OF AL QAEDA IN AFGHANISTAN.
AFTER 20 YEARS OF VALOR AND
SACRIFICE IT’S TIME TO BRING
THOSE TROOPS HOME.
>> THIS WEEKEND WILL MARK THE
TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF OWE SAMMY
BIN
-- OSAMA BIN LADEN’S DEATH. THE MAN WHO TOOK HIM DOWN.
THE MAN WHO TOOK HIM DOWN.
HIS NEW BOOK IS "THE HERO CODE."
THERE HAS BEEN CONCERN AMONG
SOME ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN ONCE
THE WITHDRAWAL IS COMPLETED.
TALKS ARE IN STALEMATE.
AND THERE IS A NEW THREAT THAT
BY MAY 1 THERE COULD BE NEW
VIOLENCE.
THE PRESIDENT ORDERING
NONESSENTIAL PERSONNEL OUT
BECAUSE OF THIS NEW THREAT.
HOW DO YOU REFLECT ON WHAT COULD
COME ABOUT?
>> AS A FORMER SENIOR MILITARY
OFFICER, ALL WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE IS THAT THE COMMANDER IN
CHIEF UNDERSTANDS OUR CONCERN.
I KNOW SCOTT MILLER AND
McKENZIE, CHAIRMAN MARK MILLIE
AND LLOYD AUSTIN, SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE, ALL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY
TO SIT DOWN WITH THE PRESIDENT
AND LAYOUT THEIR CONCERNS.
THERE ARE RISKS.
MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT.
YOU COULD HAVE A RESURGENT
TALIBAN, A SAFE HAVEN FOR AL
QAEDA AGAIN.
WE WILL BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE
PROGRESS WOMEN HAVE MADE AND
WILL THAT BE ROLLED BACK.
AS LONG AS THOSE CONCERNS ARE
LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE
PRESIDENT.
AT THE END OF THE DAY THE
PRESIDENT, AS THE COMMANDER IN
CHIEF MAKES A DECISION, AND WE
AS THE MILITARY, CARRY OUT THE
PRESIDENT’S DECISION AND THAT’S
WHAT THE MILITARY WILL DO.
>> THEY GAVE HIM ADVICE.
HE KNOWS WHAT THE RISKS WERE.
DO YOU THINK IT WAS WRONG FOR
HIM TO OVERRULE AND DECIDE THE
OTHER WAY?
>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
THIS IS WHY PEOPLE ELECT A
PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER IN
CHIEF, TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED
ON THE FACTS LAID OUT IN FRONT
OF HIM.
THE PRESIDENT LOOKED AT IT.
THE PRESIDENT AND MILITARY DON’T
AGREE ON ALL ISSUES.
FROM A SENIOR MILITARY
STANDPOINT YOU JUST WANT TO BE
SURE YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO
VOICE THE CONCERNS, THAT THE
CHIEF UNDERSTANDS THOSE RISKS
AND THEN IT’S THEIR DECISION AND
WE MOVE OUTSMARTLY.
>> THE WAY HE APPROACHED FOREIGN
POLICY, TALKING ABOUT BUILDING
DOMESTIC STRENGTH TO SEND A
SIGNAL TO CHINA THAT WE ARE
GOING TO BE COMPETITIVE, THAT WE
ARE GOING TO BE IN THIS FIGHT.
IS THAT A HARD SELL TO THE
PEOPLE WHEN IT WILL COST $6
TRILLION?
>> I THINK THE PRESIDENT SET THE
RIGHT TONE WITH THE SPEECH LAST
NIGHT.
WE HAVE TO WORK FOR OUR
DEMOCRACY EVERY SINGLE DAY.
BUT CONVERSELY, OUR DEMOCRACY
HAS TO WORK FOR US.
I THINK THAT WAS THE THEME OF
THE PRESIDENT’S SPEECH, THAT
DEMOCRACY WILL WORK FOR ALL
AMERICANS AND WE WILL BE SURE
DEMOCRACY IS SEEN ON THE WORLD
STAGE AS THE BEE CON OF HOPE
SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS
GREAT NATION.
I THOUGHT THE TONE AND MESSAGE
WAS RIGHT.
WE HAVE TO BE SURE THAT
GOVERNMENTS LIKE RUSSIA AND
CHINA UNDERSTAND WE ARE AS
STRONG AS WE HAVE EVER BEEN AND
WE WILL CONTINUE TO SET THE PACE
FOR THE WORLD IN A GOOD AND
RIGHT AND HONORABLE FASHION.
>> WHEN YOU ENDORSED JOE BIDEN
FOR PRESIDENT, YOU WROTE THAT
THE WORLD NO LONGER LOOKS UP TO
AMERICA.
DO YOU THINK THAT’S CHANGING?
>> I THINK IT’S CHANGING, BUT WE
STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
THE PRESIDENT SET THE RIGHT
TONE.
NOW WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THROUGH.
WHAT I HAVE SEEN IN THE FIRST
100 DAYS IS THE PRESIDENT HAS
GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO
REESTABLISH OUR ALLIANCES.
HE WOULD DON’T LIVE IN A WORLD
WHERE HE WOULD ALONE CAN DIRECT
THE PATH OF FOREIGN POLICY.
WE NEED TO HAVE OUR ALLIANCES
AND STRENGTHEN THEM.
HE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF DOING
THAT.
BUT WE HAVE TO PUT PROMISES ON
THE TABLE AND MEET THOSE.
>> REFLEXES TEN YEARS AFTER THE
OPERATION THAT GOT BIN LADEN?
>> I’M OBVIOUSLY INCREDIBLY
PROUD OF THE SEALS AND GREAT
HELICOPTER PILOTS AND
INTELLIGENCE PROFESSIONALS THAT
WERE PART OF THAT MISSION.
BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT.
WE WERE HONORED TO REPRESENT THE
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
SOLDIERS, SAILORS,
PROFESSIONALS, INTELLIGENCE, TO
BRING BIN LADEN TO JUSTICE.
THIS WAS ABOUT TEN YEARS OF
FIGHTING AFTER 9/11.
OUR TROOPS AND ALLIED TROOPS AS
WELL.
WE WERE PROUD TO BE THE FINAL
PIECE TO BRING BIN LADEN TO
JUSTICE.
>> SOME OF THOSE ARE HONORED AND