TO PROCEED GIVING A WHOLE LOT
OF GEOPOLITICAL POWER RIGHT TO
PUTIN.
ADMIRAL JOHN KIRBY PENTAGON
PRESS SECRETARY WITH ME NOW.
THANK YOU FOR BEING IN "FOCUS."
WHEN YOU HEAR FORMER SECRETARY
POMPEO SAY IT, YOU HEAR
REPUBLICANS SAY IT AND OTHERS
TAKE THE POLITICS OUT OF IT AND
GET TO THE BRASS TACKS HERE WHY
HAVEN’T WE RESPONDED TO THE
MASSIVE BUILD-UP OF TROOPS AND
ESTIMATED 127,000 THAT PUTIN
PUT ON THE BORDER WITH UKRAINE.
WHY HAVEN’T WE RESPONDED BEFORE
NOW OR AT ALL?
>> HARRIS, I HAVE TO TELL YOU
I’M NOT SURE I AGREE WITH THE
IDEA WE HAVEN’T RESPONDED.
WE HAVE JUST APPROVED ANOTHER
$200 MILLION OF WEAPONS
ASSISTANCE.
THEY ARE ARRIVING AS WE SPEAK
INCLUDING LETHAL ASSISTANCE IN
THE FORM OF JAVELIN ANTI-TANK
MISSILES.
WE HAVE PUT AN ADDITIONAL 8500
TROOPS ON ALERT YESTERDAY TO
HAVE TO GO PERHAPS MAYBE.
HAVEN’T BEEN DEPLOYED YET TO
BOLSTER THE NATO RESPONSE FORCE.
WE AREN’T RULING IT OFF THE
TABLE ANY UNILATERAL U.S.
TROOPS ALSO INSIDE EUROPE OR
EVEN GOING TO EUROPE TO HELP
BOLSTER OUR ALLIES AND REASSURE
THEM.
SO NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT
WE’VE BEEN VERY CLEAR WITH MR.
PUTIN ABOUT THE SEVERE ECONOMIC
CONSEQUENCES THAT HE MIGHT
SUFFER.
SO I DON’T AGREE WE HAVEN’T
RESPONDED.
>> Harris: ALL OF THAT, THOUGH,
DOESN’T DETER HIM.
I HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING,
ADMIRAL.
ALL OF THAT IS IN RECENT DAYS
AND MAYBE THERE WAS MONEY SPENT
BEFORE.
WE HAVE SOME LIVE PICTURES OF
SOME OF THAT $200 MILLION THAT
BIDEN PUT INTO PLAY AND HEARD
ABOUT THE ANTI-TANK, 300 OF
THEM JAVELIN MISSILES ARRIVING
RIGHT NOW.
I GET THAT AND UNDERSTAND YOU
SAID ON THIS NETWORK YESTERDAY
THE 8500 OR SO TROOPS GOING IN
WOULD BE FOR TRAINING
SPECIFICALLY.
THAT TO PUTIN, THOUGH, HE HAS
PUT 127,000 TROOPS ON THE
BORDER.
WE KNOW HE IS PERCHED TO GO IN.
IT IS NOT DETERRING HIM.
SO WHAT DOES?
>> TWO THINGS THERE, HARRIS.
NUMBER ONE WE DON’T BELIEVE MR.
PUTIN HAS MADE A FINAL DECISION.
WE THINK THERE IS TIME AND
SPACE.
>> Harris: YOU THINK HE WOULD
TELL YOU FIRST?
DID HE TELL YOU WHEN HE WAS
PUTTING THOSE TROOPS THERE?
>> HE HASN’T DE-ESCALATED.
HE CONTINUES TO ADD FORCES.
WE DON’T BELIEVE HE HAS MADE A
DECISION. SECONDLY, NATO RESPONSE FORCE
SECONDLY, NATO RESPONSE FORCE
TROOPS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IF ACTIVATED COME --
ABOUT IF ACTIVATED COME --
[[INAUDIBLE]
>> Harris: WHY NOT MAKE
SOMETHING HAPPEN BEFORE HE GOES
IN?
>> WE’RE DOING THAT.
WE’RE HELPING THE UKRAINIAN
ARMED FORCES BETTER DEFEND
THEMSELVES.
THE $200 MILLION THE PRESIDENT
APPROVED IN DECEMBER ON TOP OF
THE $60 MILLION MONTHS BEFORE
THAT.
NOT JUST US.
NATO ALLIES AND PARTNERS.
>> Harris: IS ANYBODY SPENDING
AS MUCH MONEY AS WE ARE?
>> THEY ARE ALL CONTRIBUTING TO
HELPING UKRAINE DEFEND
THEMSELVES.
ARE THEY DOING AS MUCH AS WE
ARE.
PROBABLY NOT.
WE’RE VERY MUCH COMMITTED TO
THIS.
BUT THAT’S THE POINT, HARRIS.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO HELPING
UKRAINE DEFEND ITSELF BUT HAVE
AN OBLIGATION INSIDE NATO TO
THE ARTICLE 5 COMMITMENT TO
MAKE SURE OUR ALLIES ARE READY.
>> Harris: WHEN AMERICANS ASK
WHY ARE WE INVOLVED WITH
UKRAINE, YOU WOULD SAY WHAT?
>> WE ARE ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED
TO HELPING UKRAINE DEFEND
ITSELF AND THAT’S WHAT THIS
SECURITY ASSISTANCE IS ALL
ABOUT.
NOBODY WANTS TO SEE ANOTHER
ARMED CONFLICT ON THE EUROPEAN
CONTINENT.
NOBODY WANTS TO SEE ANOTHER
INVASION AND INCURSION WHICH IS
WHY WE’RE MAKING IT VERY CLEAR
TO MR. PUTIN THERE WILL BE
SEVERE CONSEQUENCES IF HE MOVES
IN ANOTHER TIME TO ATTACK
UKRAINE.
>> Harris: I JUST REMIND
EVERYBODY THAT ABOUT A WEEK AGO
WE WERE LISTENING TO THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
TELL US ABOUT MINOR INCURSIONS
AND WHAT HE WOULD ALLOW.
AND THE CLEANUP ON AISLE 7 HAS
GOTTEN US TO THE POINT, WITH
ALL DUE RESPECT, TO WHERE YOU
ARE STILL DOING THAT.
AND WHAT THE WORLD SEES IS
WHICH WAS THE STORY, A CONFUSED
PRESIDENT OR WHERE WE ARE NOW?
AND ALL OF IT IS DANGEROUS WHEN
YOU TALK ABOUT TAKING MEN AND
WOMEN AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES
TO GO SERVE IN SUCH A FARAWAY
PLACE FOR A COUNTRY THAT PEOPLE
KNOW IS NOT IN NATO.
I DO WANT TO GET TO THIS
BECAUSE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
THE 8500 THE PENTAGON HAS
STANDING BY WE’VE TALKED ABOUT
A LITTLE BIT.
NOW I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
15,000 OR SO AMERICANS THAT ARE
INSIDE THE COUNTRY OF UKRAINE.
AND WE HEARD NED PRICE, WE
HEARD HIM TALKING ABOUT THIS
YESTERDAY BECAUSE HE WAS ASKED
ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, STATE
DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON WAS
ASKED WELL, IS THERE A
COMPARISON BETWEEN HOW WE LEFT
AFGHANISTAN AND HOW WE WOULD
RESCUE OUR PEOPLE AND PULL THEM
OUT OF UKRAINE?
AND I FIRST WANT TO GET YOUR
THOUGHTS ON THAT.
CLEARLY TWO DIFFERENT
SITUATIONS BUT THE APPLES TO
APPLES THE NEXUS OF IT ARE OUR
PEOPLE ON THE GROUND.
>> I WOULD SAY THE STATE
DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR
OVER SEVERAL WEEKS HERE THAT
THEY WANT AMERICAN CITIZENS NOT
TO TRAVEL TO UKRAINE AND THAT
THEY SHOULD FIND A WAY TO LEAVE
UKRAINE NOW.
THERE HAVE BEEN PLENTY OF
ADVISORY NOTICES BUT THE STATE
DEPARTMENT.
YOU SAW OVER THE WEEKEND THEY
HAVE ORDERED HOME SOME ELIGIBLE
FAMILY MEMBERS OF PEOPLE
WORKING IN THE EMBASSY.
WE HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT
TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE HAZARDS
WE SEE TO AMERICAN CITIZENS
STAYING IN UKRAINE AND IT HAS
BEEN VERY, VERY CLEAR.
IT IS NOT THE SAME SITUATION AS
AFGHANISTAN.
AND AGAIN I THINK THE STATE
DEPARTMENT HAS DONE A
COMMENDABLE JOB MAKING CLEAR
AND TRANSPARENT WHAT OUR
CONCERNS ARE INSIDE UKRAINE.
>> Harris: I WANT TO GET TO
THIS.
ANDY BIGGS HAS BEEN TWEETING ON
THE SUBJECT.
AMERICANS ARE STILL STRANDED IN
AFGHANISTAN AND THANKS TO BIDEN
WE CAN’T EVACUATE AMERICANS
FROM UKRAINE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS OF
PEOPLE POTENTIALLY STILL IN
AFGHANISTAN, OUR JOB IS NOT
DONE THERE.
CAN YOU UNDERSTAND PERHAPS
ADMIRAL KIRBY WHY THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE MIGHT BE A LITTLE
SKEPTICAL AS WE GO DOWN A ROAD
AGAIN THAT HAS AMERICANS THAT
HAVE TO BE MOVED QUICKLY AND
8500 MEN AND WOMEN IN OUR U.S.
MILITARY ARE PERCHED?
>> THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON TO
TRY TO MOVE PEOPLE QUICKLY
BECAUSE THE STATE DEPARTMENT
HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE
NEED TO AVOID TRAVEL TO UKRAINE
FOR AMERICAN CITIZENS.
BACK ON AFGHANISTAN, WE
ABSOLUTELY SHARE THE CONCERNS
OF SO MANY AMERICANS AND SOME
OF THESE NONPROFIT AND AD HOC
GROUPS THAT ARE COMING TOGETHER
TO HELP US IDENTIFY AMERICANS
AND SIV HOLDERS, AFGHAN ALLIES
STILL WANT TO LEAVE AFGHANISTAN.
YOU ARE RIGHT.
THE MISSION THERE IS NOT OVER,
HARRIS AND WE’RE CONTINUING TO
WORK INSIDE THE STATE
DEPARTMENT TASK FORCE TO HELP
PEOPLE GET OUT OF AFGHANISTAN.
>> Harris: ARE WE STILL RELYING
ON THE TALIBAN?
>> THIS ISN’T ABOUT RELYING ON
THE TALIBAN AND WORKING WITH
AID GROUPS AND IDENTIFYING
PEOPLE TO GET OUT OF
AFGHANISTAN.
>> Harris: THE TALIBAN ARE NOT
HELPING US DO THAT?
>> THESE PEOPLE ARE STILL
GETTING OUT.
WE KNOW WE HAVE WORK TO DO.
HERE IS THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE.
WE KNOW WE HAVE A MORAL
OBLIGATION.
>> Harris: I DIDN’T HEAR AN
ANSWER TO THE QUESTION.
ARE WE STILL WORKING WITH THE
TALIBAN?
>> THIS ISN’T ABOUT RELYING OR
WORKING WITH THE TALIBAN.
>> Harris: WHY I ASK THAT.
UKRAINE’S LEADERSHIP PUT OUT A
NOTICE YESTERDAY THAT IT IS
CONCERNED THAT KIEV IS NO MORE
DANGEROUS FOR AMERICAN CITIZENS
THAN SOME OF OUR OWN
CRIME-RIDDEN -- THEIR WORDS.
CRIME-RIDDEN CITIES WHERE
AMERICANS LIVE TODAY.
THAT YOU CAN LEAVE THOSE
AMERICANS THERE.
NOW, MIGHT THERE ALSO BE A BACK DROP TO THAT POTENTIALLY THAT
DROP TO THAT POTENTIALLY THAT
THEY KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE W
THE STORIES ARE HORRIFIC OF THE
PEOPLE WHO GOT LEFT BEHIND WHO
HELPED US OUT.
SO LOOKING ACROSS THE WORLD,
UKRAINE WHICH WAS WATCHING,
TOO, COULD THERE BE A MEASURE
OF CONCERN THAT ONCE THE
AMERICANS PULL OUT WE’LL LOOK
LIKE THAT COUNTRY DOES,
AFGHANISTAN?
YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT.
>> NOBODY IS TALKING AT THIS
POINT OF PULLING OUT OF UKRAINE.
THEY ARE A PARTNER AND WE’RE
ABSOLUTELY TRYING TO HELP THEM
DEFEND THEMSELVES.
IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE AND I
THINK YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THIS
WITH THE TENSIONS CONTINUING TO
ESCALATE FOR THE STATE
DEPARTMENT NOT TO INFORM
AMERICANS MAYBE NOW IS NOT THE
RIGHT TIME TO BE IN UKRAINE.
IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE NOT
TO COMMUNICATE THAT AND THAT’S
ALL WE’RE TRYING TO DO AT THIS
POINT.
>> Harris: A NEW ANALYSIS BY
THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL SHOWS HOW
MUCH INFLUENCE CHINA HAS GAINED
OVER THE WORLD WHILE AMERICA IS
LOSING INFLUENCE.
I BRING THAT UP AGAINST IN THE
BACK DROP OF ALL THAT WE SEE
THAT’S GOING ON WITH UKRAINE
AND RUSSIA AND THEN MASSING
TROOPS AND WE DIDN’T DO
ANYTHING AHEAD OF IT BUT TRYING
TO DO IT NOW CHINA IS TAUNTING
U.S. NAVY AS IT IS THREATENING
TAIWAN.
THERE ARE OVER AN AREA WE MAY
HAVE TO RESPOND TO.
ADMIRAL KIRBY.
>> FIRST OF ALL YOU HAVE TO
TAKE SOME STUFF COMING OUT OF
THE CHINESE STATE MEDIA WITH A
GRAIN OF SALT.
>> Harris: YOU THINK I’M
GETTING MY INFORMATION FROM THE
CHINESE?
YOU KNOW THAT I’M NOT.
>> TRUTHFUL VERIFICATION OF
WHAT’S GOING ON.
WE WILL -- WE’RE DOING IT.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED ABOUT OUR
ONE CHINA POLICY AND OUR
POSITION WE DON’T WANT TO SEE
THE STATUS QUO ACROSS THE
STRAIT THERE TO BE UPSET BY
UNILATERAL ACTION.
NOBODY WANTS TO SEE CONFLICT
THERE OVER TAIWAN AND THERE IS
NO REASON IT NEEDS TO BE THAT
WAY.
BUT WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP TAIWAN
DEFEND ITSELF AND WILL CONTINUE
TO DO THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH
THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT.
>> Harris: ONE LAST QUESTION
THAT’S A BROADER ONE HAVING TO
DO WITH THE PRESIDENT’S FOREIGN
POLICY AND OUR MILITARY IS PART
OF THAT.
HOW IS THE RELATIONSHIP WITH
THE GENERALS AND THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES RIGHT NOW
GIVEN WHAT HAPPENED THAT WE
LEARNED FROM CAPITOL HILL
HEARINGS THAT THE GENERALS HAD
GIVEN PRESIDENT BIDEN SOME
THINGS TO DO, STRATEGY, HE WENT
A DIFFERENT WAY WITH
AFGHANISTAN.
HOW IS IT NOW?
>> I TELL YOU WHAT I WAS IF
UNIFORM FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS AND
WORKING IN THE PENTAGON FOR A
LONG TIME.
THE MILITARY LEADERS HERE AND
THE CIVILIANS, TOO.
MILITARY LEADERS UNDERSTAND
CIVILIAN CONTROL OF THE
MILITARY AND UNDERSTAND THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
NO MATTER WHAT PARTY THE
PRESIDENT IS FROM IS THE
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.
THEY KNOW THEIR JOB IS TO
ADVISE THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
BUT THEIR JOB TO MAKE THE
DECISION.
ONCE THAT DECISION IS MADE WE
MARCH OUT, EXECUTE AND DO IT TO
THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY AND
THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED IN
AFGHANISTAN AND WHAT IS
HAPPENING NOW AND I KNOW THAT
THAT’S WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE
FUTURE AT THE PENTAGON.
THEY TAKE THESE
RESPONSIBILITIES VERY SERIOUSLY.
>> Harris: OF COURSE THEY DO.
AFGHANISTAN WAS PAINFUL.
THOSE 13 WHO DIED AT THE GATE.
THAT HURT US A LOT.
WE’LL LOOK FORWARD AND PRAY FOR
THE 8,500 THAT YOU ARE NOW
ABOUT TO DEPLOY POTENTIALLY IN
THIS SITUATION.
>> THEY HAVEN’T BEEN DEPLOYED
YET, ONLY ON HEIGHTENED ALERT.
>> Harris: PLEASE COME BACK IN
"FOCUS."