THE U.S. EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD
AFTER THOSE IRANIAN-BACK TO
MOSHE'S ATTACK DEFENSE
SECRETARY MARK ESPER.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS
MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING, THANK YOU.
>> Sandra: HOW WOULD YOU
DESCRIBE THE CURRENT LEVEL OF
TENSION AND THREAT IN THE
MIDDLE EAST AS WE SPEAK?
>> THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY HIGH.
WE HAVE HAD IRAN-SPONSORED
MOTION GROUPS ATTACKING U.S.
FORCES NOW FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
IT CULMINATED IN THE DEATH OF
AMERICANS LAST WEEK AND THE
WOUNDING OF SEVERAL SOLDIERS.
WE RESPONDED WITH ATTACKS,
STRIKES ON MULTIPLE SITES OF
KATAIB HEZBOLLAH, AND
IRAN-SPONSORED TERRORIST GROUP.
THE PRESIDENT, QUITE FORCEFULLY.
IT WAS A VERY BOLD AND DECISIVE
MOVE.
IT ASSERTED OUR RIGHT OF
SELF-DEFENSE AND THE FACT THAT
WE WILL ACT IN ORDER TO DEFEND
OUR PERSONNEL AND OUR INTERESTS
IN THE REGION.
>> Sandra: COULD YOU PROVIDE
SOME CLARITY ON THE TROOP
DEPLOYMENT THAT HAS BEEN
ANNOUNCED SO FAR?
750 GOING OVER, THOUSANDS MORE
PREPARED TO GO.
WHAT DOES THE TIME I LOOK LIKE
AND WHAT DOES THE POSSIBILITY
LOOK LIKE THAT MORE ARE SENT?
>> PRIORITY FOR US IS ALWAYS A
SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR
PEOPLE, WHETHER IT'S DIPLOMATS,
AMERICAN CITIZENS, OR FORCES IN
THE REGION.
WE FEEL VERY SURE THAT OUR
EMBASSY AS WELL-SECURED, AND IT
HAS SUFFICIENT CAPABILITY THERE
TO DETER ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS.
JUST THE SAME, IT IS PRUDENT
BASED ON LESSONS LEARNED OVER
THE PAST THAT WE DEPLOY
ADDITIONAL FORCES TO EITHER
REINFORCE THAT SITE OR OTHER
SITES IN IRAQ, OR FRANKLY ANY
OTHER LOCATION IN THE
MIDDLE EAST, AS THIS THING
ESCALATES, IF IT DOES INDEED
ESCALATE.
>> Leland: MR. SECRETARY, HE
PUT THE WORDS "IRAN" AND
"EMBASSY" TOGETHER, WE THINK
ABOUT THE SIEGE IN TEHRAN AND
THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THERE.
PROTESTERS MADE IT INTO THE
COMPOUND AND TOOK OVER.
WHAT ARE THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
FOR OUR SOLDIERS NOW AT THE
EMBASSY?
ANYBODY COMES OVER THE WALL GETS
SHOT?
ANYBODY TRIES TO BREAK IN A
WINDOW IN THE INTERIOR GETS
SHOT?
HOW MUCH LEEWAY DO THEY HAVE AND
WHAT ARE THE RED LINES FOR THE
USE OF FORCE?
>> CLEARLY WE ALWAYS HAVE THE
RIGHT OF SELF-DEFENSE AND WE
HAVE MORE THAN SUFFICIENT
CAPABILITY ON THE GROUND AT THE
EMBASSY, AND WE ARE POISED
NEARBY TO RESPOND TO ANYTHING.
BUT IT'S BORN TO BACK UP AND
UNDERSTAND A FEW THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, THE EMBASSY
SITUATED IN A COMPOUND OVER
100 ACRES LARGE.
IT WAS BUILT IN THE WAKE OF 9/11
AND OTHER THINGS, SO IT'S A VERY
STRONG AND CAPABLE FACILITY THAT
WOULD BE VERY HARD TO BREACH.
IT WOULD BE A BAD DAY FOR
ANYBODY WHO TRIED TO DO THAT.
ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR IS
THAT THESE MILITIA GROUPS WHO
WERE DIRECTED BY IRAN TO GO OUT
AND DO THIS DEMONSTRATION, IF
YOU WILL, THIS SHOW, THEY GOT
ACCESS TO THE OUTER COMPOUND
THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEFENDED
BY IRAQI SECURITY FORCES.
AS WE KNOW AT THIS TIME, THEY
HAVE RETREATED.
BUT WE ARE PREPARED JUST THE
SAME FOR ANYTHING ELSE THAT
COULD HAPPEN.
>> Leland: YOU MAKE AN
INTERESTING POINT, IT WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE DEFENDED BY IRAQI
SECURITY FORCES.
YOU ALSO MAKE THE POINT THAT THE
EMBASSIES IN THE GREEN ZONE.
THE ONLY WAY FOR THESE MILITIAS
TO GET THERE WAS THROUGH
MULTIPLE CHECKPOINTS, THE MOST
SECURE PART OF BAGHDAD,
ET CETERA.
AND COME OVER A BRIDGE.
ARE YOU WORRIED THAT IF THIS WAS
NOT COORDINATED, AIDED AND
ABETTED BY THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT,
THAT THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF THE
IRAQI GOVERNMENT SO ALIGNED WITH
IRAN THAT IT IS A WINK AND A NOD
FOR THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR?
>> THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT IS
COOLLY DONE NOT CLEARLY TRYING
TO
WORK ITS INTERLUDES ALSO IN IRAQ
AND BAGHDAD IN PARTICULAR.
I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS
YOU'VE SEEN THOUSANDS OF NORMAL,
AVERAGE IRAQIS OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL MONTHS PROTESTING EITHER
CORRUPTION IN THEIR GOVERNMENT
OR THE MALIGNED INFLUENCE OF
TEHRAN INTO THEIR GOVERNMENT.
IT'S SOMETHING WE WATCH
CAREFULLY.
WE OF COURSE SUPPORT A STRONG,
PROSPEROUS, AND INDEPENDENT
IRAQ.
WE RESPECT IRAQ'S SOVEREIGNTY.
AT THE SAME TIME WE WILL DEFEND
OURSELVES AND OUR INTERESTS OF
OUR PEOPLE IN BAGHDAD.
>> Sandra: THE PRESIDENT
TWEETED OUT THEY WILL PAY A BIG
PRICE.
HE SAID THIS IS NOT A WARNING,
IT'S A THREAT, IN A NEW YEAR'S
MESSAGE.
YOUR SECRETARY, WHAT
IS PRESIDENT TRUMP'S WILLINGNESS
TO FURTHER ENGAGE THERE?
>> LOOK, THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN
VERY ENGAGED.
THE NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM HAS
BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH HIM OR
HAS MET WITH HIM DAILY, IF NOT
EVERY FEW HOURS.
HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
FORCES ARE WELL TAKEN CARE OF,
THAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF, PUSHING
OUR MISSION ON THE GROUND, AND
HE IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
IF ANYBODY CHALLENGES US, THEY
WILL BE MET WITH A SEVERE
RESPONSE, A STRONG RESPONSE BY
U.S. FORCES.
>> Sandra: WHAT DOES THAT
RESPONSE LOOK LIKE?
>> I'M NOT GOING TO TELEGRAPH WE
ARE GOING TO DO.
PEOPLE KNOW WE HAVE VAST
CAPABILITY TO DO ANY NUMBER OF
THINGS.
WE WILL ACT IN RESPONSE TO
ACTIONS BY IRAN OR ITS PROXIES,
AND WE WILL ACT TO PREEMPT ANY
ATTACKS ON HER FORCES, OUR
PERSONNEL, BY IRAN OVER ITS
PROXIES.
>> Sandra: ARE
PRESIDENT TRUMP'S VIEWS ON HOW
TO PROCEED IN LINE WITH THAT OF
THE SECURITY TEAM?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WE ALL AGREE ON THE IMPORTANCE
OF ASSERTING OUR RIGHT OF
SELF-DEFENSE, OF PROTECTING OUR
FORCES, DEFENDING OUR INTERESTS
IN THE REGION.
AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER
THAT WE ARE IN IRAQ WORKING WITH
OUR IRAQI PARTNERS TO ENSURE THE
ENDURING DEFEAT OF ISIS.
THAT SOMETHING WE WORK CLOSELY
ON, WITH THE PRESIDENT'S
DIRECTION WE WERE ABLE TO
PHYSICALLY DEFEAT THE CALIPHATE
THAT REMAINS PHYSICALLY
DEFEATED, IF YOU WILL.
AND NOW OUR AIM IS TO DETER
FURTHER IRANIAN BAD BEHAVIOR
THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON NOW FOR
OVER 40 YEARS.
IT'S TIME THAT IRAN STARTED
ACTING LIKE A NORMAL COUNTRY.
>> Leland: IT'S A LONG LIST OF
BAD BEHAVIOR, AND I'M GLAD YOU
BROUGHT THAT UP.
YOU AND I BOTH HAVE SPENT A LOT
OF TIME IN THE MIDDLE EAST, SIR.
IN YOUR TIME DURING THE
GULF WAR.
IT'S LIKE A SANDBOX IN GRADE
SCHOOL.
SOMETIMES BULLIES DON'T
UNDERSTAND SANCTIONS, TOUGH
TALK, DEPLOYMENT, AIR STRIKES
AGAINST PROXIES.
BULLIES UNDERSTAND A PUNCH IN
THE NOSE.
IS THERE A TIME THE IRANIAN
BULLIES AND THE AYATOLLAHS
NEEDED PUNCH IN THE NOSE TO
THEIR LEADERSHIP, THAT GOES
BEYOND MERELY SANCTIONS AND
RHETORIC?
>> AGAIN, I'M NOT GOING TO
SPECULATE WITH REGARD TO NEXT
STEPS.
I WOULD JUST REITERATE THAT WE
RETAIN THE RIGHT OF
SELF-DEFENSE, OF OUR FORCES, OUR
INTERESTS, OUR PARTNERS IN THE
REGION.
WE SAID THAT VERY CLEARLY GOING
SINCE MY TIME IN OFFICE NOW, AND
AT THE TIME OR THE
IRANIAN-SPONSORED ATTACKS ON THE
SAUDI OIL FACILITIES, AS WELL.
WE NEED TO STAND UP TO IRAN AND
WE NEED THEM TO BEHAVE LIKE A
NORMAL COUNTRY.
THAT MEANS ENDING THEIR NUCLEAR
PROGRAM, ENDING THEIR LONG-RANGE
BALLISTIC MISSILE PROGRAM, THE
STOPPING OF HOSTAGE-TAKING, AND
OF COURSE THERE MALIGNED
BEHAVIOR WHERE THEY ARE
INSPIRING TERRORIST GROUPS,
RESOURCING AND DIRECTING THEM
ALL THE WAY FROM AFRICA ACROSS
THE MIDDLE EAST AND INTO
AFGHANISTAN.
>> Leland: I GET THE DEMAND,
SIR, BUT IT APPEARS THE IRANIAN
REGIME IS NOT REALLY LISTENING.
THEY STILL HAVE ROBERT LEVINSON.
AS YOU NOTED, THEY ATTACKED THE
SAUDI OIL FACILITIES AND THERE
WAS NOT A MILITARY RESPONSE.
THEY SHUTDOWN THE U.S. DRONE,
AND THERE WAS NOT UNTIL
AND THERE WAS NOT ANTIL
AND THERE WAS NOT A MILITARY
RESPONSE RATE SO FAR THERE'S
ONLY BEEN A MILITARY RESPONSE
AGAINST THEIR MILITIA IN IRAQ.
IS THE IDEA HERE THAT ONLY THE
LOSS OF U.S. LIFE WILL RESULT IN
A U.S. MILITARY RESPONSE?
>> WELL, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
NEEDS TO COME TOGETHER ONCE AND
FOR ALL AND CONDEMN IRAN'S BAD
BEHAVIOR.
TO HELP US WITH A MAXIMUM
PRESSURE CAMPAIGN, AND TO TELL
IRAQ -- I'M SORRY, TO TELL IRAN
THAT IT'S TIME TO SIT DOWN,
BEHAVE LIKE A NORMAL COUNTRY,
AND COME UP WITH A PLAN WITH
REGARD TO THEIR VARIOUS
ASPIRATIONS THAT ADDRESSES
EVERYBODY'S CONCERNED.
IT WILL TAKE THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY TO DO THAT.
THAT'S WHAT WE CALL ON THEM ALL
TO DO.
IN THE MEANTIME, AGAIN, WE WILL
CONTINUE TO DEFEND OUR
INTERESTS, SUPPORT OF FRIENDS
AND ALLIES, AND DEFEND
PRINCIPLES SUCH AS THE RIGHT OF
COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION INTO THE
STRAIT OF HORMUZ.
>> Sandra: TO THAT POINT ABOUT
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY,
WHAT'S THE COORDINATED RESPONSE
FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
TO RESPOND?
>> BECAUSE IT WAS FROM A FRIEND
AND PARTNERS BOTH IN THE REGION
AND IN EUROPE AND ELSEWHERE
CONDEMNING THE ATTACKS ON THE
EMBASSY, WE'VE HAD PRIVATE SHOWS
OF SUPPORT AS WELL WITH REGARD
TO OUR ACTIONS.
AGAIN, I THINK IT IS TIME FOR
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO
COME TOGETHER AND STAND UP TO
IRAN AND TELL THEM THAT THEY
NEED TO STOP THIS ONCE AND FOR
ALL.
>> Sandra: OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A
LOT OF OPTIONS ON THE TABLE THAT
COULD FURTHER ESCALATE THE
SITUATION THERE, OR NOT.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS GOING TO
RESPOND.
HE COULD RESPOND FORCEFULLY, HE
COULD RESPOND I DO NOTHING.
HE ALSO COULD WITHDRAW -- SHOCK
EVERYONE AND WITHDRAW TROOPS
ALTOGETHER FROM IRAQ.
IS HE CONSIDERING ALL OF THOSE
OPTIONS?
>> AGAIN, I'M NOT GOING TO TALK
ABOUT WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS OR
IS NOT CONSIDERING, BUT HE IS
COMMITTED TO DEFENDING HER
INTERESTS, OUR PERSONNEL, OUR
FRIENDS IN THE REGION, AND OF
COURSE STANDING UP TO IRAN AND
DETERRING IRANIAN BAD BEHAVIOR.
WE WILL EITHER RESPOND OR TAKE
PREEMPTIVE ACTION AS NECESSARY
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DEFEND
THOSE INTERESTS.
>> Leland: HE MADE AN
INTERESTING POINT, THAT IT'S
TIME FOR THEM TO ACT LIKE A
NORMAL COUNTRY.
THEY HAVE IT FOR FOUR DECADES.
THERE WERE FOUR TIMES, ONE WAS
OPERATION PRAYING MANTIS.
ANOTHER IS SOMETHING YOU KNOW
ABOUT WELL, AFTER THE SECOND
GULF WAR WHEN THEY SUSPENDED
THEIR NUCLEAR PROGRAM AFTER
GEORGE W. BUSH INVADED IRAQ.
THOSE TWO TIMES ARE TIMES OF HIS
PROPORTIONAL U.S. MILITARY
RESPONSE TO AN ADVERSARY, AND
THE IRANIANS BACK DOWN.
ARE YOU WORRIED THAT THE ONLY
WAY THEY WILL BACK DOWN THIS
TIME AND ACT LIKE A NORMAL
COUNTRY IS WITH AN OVERWHELMING
U.S. MILITARY ACTION?
>> WELL, IT'S UP TO THEM TO
DECIDE.
WE TOLD THEM WHAT THEY NEED TO
DO ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, AND WE
ARE PREPARED AGAIN TO DEFEND
OURSELVES AND DEFEND OUR
INTERESTS.
WE HAVE SHOWN A WILLINGNESS TO
EXERCISE AND USE THE MILITARY TO
DO SO, AND WE REMAIN PREPARED TO
DO SO IN THE REGION.
>> Sandra: AS WE DISCUSSED
EXPLOITING DON'T LIKE ESCALATING
TENSIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST,
WHAT IS NEXT FOR NORTH KOREA?
HOW DOES THE
PRESIDENT AND HIS DEFENSE TEAM
PLAN TO RESPOND TO THE SITUATION
THERE?
>> WE THINK THE BEST PATH
FORWARD WITH A GARDEN OF KOREA
IS A POLITICAL AGREEMENT THAT TO
NUCLEARIZES THE PENINSULA.
WE ARE ON THAT PATH, WE ARE
GOING TO REMAIN ON THAT PATH,
AND BE OBVIOUSLY WILL URGE
KIM JONG UN AND HIS LEADERSHIP
TEAM TO SIT BACK DOWN AT THE
NEGOTIATING TABLE TO DO THAT.
WITH THAT SAID, FROM A MILITARY
PERSPECTIVE, WE REMAIN READY TO
FIGHT
TONIGHT AS
MAYBE.
BUT AS IMPORTANTLY, ENABLE OUR
DIPLOMATS TO GET AN AGREEMENT
DONE.
WE WOULD URGE RESTRAINT BY
KIM JONG UN, AND AT THE SAME
TIME WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR
PARTNERS IN SOUTH KOREA TO
ENSURE THE READINESS OF OUR
FORCES ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA.
>> Leland: NUCLEAR BLACKMAIL
IS A GAME PLAN THE KIM FAMILY
KNOWS PRETTY WELL.
WE DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU THAT.
TO THE ISSUE OF MILITARY
DETERRENCE, JOHN BOLTON, FORMER
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR AND
NORTH KOREAN HAWK, HE TWEETED
YESTERDAY THERE NEEDS TO BE
CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS ON
WHETHER OR NOT OUR FORCES ARE
INDEED READY TO FIGHT TONIGHT.
CAN YOU GIVE US ANYTHING BEYOND
THE ASSURANCE, SOME HARD FACTS
THAT THE KIM REGIME NEEDS TO
UNDERSTAND IN TERMS OF WHAT
"READY TO FIGHT TONIGHT" MEANS?
>> WE HAVE A FULL ARRAY OF
FORCES, THEY ARE READY.
THEY ARE AIR AND NAVAL, MARINE,
ARMY FORCES.
WE HAVE OUR SOUTH KOREAN
PARTNERS WITH US, AND WE HAVE A
BROADER SET OF ALLIES AND
PARTNERS OUT THERE, AS WELL.
I AM CONFIDENT IN THE READINESS
OF OUR FORCES TO DETER
NORTH KOREAN BAD BEHAVIOR,
SHOULD THAT FAIL TO FIGHT AND
WIN AS NECESSARY.
>> Sandra: IF YOU COULD JUST
LAY OUT A TIMELINE OF WHAT IS
NEXT IN THE MIDDLE EAST, AS FAR
AS U.S. RESPONSE AND COORDINATED
RESPONSE, INTERNATIONAL
RESPONSE?
WHAT CAN WE LOOK FORWARD IN THE
HOURS AND DAYS TO COME HERE?
>> MY CRYSTAL BALL DOESN'T WORK
THAT WELL, BUT I WILL SAY THAT
WE WILL CONTINUE TO REINFORCE
OUR PRESENCE FROM A MILITARY
PERSPECTIVE IN THE REGION.
TO PROTECT OUR PERSONNEL,
WHETHER THEY ARE DIPLOMATS OR
AMERICAN CITIZENS WERE MILITARY
PERSONNEL.
WE WILL ENSURE THE READINESS OF
OUR FORCES THROUGHOUT THE REGION
TO EVERY RESPOND OR PREEMPT ANY
TYPE OF ATTACKS ON U.S. FORCES.
AT THE SAME TIME, I KNOW
SECRETARY POMPEO IS WORKING
AGGRESSIVELY TO TALK TO OUR
ALLIES AND PARTNERS, WHEREVER
THEY ARE.
IN THE IMMEDIATE REGION OR
BEYOND, TO BUILD POLITICAL
SUPPORT FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING.
I WOULD CALL ON THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO SAY
IT'S TIME FINALLY FOR IRAN TO
START BEHAVING LIKE A NORMAL
COUNTRY.
>> Sandra: WE KNOW
SECRETARY POMPEO POSTPONED HIS
PLANNED TRIP TO UKRAINE BECAUSE
OF ALL OF THIS.
THE 750 TROOPS THAT HAVE BEEN
DEPLOYED, WHAT WILL THEY BE
SHOULD BE?
WHERE ARE THEY GOING FIRST?
>> THEY ARE DEPLOYING TO THE
REGION.
I WOULD GIVE SPECIFIC LOCATIONS,
BUT THEIR IMMEDIATE MISSION WILL
BE TO PREPARE TO REINFORCE OUR
SITES IN IRAQ FIRST.
MORE BROADLY, AS NEED BE, TO
MAKE SURE AGAIN WE HAVE
SUFFICIENT FORCE PROTECTION ON
