Social media platforms. Cspanso watch washington journal. Join the discussion. Next, we take you to a conference focusing on fighting violent extremism. We will hear from steve bannon, leon panetta, former cia director and retired army general David Petraeus and arkansas senator tom cotton. Altogether, they speak for about two hours and 45 minutes. [applause] if you belong to the left of the political persuasion, you might say this is appropriate because the forces of darkness are a peer. You have a different perspective, you would say there is some sort of illumination on thelight of this stage in absence of site. We have a full day today. We have heard many voices. We have had several speakers, we have had several banners. We have heard from republicans, democrats, senior retired officials, generals, two x cia director ors and so, the last we thought, was an exile talking to an insurgent. [applause] i dont think i need to , heoduce mr. Steve bannon is the former white house strategist and executive chairman of breitbart news. Things toeresting say, even for those who do not agree with him. It is important for us to hear his perspective. Any attempt at trying to introduce him would only get me into greater trouble than is necessary. Everybody knows who he is and i welcome him on behalf of the Hudson Institute to this conference. Saying mr. T begin by bannon has identified with the and thereerica first are those who would say america more of an be aspiration is to idea. His agreement to come and join us today gives us an opening after asking him to share with us some of the ideas he would say he has about the topic today, which we on the is. Ountering violent extremism four different subheadings of the title, but they all fall thein the rubric of National Security requirements of the United States and foreign policy. Why dont you start with an Opening Statement that sets the pace for us having this conversation . Mr. Bannon thank you very much, mr. Ambassador. We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones, and unite the civilized world against radical islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the earth. A fewas Donald J Trump minutes after high noon on january 20. 2017 in his inaugural address. We will eradicate completely from the face of the earth radical islamic terrorism. Now, there is a lot of confusion or misinformation, fake news about who wrote that inaugural address. At the timeump, or president elect trump, wrote it. Stephen miller and myself were honored to help him out, as was Jared Kushner and Kellyanne Conway, jason miller, some other orple who may be crafted structure it. He wrote it. Particularly, he wrote that sentence. I remember, i think he wrote that part of the speech back in november, december. At maralago was the first time we talked about it and back at trump tower. Tophen miller and i, talked him about that being a pretty big check to write. Somebody is going to have to this is myd he said, obligation to the American People as commanderinchief. If you go back in time, President Trump strongly believed that the reason he was on january 20 and Hillary Clinton wasnt, was that it came down to a decision of the American People about who would be the best commanderinchief in a time of war. I think one of the things president and candidate trump at the time remember that the time this is the longest war in the nations history. In actual combat time, it is longer than the revolution, civil war, world war i and world war ii. If you add up the actual time in combat, i think this is the longest sustained military conflict we have ever had. President trump, a in his whole candidacy from the very beginning when he came down the escalator at trump tower, was a repudiation of the elites. A repudiation of the foreignpolicy establishment, a repudiation of the party of data us davos. A repudiation of this rulesbased International Order of which the American Work working class and middle class underwrite with their taxes and more portly, with the blood of their children. I had a little skin in this game. In 1979, 80, i was a naval officer in the persian gulf during the original hostage crisis. Westughter is a west point graduate, served in iraq, she stays in the army, she is army captain. The eventually deployed back. I have had many nephews and cousins, my extended family have served in the middle east. My kid brother is a pilot, was in 1983, 19 84 libya. These wars have gone on for a long time. President trump in the campaign and when i was able to step nsc ceo with Kellyanne Conway as campaign manager, who was just starting the end of the crisis around the gold star family and the death of that hero, captain and the president , one of the things we talked about is how you compare and contrast them with Hillary Clinton. One of the strongest things she had going for her was her foreignpolicy experience. Her time as secretary of state, her advanced knowledge of all the ins and outss and outs and minutia of foreignpolicy. President trump really connected with the American People and talked about a couple of things. We are at war. In 2015, we were seeing a rise in isis that caught the world by surprise. Isis had done more than anybody, even the Muslim Brotherhood having ally in sensible caliphate. Eventually, that caliphate was seven or 7 million or 8 million people. The ability to have essentially slave markets and recruit from all the known world, including asia, europe and the United States. Obamaso had for the administration, because of their focus on the nuclear deal, you had an insurgent or resurgent persia very aggressive on its expansion of a rainy and expansion. Continualad to be specter of radical islamic terrorism. President trump could not have been more blunt, direct and spoken more plainly to the American People what he wanted to accomplish and from the first that he won, i remember to general flynn at the time, what he wanted to do at the National Security council, devolved the power back to the commanders, the pentagon, the cia. He would set overall strategy, but they would take a more active and aggressive role in the destruction of isis. In addition, he was going to review the iran nuclear deal. During the campaign, he said i would try to make the deal better and if we cant, i will decertify it. The one thing i will do is their aggression throughout the middle east and the rest of the world and their behavior to that deal. He says we have to figure out how to take care of radical islamic terrorism that is not isis related. It office,ff one of the top things he had Jared Kushner and myself, secretary tillerson work on was a summit, he wanted to bring the arab world together and to really put beyond people phobe, oras an islamo America First didnt mean you are actively engaged in the territory. Thinks his philosophy is isolationist, i dont know he are you look at the arab summit in mayok lace place 2017. By the way, the three Component Parts that were worked on from day one, was to take the financing and support from radical groups throughout the world. She was to work with the arab and muslim world, particularly ple like general see sid and to work with the arab and muslim world about the engagement of islam with modernity, and the ability of islam to reform itself internally by muslims doing it, not imposition of western values on the muslim world, but they muslim and islamic world reforming certain aspects of its religion and its state that led to certain parts of this radicalization. The third was to start to have a serious conversation about what type of military alliance, what had to happen to stop irans expansion, persian expansion in ,his arc from iran to the sea the capitals of baghdad and damascus, and what was happening on yemen with this kind of cancer move through the arab world. Pincer move through the arab world. President trump has accomplished something that people would have mocked and laughed at during the campaign. Fell. The physical destruction of the isis caliphate would shock the world on its rapid rise. And put the world back on its heels about how can this group of young people with a couple of spiritual leaders and a call to arms they had from the 900yearold mosque in mosul, how could they have an economic capital in mosul and spiritual capital in raqqa. It was breathtaking, the whole world backed off. Of president hs trumps strategy, executed by general mattis, and that was not a word attrition. It was specific from day one, this will be a war of annihilation. We will physically annihilate the caliphate. That is what has been accomplished. Summit, theat the second part of it, they went into the summit, we went into the summit with saudi arabia and others and the number one thing was, we must take care of the financing of radical islam. There can be no more games . You cant games. You cant have it both ways. Financing the brotherhood or hamas. You cant say you are on our side and be on the other side and open to irans aggressive, warlike posture to the United States and to the west and other islamic countries. You can no longer have it both ways. Theink that is not summit came. I think his speech at the summit is one of the great speeches ever given. It should have put to bed that President Trump was and is phobe. Fold islamo particularly, the deplorables and the people who voted for him did not want active engagement with the islamic world. With partners, we would have to go through this time together and come out on the other side and the world would be a safer place. I dont think it is just by happenstance that two weeks after that summit, that you saw the blockade by the united arab egypt andn bahrain, the kingdom of saudi arabia untied. In theth the situation northwest pacific with korea, i think the single most important thing that is happening right now in the world is this in qatar. Interviewer there are two things you said that need more elaboration. The first, a positive, you made it clear the trump whonistration and those were instrumental in bringing President Trump to the white house are not islamic phobic and do want to engage with the islamic world, but in a different way. Needs elaboration because that is contrary to the way things are perceived. The second thing that needs more clarification is, you make it seem like the last 10 months have represented a major, clearly thought out, stepbystep approach to the you give credit to the Trump Administration for this success of the Iraqi Military and the kurdish militias in relation to the islamic state. There are people who would criticize that or say that is not true. Theuld like you to make next point, which is why do you that what has happened is actually the result of policy and not the result of developments within the region. The third is, the qatar question. American policy has been two steps forward and two steps backward again. Is it really the change you said it was, or is there Something Else happening in the administration that you decided not to share with us in that initial statement . Mr. Bannon lets take the first. Thisnk if you, number one, idea of America First being us against the world i think it is total nonsense. He looks at the world in a different way. Walter russell mead would say jacksonian. In that, it is what is in the vital National Security interest of the United States is what you should commit to. In those areas of the world where it is in the vital interest of the United States, you will have partners that will be in their vital National Security interest also, and you the northwestther pacific, japan and south korea, and the gulf with people like the uae and saudi arabia and egypt and bahrain. I think there is a tremendous thing of engagement. I dont think there is anything President Trump has done in this administration that makes us look isolationist at all. In tppnt want us to get and arrangements where we are just another person that the table, another entity at the table and not something we know is in our vital interests. Amophobic, iing isl would talk to our allies in the region. Egypt, the uae and saudi arabia. I dont think anyone has given to now crown prince more support. A completeich is not reordering, but a restructuring of their economy and society. A lot of people say it is an imperfect plan, but you have to understand they are trying to do something in 10 or 20 years, it has been centuries building up. I dont think anybody has been more supportive and i take that from the summit of what the king crown princeuty said, the crown prince said and many leaders of saudi arabia said. Also, the uae. If you talk to these individuals, and they talk to the media all the time, for many years of the Obama Administration being disengaged, President Trump has leaned into this and leaned into it in every aspect. About the structure destruction of isis, that is another thing. Certainly there was done with allies. Most of thewith troops in iraq that eventually took and mosul took mosul, raqqa. That is once again to what President Trump is trying to get across. It is not going to be america that has to lead here. It is going to be in the vital National Security interests of other people. You have to show support. You have to show you are not just in financial support, military support, political support. It shouldnt be lost on people that the extreme vetting, what is called the travel ban, the differenceundamental is that iraq came off. Now after further state involved state Department Involvement was that iraq should go back on there. One was the fight against isis, the other was what they had done to make sure people were fully vetted. That is the second question. Here third question was . Mr. Haqqani the third was about qatar and is it two steps forward, two steps backward approach . The fear is that we take a step backward after , one of the trump reasons he is president of the United States and Hillary Clinton is not, is i do believe there was a fundamental rejection by the American People of the much foreignpolicy establishment of both Political Parties we talked before, the consensus of what american foreignpolicy how it devolved in the middle east, the way we are in and the blood and treasure we have left. Why have we not focused on the rise of china . Opportunity costs of our engagement in the middle east. And middle class class people of this country are looking at the taxes we pay, they are looking at the trillions of dollars spent, the veterans that come home that have ptsd that are hardly wounded section 60 over at Arlington National cemetery, but young men and women who have died. And the trillions of dollars. I think it was rejection. With President Trump, it was, lets try to bring these wars to some sort of combination. Victory matters. President trump is not a quitter, and not a loser and the American People arent either. It is not just the sum cost of being there. There are aspects of the foreignpolicy community that are quite inextricably linked that dont share those points of view. I fundamentally believe that in qatar and after the muslim summit, it was looked at as an opportunity to be seen instead of a crisis to be managed and qatar finally had to be called to account for their continual funding of the Muslim Brotherhood, continual funding of hamas and their engagement with iran and frankly, turkey in the gulf. If you look at people on our ,ide of the fence, at the time setting up the summit and i am not a foreignpolicy expert, but i took a hard line on that. I thought the uae and the egyptians and the king of saudi arabia had a well plan. We will stop the funding of terrorism, it has to be cut off 100 percent. You cut off the funding, you cut off support, we have a chance to eradicated from the face of the year, which is what President Trump laid out to the American People. Mr. Haqqani but it is not being fully implemented. There are two things on engagement. Secretary tillerson, i have extreme respect for him. I was one of the most people most aggressive about getting him into the administration at the time. I think there is a fundamental i want to make sure everybody , and im sure they are going to do it earlier today, one of the things that was most people came down on two sides with the original 12 demands put out. I think these demands are, quite frankly, pretty straightforward. Egypt, saudi arabia didnt say the demands had to be met. Whatthey said was this was the framework has to be for discussions and lets go through the demands. Number one, qatar will curb diplomatic ties with iran and closed at dramatic missions there. She, it will sever all ties to terrorist organizations, specifically the Muslim Brotherhood, islamic state, has been law, al qaeda. They would designate these entities as terror groups. It will shut down qatar funds, jihad, middle east, it will eliminate the Turkish Military presence in qatar, stop means of funding for individualist organizations designated as terrorists by saudi arabia, the u. S. It will hand over terrorist figures, it will and interference of sovereign countrys internal affairs, stop , payl opposition reparations for the loss of life, accept monthly audits and align itself with other gulf and arab countries along the 24 team memorandum of understanding. I realize some people think that is over the top and qatar would give up its form policy if it did that. I wont say i agree with all of those, but i do agree i thought that was a pretty good construct of for which to sit down. I think it was a constructive day. I think it is well within the rights of people that we agreed at that summit, it was an agreement, that there was going to be an effort to have a 100 radicalf the funding of islamic terrorism. I believe our allies in the region, uae, egypt, saudi arabia not only agreed to that, they were the drivers of that. Mr. Haqqani you think they are, as drivers, implementing it firmly . Implementing the mechanisms that will stop Terror Financing . Mr. Bannon what do you mean, in their own countries . Uae,aqqani saudi arabia, you believe they are no longer doing anything that can be construed as supporting radical islamic groups . Uae runs a major antiextremism effort, but there have been people who say other countries in the region have not firmly but talk about the kingdom of saudi arabia. Look at the tectonic plate shifts we had from the summit and this is not fair to President Trump and i am not here as an apologist, i am here is a guy who is a veteran mr. Haqqani maybe his advocate. Advocate, i am his but also a parent, a veteran and a taxpaying citizen. What has been accomplished in a short period of time is amazing to me. I dont think he has gotten credit for the summit because i think the summit was incredibly important in the muslim world, the arab world, important to show the United States was engaged and action would take place. If you look at saudi arabia, they have had a pretty big fundamental change since that summit. Deputy crown prince is now the crown prince. I think two weeks ago, there were 1000 clerics rounded up and somehow put under house arrest. I realize the opposition party, to New York Times refer themselves as liberal scholars, ould respect fully submit i would have to stand up for the New York Times because they are not the opposition party. They disagree with you like they disagree with them. Mr. Bannon i could not disagree more, that is another debate for another time. I think saudi arabia, people realize there are issues with other countries. The effort is nowhere near what is actively involved with. I would also say that qatar has run and influence operation. They sent millions of dollars to try to change the opinion of congressmen and thinkers, think tanks and the elites in the city. Story today said you are being paid by one of the other countries to influence something in the same way. Mr. Bannon that is a company i have nothing to do with. It is a good point, there are companies that take have some financial relationship. I understand how qataris are throwing that up. Thing. Fair play in this however, i think they are both missing the point. There are other influence operations. The American People cant be full about this. One of the powers of president connect toat he can the American Working class and american middle class in a very plainspoken vernacular. I am a huge believer in the common sense and decency and theent of what we call common man. That is why i am a populist. I would rather depend on their judgment. We were in alabama a few weeks ago for judge moore in an old larne barn with sawdust floor. I said i would take the first 100 people who came to that rally to govern the country over the top 100 partners at goldman sachs. I would want to reiterate i would take the 100 to operate our foreign policy. Those people are not going to be qatar continues to fund the be in bed with a run and run iran is a good thing. Mr. Haqqani general petraeus this morning said that you cant just use Delta Force Operations and drones to get rid of the problem of radical islamist extremism and terrorism. This may actually end up being a multi generational issue and in the containment of iran. How would you describe your views on the comprehensive approach that is needed to both sunni extremism represented by groups like al qaeda and isis, etc. , and the Muslim Brotherhood and shia extremism in iran . What would be your multi generational approach and how would it differ from the establishment . In bannon number one, afghanistan, we say multi generalissimo approach, multi generational approach there is no one in the United States who want to be in multi generational special operation operations. It is not the way our country was founded are formed. Summit, this was so important about how President Trump structured the summit and what he wanted to accomplish, we are prepared to be allies. What we dont want is these countries to be protectorates. We are prepared to be allies. That is why the action against qatar was so important. What is happening in qatar is every bit as what is happening important as what is happening in north korea. In qatar, all the seams come out. Uae,llies in egypt, the saudi arabia understand we are there for them, but it is not our fight. It is your fight. Going to reform islam and bring it into modernity, that is a huge civilizational and cultural aspect and it is yours. We are there to be an ally. We are there to be a partner if needed. We dont look at it as multi generational combat troops. Opposed to we are so what happened in afghanistan. President trump measures this. To make themonths decision in afghanistan. He measured every alternative because he believes every American Life is important, every tax dollar is important. In afghanistan, i dont think the gulf is totally different. I think we tried to impose our values. Trying to impose a democratic system on a society that doesnt seem to want it, which i think is fine. This is America First, we are not looking to transform the world into our values. I think the world has got to come to its own conclusions, on how to govern themselves. Hopefully they see in the example in our own country that maybe the things in the american system, the American People, democracy, they will take. Agree with general petraeus that you have to have a more total approach. , disagree with the fact particularly with general petraeus and others that look at this as nationbuilding. We have to build a nation called the United States of america. If being a Strong Partner and having the robust nature to partner with people like uae and the kingdom of saudi arabia, bahrain and egypt as they go through this massive transformation of economies and cultures, we will be their partner. The way you can do that is if we are a Robust Society ourselves. Not trying to impose our way of life and beliefs on other people. Mr. Haqqani you would not have any role or any actions whatsoever that would imply trying to remake the world in americas image . You want to accept the world as it is and yet try to interact with the rest of the world with American Values and let them pick their own . Mr. Bannon American Values are know we haveand i certain universal beliefs. I think you have to show the world how you implement those beliefs and how you execute upon them. If they want to emulate them, you can. We cannot enforce them. These societies are thousands of years old. We have missed the plot here. Left on geniuses President Trump is essentially, the bay of pigs in venezuela, the cuban missile crisis in korea and the vietnam war in afghanistan all at one time. President trump didnt do this. The deplorables who voted for President Trump didnt do this. This is the geniuses of both Political Parties. Both Political Parties delivered this upon us. In addition, besides what they allowed to occur in the middle of which now President Trump is trying to work with partners to pick up the pieces and bring some stability and safety to the region. We see the rise of china president she the other day said will be a hegemonic power. That will have massive implications for the United States and its place in the world. President trump didnt do that. Int is the geniuses that the span of 24 hours last week, we had the speech of president she, president bush and senator mccain and i would respectfully ismit that president x speech was an adult speech would else and the bush and mccain speeches were more and the reality of what President Trump has done at the summit and ismised at the inaugural day that he goes out and works with his tremendous team to try and implement this. Mr. Bannon the foreignpolicy elites of washington, d. C. Who asked me to interview you today told me when you Start Talking about other issues that dont relate to this conference, i should bring it to an end. So i will bring it to an end now. [laughter] thank you for doing this and it has been a pleasure. Mr. Bannon thank you, ambassador. Good afternoon. I amy a senior fellow of the hudson interstate institute. It is my great pleasure and honor to welcome you to this important conference on behalf of the Hudson Institute, her chairman, and her colleagues and my own