilizing countries.
That has -- a very.
-- challenging ongoing threat.
And for -- -- I have to tell you when I came into office.
They were too many countries that were turning a blind eye to it we have worked very hard to get.
The international community particularly.
The region Europe and elsewhere to say wait a minute.
These guys need to be stopped on the terrorism front they can not be permitted to go forward.
You know when we found out about the plot to kill that.
Ambassador from here Australia here in Washington.
Yeah there was disbelief on the part of a lot of countries and we produced evidence this man pled guilty.
No one should have any doubt.
That in addition to the nuclear threat which I agree with doctor Kissinger is a potential turning point in history.
Not only because of what it would mean to Iran's attempt to intimidate their neighbors but the arms race that it would instigate.
But we have to.
Also keep an eye on stopping them from their terrorism -- -- -- -- the money to do that we have sanctions on them and they're behind supplying weapons -- -- -- -- and -- -- that was picked -- the other -- and behind Hezbollah and Hamas and where they -- in the money -- -- for rush hour.
Does it helps -- to fund these terrorists.
Well they.
Are a rich country they have a lot.
Economic wealth and strength that has been built up over many years.
These sanctions are truly biting but there are out -- -- countries that still.
Try to evade.
The efforts that we all have made to.
Make it as difficult as possible to do business with women and we've shut down a lot of financial institutions we have changed.
The behaviors of a lot of governments and others who thought they can get away with it.
You know but there are still you know rogue nations there are still countries that are totally dependent upon Iranian.
Resources.
So I think we've done -- very.
Credible job of toughening and tightening the sanctions but there's more to cop will be issuing more sanctions identifying more people.
But ultimately what we want to see is Iran come to the negotiating table in the and basically say they're you know going to.
Have the most opened inspections they're not pursuing nuclear weapons they claim that they're not you know they keep referring to.
The religious -- -- that the supreme leader issues that they're not pursuit of -- elevenths.
Well you know I'm from the trust but verify at camp when it comes to Iran.
You know this is what they say they continue to say it.
But we have a body of evidence that points in the other direction if that is true then why are they developing a missile program.
That has Intercontinental.
Ballistic capacity you know why are they adding centrifuges.
And more enriched uranium.
As a result so.
You know -- 80 the international community not just the United States they -- the Security Council the United Nations.
They -- the international atomic energy energy agency they only -- they -- the EU and many others.
Eight an explanation as to what it is they're doing if they.
Claim they're not pursuing nuclear weapons to -- question and number one is in light of what's happened.
Can Americans now feel safer satisfied that we -- -- to to secure Holler consulates and embassies for diplomats overseas that's the first and the second thing is should we go back to guys.
-- ask the first question you know the accountability review board made a set of recommendations we are embracing and implementing all of them.
And making sure that we apply them now.
It's not all a question of money I'm the first to say that you know you have to have the right people in the right jobs making the right decisions.
But money is a factor and ever since the Bush Administration.
Our request for security money from congress have not been met so you've had to make.
Priority decisions and it's been difficult.
So I am determined to leave the State Department safer and stronger when I walk out the door and I know that John Kerry will just pick up the ball and run with it.
With respect to do we go back and let me explain why were there.
This was heart of the Libyan revolution.
We knew that there were dangerous people.
In and around and -- we also knew that there were a lot of loose weapons and part of what we were doing there was trying to.
Get leads on recovering those loose weapons.
And we knew that there were smuggling routes that could go in the Egypt into Sinai threaten Israel.
So there were very important reasons why we were there not just the State Department but other government agencies.
Whether or win we go back will depend on the security situation and what kind.
You know security support diplomats would have but.
I hasten to add -- that you know I I have dangerous posts all over the world we have.
People and incredibly.
High threat environment I've seen some of them you have seen some of them and there there.
Because we believe they're being there is in America's national interest particularly our security interest about the women of Afghanistan you can expect -- We -- well they're going to.
Have to be given.
Support from their own government and people as well as the international community.
-- for them.
For a lot of women life is much better.
Girls are in school never were before women are able to practice there professions and pursue their businesses.
So for a a increasing group Afghan women like is batters still.
There are all kinds of discrimination and difficulties.
But for a large group of rural women life has not changed very much and what I worry about is that the security situation.
Will keep a total lid.
On the aspirations.
And education of the rural women and begin to.
Intimidate and drive out of the public space women who have seen their lives improve.
And I think it's incumbent upon us and all the nations that have been in Afghanistan.
-- everything we plan to prevent that from happening again attached to him I wouldn't go over and I didn't I would use it but I know we IC sectors agency you're very public well in the last four years has been a real quiet.
Chelsea Clinton got married and -- it.
But dousing -- your biggest supporter biggest -- that.
Dorothy Rodham your mother who it was a big role model to an awesome Washington who -- about character she died during his four years so there's highs and lows their arm and -- -- my mother really enjoyed.
The company of you and your husband ran.
She was at the agent you know ninety plus so vital so interested in people she taught me so many lessons and I mr.
every day because I was fortunate.
That she was living with us here in Washington so I got to see here.
Every night I could come home or when I came back from a trip and she was I was so interested and what we were doing and what I have seen.
I was lucky to have her for so long to the character I -- she was a character overcame.
So many hurdles in her own life and you know just shared her loved her intelligence and their curiosity.
Not only with us her children but everybody she met indeed anyway that's okay thanks very much -- see it good to see you Greta thank you.
