A question for you. Thank you for the lecture on politics. From a russian perspective, as mostnow, russia is vulnerable when decentralized. The breakup of the soviet union obviously represented significant decentralization. I assume that you include ofrgia in it your assessment looking through the russian eyes and i see you to put the spectacles on about the thoughts relating to the Baltic States. Ofi am not in the brain vladimir putin. It is clear. Are facingay that we traditional conflict and we are trying to send the right message article five of nato is serious and we are taking it seriously. The Baltic States are members of the alliance. We are implementing the defense of the budget states if there are teams. It is what we are doing. We have poland and we are taking oft in air surveillance clear signals. Fighting signals. There is nothing worse than not knowing what you are going to do. So, we have to be clear to russia that we will stick to article five. I think that is the message. Moderator we have time for one more brief question. I know a german ambassador is in the room. I do not know if he wants to way intothe debate weigh debate. E you raise t the view of american congress. They are elected by the American Public who understand so little of how the Government Works and has figured out that and alan toa has figured out that write for the American Public, you have to write at the 11yearold level. How do we explain to the American Public how this works . The rest of america is in code. Voters need to understand how to vote. Moderator howd you make europe relevant . We talk about the ambassadors and the engagement with the. Egislative ranch matters something i am personally concerned about is my academic background in european affairs. Declinean area on the and it is a video call by which we can reenergize. Way that i would move the agenda forward. Moderator thank you ambassadors. Thank you for this conversation. Thank you for joining. Of course, there are more panels on russia and the ukraine. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2015] bush talksp, jeb about his foreignpolicy plan. Mccarthy on gas emission standards and the colorado toxic spill. The outgoing chief of staff discusses his time and his future with the army. There is a discussion on it and naval aviation. Live on cspan three. Bush outlines his agenda and he challenged clinton as secretary of state and called for the administration to with draw from iraq. This is 40 minutes. Bush thank you all. Thank you very much. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. It isn honor to be here great seeing you. I have fond memories of campaigning not so much campaigning against the reagan family. Campaigning with was an honor. It is an honor for me to be here and it is good to be with you. I appreciate the hospitality of the Ronald Reagan president ial library. I bring greetings from the person who is proud to have when his Vice President. Competition turned into friendship. To knower he got reagan, the more he admired and loved him. Reagan all to mr. Mrs. Reagan to let her know that many love her very much. It is amazing. Ways, the name and the islities of brings to mind still the standard. Idle words. Is not it was reagan who read else the strength and moved the world towards peace. Strategically and morally, he believed that the cold war could be one and not just an leslie managed. Justuld be won and not endlessly managed. Is what ron reagan left behind and that was the legacy of a good man. In our time, it is strength, will, and clarity of purpose when america engages with friends and allies and resolves threats. Ith this is tocritical security. When it counts the most, they are missing. We have to look at the policies that have gone wrong in the war on terror. , apite the elaborate efforts threat we faced today comes from islamic terrorists who are by thed possessed same violent ideology that gave us 9 11. They are on the offensive and gaining ground. It is not true. It was Wishful Thinking to think that though war is receding. It has been spreading like a pandemic. West, theyons of the find recruits in europe and the United States. Caliphatewaited theory. N the it is a place that occupies a stretch of land bigger than indiana. Isis controls parts of two countries and Obamas Administration has no who strategy has no strategy to stop it. There is incremental as relation incremental escalation without any strategic results. The worst of both worlds. The half measures have made little difference. The ineffective effort against them has only emboldened the terrorists and left them unchecked. Cities that american and allied liberate isdying to under the black flag. Those who do not conferred convert face this fate. We aremiddle east, witnessing a mass persecution and exodus of followers of jesus christ. There is no allowance for the adherents of islam who filled the mass graves with innocent muslims. Recruits can even follow it on social media. It is a time when the mass murderers have twitter handles and facebook and instagram. We need to work with the owners of these companies to give thoughts. Called a strong horse that is the glorious cleanser of islam. The pandemic and the thousands from europe and from america. G terrorists with passports. They need a vague strike. Thate facing the ideology focuses on evil. No leader or policy maker is involved. Experience of military setbacks, one moment stands out as the turning point we were diplomatic, the operations that turned the events towards victory. It was a success that was millions and costly. This nation will never forget the courage and sacrifice that made it possible. [applause] why was the success of the surge followed by a withdrawal of iraq . That premature would stroll was the fatal error, creating a void that isis moved into phil and and moved in to fill iran did, as well. Where was clinton . She had opposed the surge and then joined in the credit. By stood by as the victory american and allied forces was thrown away. In her travels, she stopped by iraq exactly once. That we are safer than when the team of rivals took office, eager to be history makers and failing to be peacemakers. [applause] it was a case of blind at least tragicout and call the consequences somebody else costs problem somebody elses problem. All of that is in the past and cannot be undone. Calculationible unfolding is a different story of the obamaclintoncarry obamaclintonkerry policy. These are evil dictators causing nothing but instability. [applause] bad things happen in the middle yemen. Rom israel to the influence of the mullahs is scene. M the they threaten to destroy israel and have been threatening to develop Nuclear Weapons, routinely committing human rights violations, responsible for the thats of hundreds of deaths of the hundreds of americans, and is unlawfully detaining american citizens. The sectarian militias have fueled conflict in iran and iraq and has given rise to conflict. They confront the problems and do not prevent iran from gaining Nuclear Weapons capability. In fact, this prepares the way for that with lifting the of sanctions to free up 100 billion for the Security Services to use as they wish. Primary investors in a radical middle east have just received a new round of funding from the United States of america and United Nations. This is a obamas idea of a diplomatic triumph. Wow. It is unwise in the extreme with a regime that is untrustworthy in the extreme. It should be rejected by the congress of the United States of america. [applause] if congress does not reject the deal, the damage must be undone by the next president. I will begin the process immediately. Knowing what has gone wrong is not the same as knowing how to set it right. The global threat of Islamic State requires all of the canngth that leadership provide. I will be unyielding in this thee if i am elected president of United States of america. We will pursue the objectives of pushing back the barbarians. Reacting, we will use every advantage that we have to take the offensive. In all of this, the United States must engage with allies and lead in this vital region. Egypt and saudi arabia, the most populist and wealthiest countries in the middle east, are the partners. Ath countries are the key to better coordinated effort with terrorism against terrorism. We need to work with them. We have capable partners who are willing and able to take this fight to the extremes. We have an hour i in the democratic government and a fragile democracy in lebanon with nations under a salt why radical terrorists. Responsible governments do not need persuading of what the moment requires, action, and. Merican leadership iraq and syria is where isis has territory. Lets start with the broad actions i would take to remove the threat in that country. The forces that have the will to win and not the means. Reconstitutings services and we need to expedite the Security Sector to break free of the iranian influence. It should involve greater engagement with tribes that fight sidebyside with americans to defeat al qaeda and were disbanded by the government. We must give Police Forces the advantage of american air power with fierce this precision. Skill and accuracy would severely hinder the freedom of movement and would greatly improve the aircraft to provide close support to local ground forces. Fighters try blending into the landscape. Spotters on the ground enable us to hit the ground and rarely miss. We must make a better use of limited forces and give them a range of actions. 3500 soldiers and marines and more may be needed. We do not need and our friends do not ask for combat forces. We do need to convey that we are serious and are determined to take back the country. We know it is not enough to dispense advice to local forces and then send them on the line. The troops are embedded to a good effect. Soldiers and marines need to go ahead to do that to outthink and outmaneuver the enemy. We should provide more support to the kurds. [applause] it will give them power against isis. Havee kurdish region, we loyal friends and skilled fighters. If i am a commander in chief, we will make certain the kurds have everything they need to win. Finally, the stranger in iraq has to restart diplomatic efforts. We will decide if we can share power and resources to assure the survival of the country. That partners have to know we are there in earnest. Hat has been a problem nobody believes we are serious. We do not have a commitment that friends have friends. They will come through for their country and they have to know that we have their back. The andn is different the one in iraq. We do not have a large or forced to work with and we have seen follows. That 11 million syrians have been displaced or have left the country altogether. Imagine that. 2000 have been killed in the mayhem. The regime uses every ruthless mean to stay in power. Isis,nder assault from the moderates want to fight against both. Picture, whenful you think back on how it could have been avoided. We heard words that hung in the middle east when obama declared that it was time for a side to step aside. Three years ago, another pronouncement that a usage of chemical weapons would be a redline that invited consequences for the regime. If the choice is between silence and grandiose words, it would be better to say nothing at all. What followed is the weapons used again and again and there were no serious consequences. Having lost credibility on an epic scale, it is hard to get it back. The longer we do nothing, the more dangerous the situation becomes and the more directly our friends and interests are threatened. Defeat isis and achieve stability in the country requires defeating aside and making sure his regime is not replaced with something worse. The last thing we need is a repeat. The dictatorship was only the beginning. There was the death of americans in benghazi. We will need a stable government and it will to attend on moderate forces we help to unite. To that end, my strategy would be to bring this to bear in important areas. Effort is essential to give the moderate forces the upper hand. There has been support of fighting groups in syria that are not always working to common purpose. If there is anything they cannot afford right now, it is confusion. Under my strategy, the aim would be to drive for the moderates together and back the force of formhe way through to help a stable and moderate government when the isis is defeated. Situation,plicated more so than iraq. How it calls away from Strategic Forces and we have to support local forces and stay true to our word. Second, we have to vastly improve the recruitment and training of forces. Too many say that the recruiting and training has come to you and we have been half 1 billion on a program that has gotten us 54 recruits. When that happens, you know the plan is not working out really well. Ofm tempted to be reminded health care. Gov healthcare. Gov. Just saying. The reality is that the recruitment effort has been noting because we are respected as a reliable actor in the region. We have to change that with an action that everyone can expect. Establish multiple save zones in syria. We created a small isisfree zone in the northern part of the country and we need to go be on that to establish protection from a side. We and our partners should workre a nofly zone and to a span that. We should enforce that and stop the bombing raids that kill helpless citizens. Flying and iranian cut off a side and counter iranian influence and keep the pressure on for settlement to prevent more needless deaths in a country that sees so much of it. We talk about the precision airstrikes in iraq and all of this assumes the power is there when we need it. Of its willhtedness leave at a cost and we are in the seventh year of the dismantling of the military in inverse proportion. The day i am elected, i will and we areround going to rebuild the armed forces of the united six of america. A Winning Strategy against depends on the military strength that underwrites american influence. Let that slip away and what would america be in world affairs, other than a wellintentioned voice at the United Nations. Depends ontrategy maintaining strength and we can never take it for granted. With ourudes Strength Military and civilians. No men or women. No group of men and women receive so little credit for doing so much to track and keep us safe. Can be sure of this. If i become the commander in chief, i will make sure they receive the gratitude and the support they deserve. A good many people who serve in the military and intelligence agencies are at the end of their career and their calling has something to do with coming of age during the reagan years. Any nostalgia for that time recalls a all in wall and a collapsing evil empire and the tension and challenges that could have played out very differently. From the distance of decades, tensions of Foreign Policy can look inevitable. Nothing has to happen as it did. Came a formidable figure who would not accept it. Who has done that we can know is used more of the reagan spirit. That the the idea spread of danger and violence is inevitable. It is not. Americanled alliances and credibility deterred aggression. This is the way forward. Led by a president who is resolute to face radical islamic terrorism wherever it appears. We can protect our people and put the adversaries in retreat to get people moving our way and win back the momentum for the cause. This, in fighting evil, we are doing good. In destroying the violence, we are destroying the innocence. Iss is the work that america in the world to do. Let us meet that with confidence, faith, and resolved. Thank you very much and god bless the united dates of america. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Questioner a few questions. I want to assure you that i am no megyn kelly. Bush i noticed. I can tell. Keen observation. Christian committees that have been around for more than 1000 years are virtually extinct. Unitestion is, does the states have a more responsibility to intervene to stop is kind of genocide . Bush but for us, who . Who will stand up for the persecuted . I have a personal connection to this. Existed this are before. My daughterinlaw is canadian spectacular,ul, brilliant beyond believe, and gave me two beautiful granddaughters. Her parents are iraqi christians. I have been sensitized to the problems. Given. L, mass was today, it is not. They will persecute and kill christians and they are fleeing all over the region. Not just iraq. Challenges in lebanon, which used to be a peaceful christian nation. Inc. About the isis inspired. Errorists in Eastern Libya beingabout the christians slaughtered all around the world. The christian girls in northern nigeria. This is our challenge. If not for us, who . We have a challenge and the skills to do this. Against has fought wars forces that were evil, just as evil as this with greater military might. We can take these guys on. We have special forces that are the best in the world. Military capabilities that exceed anybody else. I reject the idea that this is not important. This would send a signal that the u. S. Is supportive of people who through no fault of their own, believing in their faith, are being killed and persecuted. We need to stand up to this. [applause] subject, you were critical of the president s deal with iran. Up againstyou do this threat . Mr. Bush if you are going to negotiate a deal with iran, you should have kept with the objective was from the beginning. To obtainllow iran the capabilities to build a nuclear bomb. That was the beginning of the effort. We have gone from that to have trust and verify inspections. Now, anytime and anywhere, secret agreements signed with an agency of the United Nations where our members of congress cannot even read them. This is the wrong approach. I Hope Congress votes this down. I hope it is with a two thirds major