, united states army, vice president of the united states. george herbert walker bush. my four years at fema were positive but organizationally challenging and i will quickly point out fema which i had were different than the fema you read about in katrina. when president bush took over in '89, his selected chief of staff john sununu who had previously made it clear he would not permit or tolerate me being the director of fema because we had several differences of opinion about a nuclear power plant being brought on line when he was the governor of new hampshire and he wanted me to cut corners and i refused to do that. because i was no longer a director of fema, president bush offered me another job the position of secretary of various affairs, the first one. and i was delighted with that opportunity. louise was not. as matter of fact she was unhappy about that. she was saying at the 11th hour president bush gave the job to a defeated member of congress from illinois who turned all to be a disaster himself. and by the way i would be remiss if

for whose lifetime achievements the association of the united states army presented to him two years ago the george catlin marshal award. so here to describe that life story is my friend, lieutenant general julius becton. [applause] >> jack, thank you very much. as you may remember, sir, we always -- we sometimes had difference of opinion. but you were the boss. that's right. and it worked out ok. don, it's always good seeing you and thank you for letting me come to your facility and frankly, as i look around, i didn't realize that i would know so many people from past experiences. let me start by giving a brief comment about my background to set the stage, so to speak. my father was a januar janitor,y mother was a domestic worker. they had third and tenth grade education, respectively. my wife's patients were similarly -- had similar backgrounds. but the two of us started working together with a lot of help from a lot of friends, reached the heighth in our world of academics, politics, military, and society. this autobiography, was initially decide for our grandchildren and our grea

standing for the presentation of the colors by the united states armed forces color guard and the singing of our national anthem by the united states army chorus. ♪ >> present -- ♪ o say can you see by the dawn's early light what so proudly we hail at the twilight's last gleaming whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight o'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming and the rockets' red glare the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that the flag was still there o say does that star spangled banner yet wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ [applause] ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, remained standing as the rev. gives the invocation. >> let us pray. sovereign lord of history, we invoke your gracious presence at this commemoration of the life and legacy of our sixteenth president. during the bicentennial celebration of his birth. we knowledge -- acknowledge that you gave our nation the gift of gilbert -- abraham lincoln. you brought him from humble beginnings to become one who would transcend the flawed thinking of his time. and eventually conclude that in justice anywhere --

the highest traditions of the military and reflects great credit on himself, his unit and the united states army, closed quote. mr. speaker, in continued tribute to private first class langhorn's bravery and self-sacrifice, the members of the united states army seventh squadron, 17th cavalry, past and present, has ensured that his life and legacy lives on. as noted by retired sergeant major tony morton, president of the seventh squadron, 17th air cab association, all troop assigned to the squadron must, quote, earned their spurs, closed quote, to the completion of a grueling three-day series of tasks known as the spur ride. it is notable that completion of one of the station requires that a soldier has a detailed knowledge of the service and sacrifice of private first class langhorn. a requirement that according to sergeant major morton serves to ensure that private first class langhorn will go on in this squadron as long as this squadron is flying the colors, closed quote. in addition in 2008, the squadron cut the ribbon on a conference center named after private first class langhorn and the un

the longer term process the person that headed the effort to was a four-star general from the united states army, and it is not just coincidence that he has already been given the task by the secretary of the army. we recommended the secretary of defense refer the findings we have in hand to the secretary of the army and the secretary of the armenian to the same officer to proceed with the case in order to speed the process and a rapidly come to a judgment of accountability. >> thank the gentleman. mr. jones. >> thank you very much, and to the admiral and the gentleman, thank you ferre much. i had the privilege of being with you in previous years when you were in uniform and it is a pleasure to see you today in this important work that you have done to try to get to the bottom of this tragedy that happened at fort hood. i saw today in the express' and it's not earthshaking news but hassan sanitize history to really want to take my question in a little different direction. i know those who evaluated his performances are probably hurting very badly because maybe they did not see what they should h

army base on united states soil. the army major edell hasan was an active duty army psychiatrist as of today his be in charge an article cxviii of the uniform code of military justice and with 13 counts of murder under article lxxx of the same uniform code with 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. i am troubled by the fact that over a period some of the circumstances have led to the shooting or the results of military officers not following existing policies and procedures. specifically there are numerous stories in the press, npr, ap, msnbc, cnn and fox news and others that the alleged shooters raiders in senior raiders failed to document negative information in his official record. we have questions, why did it happen, could it have been prevented, was the response adequate and more importantly to ensure that everything possible is done that this does not happen again. several task force and panels examining these very questions. today we hear from the first of these groups to issue a report. the independent

adjunct professor at roger williams university of law and being from the army, it is very difficult for me to say this. the united states naval war college in rhode island. it's a hardship because you know how bad they beat the army team every first week in december. he is listed as one of america's 500 leading judges and law dragon india's been married since 1966 to the former virginia, elizabeth mill year. i knew we had to have a southern connection in there somewhere. judge, if you will so honor as. [applause] >> thank you very much. it's an honor to be here. i do know about the a few appropriate remarks though. i wish i could be brief. prime minister george canning was once asked by a preacher how he enjoyed the sermon and canning replied, you were brief. i said to the preacher, i like to avoid being tedious to which the prime minister said, you are also tedious. back so brevity is no guarantee of success. well, maria elena, you've done a great job with this group. i commend you for it. for preserving our heritage and the legacy of your dear husband. it means a lot to all of us. and i thank all of you for supporting

the longer term process the person that headed the effort to was a four-star general from the united states army, and it is not just coincidence that he has already been given the task by the secretary of the army. we recommended the secretary of defense refer the findings we have in hand to the secretary of the army and the secretary of the armenian to the same officer to proceed with the case in order to speed the process and a rapidly come to a judgment of accountability. >> thank the gentleman. mr. jones. >> thank you very much, and to the admiral and the gentleman, thank you ferre much. i had the privilege of being with you in previous years when you were in uniform and it is a pleasure to see you today in this important work that you have done to try to get to the bottom of this tragedy that happened at fort hood. i saw today in the express' and it's not earthshaking news but hassan sanitize history to really want to take my question in a little different direction. i know those who evaluated his performances are probably hurting very badly because maybe they did not see what they should h

he served in the united states army for 27 years.he attack was the deadliest one for americans in afghanistan since eight soldiers were killed in an insurgent attack on the base in the east in october 3. >>> more now on the fallout from the president's review of the break down that occurred which allowed a nigerian national to board a plane bound for the u.s. with explosives in his clothing. the at acknowledging the buck stops with him. but there is only so much he can do. he plans to give part of the task of diagnosing the failures to the intelligence advisory board. let's bring in neil livingston, a terrorism expert. thank you very much for talking to us. so what will be first on the blue ribbon's panel agenda with regard to addressing the intel failures that led to the foiled terrorist attack on christmas? >> this is kind of like day gentleman view. we've had a lot of panels already. i'm not sure we really need another one to go through this because it's fairly obvious where the breakdowns occurred and the president has identified

required to run an effective counter insurgency we don't have 600,000 ground forces in the united states army you could combine active-duty army and marines and get to the 600,000 but there is no way to get to that number if we had to. roughly 8,100,000 u.s. troops after the surge give or take plus the nato troops, enough to do what? enough to occupy kabul and keep the mayor and maybe enough to occupy two or three more provinces in afghanistan but not enough to occupy the country or run an effective counter insurgency. what happens when you have a small force you apply what the mall and sent to the area in one area then when you say we have pacification then you move on to the next area which generally happens the place you pacified before violence erupts because nobody is there minding the store. the solution the president has proposed is the same solution that president bush proposed in iraq in free-trade the afghans to take control of their own security during the bush administration if they stand up we will stand down that is exactly what president obama is proposing in afghanistan. and n

noted by his beloved life, sergeant ingram was a soldier at his heart whose service in the united states army afforded him the opportunity to do exactly what he loved to do. however, sergeant ingram always considered being a good dad to his daughter, now over a year old, as his most important mission in life. he loved his baby and would do anything for her, recalls holly ingram, upon her husband's passing. similarly sergeant ingram's classmates and teachers at his alma mater remember their fallen friend as a dedicated and soar rageous young man -- and courageous young man. as noted, i'm very honored to have taught him and the fact he gave the ultimate sacrifice is something i'm proud of that hi an opportunity to teach him. . the life of sergeant ingram stands as a dedication to all our men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation. let us pay tribute to his life and service, that of sergeant matthew l. ingram, through the passage of this resolution to name the postal center in hickory creek in his honor. i urge my colleagues to support this resolution and i reserve th

opportunity to talk about the incredible value and role of female soldiers have any 21st century united states army. we fail to talk about what it's like for commanders now with the 12 to 18 months of the well time to prepare for a 12-month deployment, what it's like to build teams, and how -- all the things that go into building teams in keeping them together. there's a lot of great stuff to talk about there and we just missed the opportunity because we got caught up in other things. but as far as my formations and the intent, my intent been understood by the soldiers and i don't have any second -- i don't have any issues with that at all. i think we are ok. >> general, american forces press corps. going to a more mundane things appear if it was the situation in and around mosul and what are your troops going to do on the election or for the election? >> great question it. you're first question was about mosul and the second one was about the election. mosul, mosul has got to elements of two iraqi divisions. iraqi army divisions. we do not have an iraqi police primacy in mosul ads because of the i

in his 35 years of service in the united states army, he rose to the rank of four-star general.eneral colin powell comes to this lectern representing a great journey, one that stretch as far back in time and also reaches into a better tomorrow that he helped make possible. it is a journey that speaks to the power of character and hard work and of our natures -- nations promise of opportunity. it is a journey that in this country began decades ago when his parents arrived as immigrants like you and me. it is my privilege to welcome general colin powell the lotta's us today with his presence. -- who honors us today with his presence. [applause] >> thank you very much for your kind words and i wish you all the best as you continue with the important work that you will be doing for those trying to reach our shores, and especially for those in haiti who are suffering today. it is a great pleasure to be with you all today and i am especially pleased to be here to celebrate the 81st birthday of dr. martin luther king, jr. as we fittingly refresh our nation with 81 new citizens, not jus

in his 35 years of service in the united states army, he rose to the rank of four-star general.eral colin powell's brief walk from the seat on our stage to this lectern represents a great journey, one that stretches far back in time and also reaches into a better tomorrow that he helped make possible. it is a journey that speaks of the power of character and hard work, and of our nation's promise of opportunity. it is a journey that in this country began decades ago when his parents arrived as immigrants, like you and me. it is my privilege to welcome general colin powell, who offers us today with his presence. [applause] >> thank you very much for your very kind words, and i wish you all the best as you continue with the important work that you will be doing for those trying to reach our shores, and especially for those in haiti who are suffering today. it's a great pleasure to be with you all today, and especially pleased to be here to celebrate the 81st birthday of dr. martin luther king jr., as we fittingly refresh our nation with 81 new citizens. not only citizens of the un

the resources are mostly coming from the united states army and officials but you can put an afghan faceputting him out front and he is partnered with the state department who sends out roughly a dozen guys, most of them foreign service officers, and they are just experts in government. and in baraki barak, the head of the district 14 a guy named ron barkley. he chases down the sub governor, ludean, and side-by-side they hang out with the army, the two of them have sort of been inseparable and where the two of them do the army goes with them and so the sub governor is there putting an afghan face on it and ron is there to sort of baby sit ludean and encourage him to act like the mayor instead of the strong man of baraki barak. >> the village owner? then he is going to collect the names of the people that build these powers. and they need to take that list of names to the sub governor when they pick up their generator tomorrow. >> it's time that we basically start from the bottom up, the village level and work up toward governance. we've been doing the top down from the central government

opportunity to talk about the incredible value and role female soldiers have in a 21st century united states army to prepare for a 12-month deployment, what it's like to build teams, and how -- all the things that go into building teams and keeping teams together. there's a lot of great stuff to talk about there and we just missed the opportunity because we got caught up in other things. but as far as my formation and the intent, my intent being interstood by the soldiers. i don't have any second -- i don't have any issues with it at all. i think we are ok. >> american forces press service. from that to a little more mundane thing. what's the situation in and around mosul right now? and what specifically are your troops going to do on the election for the election? >> great question. your first question was about mosul. the second one was the election. mosul -- mosul's got two elements of two iraqi divisions, iraqi army divisions. we do not have police, iraqi police primacy in mosul yet because the iraqi police strength is not sufficient. to get out and do significant rule of law law enforcement

united states. is the u.s. willing to send the army into the projects of chicago, into the projects and tenements of new york, in los angeles, to do away with drug consumption there? i do not think so. i don't see any reason to believe this will happen. so the notion that maybe one day the u.s. will do this, and when it does, then the supply of drugs coming through from colombia or even being produced in mexico will dry up because demand has dried up. up. i quite frankly that is an ahistorical, foolish and e ignorant view of history. chris: chapel hill, tennessee, independent line, tony. john: thank you and thank god for c-span. i'm so tkhrad we have it. -- glad we have it. my question is, by the way the people interested there is a back by gary westbound called dark alliance. it will tell you a lot about the drugs passed through the country and within more thing, if we do stop the war on drugs, the sheriff deputy and police department and c.i.a. and f.b.i. won't be able to confiscate people's houses and money and property and they are

army base on united states soil. ve duty army psychiatrist as of today his be in charge an article cxviii of the uniform code of military justice and with 13 counts of murder under article lxxx of the same uniform code with 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. i am troubled by the fact that over a period some of the circumstances have led to the shooting or the results of military officers not following existing policies and procedures. specifically there are numerous stories in the press, npr, ap, msnbc, cnn and fox news and others that the alleged shooters raiders in senior raiders failed to document negative information in his official record. we have questions, why did it happen, could it have been prevented, was the response adequate and more importantly to ensure that everything possible is done that this does not happen again. several task force and panels examining these very questions. today we hear from the first of these groups to issue a report. the independent review on the programs and the respons

united states equal of france and britain on their own terms. and i competed with jefferson's vision, the republican vision of a limited state where little to no taxation and no standing army, nothing like the european state at all. and they have different conceptions of what war should be, the republicans want to avoid war and they want an alternative to war. and they chose what would now call economic sanctions. jefferson's grand experiment, his liberal experiments with the embargo of 1807, 1808, 18 -- 18 months of that was brought a way of offering the world an alternative to the miseries of military force. and we are still using that. that's what you're talking about with your man. that's what we still cling to. economic sanctions as an alternative to the brutalities at the outright use of military force. hamilton thought this was just pie-in-the-sky dreaming. this is the real confrontation between these two men personally, but also intellectually what they represented envisioned of what the united states might be. at the same time, jefferson and the republicans were eager to spread democracy throughout the world. and that notion has continued right through our whole h

don't know if it is true but it is being reported an air of press sources that the united states is involved or the u.s. army corps of engineers. the perception is as bad as the reality. if it's not true we should correct right away. if the united states isn't involved in and do the cofids u.s. government should make a point of specifying that. >> shibley answer or wait? >> is please. >> i was going to ask the staffer if he knew the answer to your question today i can tell you this i have heard no objection from u.s. state to permit or congress about the egyptian project. but i cannot confirm or deny that the u.s. army corps of engineers is involved. but we will look it up and get back to you if you give us a card. >> michael lane, rethink the middle east to be the this is an incredibly knowledgeable panel, however, there is one shortcoming in that there is no one on the panel even remotely supportive of the israeli position, and the one is really is legitimately and honestly critical of the israeli government position. so it makes it sound as if it is simply irrational or counterproductive everything that t

united states. he also penned a book titled "crossswords, pakistan, its army and the war within." mr. navez, thank you for joining me from washington. my question to you, i want to hit this point home, the fact this suicide attack happened in a bustling area during this volleyball match. this has to hit pakistans differently, perhaps closer to home. we're talking about presumably una unarmed, ordinary pakistani civilians. my question is might this attack bring about a more concerted effort to root out possibly the taliban and al qaeda in pakistan? >> absolutely. i think one has to understand when the pakistan army moved into south waziristan, they basically dislocated the tariqia in afghanistan. they were not able to decapitate its leadership. so a lot of the militants were able to escape and many escaped into the lakki mar waxt t area. and clearly the front force and civilian forces were unable to seal that area. so clearly the big challenge now for pakistan is not only to muster the support of the tribes that are in this area that are hostile to these mill tents that have come in, b

napoleon had exhausted his funds and needed more money, he sold louisiana to the united states to raise money for his army to be able to hold on to the colony in haiti. host: our guest, before serving as a americas program director for strategic and international studies was deputy as benson -- deputy assistant secretary of state, and permanent representative to the organization of american states. how long were you at the state department? guest: i was at this department for many years, a career officer. i was in the foreign service for 27 years. host: how has the policy toward haiti specifically involved during a time of the state department? guest: it evolves toward latin america in general, from the time of the cold war framework, and concern about soviet encroachment of latin america, to a situation now where support for democracy and support for development, poverty reduction, are the key factors in u.s. policy in the region, as well as security concerns. host: in your role as state department deputy secretary for western hemisphere, if you were in that role today, how would you get the attention of

army when this happens to us we open champagne. [laughter] and i understand larry was so sad to leave france to go back to the united states that i wasable the next day to give him a nice piece of news. i said to him, larry, as i am taking it to the station where you are going to take your vote in germany back to the states that want to tell you that you now have a family in france, my wife has announced to me this morning that she was expecting a child. do you want to be the godfather? and strangely enough, this child named alexander 35 years later lectured in this very museum because she had written a wonderful book about a great painter. so larry knew that he was going to come back to france and he did. six months later as a reporter for "newsweek" and as dan told you i entered paris and here we were going to compete for the big events of the news, but as competitors. larry collins one day locked me in my bedroom in baghdad, so i wouldn't send the photographs of the iraqi revolution, and long time ago, to paris match but i was able to avenge myself a few months later by giving him a wrong train schedule to a chain leaving to-- and

but it is being reported in arab press sources that the united states is involved or the u.s. armyps of engineers is involved that the perception is as bad as the reality that if it is not true we should correct it right away that if the united states is involved in it, we should -- the u.s. government should make a point of specifying that. >> should i answer await? >> i would just ask you if he knew the answer to your question. i certainly, i can say this. i have heard no objection from the u.s. state department or congress about the egyptian project. but i cannot confirm or deny that the u.s. army corps of engineers is involved. but we will look it up and get back to you if you give us a card. >> michael, we think the middle east that this is an incredibly knowledgeable panel. however, there is one shortcoming and there is no one on the panel even remotely supportive of the israeli position. and the one israeli is legitimately and honestly critical of the israeli government position. so it makes it sounds as if it simply irrational or counterproductive, everything the israelis a

army and alan was proud of them. he truly believed in the united states fought in of war it was on the side of good, after all, the country fought fascism in world war ii only after despicable sneak attacks by terrible vicious and evil enemy. now we were under attack by a new enemy, alan believe, and it if we didn't fight them over there the fight wouldn't appear. it didn't make sense to alan that a guy like ronnie with a with a busted him should be in the imam said. he started reading about again, and took a course in college and by the time he got the delta that your alan fop whole thing was bullshit. nevertheless it felt strange ronnie was hiding somewhere and alan wasn't getting his back, a lesson he learned earlier when he got a whopping from his father when they were kids. walking back from school to a kid had come up to ronnie and told him he wanted to fight. ronnie handed alan his books and told him to go home. when he got they're the father, who worked in midnight shift as a janitor, was wearing his usual slippers, smoking a cigarette and having his coffee and a ford motor company cut. where's your brother, he as

was 5,000 army and they had -- it was a major -- a major problem for the united states. height of the violence in vietnam, 154 american soldiers had been killed every four days. that's the number that were killed last year in afghanistan. it is policy analogy that doesn't work. and the other thing that bruce touched on --ed idea na afghanistan is not a nation state is ridiculous. in 1747, the federation was founded, the beginning of afghanistan as nation. that makes it an older nation than the united states. what the problem has been in afghanistan is not a lack of nationhood as an idea, it is that generally speaking it has had a weak central state. there's nothing wrong with that. i'm trying to impose a top down, central state, it is part of our problem here. i think. sort of rhetted it that,ed most popular institution in afghanistan scoring just -- enormously high numbers is the afghan national army, can is obviously our ticket out building that up. when asked which institution do you most admire, 82% say the afghan national army, which is seen as not operating in any

it ends in inexorable reduction for the army, navy and air force. if the united statessn't come up soon with a credible plan to restore the federal budget to balance over the next five to ten years, the danger is very real that a debt crisis could lead to a major weakening of american power." mr. president, that's what this debate is about. we are on a course that is totally unsustainable. we are headed for a debt of 400% of the gross domestic product of the united states in 50 years. that is the estimates of the congressional budget office and others who have looked at it, including the general accounting office, the office of management and budget. all of them have warned that we are on an utterly unsustainable course. the national journal, in an article on november 7 of last year said, "the debt problem is worse than you think." in the article -- and i quote from it -- they said, "simply put, even alarmists may be underestimating the size of the debt problem, how quickly it will unbearable and how poorly prepared our political system is to dealh it." mr. president, s

i think the united states has learned something since we were in the army and i think the army has learned to deal with insurgencies. right now, we are focused on the afghan people. general mcchrystal and president obama have agreed and focused their attempts to improve the lives of the afghan people, secure the afghan people from the attacks that are coming from the taliban. i believe we have learned something since vietnam. the russians, of course, had a wholly different view. they went in to try to flood the place, controlled place, as they had controlled other parts of the russian empire, the soviet empire. that was, again, to get the resistance of the afghan people. and indeed, they finally pushed the russians out. we're working with the afghan government to protect and support the afghan people, and that is the difference between us and the russians, and even what you're trying to do in vietnam. -- what we were trying to do in vietnam. host: kansas city, democratic caucus, good morning. caller: i would like -- democratic caller, good morning. caller: i would like to know what we're d

nva was 500,000 man army, supported by the soviets, they had, you know, it was a major problem for the united states. at the height of the violence in vietnam, 154 american soldiers were being killed every four days. that's the same number that were killed last year in afghanistan. so it's -- history by a kind of policy by analogy doesn't work in this case. the other thing that bruce touched on, which i completely -- the idea that afghanistan as a nation state is absolutely ridiculous. in 1747, the durina federation was fonded. the beginning of afghanistan as a nation, that makes it an older nation than the united states. what the problem of being in afghanistan is not a lack of nationhood as an idea, it's generally speaking, it has had a weak central state and there's nothing wrong with that and our sort of trying to impose a top down central state has been part of our problem here i think. and it's sort of related to that, by the way, the most popular institution in afghanistan scoring just enormously high numbers is the afghan national army which is obviously our ticket out, building that up, but

united states by the constitution, in other words those powers given specifically to congress, the president, or the court, nor prohibited by it to the states, things such as minting money and having armies and things like that, those things that are not delegated to the united states by the constitution nor prohibited by it to the states are reserved to the states respectively or to the people. so we in congress always can technically constitutionally pass laws that are specifically given to us by the powers of this document. article 1, section 8 lists the things that congress can pass laws about. madam speaker, in this little booklet which contains the constitution, the declaration of independence and every single amendment, this little, bitity -- little bitty booklet, not the thousands of obama care and pelosicare, it just goes to it start here's, goes to here. it says congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the united states. madison was very specific, mr. gare wet us -- mr. garrett was speaking about that, the general welfare, one of the clauses perverted by democrats and republicans, courts, presi

army and allen was proud of them. he truly believed in the united states fought in a war was on the side of good. after all, the country fought fascism in world war ii after only despicable sneak attacks by turtle officious and evil enemies. now we were under attack by new enemies, and if we didn't all fight the economy is over there of a fight with end up here. but it didn't make sense to alan a guy like ronnie with a busted hand should even be in the army let alone the imam, so he started reading about vietnam and had taken a sociology course in college and by the time ronnie got to the delta earlier that year allen already felt the whole thing was bullshit. nevertheless it felt strange romney was fighting somewhere now and alan wasn't getting his back to a lesson he learned early when he got a whopping from his father when the then kids. walking back from selling an elementary school a decade before, a kid had run up to romney and told him he wanted to fight. radhi handed alan his books and told him to take them home. when he got there, his father who worked the midnight shift of four as a jan

united states indicate we have a limited time in which we can continue to invest. we have to address our structural problems and incumbencies -- incompetencies. there are army regulations with how to deal with contractors on the battlefield. the united states agency for international development no longer has any body or very few people who actually go out and run a project. everybody in iraq with a contractor. it is a well-executed program to regain its cost three or four times what it would cost if government employees were carrying it out. our own political system is not going to be changed in coming years, but it is one of the issues with which we have to struggle. i profoundly believe the president possibility to reformulate strategy in the last three months was hampered almost to the point of impossibility by the other side, failing never to pick up the cudgel that you and your campaign described this as the good war. they never fail to pick up the cudgel of not listening to your generals. i must say last administration was beat by the democratic party as it tried to formulate a policy. the partisan shot are not just unseemly. they are in irving. -- u

done by the afghan army and police, unlikely or by foreign troops, it just has to be done and urgently. >> the u.n.'s antonio maria costa and gretchen peters. >>> will the united states stay the course in afghanistan? a rare diplomatic convention when we return. >>> afghanistan's narco mafia state is a key concern as the united states mulls its new strategy, and the whole region is wondering whether the u.s. will stay the course. this week we had an unprecedented roundtable on our program with the u.n. ambassadors from afghanistan, pakistan and india. and during the interview, i asked them what they thought of what the u.s. defense secretary robert gates had told me previously on this program about america's involvement there in the late 1980s. >> we turned our backs on afghanistan. we turned our backs on pakistan. they were left to deal with a situation in afghanistan on their own. their worry is what happens in the future. will we be there? will we be a constant presence? will we be supportive of them over the long term? >> that's what u.s. secretary of defense robert gates told me earlier this month, promising to stay the course. do your countries want the united

united states. the dumbfounded captain jumped up and disappeared. the president and grant both asked at the joke. how asked how much does a hustler get in the army? and e grant laughed it all depends on how he gets the services. he said i do not think i'll get much. he did not even thank me. well, like many of us who have student of lincoln, the assassination is fascinating subject. kelly interviewed six eyewitnesses, members of the audience that were there that evening at ford's theater. he also met and four eyewitnesses who were at the bedside were lincoln died. it was dr. leo, robert lincoln, james tanner, the corporal who took the stenography note, eyewitness testimony of the crime, and also thomas proctor. he was one the residents of the peterson house and burdener there. he was there at lincoln's bedside. and there after the war was successful lawyer, he fell on some very hard times. and kelly found him and did some extensive interviews. another judge, judge wesley from new jersey. westly was a secretary lawyer for benjamin butler. and the day of the assassination, he had left to go to monroe. he was supposed to go. he was delayed. had to w

it ends with an inexorable reduction in the resources available for the army, navy and air force. if the united states doesn't come up soon with a credible plan to restore the federal budget to balance over the next five to ten years, the danger is very real that a debt crisis could lead to a major weakening of american power." madam president, the process has already begun. as i indicated, in the previous administration the debt doubled. foreign holdings of u.s. debt more than doubled. and we can see the track that we're on. from 2001, the beginning of the bush administration, the debt skyrocketed, and it continues to grow with the economic downturn and the projections from the congressional budget office for the future. in fact, we now estimate that the gross debt of the united states could reach 114% of the gross domestic product of the united states. that has only been equaled in u.s. history after world war ii. and at that point the debt came down very rapidly. madam president, there is no forecast that shows this debt coming down, and certainly no projection and no forecast that it will come dow

united states. in fact there is a tent city not far from where i am standing that actually being administered by the 82nd airborne division of the army which is home to about an estimated 75,000 people already. but the tent cities that are to you being built are actually farther out of town than even that. and they will include just simply tents to begin with but farther down the road they are hoping to include more permanent structures sense we are coming up to in four weeks time the rainy season and soon after that the hurricane season and obviously tents aren't very good for that. >> warner: now meanwhile back in the city where you have all these make-shift settlements, what is the aid distribution system like there. is it any better than say yesterday or the day before? >> aid is getting better and better every day. ef reday i see more water trucks on the street. more food trucks distributing aid there are still long lines for it. because food is still so expensive here everything is price gouged. so for example, if your eye drops cost $3 before the earthquake, they now cost $30, you know, everything is incredibly expensive. one

was also connected with the army, so he did operations and mash units there to when he came back he was in the japanese american war, so when he came back into the united states, it was tough. i mean, i probably as young as four or five, i really understood what racism really was all about. we had to move every ten months. >> did he first introduce you to this whole world of music, of instruments? >> really did. at five years old i had to start playing the piano, so i took piano lessons. i loved it. there were times when i didn't like it. i would rather be outplaying with my friends, but coming home from school i just had to sit down and practice. my real love was the violin. >> is music your first love? >> not only is it my first love, the music has given me the foundation for life. >> in what ways? >> i think every child, and i am glad you were one of my students. [ laughter ] >> don't tell anybody. >> i am really teaches you how to focus, teaches you how to organize t teaches you how to listen. it teaches you how to communicate. i really like the town. i like the countryside. it was just something that i never experienced before. >> can you explain your no

united nations,ith other countrs including the ited states. in fact there is a tencity not far from wre i am standing that actually bng administered by the 82 airborne division of t army which is home to abt an estimated 7000 people alrey. but the nt cities that are to you being built a actually farther out of to than even that. and they wl include just simp tents to begin with but farther down the roa they are hing to include moreermanent structures sense we are coming upo in fo weeks time the rainy seas and soon after that thhurricane season and obously tents aren't very good for that. >> warner: now mnwhile ba in the city where you have all these make-ift settlements, what is theid distrition system like ere. is it any better than say yesterday or the dayefore? >>id is getting better and better eve day. efeday i see more water trucks on the street more footrucks distributing aid therere still long lin for it. because food is stl so expensive here everying is pricgouged. so for exampleif your eye drops cost $3 beforehe earthquake, theyow cost $3 you know, everything is inedibly expensive. one tank of gas last week cost u$160. now thatown to $50. but you know, thstor

the united states and countries around the globe are mobilizing everyçó available element of our national capacity. coalition armyd naval forces, disaster response teams, portable hospitals, canine search and rescue teams and relief and medical supplies are streaming in from multiple compassionate nations. in this crisis, this needs of 80 are seemingly boundless. what the military is best able to provide isçó security, search and rescue capabilities, potable water and medical facilities. several coast guard cutters with their helicopters are also in the vicinity and providing similar support. this morning, the aircraft carrier uss carl vinson arrived outfitted with 19 helicopters, 51 hospital beds, three operating rooms, hundreds of thousands of gallons per day of water production capability and a significant capacity to deliver a disaster relief supplies. a company from the 82nd airborne division is on the ground to assist in security and also in distribution of meeting those needs. the rest of the brigade will be on the ground by the end of the weekend. within the next week, those assets will be augmented by tw

washington, at least, that the afghan army is growing to be a capable force, but is still too small and nowhereç near to bubble right w taking over if the united statesthe police have not been a successful operation in terms of building them up from the start. there have been a lot of problems in the training and a lot of corruption in the system. the police, who have more direct contact with afghan civilians throughout the country -- they are not really well respected in the country. host: maryland, richard on the independent line. caller: thank you for taking my call. çit is the comment that i would like the gentleman to make, pertaining to terrorism but not precisely to afghanistanw3. the recent terrorist attempt by the nigerian or whoever it was who was caught on the plane and supposedly, or did for sure have bombing material to blow up the plane, and he was taken into custody. for all intents and purposes, his mission was successful, other than the destination of the bomb itself -- the detonation of the bomb itself. and the information and intelligence that led up to his apprehension seemed to be thinly dispersed through the intelligence inform

the united states and countries around the globe are mobilizing every available element of our national capacity. coalition army rescue teams and relief and medical supplies are streaming in from multiple compassionate nations. in this crisis, the needs of haiti are seemingly boundless. what the military is best able to provide is security, search and rescue capabilities, potable water and medical facilities. several coast guard cutters with their helicopters are also in the vicinity and providing similar support. this morning, the aircraft carrier uss carl vinson arrived outfitted with 19 helicopters, 51 hospital beds, three operating rooms, hundreds of thousands of gallons per day of water production capability and a significant capacity to deliver a disaster relief supplies. a company from the 82nd airborne division is on the ground to assist in security and also in distr accompanied from the 82nd airborne division is on the ground to assist in security and also distribution of meet ing those needs. and the rest of the brigade will be on the ground by the end of the weekend. within the next week those assets

it ends with an inexorable reduction in the resources available for the army, navy and air force. if the united states doesn't come up soon with a credible plan to restore the federal budget to balance over the next five to ten years, the danger is very real that a debt crisis could lead to a major weakening of american power." mr. president, it's not hard to see how that could happen. since 2000, the debt has exploded. in the previous administration, the debt doubled. it's increased again with the economic downturn. and we are now on a course to have a gross debt that will be 114% of the gross domestic product of the united states. mr. president, that's the short term. we can handle a debt of 114% of the gross domestic product. we've done it before. we did it after world war ii. japan has a debt right now of 189% of their gross domestic product. the real challenge confronting america is we are on course, according to the congressional budget office, to have a debt that will reach 400% of our gross domestic product over the next 50 years. mr. president, nobody believes that's a sustainable situation.

to war -- there are thick field manuals and regulations, army regulations on how to deal with contractors on the battlefield. the united states agency for international development no longer has anybody, i think, or few people who go out and run a project. everyone in the agency interacts with a contractor. i won a contract myself to the office of the secretary of defense. it is a well-conceived and well- executed program. it costs three or four times what it would cost if government employees were carrying it out. our own political system is not going to be changed in the coming years, but it is one of the incompetency is with which we have to struggle. i believe that the president's ability to reformulate strategy in the last few months was hampered almost to the point of the possibility by the other side. failing never to pick up the cudgel that you and your campaign described this as the good work. ar. make it a good one. i must say that the last administration was be about the head, neck and shoulders by the democrat party. -- to formulate a policy. the partisan shots are not just unseemly. they are innovating. -- innerv

united states. i think they are capable of it. the advantage for them, at the moment, it is that they have two armies on the ground that they can hitegularly. why attack america when you can bleed them overseas and cause the president to send 30,000 more troops? host: next phone call. caller: good morning. thank you for what you said about is real. why is it that the u.s. does not want to talk about is real? -- israel? when the country was very young -- you also mentioned oil. our country was almost to build on oil and gold. what happened to that oil and how come it cannot be resurrected now? guest: we simply went to the easiest route. we chose to buy it. i think we need to be careful about israel. israel has every right to do what it needs to do to defend itself. host: included in the purported nuclear program? guest: unfortunately, including that. however, we have no interest in the israelis and palestinians. that is a religious war in which we have no stake. why do we not talk about that? there are many crops that are extraordinarily influential in funding. i lost a job last year simply because i said that i suspect mr. obama wo

the united states is an empire and an evil force in the region, according to them. guest: president chavez has problems with other governments. 4lñhis armyt prepared to fight a war. he has been active in attempting to undermine u.s. interests throughout the region. he has not been successful there either. there are three or four governments that work with president chavez persia. you have a leader like you get a job as -- like hugo chavez who do not know how to govern host: what about lifting thei embargo to venezuela? guest: we would have to be very careful to provide support for the caribbean islands that take the torch and that once went to cuba from the united states. we need to have a plan in place to get economic support for those island countries. the transition in cuba which i hope would be democratic should not fall into the hands of either the very left or very rights in cuba. the organization of american states needs to be involved. host: what about other political parties in cuba that might fill the void? guest: there's a very active human rights movement in cuba. they have suffered abuse and while there are no parties, there

army. general chandler is here, who is the vice, the number two officer in the united states air force, andthe numbers for each service, the numbers have gone up, the rate has gone up, per capita, at about the same rate over the last four or five years for every service. this isn't just a ground force problem. and it's a growing problem that we as leaders have to commit to and then you in your fields of expertise have to figure out how to get it to us so we can actually do something with it from an institution standpoint, so we understand what causes it as best we can and then make those kinds of changes. i just want to re-emphasize my commitment, debra's commitment, and the leadership and the senior family leadership commitment to getting at this problem. >> good morning. i really was -- i was asked if i wanted to say a few words, which i appreciate the opportunity, and i know that a lot of focus, as it should well be, is on our military service members who have been committing suicides and i think that the marines just in this month alone have already had several suicides so the problem c

reduction or drug consumption in the united states through testing, through invasion of privacy, through clampdowns on trade, on everything. is the u.s. willing to send the armyrk, in los angeles, into east los angeles to do away with drug consumption there? i don't think so. i don't see any reason to believe that this will happen. so, the notion that maybe one day the u.s. will do this and when it does then the supply of drugs coming through mexico from colombia or even being produced in mexico will dry up because demand has dried up. i quite frankly that is an ahistorical, foolish and e ignorant view of history. chris: chapel hill, tennessee, independent line, tony. john: thank you and thank god for c-span. i'm so tkhrad we have it. -- glad we have it. my question is, by the way the people interested there is a back by gary westbound called dark alliance. it will tell you a lot about the drugs passed through the country and within more thing, if we do stop the war on drugs, the sheriff deputy and police department and c.i.a. and f.b.i. won't be able to confiscate people's houses and money and property and they are going to be out of money. and that will be

the united states is an empire and an evil force in the region, according to them. guest: president chavez has problems with other governments. 4lñhis armyis not prepared to fight a war. he has been active in attempting to undermine u.s. interests throughout the region. he has not been successful there either. there are three or four governments that work with president chavez persia. you have a leader like you get a job as -- like hugo chavez who do not know how to govern host: what about lifting thei embargo to venezuela? guest: we would have to be very careful to provide support for the caribbean islands that take the torch and that once went to cuba from the united states. we need to have a plan in place to get economic support for those island countries. the transition in cuba which i hope would be democratic should not fall into the hands of either the very left or very rights in cuba. the organization of american states needs to be involved. host: what about other political parties in cuba that might fill the void? guest: there's a very active human rights movement in cuba. they have suffered abuse and while there are no parties,

gone to war -- there are big field manuals and regulations, army regulations, on how to deal with contractors on the battlefield. the united states agency for international development no longer has anybody or very few people who actually go out and run project. everyone in the agency interacts with a contractor. i am on contract to the secretary of defense. i think it is a well conceived and executed program. a cost at least three times what it would cost if employees of the government were carrying it out. our own political system is not going to be changed and the comings years -- in the coming years. it is something that we have to struggle with. i profoundly believe that the president's ability to reformulate strategy in the last few months was hampered almost to the point of impossibility by the other side, failing never to pick up the cudgel that you in your campaign described this as the good war. now make it a good one. never failed to pick up the cudgel of "you are not listening to your generals," and i must say that the last administration was semele beat about the head, neck, and shoulders by the democratic party as t