I think most Americans would agree that
for defense or security some lawful
surveillance is fine but in some cases
it sort of went beyond that you worry
about that well sure that's why we have
to do this very carefully
the greatest fear that I have regarding
the outcome for America of these
disclosures is that nothing will change
mr. Snowden has been accused of leaking
classified information and he faces
felony charges here in the United States
what's your view of him and his motives
it Edward Snowden is a hero a patriot
would not run away and look for refuge
in Russia Cuba or some other country a
patriot would stand up in the United
States and make his case to the American
people
through successes and strains our ties
have broadly endured but I believe we
must renew the bonds of trust and
rebuild the bridge between the Pentagon
in Silicon Valley
now you can correct me if I'm wrong I
believe your your physicists elementary
particle physics elementary fine
distinction right so you're a scientist
you're also you know nap Secretary of
Defense under the DoD you run also the
NSA do you have a job to do to fix the
bridges with Silicon Valley after the
NSA surveillance problem yes we
definitely do and that's a good way of
putting in build bridges because the
Snowden disclosures put people in a bad
position and I think we need to
emphasize a couple of things about how
we try to conduct ourselves right one is
we try to do only things that are lawful
and appropriate second our whole purpose
is to protect people and facilitate
internet commerce as by the way the
Defense Department des for many decades
and the Snowden revelations there's no
question about it created a barrier of
suspicion President Obama says don't
worry it's only metadata he's really
saying don't worry you're all just under
surveillance I think most Americans
would agree that for defense or security
some lawful surveillance is fine but in
some cases it sort of went beyond that
you know one of the definitions of a
police state is having the police
watching you at all times knowing what
you're doing at all times do you worry
about that well sure that's why we have
to do this very carefully we need to
behave in such a way but also be
understood to behave you to such a way
that we're not trying to get into
anybody's business or their thoughts
we're trying to protect people against
terrorists against intellectual property
thieves and you can't just say that you
have to prove that and that means we
have to operate under laws we can't tell
people everything we're doing
and still protect them that's why we
have a Congress that's why we have laws
and ports and so forth so that they can
check on us and believe me we tell them
everything we're doing it's very very
difficult I think to have a transparent
debate about secret programs approved by
a secret court issuing secret court
orders based on secret interpretations
of the law I know that this is the first
time in 20 years that a sitting
Secretary of Defense has visited Silicon
Valley why now well because it's one of
the hubs of American innovation and
because the institution I'm responsible
for the department defense we need to
stay the best in the world the only way
to do that just like any business that
wants to be cutting edge if we're going
to be cutting edge we have to be open to
change and we have to be open to the
rest of the world I would like to
continue to attract the very best to the
US military and to the Department of
Defense mission we want to be an
environment where kids who are
innovative and really smart want to be
even if they don't spend their whole
life there just spend a couple years
with us we'll get something out of it
they'll get something out of a mutual
benefit mr. secretary thank you very
much for joining tribunal