>> WHAT IS A BIGGER THREAT, THE
CLIMATE OR CHINA.
>> BOTH ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT.
BOTH ARE CHALLENGES THAT THE
SECRETARY WANTS THE SENIOR
LEADERSHIP OF THE PENTAGON TO BE
FOCUSED ON, AS WELL AS MANY
OTHERS TOO.
TODD: YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT, THE
PENTAGON CALLING CHINA AND
CLIMATE CHANGE EQUALLY IMPORTANT
THREATS TO U.S. NATIONAL
SECURITY.
HERE TO REACT, RETIRED U.S. ARMY
GENERAL AND U.S. SENATE
CANDIDATE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, DON
BOLTIK.
AS SOMEONE WHO SERVED, WHO
UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE
IN THE MILITARY, TO FIGHT AND
THE THREATS THAT WE FACE, HOW
DANGEROUS IS IT TO OUR NATIONAL
SECURITY THAT THE PENTAGON OF
ALL PLACES PUTS CHINA AND
CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE SAME
PLANE?
>> WELL, I THINK IT’S VERY
DANGEROUS AND I THINK IT’S A
MISCALCULATION TO GET INVOLVED
IN POLITICS.
THEY SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON
TRAINING, ORGANIZING SERVICE
MEMBERS FOR THE DEFENSE OF THIS
NATION.
WE HAVE SEEN HAD THEY HAVEN’T
DONE THAT.
WE WATCHED THE AFGHANISTAN
DEBACLE, WE WATCHED HOW THAT
EMPOWERED CHINA AND CHINA
CONTINUES TO PUSH CLOSER AND
CLOSER TO AN INVASION OF TAIWAN
WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR US
AND FOR THE SECURITY IN ASIA AND
ACROSS THE WORLD AND TO COMBINE
THOSE TWO AS THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE IS WAY OFF TRACK.
TODD: YOU MENTIONED
AFGHANISTAN.
AMERICANS AS WE KNOW STILL
TRAPPED IN AFGHANISTAN AND NOW
THERE IS A MAD DASH TO GET THEM
OUT BEFORE THE BRUTAL WINTER
COLD SETS IN.
WE TALKED TO ALEX PLITSAS
YESTERDAY, HE’S DOING THE WORK
ON THE GROUND, TRYING TO GET
PEOPLE OUT.
HERE’S WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.
>> WE NEED TO INCREASE OUR
OPERATIONS THERE AND SO WE NEED
MORE FOLKS MOVED BASICALLY TO
LILLY PADS WHERE THE U.S.
MILITARY BASE IS A TRANSIT POINT
BETWEEN AFGHANISTAN AND THE
UNITED STATES.
SO WE’RE WORKING TO TRY TO
EXPEDITE THAT BUT IT’S A RACE
AGAINST THE CLOCK RIGHT NOW FOR
THE WEATHER.
TODD: HOW BIG OF A HUMANITARIAN
CRISIS ARE WE ABOUT TO HAVE ON
OUR HANDS?
>> WELL, IT’S GOING TO BE A HUGE
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.
WE PREDICTED IT AND OF COURSE IT
WAS COMMON SENSE.
YOU COULD SEE THERE WAS A
REFUGEE SITUATION AND THE WAY
THE TALIBAN GOVERNS AND THE LAW
AND HOW TRAGIC IT IS FOR PEOPLE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE’RE GOING TO --
WE’RE HAVING ONE.
IT’S BEEN THERE.
IT’S BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE.
THE TALIBAN HAVE BEEN IN CHARGE
OF THE RURAL AREAS THERE WELL
BEFORE THE WITHDRAWAL.
IT WAS A POOR DECISION TO DO IT
THE WAY THEY DID IT.
AND THIS IS -- WE’RE GOING TO
SEE OURSELVES GOING BACK TO
AFGHANISTAN, UNFORTUNATELY.
DO I WANT TO DO THAT?
NO, I DON’T.
BUT WHEN YOU DON’T DO THE RIGHT
THINGS, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO
REVISIT THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU
CAUSED.
TODD: FINALLY, SIR, TODAY IS
VETERANS DAY.
PLEASE, SHARE YOUR VETERANS DAY
MESSAGE WITH US.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, FOR ME EVERY
DAY IS VETERANS DAY AND IT
SHOULD BE FOR ALL AMERICANS, BUT
IN PARTICULAR VETERANS ARE
REFLECTING ON WHAT THEY’RE
SEEING OUR NATIONAL LEADERS DO
TO OUR MILITARY.
THE VACCINATION SHOT MANDATE
THAT’S NEGATIVELY AFFECTING OUR
SERVICE MEMBERS, HE THE SOCIAL,
EMOTIONAL LEARNING, CRT TRAINING
THAT’S INTERFERING WITH OUR
MILITARY’S FOCUS AND TRAINING
AND THE POOR DECISIONS OF OUR
SENIOR LEADERS, EVERYWHERE I GO
IN THE STATE, THE U.S. SENATE
CANDIDATE FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE AND
EVERYWHERE I GO IT IS A QUESTION
FROM EVERYBODY.
AND SO TODAY WE NEED TO REFLECT,
WE NEED TO THANK OUR VETERANS IN
OUR COMMUNITY, WE NEED TO BE
GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE YOUNG MEN
AND WOMEN AND FAMILIES THAT
RAISE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THAT
WILL GO AND SERVE OUR COUNTRY,
ANSWER THE CALL, SACRIFICE, GIVE
THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IF
NECESSARY FOR THE PROTECTION OF
OUR FAMILIES AND FOR GOD,
FAMILY, COMMUNITY AND THIS GREAT
COUNTRY THAT WE HAVE THE HONOR
TO LIVE IN.