>> more importantly, general odierno's confident in their ability as we move forward. i think as general odierno has said over the course of the past few days it's not surprising that we've seen high-profile incidents in which extremists seek to kill innocent civilians in order in many ways for them to try to convince their followers that, that, that what's happening today is a result of their actions. and, obviously, it's not. we will continue to monitor the situation, as i said, and at this point it looks like these are fairly isolated incidents as we've seen the level of violence as a whole continue to decrease across iraq. yes, sir. >> treasury today froze the assets of a hong kong company relative to north korea's missile regime. is this likely to be considered a threatening action? is there concern that it might be taken as a threatening action by north korea? >> well, i hesitate for any number of reasons to speak for the north koreans and what they may or may not -- >> speak to what the consideration was? >> well, let me do characterize some of what north korea.

>> more importantly, general odierno --is confident in their ability. as he has said over the course of the past few days, it is not surprising that we have seen high-profile incidents in which extremists seek to kill innocent civilians in order for them to try to convince their followers that what is happening today is a result of their actions. obviously, it is not. we will continue to monitor the situation as i said. at this point, it looks like these are fairly isolated incidents as we have seen the level of violence as a whole continue to decrease across iraq. >> today, the assets of a hong kong company were frozen -- is this likely considered to be a threatening action? is there concern that might be taken as a threatening action by north korea? >> i hesitate for a number of reasons to speak for the north koreans. >> [unintelligible] >> let me characterized some things about north korea. they have stated a lot of bellicose things. that threatens to do certain things. a lot of times with a threat to do, they follow up on. but this administration,

the president of the united states and general odierno are both in agreement and the president of the united states is taking actiono

general odierno used similar words, it will put u.s. forces, civilians and iraqi partners at risk of being severely injured, killed or kidnapped that got the attention of democratic senators and republican senators. these generals spoke to secretary gates who i understand had a different position at first, changed his mind, talked to the president and what we were told was that if we did not enact this legislation in this bill, that the risk of those pictures being released before we could do anything else was very great and the risk of endangering our troops was extraordinary. now the chairman has mentioned we might be able to act if the second circuit took a position in opposition to the president's position. he's an experienced leader of the congress and has excellent judgment in these matters, but i believe it's just as likely the second circuit could make a ruling and order the pictures released immediately, before the congress could act and then irreparable damage would have been done and it would be our responsibility for having

the president and his team, ambassador held general odierno believes we are making progress and we're on the pathway to meet our goals. but obviously we continue to watch very, very closely. >> back to michael jackson and calmat understanding there were other world leaders that came out with written statements to include eight leader here arnold schwarzenegger with a statement, why not a written statement that for a man who has come to the white house and visited for his humanitarian efforts, recognized by other presidents come and help to fund-raiser for the democratic party, why not a written statement? >> i thought i did a pretty good job. >> of first yesterday we were told no statement then today you are acting the president. >> you are the media. have you never interrupted me to ask a question? i was surprised, maybe i was just surprised. >> but i am getting at why this way? we were pressing yesterday and kept asking. >> because there is not going to be a statement. i asked the president what he thought about it today and as the spokesman i have passed that along to you. >> back

at 8:00 eastern, general ray odierno briefs reporters on the latest military operations in that country, including the withdrawal of u.s. troops from baghdad and other huge rural areas. we will have that in its entirety at 8:00 p.m. eastern. the winter of minnesota's said erase is expected to speak shortly. this is a live picture outside mr. franken's home in minneapolis. it comes after his republican challenger conceded the race just a short time ago. here is part of that statement. >> i just had a conversation with al franken, congratulating him on his victory. i told them that is the best job he will ever have, representing the people of minnesota. the supreme court of minnesota has spoken. i respect its decision, and i will abide by its results. it will move forward. i congratulate our newest united states senator, al franken. just a few words about my legal challenge. yes, i wanted to win. not just myself and my supporters, but so many have worked so hard and put some much into this effort. and for the values i have always fought for. i also thought was important to stand up for vo

it's one of our leading military commanders including general petraeus and ray odierno. both have stated the release of the images could endanger the lives of u.s. soldiers. and make our counterinsurgency efforts in iraq and afghanistan more difficult. that's why i commend the leadership demonstrated by senators lieberman and graham, beth of whom have steadfastly demanded this crucial provision be addressed now by congress. the efforts culminated in the passage by unanimous consent of stand-alone legislation to help prevent the release of the damaging images. so there's other troubling aspects of detainee policy included in this supplemental bill. provisions in this bill attempt to address detainee policy in a piecemeal way that fails to constitute a comprehensive plan for what to do with detainees at guantanamo and those suspects capture off the battlefield and afghanistan and does not include $80 million requested by president obama to close guantanamo. this is a serious rebuke by congress. and reflects a bipartisan backlash against the idea of announcing a date for gu

odierno. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2009] >> we will have the press conference at 8:00 p.m. eastern here on c-span. quite how c-span funded? >> publicly funded. >> donations may be? >> government? >> it gets it through federal funding. >> public funding. >> i do not know. >> 30 years ago, america's cable companies created c-span as a public service, a private business initiative. there is no government mandate or money. >> the democratic emetic the of condors address the united states general assembly to do days after being forcibly removed from office. this speech happened shortly after passage of a resolution. it is about 50 minutes. let's allow like to invite him to address the assembly. -- i would like to invite him to address the assembly. >> president of the general assembly, ambassadors, representatives of countries to the united nations, distinguished special guests chancellor of honduras, ministers who acc

at 8:00, general ray odierno breech reporters on the latest military operations in iraq, including the withdrawal of u.s. troops and iraq -- from baghdad. we will have that press conference for you here on c- span at 8:00 eastern time. then, book tv. harry stein and his book "@ six and other liabilities." -- fought"ethics and other liabilities. quote we're live from mount vernon estate with historian and author john ferling. join our three-hour conversation, sunday. it is part of our 3 day holiday weekend on book tv. >> how c-span funded? >> publicly funded. >> donations, maybe. i have no idea. >> the government? >> seize ban gets its funding through the taxes. >> public funding? >> may be. i do not know. >> 30 years ago, america's cable companies created c-span. no government mandate, no government money. >> today is the deadline for most u.s. troops to begin withdrawing from cities in iraq. we will watch as much as we can of this morning's washington journal. we will have live coverage of al franken after. you have written a report that " general david petraeus that asks how this wil

this morning, a pentagon briefing on iraq with a juror not -- general odierno. later on in the day, in the that the elections in iran. live coverage from the woodrow wilson international center begins at 12:30 p.m. eastern. . and later in the program, a reporter from slade magazine on the end

i think that general odierno is correct when he expresses concern about possible instability and is concerned about whether iraqi troops can secure the area on their own. well over 100,000 -- 100,000 troops will remain there for some time. we have some safety nets in place as increasingly they assume full sovereignty to take care of their own country. now america will be helping an imperfect democracy, a democratic iraq increasingly to stand on the tongue. host: here is the total of one of your menus, learning to eat soup with a knife. can you explain? guest: yes, i was privileged at oxford university to study counter-insurgency and a look at the works of lawrence of arabia who said that making war and rebellion is messy and slow, like eating soup with a net. he understood how difficult, grinding but in an insurgency can be. conventional military forces are not very well-prepared to do with that kind of war by nature or training. they have to learn how to do it over time. will we have seen over the past six years in iraq is an american military and prepared to fight this kind of insurgency, b

it is time for them to take up responsibility inside the cities, odierno said yesterday on fox. an unspecified number of troops are staying in cities to advise and trained the iraqi forces. the u.s. troop levels are not set to decline significantly until a gradual drawdown begins this fall as part of the security agreement calling for all u.s. combat forces to be out of iraq by august 31, 2010. all will be gone by 2011. on afghanistan the column here on the other were challenges in "usa today" -- it's as this is a critical phase of the summer underdo commander. it's important to start to turn the tide in the next 12 to 18 months. it says not giving the tell betn the freedom of movement they have for the past three years. it says that the taliban has gotten more violent. more from a caller comparing the bush administration with the obama administration with regards to detainees. caller: when fdr was president it was an overwhelming congressional majority. s the post portrayed he was no great humanitarian, enemy combatants were shot under roosevelt as evidence to wet the previous

applause] [applause] >> we will show you today's briefing with the general rate or dionne now -- ray odierno. we will have that press conference for you at 8:00 p.m. eastern here on c-span. >> how is c-span funded? >> publicly funded. >> donations? i have no idea. >> government? >> it gets funding through taxes. >> a public funding thing. >> i do not know. >> 30 years ago, america's cable companies greeted c-span as a public service. a private business initiatives. no government mandate. no government money. >> now an event with navy operations chief at role gary roughhead. his remarks last an hour. this is hosted by ogilvy public relations in washington. [applause] >> thanks. it is a pleasure to be here with you today. i really look forward to getting to your questions and for me, and some recent events, to include this session up in newport, our current strategy form that was referred to. little did i know that my in sufficient public affairs officer would have me in front of a pr firm two weeks after i said that. one could think that the things that we have and what we do globally would b

we know that the president, general petraeus and general odierno all feel the release of the photographs would endanger our troops. in the senate -- in the senate, senator lieberman and senator graham offered an amendment. i believe it was accepted without dissent. there is an overwhelming view in the senate that these photographs should not be released. consequently, i'm perplexed that it appears as if there's some sentiment on the other side of the capitol, maybe even majority sentiment, given the nature of the markup to this point, that the amendment be deleted. i would like for you to have the opportunity to hear from the chairman of the senate intelligence committee, who also happens to be a member of this committee, and is sitting right down the table, to further underscore the bipartisan nature of support for the amendment guaranteing that our troops not be endangered by this sort of gratuitous act of releasing detainee photographs that none of the people leading our troops feel would do anything other than endanger the lives of our soldiers. i don't know if i have the ability to

. >> i would like to introduce into the record the statement of general odierno and petraeus indicating the danger to our troops of the photos were released to back up what you are saying. military commissions act -- i am amazed. we are eight years into this war, since 9/11. september will be the eighth anniversary. we are still talking about how to do it. it is complicated. most of your questioning today has been about legal matters surrounding the war. i will continue to call it the war. the military commission act the administration would like to make some changes. i agree with that. i am working with senator levin and mccain in the armed services committee to make some changes in the next few weeks for the defense authorization bill. i urge you to get with us soon. will you do that? >> we have been discussing this internally. we think it is time for us to share those. >> i would like to do more than amend the military commissions act. i would like to deal with the third bucket, the people that are too dangerous to let go. we are losing -- whatever damage we are trying to repair with

army general odierno is speaking with reporters. . >> thank you, and good morning. i want to make a quick statement here and then i will get on to your questions. today is a very important day as we continue to move towards our objective of a sovereign, secure and self-reliant iraq. june 30, 2009 also marks a significant milestone for iraq, as the iraqi security forces assume responsibility for security within the cities across the country. it is a day when i iraqis celebrate as they continue to move towards exercising their full sovereignty. in accordance with the security agreement, u.s. combat forces have completed the withdrawal of a i iraqi cities. a small number of forces will remain in cities to coordinate with iraqi security forces as well as enable them to move forward. we will also support civil capacity efforts led by the u.s. embassy, not the government of iraq and the united states mission assistance in iraq. u.s. forces will continue to conduct security operations throughout iraqi security force partners. our combined efforts will established a layer o

in is when a leading military commanders including generals david petraeus and ray odierno.h of these distinguished military leaders have stated that the release of these images could endanger the lives of u.s. soldiers and make our counterinsurgency efforts in iraq and afghanistan are difficult. that's why i commend the leadership demonstrated by senators lieberman and gramm both of whom have steadfastly demanded that this crucial provision be addressed now by the congress. their efforts culminated in the passage by unanimous consent of stand-alone legislation that will help prevent release of these damaging images. so there is other troubling aspects of detainee policy included in the supplemental bill from the provisions in this bill attempts to address the detainee policy in a piecemeal without pills to constitute a compress a plan for what to do with the detainees at guantanamo and those terrorist suspects captured off the battlefield in afghanistan, doesn't include any million dollars or press and by president of, to close guantanamo. this is a serious review by congre

our commander on the ground in iraq, general owed yare know was very clear -- odierno was very clear in his admonition a few weeks ago, our troops will be in greater harm's way and specific units will have enhanced danger immediately if these photographs are allowed to be released. and i know that the majority says that we got protections that the white house will stand up and not allow for their release, but at the end of the day we have the ability to stop it and to act now. i ask for 30 seconds. mr. lewis: i yield one minute. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. cantor: and i ask that this house stand up, act now and make sure that these photos don't make their way to brochures for recruitment of al qaeda or make their way on to internet sites to help attract more terrorists in the fight against our troops. lastly, mr. speaker, to burden our troops with $108 billion of a loan guarantee to a global bailout is not putting our troops first. that's putting politics before our troops, and that's unacceptable to the american people. and i yield back.

validity of the consequences that are set forth in general petraeus' comments as well as general odierno's comments to the courts. the other side believes it is better to have these photographs used as recruitment tools for al qaeda as well as the other uses they will be put to. it's unfortunate the rules committee, led by the chairman ruled this way and in consequence, i will be voting against this rule and ask my colleagues to vote likewise. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentlewoman from from maine. ms. pingree: i yield three minutes to the the gentlewoman from california, ms. woolsey. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for three minutes. ms. woolsey: thank you, mr. speaker. thank you for the time from the rules committee. i rise today to support my colleague, chairman barney frank. i am equally or even more disappointed than he is that his amendment on the f-22 funding was not made in order for the defense authorization debate. there is absolutely no need for additional funding for this flawed program. the cold war is over. the

forces handover security operations in iraqi cities today, general ray odierno, commander of multinational forces and iraq, will brief reporters. live coverage right after "washington journal." on c-span2 at 10:00 the focus is iran and the nuclear program particularly after the contested presidential election. live discussion from the hertz is foundation at 10:00. another view from the wilson center later today, 12:30 p.m. eastern, what is next. that discussion live on c-span. this holiday weekend on "book tv, " discover the unfamiliar side of the nation's first president as we are live from george washington's mount vernon estate with a historian and author john ferling. join our three-hour conversation sunday. part of our three-day holiday weekend starting friday morning on c-span2's "book tv." >> "washington journal" continues. host: but judge reggie walton, chair of the present rate commission and served as a sitting judge in washington, d.c. one statistic -- 60,500, the number of reported cases of sexual abuse within a 12-month period which became part of this study. can you elaborate

and see if they receive benefits special intelligence or when the last time he spoke with general odierno or ambassador hill, but they are in fairly regular contact kim mack back on the honduras issue for one minute. you said if the president were to come here he would likely speak to the state department, could you explain why he would be with white house officials? >> i think right now a lot of this is being done at of the state department, the state department officials have been in contact with them already and began on not even sure it's clear that he is going to -- to that of the accounts of this country is stopple be in washington. >> so is there some particular reason why it wouldn't be a appropriate for the white house did to get involved? >> no, i think the state department is a pretty good extension of our rich on foreign-policy. >> in the president's remarks last night's on the national finance committee utah to about why americans are so skeptical of change and he said that americans have been promised legislation most of his has been a bait-and-switch, so by opening the door

general odierno had a number of us over in december, his biggest concern was the uncomfortable and outrageous number of suicides occurring in theater. i was with yen bagby in yupe, he sated -- stated that's the biggest challenge there. the present system of screening for returning troops is to fill out a questionnaire. that's not enough. this amendment will set up a demonstration project for face-to-face evaluation with a mental health professional. this is the type of process we need to deal with this unprecedented challenge. i urge strong support for the en banc amendment. the chair: the gentleman from california. mr. mckeon: i yield to the gentleman from kentucky, mr. davis, four minutes. the chair: the gentleman is recognized for four minutes. mr. davis: today i offer an amendment tone able our nation to more effective pli hi plan international operations. we must be able to integrate military and nonmilitary elements of our national power this requires the effective integration of all agencies of the federal government, not only those with traditional security roles. however, achiefing i

general petraeus and odierno and others said that the release of these photos will endanger our troops. i believe it will cripple the ability of our intelligence officials to do their job. and yet while it was supported in this house last week with another broad bipartisan vote, the language isn't in the bill. it's been taken out at the demands of the fringe left. and so i would suggest to my colleagues that this is not a bill that i can support. i want to do everything i can to help our troops. they're doing a marvelous job on our behalf in helping keep americans safe. but to load this bill up with this kind of political gamesmanship is not what the american people expect of their congress. and so i would ask my colleagues, stand up and say no to this bill, let's bring back the broad bipartisan majority that passed the first bill and take care of our troops the right way. this is not the answer, though. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the minority leader yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from california has four minutes remaining. the gentleman from wisconsin h

but we pretty much have an understanding general odierno that we will await the election and even some weeks after that before we start the further reduction of men and the last of our equipment. i think bhi the spring of 2010, as we talked about, i wouldn't put an exact month on it at this point, but i think by the spring of 2010, we will see marines ending their presence in iraq. we have said all along to the secretary and department of defense, if you want a larger marine presence in afghanistan, there must be a reduction in iraq. we simply can't do both. frankly, 2009 will be a tough year for us. we now have a foot in both camps and those people, the combat support, combat service support marines have always been the groups and the m.o.s.'ses that have been most ridden hard and put away wet in some cases in short periods of time before they're asked to go become. those are the people being stressed by he movement of men and equipment by the requirements to support combat forces in both places. but i see the numbers going down to zero sometime in the spring of 2010. the exception to

contract which is the supplier and one of our emphasis -- and i will point out to think it was general odierno identified the same issue which is get on with the competition part of logcap-4. lots of planning and effort and it isn't happening the extent it should. >> thank you. the pace of withdrawal nye wire rack you mentioned some of the challenges that presents us with. what are some of those challenges on the rapid pace of withdrawal? somebody else want to take that? >> sure. i think that there are a number of factors and centcom is planning for this whether they have done enough planning, whether that planning is moving at a pace that's going to accommodate the downsizing and the ramp up we don't know yet. >> but specifically what opportunities are there for abuse or fraud or waste with rapid withdrawal? >> i think as the troops are withdrawing from iraq as an example, we are probably going to have to rely on contractors to remain there to close down the bases or pass them on to the iraqi east. and one difficulty that was brought to our attention for example just shows lack of planning an