| 00:00:00 | SO TONIGHT I'M GOING TO ASK YOUR FORBEARANCE BECAUSE THERE MAY BE MORE PREGNANT AND DRAMATIC PAUSES THAN NORMAL WHEN I'M SPEAKING BUT I WILL DO MY BEST TO PERSEVERE AND GET THROUGH IT. |
| 00:00:13 | THE TRUTH IS I WOULDN'T MISS COMING AND SPEAKING TO YOU. |
| 00:00:16 | THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT I HAVE HAD A LONG ASSOCIATION WITH AS MUCH THROUGH WATCHINGGWHAT YOU DO AS ANYTHING ELSE, AND IT'S AN ORGANIZATION WHOSE WORK IS SO FUNDAMENTAL TO AMERICAN VALUES, SO IMPORTAAT TO WHO WE ARE, SUCH A GOOD REFLECTION OF WHO WE ARE, THAT UNDER ALMOST ANY CIRCUMSTANCES I WOULD BE SURE THAT I WOULD BE HERE, AND I'M TRYING TO PROVE THAT TONIGHT. |
| 00:00:42 | SO -- >> THANK YOU. |
| 00:00:45 | >> YOU'RE WELCOME. |
| 00:00:46 | [ LAUGHTER ] |
| 00:00:47 | I WAS JUST RESPONDING TO THE PEOPLE UP FRONT, THAT'S ALL. |
| 00:00:49 | YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION ALSO THAT IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY ADL AND NOT SAY ABE FOXMAN AT THE SAME TIME. |
| 00:00:58 | I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER BUT IT'S A PRETTY LONG TIME, AND I COUNT ON ABE AS NOT ONLY BEING A GOOD FRIEND, BUT AS SOMEONE WHO, I THINK IS KIND OF A MODEL FOR ALL OF US, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN INJUSTICE THAT HE DIDN'T SEE THAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE ON. |
| 00:01:21 | HE NOT ONLY BRINGS HIS BOUNDLESS ENERGY TO THAT, HE BRINGS AN ABIDING PASSION, AND A KIND OF ENDURING SENSE OF RIGHT AND WRONG. |
| 00:01:30 | AS I SAID, TO TALK ABOUT ADL AND NOT SAY ABE FOXMAN IN THE BREADTH IS SOMEHOW AN OXYMORON SO ABE, ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU. |
| 00:01:40 | I KNOW THAT YOU'VE HAD A VERY FULL DAY OF DISCUSSIONS. |
| 00:01:43 | I KNOW THAT YOU'VE HAD A FULL DAY OF DISCUSSIONS WITH MANY OF MY FORMER AND CURRENT COLLEAGUES. |
| 00:01:49 | AND I SHOULD SAY I SEE JESS STANDING BACK THERE, WHICH IS NORMALLY HIS ROLE. |
| 00:01:54 | WHEN YOU HAVE A LINEUP OF THE SORT THAT YOU HAVE, YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON THE FACT THAT IT'S JESS HORDACE WHO PUTS IT TOGETHER. |
| 00:02:02 | THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN WHO ARE MORE RESPECTED, WHO NONETHELESS HAVE A KIND OF QUIET PRESENCE, AND KNOW THE ESSENCE OF THE DEBATES THAT ARE GOING ON, ON ALL THE ISSUES THAT RELATE TO THE MIDDLE EAST AND BEYOND, AND YOU CAN COUNT ON THE FACT THAT JESS WILL BRING THOSE PEOPLE TOGETHER SO THAT WHEN YOU ASSEMBLE, YOU HAVE WHAT SHOULD BE I THINK A DAY FULL OF VERY INTERESTING DISCUSSION. |
| 00:02:26 | I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF MY COLLEAGUES IN THE ADMINISTRATION, I KNOW DAN SHAPIRO WAS HERE, WORKING TIRELESSLY TO ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF MIDDLE EAST PEACE. |
| 00:02:39 | I KNOW THAT DAN BENJAMIN WAS HERE, WHO IS OUR COORDINATOR ON COUNTERTERROR, AND I KNOW THAT HANNAH ROSENTHAL WAS ALSO HERE AND SHE'S THE SPECIAL ENVOY FOR DEALING WITH ANTI-SEMITISM AROUND THE WORLD. |
| 00:02:55 | WHAT THEY EMBODY IS I THINK THE BEST IN PUBLIC SERVICE. |
| 00:03:00 | THEY REFLECT A CLEAR DETERMINATION AND COMMITMENT TO DOING WHAT'S IN OUR INTEREST, TO DOING WHAT WILL MAKE OUR COUNTRY MORE SECURE AND DOING WHAT THEY CAN ALSO TO CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE PEACEFUL WORLD. |
| 00:03:15 | ALL OF THEM, I WILL TELL YOU, NOT ONLY TAKE THEIR GUIDANCE BUT ALSO THEIR INSPIRATION FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA. |
| 00:03:22 | THEY REFLECT HIS COMMITMENT. |
| 00:03:25 | THEY REFLECT HIS COMMITMENT TO SOLVING INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGES, IN HIS PARTICULAR CASE FOCUSED NOT ONLY ON SOLVING INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGES WHILE AT THE SAME TIME TAKING ON AND TACKLING OUR GREATEST DOMESTIC CONCERNS. |
| 00:03:39 | HE'S DETERMINED TO KEEP AMERICA SAFE, AND TO USE OUR LEADERSHIP TO HELP ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A MORE PEACEFUL AND JUST GLOBAL ORDER. |
| 00:03:49 | HE IS UNWAVERING IN HIS PURSUIT OF POLICIES, AND THE PURSUIT OF POLICIES THAT ARE RIGHT AND EFFECTIVE REGARDLESS OF THE POLITICAL COST, AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THAT FROM MY VANTAGE POINT OF BEING SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT, AND A SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR THE CENTRAL REGION, WHICH IS A REGION WHICH EXTENDS BASICALLY FROM NORTH AFRICA TO SOUTH ASIA, I SEE THAT COMMITMENT ON A DAILY BASIS. |
| 00:04:14 | I SEE THAT COMMITMENT TO SECURING THE UNITED STATES ON A DAILY BASIS. |
| 00:04:21 | I SEE IT IN THE OVER 175,000 AMERICAN FORCES THAT ARE IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ. |
| 00:04:30 | I SEE IT IN THE ONGOING EFFORT TO GET AT AL QAEDA WHEREVER IT IS IN THE REGION, WHETHER IT'S IN SOUTH ASIA, IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA OR IN NORTH AFRICA. |
| 00:04:43 | I SEE IT IN TERMS OF ACTIVELY BOLSTERING THOSE WHO ARE THREATENED BY IRAN, HEZBOLLAH, AND HAMAS. |
| 00:04:52 | I SEE IT IN TERMS OF THE COMMITMENT TO TRYING TO RESOLVE HISTORIC CONFLICTS, THE KINDS OF CONFLICTS THAT ARE BREEDING GROUNDS FOR EXTREMISTS AND THE KINDS OF CONFLICTS THAT ARE EXPLOITED BY THOSE WHO THREATENED PEACE, WHO REJECT PEACE, WHO THREATEN OUR FRIENDS AND WHO ARE HOSTILE TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. |
| 00:05:11 | I SEE THAT COMMITMENT EVERY DAY AS IT RELATES TO OUR SECURITY. |
| 00:05:16 | ONE THING I ALSO SEE IS THAT THE PRESIDENT DOES NOT SHY AWAY FROM ASSUMING HIS RESPONSIBILITIES. |
| 00:05:22 | HE DOES NOT SHY AWAY FROM LEADING IN THE AREAS WHERE WE NEED TO LEAD, AND HE DOES NOT SHY AWAY FROM TAKING THE KINDS OF DECISIONS, TOUGH DECISIONS THAT ARE NECESSARY AS YOU DEAL WITH THE ARRAY OF CHALLENGES THAT I JUST OUTLINED THAT ARE JUST IN THE CENTRAL REGION AREA. |
| 00:05:38 | IN THIS AREA, HE UNDERSTANDS THE STAKES, BUT HE ALSO UNDERSTANDS THAT THE COUNTERTERROR AND EXTREMISTS, WE HAVE TO USE ALL THE TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSAL, ALL OF THE TOOLS OF STATE CRAFT. |
| 00:05:50 | THERE IS ONE OTHER BOOK I WROTE, I WROTE A BOOK ON STATE CRAFT. |
| 00:05:55 | I'M NOW IN A POSITION WHERE I CAN'T TALK ABOUT THE BOOKS THAT I WROTE. |
| 00:05:59 | [ LAUGHTER ] I'M SIMPLY REFERRING TO THE FACT THAT THE PRESIDENT UNDERSTANDS VERY WELL THAT WE HAVE TO EMPLOY AS WE COUNTER TERRORISTS AND PROTECT OUR INTERESTS WE HAVE TO USE ALL THE TOOLS OF STATE CRAFT, MILITARY, DIPLOMATIC, ECONOMIC, ORGANIZATIONAL, TECHNOLOGICAL, STRATEGIC MESSAGEING, STRATEGIC MESSAGING IS WHAT WE DO TO EXPLAIN OURSELVES AND FRAME OUR POLICIES IN A WAY THAT EXPLAIN NOT ONLY WHAT WE'RE CONTENDING WITH, BUT ALSO WHY OUR RESPONSES TO IT ARE THE RIGHT RESPONSES. |
| 00:06:33 | THIS SAME MIX OF TOOLS MUST ALSO BE EMPLOYED IN PREVENTING PROLIFERATION AND DENYING THOSE WHO THREATEN OUR INTERESTS THE ABILITY TO BUILD THEIR LEVER ANXIOUS WHICH AGAIN THIS PART OF THE WORLD IS A FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENT. |
| 00:06:46 | WE MUST BE ABLE TO ISOLATE THOSE WHO ARE THREATENING OUR INTERESTS, EVEN WHILE WE OFFER THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR. |
| 00:06:53 | THEY MUST SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO GAIN IN TAKING A NEW PAST AND AS IMPORTANTLY THEY MUST SEE WHAT THEY STAND TO LOSE. |
| 00:07:01 | MAKING THEIR BAD BEHAVIOR NOT OUR RELUCTANCE TO ENGAGE THEM AS IT RELATES TO STATE ACTORS LIKE IRAN CAN AFFECT THEIR KAG CALCULUS AND CERTAINLY CONTRIBUTE TO BUILDING SUPPORT FOR THE POSTURES THAT WE TAKE, AND FINALLY, AGAIN, IN THIS REGION, PURSUING PEACE IS INSTRUMENTAL TO SHAPING A NEW REGIONAL CONTEXT, PURSUING PEACE IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR DEALING WITH THE OTHER CHALLENGES I JUST ENUMERATED. |
| 00:07:26 | IT IS ALSO NOT A PANACEA BUT ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO RESOLVING THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT, IT WOULD DENY EXTREMISTS, STATE OR NON-STATE ACTORS A TOOL THEY USE TO EXPLOIT ANGER AND GRIEVANCE. |
| 00:07:42 | HAVING SET OUT THIS BROAD FRAMEWORK LET ME TALK A LITTLE BIT HOW PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS DIRECTED US TO APPLY IT IN PRACTICE. |
| 00:07:50 | IN AFGHANISTAN, AS YOU KNOW THE PRESIDENT HAS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED OUR FORCES WHILE ALSO GREATLY ENHANCEING OUR EFFORTS TO PROMOTE GOOD GOVERNANCE, COMBAT CORRUPTION AND FOSTER DEVELOPMENT. |
| 00:08:03 | HE USED OUR READINESS TO DO MUCH MORE TO MOBILIZE OTHERS TO PROVIDE FORCES BOTH COMBAT FORCES AND TRAINERS FROM OUR ALLIES, BY SECURING AND IMPROVING THE DAILY LIVES OF ORDINARY PEOPLE, WE ARE UNDERMINING THE FORCES THAT FUEL VIOLENT EX-STREECHLISM. |
| 00:08:20 | THIS IS A STRATEGY THAT OUR MILITARY, OUR DIPLOMATS, OUR ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS ARE IMPLEMENTING IN COORDINATION WITH OUR NATO ALLIES AND WITH OTHER ALLIES INTERNATIONALLY, AND THIS PARTICULAR STRATEGY GREW OUT. |
| 00:08:32 | A SYSTEMATIC AND SERIOUS REVIEW THAT THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF LED. |
| 00:08:37 | IT INVOLVES AN ENORMOUS COMMITMENT OF OUR SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN, AS WELL AS YOU KNOW ALSO OF GREAT FINANCIAL COST. |
| 00:08:45 | BUT THE PRESIDENT HAS MADE IT CLEAR, THAT NO PRICE IS TOO HIGH TO PAY WHEN IT COMES TO SECURING THE UNITED STATES. |
| 00:08:52 | THAT IS WHY THE ENTIRE NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM IS CONTINUALLY FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT OUR STRATEGY IN AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN IS WORKING AND IS DOING -- IS WORKING THE WAY WE INTEND IT TO WORK, WE'RE EVALUATING IT TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT IT'S MEETING ITS BENCHMARKS, AND DOING AND FOLLOWING AND JUDGING WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO THAT IT CAN SUCCEED. |
| 00:09:16 | IN IRAQ, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH A NEED TO RESPONSIBLY END THE WAR. |
| 00:09:23 | IN RECENT WEEKS ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE SEEN IS IRAQI SECURITY FORCES LEADING VERY SUCCESSFUL MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST AL QAEDA. |
| 00:09:31 | WE WILL END OUR COMBAT MISSION IN IRAQ BY THE END OF AUGUST, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE U. |
| 00:09:37 | S./IRAQ SECURITY AGREEMENT, ALL U. |
| 00:09:38 | S. FORCES WILL BE OUT OF IRAQ BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR. |
| 00:09:43 | PREEENTLY, WE ARE CONTINUING TO ENCOURAGE THE IRAQI POLITICAL LEADERS TO PURSUE A TRANSPARENT POLITICAL PROCESS AND TO FORM AN INCLUSIVE AND REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. |
| 00:09:54 | WE ARE ALSO VERY ACTIVELY ENCOURAGING OTHERS IN THE REGION TO REINTEGRATE IRAQ INTO THE REGION. |
| 00:10:01 | ONE THING THE IRAQI PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW IS THAT THEY WILL HAVE A PARTNER IN THE UNITED STATES AS THEY FACE THEIR LONGER TERM CHALLENGES OF BUILDING A STABLE, SECURE AND PROSPEROUS FUTURE. |
| 00:10:14 | OUR COMMITMENT TO SECURING AND COUNTERING THOSE WHO THREATEN OUR FRIENDS IS ALSO REFLECTED IN OUR APPROACH THROUGHOUT THE REGION. |
| 00:10:21 | IN THE GULF, WE ARE UPGRADING OUR DEFENSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR PARTNERS BY IMPROVING THEIR DEFENSIVE CAPABILITIES AND OUR ABILITY TO OPERATE WITH THEM, SO THAT THEY CAN DEAL WITH THE FULL RANGE OF THREATS THEY COULD CONFRONT. |
| 00:10:35 | WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN YEMEN TO AGGRESSIVELY COMBAT AL QAEDA AND THE ARABIAN PENINSULA WHOSE DANGEROUS CAPABILITIESES AND INTENTIONS WERE REVEALED IN THE ATTEMPTED CHRISTMAS DAY ATTACK. |
| 00:10:46 | IN LEBANON, WE SEEK TO STRENGTHEN THE INSTITUTIONS OF THE LEBANESE STATE INCLUDING THE LEBANESE ARMED FORCES TO LIMIT THE INFLUENCE OF HEZBOLLAH. |
| 00:10:54 | HEZBOLLAH MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUALLY STRENGTHEN ITS ARSENAL AND THOSE WHO SUPPLY IT WITH INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS AND SOPHISTICATED WEAPONS ARE PLAYING A VERY DANGEROUS GAME. |
| 00:11:05 | BY TRANSFERRING WEAPONS INCLUDING LONG RANGE MISSILES TO HEZBOLLAH, SERIOUS UNDERTAKING PROVOCATIVE AND DESTABILIZING BEHAVIOR, AS SECRETARY CLINTON SAID THE OTHER NIGHT AND I QUOTE "PRESIDENT AHMADINEJAD IS MAKING DECISIONS THAT COULD MEAN WAR OR PEACE FOR THE REGION. |
| 00:11:23 | " HAVING SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS WITH PRESIDENT HAFASALASA, THE ONE THING I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT HE ALWAYS SAID HE ADOPTED THE STRATEGIC OPTION FOR PEACE. |
| 00:11:34 | I KNOW WHAT SYRIA WOULD STAND O GAIN IF IT WERE TO MAKE PEACE. |
| 00:11:38 | PROSPERITY AND ECONOMIC MODERNIZATION, LONG-TERM STABILITY, AND A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES. |
| 00:11:45 | BUT SYRIA MUST UNDERSTAND THAT CONNINUING TO ARM HEZBOLLAH WILL YIELD NONE OF THIS. |
| 00:11:51 | IT WILL PRODUCE FURTHER INSTABILITY AND HEIGHTEN THE PROSPECT OF WAR AND THAT IS NOT A PATH THAT SERVES SYRIA'S INTERESTS. |
| 00:11:59 | BUT THE GREATEST CHALLENGE TO PEACE AND SECURITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST LIES WITH IRAN. |
| 00:12:04 | AND I WANT TO ADDRESS IT IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL. |
| 00:12:09 | WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA TOOK OFFICE, IRAN HAD ALREADY ASSEMBLED THOUSANDS OF CENTRIFUGES AND HAD ACCUMULATED ALMOST A BOMB'S WORTH OF LOW ENRICHED URANIUM. |
| 00:12:20 | AT THAT TIME, IT HAD ALREADY BEEN CONSISTENTLY IN DEFIANCE ENRICHED URANIUM. |
| 00:12:25 | AT THAT TIME ALREADY BEEN CONSISTENTLY IN DEFIANCE OF FIVE SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS. |
| 00:12:32 | ITS SPONSORSHIP OF TERRORISM THROUGHOUT THE REGION WAS SEEN FROM IRAQ, TO LEBANON, TEEN GAZA. |
| 00:12:40 | THE SITUATION WAS INCREASINGLY UNSUSTAINABLE, AND IT WAS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE IF, IN FACT, IRAN WERE TO SUCCEED IN ITS NUCLEAR AMBITIONS. |
| 00:12:50 | I DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU THAT A CERTAINLY PRECIPITOUS A DANGEROUS ARMS RACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. |
| 00:12:58 | WHEN WE LOOK AT MIDDLE EAST TODAY, WE ALREADY KNOW THAT IT'S CHALLENGING AND DANGEROUS ENOUGH WITHOUT THE PROSPECT OF A NUCLEAR MIDDLE EAST. |
| 00:13:06 | HERE'S A REGION WHERE THEY'RE ALL SORTS OF LOCAL TRIGGERS OF CONFLICT. |
| 00:13:10 | THE LAST THING WE NEED IS TO SEE A NUCLEAR ARMS RACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. |
| 00:13:19 | IN ADDITION, A NUCLEAR-ARMED IRAN WOULD DEAL A DEVASTATING BLOW TO THE NONPROLIFERATION REGIME. |
| 00:13:24 | STRENGTHENING THAT REGIME IS ONE OF PRESIDENT OBAMA'S MOST IMPORTANT OBJECTIVES. |
| 00:13:27 | LAST MONTH THE PRESIDENT BROUGHT TOGETHER 46 NATIONS IN THE FIRST-EVER NUCLEAR SECURITY SUMMIT TO WORK COLLECTIVELY TO SECURE VULNERABLE NUCLEAR MATERIELS AROUND THE GLOBE. |
| 00:13:38 | HE SIGNED THE NEW S. |
| 00:13:39 | T.A.R.T. TREATY WITH RUSSIA TO REDUCE OUR NUCLEAR ARSENALS AS A STEP ON THE WAY TOWARD THE PRESIDENT'S GOLFER A WORLD FREE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. |
| 00:13:46 | WE'RE NOW, EVEN TODAY, ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE NONPROLIFERATION TREATY REVIEW CONFERENCE THAT BEGAN TODAY IN NEW YORK, WHERE WE SEEK TO PROMOTE COMPLIANCE AND MAKE IT HARDER FOR NON-NUCLEAR STATES TO ACQUIRE NUCLEAR WEAPONS. |
| 00:14:00 | IRAN'S ONGOING NUCLEAR PROGRAM UNDERMINES THIS ENTIRE NUCLEAR SECURITY AGENDA. |
| 00:14:06 | IF THIS WERE NOT ENOUGH, A NUCLEAR-ARMED IRAN WOULD SEND DEFIANCE PAYS. |
| 00:14:14 | IMAGINE THE CONSEQUENCES IF, AFTER THE WHOLE WORLD IS AGAINST IRAN, IT SUCCEEDS, NOTWITHSTANDING THAT OPPOSITION. |
| 00:14:23 | FOR ALL THESE REASONS, WHEN THE ADMINISTRATION CAME IN, REALIZING THIS IS WHAT IT INHERITED, THE PRESIDENT MADE A DECISION THAT WE WILL TRY A NEW APPROACH TO IRAN. |
| 00:14:34 | AN APPROACH THAT OFFERED IRAN AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE ITS BEHAVIOR. |
| 00:14:38 | PRESIDENT OBAMA MADE IT CLEAR TO THE LEADERS AND PEOPLE OF IRAN THAT HE SOUGHT A NEW RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR COUNTRIES, ONE, BASED ON ED OND ON MOOCH ED OND ON MUTUAL RESPECT. |
| 00:14:53 | IT IS CLEAR THAT NOT ENGAGING IRAN DID NOT CHANGE ITS BEHAVIOR. |
| 00:14:58 | SO WE OFFERED ENGAGEMENT WITHOUT ANY ALLUSIONS AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THE KEY TO ENGAGEMENT WAS TO SEE IF IN FACT WE COULD PRESENT IRAN A CHOICE THAT THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND. |
| 00:15:10 | THEY HAD TO LIVE UP TO THEIR INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS AND REAP THE BENEFITS OF A NORMAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WORLD AND THE UNITED STATES, OR IF IT CONTINUED ITS DEFIANCE, IT WOULD FACE INCREASED ISOLATION AND PAINFUL CONSEQUENCES. |
| 00:15:24 | SO FAR, IRAN'S ANSWER TO US AND TO OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS IN THE P-5 PLUS ONE HAS BEEN NO, NOT SBPD TURNED DOWN A CREATIVE OFFER THAT CAME FROM THE AIAE WITH THE SUPPORT OF FRANCE, RUSSIA AND OURSELVES. |
| 00:15:45 | IT WAS AN OFFER HAT HAD HUMANITARIAN BENEFITS FOR THE IRANIANS, ENSURING THAT IRAN WOULD BE ABLE TO MEET ITS NEED FOR MEDICAL ISOTOPES. |
| 00:15:55 | AND IT WAS AN OFFER THAT GAVE THE IRANIANS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE CLEARLY THAT THEIR NUCLEAR PROGRAM WAS FOR PEACEFUL PURPOSES. |
| 00:16:03 | IT WOULD HAD BEEN BUILT, OR COULD HAVE BUILT CONFIDENCE AT BOTH SIDES IF FURTHER AGREEMENTS WERE POSSIBLE. |
| 00:16:08 | AND YOU NEED UNDERSTAND THAT WE WENT TO GREAT LENGTHS TO DEMONSTRATE OUR COMMITMENT TO THIS PROPOSAL, AND EVEN TO OFFER ASSURANCES ABOUT THE DELIVERY OF FUEL ASSEMBLIES. |
| 00:16:19 | UNFORTUNATELY THE IRANIANS HAVE REJECTED THE PROPOSAL AT EVERY TURN, AND INSTEAD, THEY'VE SOUGHT TO REDEFINE THE TERMS IN A WAY THAT REINFORCES SUSPICION RATHER THAN BUILDING CONFIDENCE. |
| 00:16:31 | JUST AS THEY REJECTED THE TEHRAN RESEARCH REACTOR PROPOSAL IRAN HAS REFUSED TO DISCUSS ITS NUCLEAR WEAPON WITH THE 5-5 PLUS ONE NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT THAT ON LAST OCTOBER 1st IN GENEVA, THEY MADE A COMMITMENT TO DO SO. |
| 00:16:46 | THEY CONTINUE NOT TO TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE IEAE. |
| 00:16:54 | THEY CONTINUE NOT TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE IEAE TO THE COVERT SITE THAT THEY WERE BUILDING. |
| 00:17:02 | ALL OF THESE BEHAVIORS SUGGEST THAT IRAN IS MORE INTERESTED IN CONTINUE DEFIANCE THAN RESOLUTION. |
| 00:17:09 | THAT IS MORE INTERESTED IN FUELING SUSPICION RATHER THAN PROVIDING REASSURANCES ABOUT ITS PEACEFUL INTENTIONS. |
| 00:17:16 | AT THE SAME TIME, IRAN CONTINUES ITS BRUTAL REPRESSION OF ITS OWN CITIZEN AND PROHIBITS THE UNIVERSAL RIGHT TO EXPRESS THOSE -- WHO EXPRESS THEMSELVES FRRELY AND CHOOSE THEIR OWN FUTURE. |
| 00:17:29 | PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS STATED THAT OUR OFFER OF ENGAGEMENT WITH IRAN STILL STANDS AND WE REMAIN PREPARED TO PURSUE A BETTER, MORE PEACEFUL FUTURE. |
| 00:17:38 | IRAN DOES HAVE RIGHTS, BUT IT ALSO HAS RESPONSIBILITIES. |
| 00:17:45 | IRAN WANTS TO HAVE ITS RIGHTS, IT JUST DOESN'T WANT TO HAVE ANY RESPONSIBILITIES. |
| 00:17:48 | IT IS NOT THE UNITED STATES THAT IS SINGLING IRAN OUT, IT IS IRAN THAT IS CHOOSING TO SINGLE ITSELF OUT. |
| 00:17:55 | WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING WITH OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS NOW TO CLARIFY THE CHOICE IRAN FACES AND TO IMPOSE A REAL COST ON IRAN FOR ITS CONTINUING FAILURE TO LIVE UP TO ITS OBLIGATIONS. |
| 00:18:07 | THAT INCLUDES ADOPTING A MEANINGFUL U. |
| 00:18:11 | N. SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION IN THE COMING WEEKS. |
| 00:18:14 | FOR THE SAKE OF REGIONAL SECURITY AND FOR THE PRESERVATION OF INTERNATIONAL ORDER, IRAN MUST FACE REAL CONSEQUENCES FOR ITS CONTINUED DEFIANCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. |
| 00:18:24 | IF IRAN MAKES THE RIGHT CHOICE AND ACTS TO RESTORE CONFIDENCE IN THE EXCLUSIVELY PEACEFUL NATURE OF ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM, AS I SAID BEFORE, IT STANDS TO GAIN MUCH. |
| 00:18:34 | BUT THAT ISN'T THE IRANIAN CHOIIE, FOR IF IT CONTINUES ON THE PATH OF DEFIANCE IRAN HAS MUCH TO LOSE. |
| 00:18:40 | THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE MEANING AND DANGER OF IRAN'S PURSUIT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. |
| 00:18:45 | AND NO ONE SHOULD DOUBT PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SERIOUSNESS WHEN HE SAYS THAT THE UNITED STATES IS DETERMINED TO PREVENT IRAN FROM DEVELOPING NUCLEAR WEAPONS. |
| 00:18:57 | COUNTERING IRAN'S EFFORTS TO BUILD LEVERAGE AND -- CAP ANT BUSINESS IN THE REGION IS NECESSARY IF WE ARE TO SEE A MORE STABILE AND PEACEFUL MIDDLE EAST. |
| 00:19:07 | CLEARLY, ONE WAY THAT IRAN EXCERPTS ITS INFLUENCE FROM THE MIDDLE EAST IS BY EXPLOITING THE ONGOING CONFLICT BETWEEN ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS. |
| 00:19:15 | THE CONTINUATION OF THE CONFLICT STRENGTHENS IRAN'S PARNGS HAMAS AND HEZBOLLAH. |
| 00:19:20 | AND IRAN DELIBERATELY USES THE CONFLICT TO EXPOSE EVEN THE MODERATE LEADERS IN THE REGION BY STOKING THE FEARS OF THEIR POPULATIONS AND PLAYING TO THE WORST ANTI-SEMITIC AND THE ANTIZION ANTIZIONETIC. |
| 00:19:38 | I WILL NOT REPEAT TONIGHT OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO CAUSE FOR PEACE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT DAN SHAPIRO DISCUSSED THAT EARLIER TODAY BUT I WILL SAY OUR EFFORTS TO ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF PEACE, WHICH IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN NEAR AND DEAR TO ME FOR MOST OF MY ADULT LIFE, I WILL SAY THAT THE PURSUIT OF THAT SERVES OUR INTERESTS, ISRAEL'S INTERESTS AND THE INTEREST OF THE PALESTINIANS. |
| 00:20:02 | I HAVE TO SAY THAT THIS IS A REALITY THAT EVERY ADMINISTRATION THAT I'VE BEEN A PART OF HAS UNDERSTOOD. |
| 00:20:07 | AND I WOULD SAY THAT AS AN OBJECTIVE, WE PURSUE IT NOW WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY BECAUSE THE STATUS QUO IS SIMPLY NOT SUSTAINABLE. |
| 00:20:17 | THE STATUS QUO IS NOT SUSTAINABLE BECAUSE THERE IS A DEMOGRAPHIC REALITY, THERE IS A DEMOGRAPHIC CLOCK TICKING THAT MEANS THAT ISRAEL CANNOT SECURE -- CANNOT BE A SECURE JEWISH DEMOCRATIC STATE WITHOUT A RESOLUTION OF THE CONFLICT AND THE CREATION OF AN INDEPENDENT PALESTINIAN STATE. |
| 00:20:36 | IF YOU DO NOT HEAR EHUD BARAK THIS WEEK SPEAK ON THIS POINT THERE'S NO ONE THAT I HAVE HEARD THAT HAS BEEN MORE ELOQUENT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF EXPLAINING THE DEMOGRAPHIC REALITIES AND WHY THE STATUS QUO IS NOT SUSTAINABLE. |
| 00:20:49 | STATUS QUO'S NOT SUSTAINABLE BECAUSE IT ONLY STRENGTHENS AND EMBOLDENS THE VERY FORCES WHO REJECT ISRAEL AND WEAKENS THOSE IN THE AREA WHO ARE PREPARED TO ACCEPT IT. |
| 00:21:01 | AND IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE BECAUSE THE CONSTITUENCIES THAT BELIEVE IN PEACE LOSE THEIR FAITH AND THEIR HOPE THE LONGER THEY SEE THE CURRENT STATUS QUO SUSTAIN ITSELF. |
| 00:21:14 | OUR PUSH FOR PEACE IS ROOTED IN A VERYRERY FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE AND THAT PRINCIPLE IS THAT ISRAEL MUST BE SECURE. |
| 00:21:25 | OUR SECURITY COOPERATION WITH ISRAEL IS A CORE PILLAR OF OUR APPROACH AND POLICY TOWARDS THE MIDDLE EAST. |
| 00:21:32 | AS SECRETARY GATES SAID LAST WEEK AND I QUOTE "OUR DEFENSE RELATIONSHIP IS STRONGER THAN EVER TO THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF BOTH NATIONS. |
| 00:21:38 | THE UNITED STATES AND OUR ALLY ISRAEL SHARE MANY THE SAME CHALLENGES FROM COMBATTING TERRORISM TO CONFRONTING THE THREAT POSED BY IRAN'S NUCLEAR WEAPONS. |
| 00:21:47 | " THIS COMMITMENT TO ISRAEL'S SECURITY IS REAL. |
| 00:21:49 | IT'S REFLECTED IN THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WE PROVVDE ANNUALLY AND SECURING ISRAEL, IT'S REFLECTED IN THE REINVIGORATED CONSULTATIONS WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN TOP PRESERVE ISRAEL'S QUALITATIVE MILITARY EDGE. |
| 00:22:02 | IT'S REFLECTED IN THE JOINT TRAINING EXERCISES WE PURSUE, IN THE TECHNOLOGICAL COOPERATION THAT WE ENGAGE IN AS WE DEVELOP INNOVATIONS ACROSS THE BOARD, INCLUDING IN AREAS LIKE MISSILE DEFENSE, AIR DEFENSE AND SHORT ROCKET RAID DEFENSE AND IT'S ALSO REFLECTED IN THE REGULAR AND ONGOING EXCHANGES WE HAVE ACROSS THE BOARD WITH THE ISRAEL SECURITY ESTABLISHMENT, WHERE WE EACH COMPARE ASSESSMENTS WHERE WE LEARN THE LESSONS FROM SOME OF THE CONFLICTS THE ISRAELIS HAVE HAD ESPECIALLY AS THEY DEAL WITH TERROR AND ASO METRIC CONFLICT. |
| 00:22:38 | A STRONG AND SECURE ISRAEL, QUITE I SIMPLY, IS IN THE INTEREST OF THE UNITED STATES. |
| 00:22:43 | FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA, OUR COMMITMENT TO ISRAEL'S SECURITY IS NOT AN EMPTY SLOGAN. |
| 00:22:47 | IT IS NOT A BUZZ WORD. |
| 00:22:48 | IT IS NOT A BOX TO BE CHECKED. |
| 00:22:52 | IT IS REAL. |
| 00:22:53 | IT SERVES A CAUSE OF PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE REGION, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS UNSHAKEABLE. |
| 00:22:56 | PIKE WITH ALL OF OUR ALLIES, WE MAY HAVE DIFFERENCES, BUT AS THE PRESIDENT RECENTLY WROTE AND I QUOTE, "NO WEDGE WILL BE DRIVEN IN BETWEEN US. |
| 00:23:03 | WE'LL HAVE OUR DIFFERENCES BUT WHEN WE DO WE'LL WORK TO RESOLVE THEM AS CLOSE ALLIES. |
| 00:23:09 | " THE CHALLENGES OF THE CENTRAL REGION THAT I'VE JUST OUTLINED ARE MANY, THEY'RE COMPLICATED, AND THEY'RE DAUNTING, BUT PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS DEVELOPED AND SHAPED A FRAMEWORK FOR DEALING WITH THEM AND HAS DEMONSTRATED THE DETERMINATION TO DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO SECURE OUR INTERESTS. |
| 00:23:25 | THAT, YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY COUNT ON. |
| 00:23:27 | AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN COUNT ON THE SUPPORT OF ALL OF YOU. |
| 00:23:53 | THANK YOU VERY MUCH. |
| 00:23:54 | >> AMBASSADOR ROSS WILL TAKE QUESTIONS, BUT LET ME TAKE A MOMENT SO HE CAN CATCH HIS BREATH. |
| 00:24:04 | DENNIS, I HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE, FORTUNATE THAT I AND THIS AGENCY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THIS VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU THROUGHOUT THE YEARS IN THE VARIOUS AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN ON. |
| 00:24:28 | YOU ARE, IN FACT, THE FINEST IN PUBLIC SERVICE. |
| 00:24:35 | OUR COUNTRY, OUR PRESIDENT ARE BLESSED IN HAVING YOUR EXPERIENCE, YOUR INTELLIGENT, YOUR INTEGRITY ADVISING THE PRESIDENT IN FOREIGN POLICY. |
| 00:24:53 | IT'S ALSO REASSURING FOR US, THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMUNITY, THAT YOU, THAT YOU WITH ALL YOUR BACKGROUND WITH ALL YOUR COMMITMENT, WITH ALL NEURISHEMA ARE SO INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN HELPING AMERICA BE THAT STRONG DEMOCRATIC FORCE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND THE PART OF THAT STRENGTH IS IN BUILDING BILATERAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE UNITED STATES. |
| 00:25:32 | WE TALKED ABOUT CIVILITY EARLIER IN THE DAY, A RATHER -- THAT IS, THE LACK OF CIVILITY, WHICH HAS RECENTLY ALSO IMPACTED ON YOU, ON THOSE WHO IN HIDDEN CORNERS WOULD CHALLENGE YOUR PATRIOTISM, YOUR INTEGRITY, AND YOUR LOYALTY WHICH IS PART OF THE UGLINESS THAT WE IN THE ADL HAVE FOUGHT, AND WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT, AS WE SO PROUDLY EMBRACE YOUR CREDIBILITY AND YOUR INTEGRITY, YOUR PATRIOTISM, AND YOUR COMMITMENT AND YOUR LOVE OF THIS COUNTRY AND OF YOUR LOVE OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE. |
| 00:26:18 | AND FINALLY, DENNIS, TO HEAR YOU TONIGHT, NOT ONLY EMBRASCE PRESIDENT OBAMA'S VISION, HIS GLOBAL VISION, BUT TO SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS YOU HAVE ON AN ISSUE WHICH IS SUCH A DARK CLOUD FOR US AS AMERICANS, AS JEWS, AS FRIENDS OF ISRAEL, IRAN, REASSURES US IN A VERY SPECIAL WAY. |
| 00:26:50 | BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT AMONGST ALL YOUR OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES THE CHALLENGE OF IRAN, THE FREEDOM TO DEMOCRACY, TO ISRAEL, TO ALL FREEDOM-LOVING PEOPLE IS WHAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT. |
| 00:27:10 | AND TO KNOW AND TO WITNESS HOW, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT FEELING WELL, YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT, BOTH AS A FRIEND AND AS A PUBLIC SERVANT, THANK YOU. |
| 00:27:24 | THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. |
| 00:27:28 | WE SLEEP BETTER KNOWING THAT AMBASSADOR DENNIS ROSS IS THERE IN THE WHITE HOUSE, IS THERE FOR THE UNITED STATES IN THOSE CHALLENGES WHICH ARE SO, SO, SO IMPORTANT TO US AS A COUNTRY AND AS A PEOPLE. |
| 00:27:45 | THANK YOU. |
| 00:28:02 | GOD BLESS YOU. |
| 00:28:03 | >> OKAY, SO IF ABE STARTS COUGHING SOON, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHY. |
| 00:28:09 | >> AMBASSADOR, WE ARE TAKING TWO AT A TIME, WOULD THAT MAKE IT EASIER? |
| 00:28:12 | >> YES. |
| 00:28:13 | >> WE'RE GOING TO START OVER HERE. |
| 00:28:14 | WE'RE GOING TO TAKE TWO AT A TIME. |
| 00:28:16 | SO IF YOU'LL PLEASE COME UP AND YOUR NAME AND YOUR QUESTION AND WHERE YOU ARE FROM. |
| 00:28:22 | >> JUSTIN SEAGAL FROM DENVER, COLORADO. |
| 00:28:25 | MR. |
| 00:28:26 | AMBASSADOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS OVER THESE MANY YEARS TO TRY TO BRING PEACE TO A VERY VOLATILE REGION. |
| 00:28:33 | THE QUESTION FOR YOU TONIGHT IS AS SOMEBODY WHO HAS GOTTEN VERY NEAR TO THE FINISH LINE ON COMPLICATED PEACE NEGOTIATIONS BEFORE, WHAT HOPE, IF ANY, DO YOU HAVE TO GIVE TO THOSE OF US IN THE ROOM THAT EITHER DIPLOMAT NEGOTIATIONS WITH IRAN OR SANCTIONS IF YOU'RE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THE GYMNASTICS OF GEOPOLITICS TO BRING THOSE SANCTIONS, WHAT HOPE, IF ANY, DO YOU HAVE THAT THOSE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL? |
| 00:28:59 | AND IF THEY'RE NOT, AT WHAT POINT DO YOU DRAW THE LINE IN THE SAND AND TAKE SOME OTHER KIND OF ACTION? |
| 00:29:06 | THANK YOU. |
| 00:29:07 | >> MY NAME IS -- >> MY NAME IS JOSH FROM SEATTLE. |
| 00:29:12 | AND WE'VE HEARD A LOT THIS WEEKEND AND IN THE MEDIA RECENTLY REGARDING THE NUCLEAR THREAT OF IRAN, BUT WHAT I DON'T HEAR VERY OFTEN IS -- AND I'D LIKE TO FIND YOUR INSIGHT -- TO WHAT YOU FEEL ABOUT IRAN'S ACTIONS AND ATTEMPTS TO DESTABILIZE THE ENTIRE REGION AND OUR SUNNI ALLY NATION, NORTH AFRICA, EAST AFRICA, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS ALSO A VERY INTEGRAL PART OF STABILIZING THE MIDDLE EAST, AND IT NEVER GETS ANY MEDIA PRESS IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, EGYPT, SOMALIA, MOROCCO, YEMEN, IRAQ, AND -- SO I WAS WONDERING WHAT YOUR INSIGHT IS TO THAT. |
| 00:29:57 | >> OKAY, WELL I'LL TAKE THEM IN REVERSE ORDER. |
| 00:29:59 | I TRY TO ADDRESS THAT AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT BY TALKING ABOUT IRAN, HEZBOLLAH AND HAMAS, AND BY SAYING THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE FACED IN THE REGION WAS WHAT IRAN WAS DOING IN TERMS OF ITS SUPPORT FOR TERROR, ITS USE OF THE -- MENTALITY, BASICALLY TO THREATEN PEACE, TO THREATEN THOSE WHO WOULD PURSUE IT. |
| 00:30:20 | WE -- IN OUR FOCUS ON IRAN, WE'RE NOT FOCUSED ONLY ON THE NUCLEAR ISSUE, BUT THE NUCLEAR ISSUE WOULD COMPOUND EVERYTHING ELSE. |
| 00:30:27 | SO THE FACT IS WE HAVE A BROAD VIEW OF WHAT IT IS WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE IN TERMS OF IRAN'S BEHAVIOR. |
| 00:30:36 | THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A GREATER DEGREE OF URGENCY AS IT RELATES TO THE NUCLEAR ISSUE, BUT HERE AGAIN, WE'RE FACING A SITUATION WHERE WHEN WE CAME IN, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY, THAT IT'S THE WORLD -- THAT THE WORLD WAS NOT SO UNITED AGAINST IRAN, AND I THINK IT IS MUCH MORE UNITED NOW. |
| 00:30:56 | AND I ALSO WOULD SAY THAT WE'RE EVEN SEEINGING -- I THINK IRAN IS NOT FEELING THE ROLE WHEN WE CAME IN. |
| 00:31:06 | WHEN WE CAME IN THEY HAD A SENSE THAT THEY WERE MAKING HEADWAY EVERYWHERE IN THE REGION AND I THINK THAT'S JUST NOT THE CASE RIGHT NOW. |
| 00:31:13 | BUT WE HAVE OUR WORK CUT OUT FOR YOU, AND THAT'S SORT OF THE SEGUE FIRST TO QUESTION. |
| 00:31:20 | WE DIDN'T PURSUE ENGAGEMENT WITH IRAN. |
| 00:31:22 | WE DON'T PURSUE ENGAGEMENT WITH IRAN AS AN END TO ITSELF. |
| 00:31:27 | WE DON'T PURSUE SANCTIONS AS AN END IN FPZ WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT CREATING A PROCESS. |
| 00:31:32 | WE'RE LOOKING AT CHANGING IRAN'S BEHAVIORS WHICH NEED TO BE CHANGED. |
| 00:31:37 | WE LOOK AT THE IDEA OF SANCTIONS AS SOMETHING THAT CAN AFFECT THE IRANIAN CALCULUS. |
| 00:31:43 | IRAN IS GOING TO FIND, WHEN THESE SANCTIONS ARE ADOPTSED, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PAY A REAL PRICE. |
| 00:31:49 | AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TT COME TO GRIPS WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT PRICE, AND WE'LL MAKE JUDGMENTS AS WE PROCEED ABOUT HOW THEY REACT TO IT. |
| 00:32:01 | AS I SAID, WE WILL KEEP THE -- WE KEEP THE OFFER OF ENGAGEMENT AVAILABLE TO THE IRANIANS AND WE'LL MAKE THE JUDGMENTS THAT WE THINK ARE APPROPRIATE WITH OUR STANDARD BEING THEIR BEHAVIOR. |
| 00:32:15 | THAT'S THE MEASURE. |
| 00:32:16 | NOT SIMPLY A PROCESS. |
| 00:32:19 | >> MY NAME IS LINDSAY BLANK FROM NEW YORK. |
| 00:32:22 | AMBASSADOR ROSS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. |
| 00:32:25 | MY QUESTION RELATES ALSO TO THE IRANIAN THREAT. |
| 00:32:31 | AND WHILE WE APPRECIATE SO MUCH THE ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORTS TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IRAN AND TO PREVENT THEM FROM ULTIMATELY ACQUIRING NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES, WE UNDERSTAND BASED ON WHAT MANY KNOWLEDGEABLE ANALYSTS HAVE BEEN TELLING US THAT IT'S NOT SO MUCH A MATTER OF IF IRAN ACQUIRES NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES BUT WHEN. |
| 00:33:05 | IT COULD BE SOONER, IT COULD BE LATER, HOPEFULLY IT'S NEVER. |
| 00:33:08 | BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE NAIVE TO FAIL TO CONSIDER THAT POSSIBILITY. |
| 00:33:18 | AND OF COURSE WE'RE ALL -- IF IRAN DEVELOPED NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES WE'RE CONCERNED FOR ISRAEL'S SAFETY AND IRAN EITHER USING OR PASSING ALONG THOSE TECHNOLOGIES TO HEZBOLLAH, BUT EVEN -- EVEN AS YOU SAID -- EVEN SETTING THAT THREAT ASIDE WHICH IS A VERY SERIOUS THREAT, EVEN SETTING THAT ASIDE, YOU MENTIONED THAT IT WOULD INEVITABLY IRAN ACQUIRING NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES WOULD PRECIPITATE A SERIOUS ARMS RACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST -- EGYPT, SAUDI ARABIA -- SEEKING TO ACQUIRE NUCLEAR WEAPONS. |
| 00:33:57 | AND I'M WONDERING HOW -- IF THAT WOULD BE THE CASE, WHAT WOULD THE OPTIONS BE FOR THE UNITED STATES TO DEAL WITH AN ARMS RACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE POWER VACUUM AND THE POWER SHIFT THAT THAT WOULD CREATE? |
| 00:34:16 | >> OKAY. |
| 00:34:17 | [ LAUGHTER ] |
| 00:34:20 | >> THE LAST ONE, MARK. |
| 00:34:23 | >> MARK SCHUSTER FROM SEATTLE, PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION. |
| 00:34:26 | I'M FIRST, JUST HAPPY THAT I ACTUALLY GGT TO THE MIKE BEFORE MY COLLEAGUE BILL MALLET. |
| 00:34:33 | [ LAUGHTER ] |
| 00:34:37 | MR. |
| 00:34:40 | AMBASSADOR, TWO-PART QUESTION. |
| 00:34:44 | IS THERE IS AN INCIDENT OR LEVEL OF ENSERGEANCURGE INSURGENCEY THAT COULD BETWEEN NOW AND THE PROMISE THAT WE PROMISED TO WITHDRAW FROM IRAQ THAT YOU'VE OUTLINED IN YOUR SPEECH THAT WOULD CHANGE THAT TIME FRAME? |
| 00:35:02 | NUMBER TWO, IF WE DO INDEED WITHDRAW WITHIN THE TIME FRAME AND IT'S DEEMED UNSUCCESSFUL -- IN OTHER WORDS THINGS DEEM DOWN TO FRENZY, INSURGENCY THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST MANY MONTHS RISING AND POLITICALLY UNSTABLE CONDITIONS, WILL THAT IN TURN BOLSTER THE SENTIMENTS OF THE LEADER -- THE LEADERSHIP IN IRAN, AND IN TURN, UNDERMINE PEOPLE TAKING OUR SANCTIONS SERIOUSLY TO IRAN? |
| 00:35:40 | THANK YOU. |
| 00:35:43 | >> OKAY. |
| 00:35:44 | ON THE FIRST QUESTION, BASICALLY WHAT YOU DID IS YOU OUTLINED EVERYTHING THAT CONCERNS US. |
| 00:35:50 | SO THE POINT HERE IS, WHEN YOU ASK, WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS FOR DEALING WITH THAT REALITY, OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO PREVENT THAT REALITY. |
| 00:35:58 | WEEHAVE AN ENORMOUS STAKE IN PREVENTING IT AND THAT'S WHAT OUR POLICIES ARE DESIGNED ON ED ONED TO DO SO I'M NOT GOING TO FOCUS ON ACHIEVING OUR OBJECTIVE, BECAUSE THE OBJEETIVE IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE STAKES ARE SO HIGH FOR EVERY REASON THAT YOU SAID. |
| 00:36:14 | AS FOR THE ISSUE OF HOW THE IRANIANS WOULD PERCEIVE DIFFERENT KINDS OF OUTCOMES IN IRAQ, YOU KNOW, THE PRESIDENT MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO WITHDRAW RESPONSIBLY AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. |
| 00:36:25 | THE IRAQIS -- ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT THEY CONTINUE, FREQUENTLY DO IT THEIR OWN WAY, BUT THEY CONTINUE TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS TO THEIR PROBLEMS AND AS LONG AS THEY MEET THE STANDARD OF TRANSPARENCY AND INCLUSIVENESS AND REPRESENTATIVENESS AND THEN I THINK THERE'S A REASON TO BE HOPEFUL ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE IN IRAQ IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE. |
| 00:36:50 | IN ANY CASE WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE IRAQIS, WHICH WE WILL LIVE UP TO. |
| 00:36:58 | AND HOW THAT AFFECTS THE IRANIANS, I THINK THE IRANIANS ARE AFFECTED BY ALL SORTS OF THINGS. |
| 00:37:04 | THEY'RE LOOKING AROUND THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. |
| 00:37:06 | THEY'RE LOOKING INTERNALLY. |
| 00:37:08 | UN WHEN THEY CAME IN -- I MEAN, WHEN WE CAME IN, YOU KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED? |
| 00:37:12 | WELL, YOU KNOW IT WAS EXPECTED THAT THEY'D BE CERTAIN OUTCOMES FIRST IN THE PROVINCIAL ELECTIONS IN IRAQ WHICH DIDN'T HAPPEN THE WAY THAT THE IRANIANS THOUGHT, AND THEN IN THESE MORE RECENT NATIONAL ELECTIONS WHICH DIDN'T HAPPEN THE WAY THAT THE IRANIANS THOUGHT. |
| 00:37:27 | IF YOU LOOK ACROSS THE BOARD, THE IRANIANS TRIED TO BUILD A FOLLOWING IN THE MIDDLE EAST ON TWO PILLARS. |
| 00:37:36 | ONE WAS BY TRYING TO EXPLOIT THE PALESTINIAN ISSUE. |
| 00:37:38 | AND THE OTHER WAS TRYING TO CREATE AN IMAGERY OF THEIR MORAL SUPERIORITY BECAUSE THEY REPRESENTED THE MARRIAGE OF REPUBLICAN INSTITUTIONS WITH ISLAMIC AUTHORITY. |
| 00:37:48 | AND THEN YOU SEE HOW THEY BEHAVED IN THEIR ELECTION LAST YEAR, WHICH BASICALLY UNMASSED THEM BEFORE THE REGION AND THE KIND OF LEVERAGE THAT THEY AND THE REGION HAS LOOKED VERY DIFFERENT SINCE THAT TIME SO I THINK THE IRANIANS HAVE TO CONTEND WITH THE REALITY IN THE REGION WHICH IS NOT KWHIET THEY THOUGHT IT WAS, AND WHEN WE DEAL WITH THE ISSUE OF AFFECTING THEIR CALCULUS, ONE WAY TO DO SO IS OBVIOUSLY THROUGH THE SANCTIONS, BUT ALSO AS I SAID, WE ARE DETERMINED TO STAND BY OUR FRIENDS IN THE REGION AND TO COUNTER ANY THREATS THAT ARE GOING TO COME FROM THE IRANIASNS OR OTHERS AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE VERY DETERMINED TO DO AND IN FACT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE GULF RIGHT NOW. |
| 00:38:44 | THANK YOU VERY MUCH. |
| 00:39:09 | >> I'M SURE YOU GUYS ARE VERY HUNGRY. |
| 00:39:17 | SO I'D LIKE TO CALL ON ANOTHER PPRTICIPATE. |
| 00:39:24 | ARI BOND TO LEAD US FROM DALLAS, TO LEAD NUS A RETROACTIVE MOSCI. |
| 00:39:34 | ALSO -- BEFORE YOU DO THAT, MAKE SURE THAT WE WANT YOU TO STAY AFTER DINNER, WE'VE GOT A VERY SPECIAL AND MEANINGFUL PRESENTATION'S AWARD. |
| 00:39:44 | SO PLEASE STAY TUNED. IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY SPECIAL END TO THE EVENING. |
| 00:39:51 | >> LORD OF THE -- LORD OF THE UNIVERSE, AS CITIZENS OF THIS GREAT COUNTRY, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS WE ENJOY. |
| 00:39:59 | IN A WORLD BESET BY OPPRESSION AND INJUSTICE, WE APPRECIATE EVER SO MUCH THE FACT THAT OUR DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY, BASED ON JUSTICE AND LAW, NURTURES THE FORCES OF FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. |
| 00:40:13 | WE PRAY ALSO FOR THE WELL-BEING OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL AND THOSE WHOM THEY HAVE CHOSEN AS THEIR LEADERS. |
| 00:40:21 | GRANT THEM WISDOM AND COMPASSION, STRENGTH, COURAGE, AND HUMILITY, AND REWARD THEIR EFFORTS WITH PEACE. |
| 00:40:28 | IT IS IN THIS SPIRIT OF UNITY THAT WE BREAK BREAD TOGETHER. |
| 00:40:39 | [ SPEAKING IN JEWISH ] |
| 00:40:40 | BLESSED ARE YOU, LORD OUR GOD, KING OF THE UNIVERSE WHO BRINGS FORTH BREAD TO THE EARTH. |
| 00:40:59 | AMEN. |
| 00:41:00 | >> WE'LL BE BACK SHORTLY. |
| 00:41:25 | DON'T GO AWAY. |
| 00:41:26 | >>> UP NEXT HERE ON C-SPAN3. |
| 00:41:32 | MOHAMMED ELBARADEI. AND ISRAEL'S AMBASSADOR TO THE U. |
| 00:41:36 | N., GABRIELA SHALEV. |
| 00:41:37 | AFTER THAT WHITE HOUSE |
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