Page 85 - Combatant Commanders News Today

You were looking at at that particular time and why were any of those not followed? >> well, congresswoman, we were. as i said in my statement since the time he went missing, we were looking at different ways to get him back. our combatant commanders were always looking at plans, possibilities, on shuns, -- options, rescue missions and so on. but as i said in my remarks, we had to factor in the risks to our other forces to go get him and if he was in pakistan, we know he was moved in and out acr...

Looking at at that particular time and why were any of those not followed? >> congresswoman, we were, as i said in my statement, since the time he went missing, we were looking at different ways to get him back. our combatant commanders were always looking at plans, possibilities, options, rescue missions and so on. as i said in my remarks, we had to factor in the risk to our other forces to go get him and if he was in pakistan, we know he was moved in and out across the border. that would also ...

President obama doesnt trust his commanders, doesnt consider the war to be his. for him, its all about getting out. what impact do you think that this has behind closed doors on the mind-set, though, of the military leaders at the time? >> i think the impact is devastating because its obviously reflected in the conversations im sure that he had with general petraeus and mcchrystal and passed down to the combatant commanders. i think bob gates says that, frankly, they had national security staff ...

Who ordered the standdown. >> there will be paper trail. i talked to one. combatant commanders, one of the embassies in the region had been attacked what would happen? we all have plans on the shelf to do rescue missions. there probably was a plan. we know a lieutenant colonel gibson in tripoli was told to stand down. that doesnt happen in a vacuum. there is a paper trail. the military doesnt do anything without authorization. i want to find out who was at the top of the paper trail and who made...

Just keep trying to solve our financial problems on the back of the military. if we keep doing that, who will have our backs the next time we get attacked? jon: so some of these troops, for instance, back from afghanistan, who have been out fighting the war, they come back, the pentagon says welcome home, were going to increase your medical health care premiums 300% or more? >> iraq, afghanistan, and they have been there, some of them many times. jon: and it isnt just those serving now or recent...

>> but i do think in everybodys mind they look what weve been dealing with lately and they call these lilly pad bases which are sort of a small, tactical force that can go a lot of different places in the world to target militants and people who are in these kind of situations, somali pirates that kidnapped these two people. isnt that the way the world is sort of changing right now? thats what we need to meet? >> i think, decentralizing our special operations forces so our combatant commanders, ...

>> let me begin by thanking president obama for coming here to the pentagon this morning, and also, in particular, to thank him for his vision and guidance and leadership as this department went through a very intensive review that we undertook to try to develop a new strategic guide thanks were releasing today. and in my experience, this has been an unprecedented process, to have the president of the united states participate in discussions involving the development of a defense strategy. and t...

Smarter and bolder for the future. lets listen in. >> let me begin by thanking president obama for coming here to the pentagon this morning. and also, in particular, to thank him for his vision and guidance and leadership as this department went through a very intensive review that we undertook to try to develop a new strategic guidance that we are releasing today and in my experience, this has been an unprecedented process, to have the president of the united states participate in discussions i...

Not on my watch. we need a start -- we need a smart, strategic set of priorities. the new guidance that the defense department is releasing today does just that i want to thank secretary panetta and general dempsey for their extraordinary leadership during this process. i want to thank the service secretaries and chiefs, the combatant commanders and so many defense leaders, military and civilian, active guard and reserve, for their contributions. many of us met repeatedly, asking tough questions...

As commander in chief i will not let that happen again. not on my watch. we need a smart, strategic set of priorities, the new guidance that the defense department is releasing today does just that. i want to thank secretary panetta and general dempsy for their extraordinary leadership during this process, i want to thank the service secretaries and chief, the combatant commanders and so many defense leads, military and civilian, active guard and reserve, for their contributions. many of us met ...