[Peace-discuss] Fwd: [Ufpj-disc] Transcriptof Obama's national security press conference

[Brussel Morton K.]

Disgusting, hypocritial words from Obama at his recent press  
conference. Here is the transcript. It's long and depressing, but  
important to know. --mkb

>
> http://votersforpeace.us/press/index.php?itemid=957
> Obama's National Security Team Announcement : Transcript
>
>
> The following is the transcript of President-Elect Barack Obama's  
> National Security Team announcement as provided by CQ Transcriptions.
>
> OBAMA: Good morning, everybody. I hope you all had a wonderful  
> Thanksgiving.
>
> Last week, we announced our economic team which is working as we  
> speak to craft an economic recovery program to create jobs and grow  
> our struggling economy.
>
> Today, Vice President-elect Biden and I are pleased to announce our  
> national security team. The national security challenges we face  
> are just as great and just as urgent as our economic crisis. We are  
> fighting two wars. Our old conflicts remain unresolved. And newly-  
> asserted powers have put strains on the international system.
>
>
> The spread of nuclear weapons raises the peril that the world's  
> deadliest technologies could fall into dangerous hands. Our  
> dependence on foreign oil empowers authoritarian governments and  
> endangers our planet.
>
> America must also be strong at home to be strong abroad. We need to  
> provide education and opportunity to all our citizens so every  
> American can compete with anyone anywhere. And our economic power  
> must sustain our military strength, our diplomatic leverage, and  
> our global leadership.
>
> The common thread linking these challenges is the fundamental  
> reality that in the 21st century, our destiny is shared with the  
> world's from our markets to our security. From our public health to  
> our climate, we must act with that understanding that now more than  
> ever, we have a stake in what happens across the globe. And as we  
> learn so painfully on 9-11, terror cannot be contained by borders  
> nor safely provided by oceans alone.
>
> Last week, we were reminded of this threat once again when  
> terrorists took the lives of six Americans among nearly 200 victims  
> in Mumbai.
>
> In the world we seek, there is no place for those who kill innocent  
> civilians to advance hateful extremism. This weekend, I told Prime  
> Minister Singh of India that Americans stand with the people of  
> India in this dark time. And I am confident that India's great  
> democracy is more resilient than killers who would tear it down.
>
> OBAMA: And so in this uncertain world, the time has come for a new  
> beginning, a new dawn of American leadership to overcome the  
> challenges of the 21st century and to seize the opportunities  
> embedded in these challenges.
>
> We will strengthen our capacity to defeat our enemies and support  
> our friends. We will renew old alliances and forge new and enduring  
> partnerships. We will show the world once more that America is  
> relentless in the defense of our people, steady in advancing our  
> interests, and committed to the ideals that shine as a beacon to  
> the world. Democracy and justice, opportunity and unyielding hope  
> because American values are America's greatest export to the world.
>
> To succeed, we must pursue a new strategy that skillfully using,  
> balances, and integrates all elements of American power, our  
> military, and diplomacy, our intelligence and law enforcement, our  
> economy and the power of our moral example. The team that we've  
> assembled here today is uniquely suited to do just that.
>
> In their past service and plans for the future, these men and women  
> represent all of the those elements of American power and the very  
> best of the American example. They've served in you uniform and as  
> diplomats. They have worked as legislators, law enforcement  
> officials, and executives. They share my pragmatism about the use  
> of power and my sense of purpose about America's role as a leader  
> in the world.
>
> I have known Hillary Clinton as a friend, a colleague, a source of  
> counsel, and a tough campaign opponent. She possesses an  
> extraordinary intelligence and a remarkable work ethic. I am proud  
> that she will be our next secretary of state. She's an American of  
> tremendous stature who will have my complete confidence, who know  
> many of the world's leaders, who will command respect in every  
> capital, and who will clearly have the ability to advance our  
> interests around the world.
>
> Hillary's appointment is a sign to friend and foe of the  
> seriousness of my commitment to renew American diplomacy and  
> restore our alliances. There's much to do from preventing the  
> spread of nuclear weapons to Iran and North Korea, to seeking a  
> lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians, to strengthening  
> international institutions.
>
> I think no doubt that Hillary Clinton is the right person to lead  
> our State Department and to work with me in tackling this ambitious  
> foreign policy agenda. At a time when we face unprecedented  
> transition amidst two wars, I've asked Secretary Robert Gates to  
> continue as secretary of defense. And I'm pleased that he's  
> accepted. Two years ago, he took over the Pentagon at a difficult  
> time. He restored accountability. He won the confidence of military  
> commanders and the trust of our brave men and women in uniform as  
> well as their families.
>
> He earned the respect of members of Congress on both sides of the  
> aisle for his pragmatism and competence. He knows that we need a  
> sustainable national security strategy. And that includes a  
> bipartisan consensus at home.
>
> As I said throughout the campaign, I will be giving Secretary Gates  
> and our military a new mission as soon as I take office --  
> responsibly ending the war in Iraq through a successful transition  
> to Iraqi control.
>
> We will ensure that we have the strategy and resources to succeed  
> against Al Qaida and the Taliban. As Bob said not too long ago,  
> Afghanistan is where the War on Terror began, and it is where it  
> must end. Going forward, we will continue to make the investments  
> necessary to strengthen our military and increase our ground forces  
> to defeat the threats of the 21st century.
>
> Eric Holder has the talent and commitment to succeed as attorney  
> everyone from his first day on the job, which is even more  
> important in a transition that demands vigilance. He has  
> distinguished himself as a prosecutor, a judge, and a senior  
> official. And he is deeply familiar with the law enforcement  
> challenges we face from terrorism to counterintelligence, from  
> white-collar crime to public corruption.
>
> Eric also has the combination of toughness and independence that we  
> need at the Justice Department. Let me be clear. The attorney  
> general serves the American people. And I have every expectation  
> that Eric will protect our people, uphold the public trust, and  
> adhere to our Constitution.
>
> Janet Napolitano offers of the experience and executive skills we  
> need in the next secretary of homeland security. She has spent her  
> career protecting people as a U.S. attorney, an attorney general,  
> and as the governor of Arizona. She understands the need for a  
> Department of Homeland Security that has the capacity to help  
> prevent terrorist attacks and respond to catastrophe be it manmade  
> or natural.
>
> OBAMA: Janet assumes this critical role having learned the lessons,  
> some of them painful, of the last several years from 9-11 to  
> Katrina. She insists on competence and accountability. She knows  
> firsthand the need to have a partner in Washington that works well  
> with state and local governments.
>
> She understands as well as anyone the danger of an unsecure border.  
> And she will be a leader who can reform a sprawling department  
> while safeguarding our homeland.
>
> Susan Rice will take on the crucial task of serving as permanent  
> representative of the United States to the United Nations. Susan  
> has been a close and trusted adviser. As in previous  
> administrations, the UN ambassador will serve as a member of my  
> Cabinet and in integral member of my team.
>
> Her background as a scholar on the National Security Council and  
> assistant secretary of state will serve our nation well at the  
> United Nations. Susan knows the global challenges we face demand  
> global institutions that work.
>
> She shares my belief that the UN is an indispensable and imperfect  
> forum. She will carry the message that our commitment to multi- 
> lateral action must be coupled with a commitment to reform.
>
> We need the United Nations to be more effective as a venue for  
> collective action against terror and proliferation, climate change  
> and genocide, poverty and disease.
>
> Finally, I am convinced that General James Jones is uniquely suited  
> to be a strong and skilled national security adviser. Generations  
> of Joneses have served heroically on the battlefield from the  
> breech beaches of Tarawa in World War II to Fox Trot Ridge in Vietnam.
>
> Jim's Silver Star is a proud part of that legacy. He will bring to  
> the job the duel experience of serving in uniform and as a  
> diplomat. He has commanded a platoon in battle, served as supreme  
> allied commander in a time of war, and worked on behalf of peace in  
> the Middle East.
>
> Jim is focused on the threats of today and the future. He  
> understands the connection between energy and natural security and  
> has worked on the front lines of global instability from Kosovo to  
> Northern Iraq to Afghanistan. He will advise me and work  
> effectively to integrate our efforts across the government so that  
> we are effectively using all elements of American power to defeat  
> unconventional threats and promote our values.
>
> I am confident that this team is what we need to make a new  
> beginning for American national security. This morning, we met to  
> discuss the situation in Mumbai and some of the challenges that we  
> face in the months and years ahead.
>
> In the coming weeks, I will be in close contact with these advisers  
> who will be working with their counterparts in the Bush  
> administration to make sure that we are ready to hit the ground  
> running on January 20th. Given the range of threats that we face  
> and the vulnerability that can be a part of every presidential  
> transition, I hope that we can proceed swiftly for those natural  
> security officials who demand confirmation.
>
> We move forward with the humility that comes with knowing that  
> there are brave men and women protecting us on our frontlines,  
> diplomats and intelligence officers in dangerous corners of the  
> world, troops serving their second, third, or fourth tours, FBI  
> agents in the field, cops on the beat, prosecutors in our courts,  
> and cargo inspectors at our ports.
>
> These selfless Americans whose name are unknown to most of us, will  
> form the backbone of our effort. If we serve as well as they are  
> serving, we will protect our country and promote our values.
>
> And as we move forward with respect for American's tradition of a  
> bipartisan national security policy and a commitment to national  
> unity, we have to recall that when it comes to keeping our nation  
> and our people safe, we are not Republicans or Democrats. We are  
> Americans. There's no monopoly of power of wisdom in either party.
>
> Together, as one nation, as one people, we can shape our times  
> instead of being shaped by them. Together, we will meet the  
> challenges of the 21st century not with fear but with hope.
>
> Now, before I take questions, I'd like to invite my team to say a  
> few words. And I'm going to start with my dear friend, Hillary  
> Clinton.
>
> CLINTON: Mr. President-elect, thank you for this honor. If  
> confirmed, I will give this assignment, your administration, and  
> our country my all. I also want to thank my fellow New Yorkers who  
> have, for eight years, given me the joy of a job I love with the  
> opportunity to work on issues I care about deeply in a state that I  
> cherish.
>
> And you've also helped prepare me well for this new role. After  
> all, New Yorkers aren't afraid to speak their minds and do so in  
> every language. Leaving the Senate is very difficult for me. But  
> during the last few weeks, I thought often of our troops serving  
> bravely under difficult circumstances in Iraq, Afghanistan, and  
> elsewhere.
>
> I thought of those other Americans in our foreign and civil  
> services working hard to promote and protect our interests around  
> the world. And I thought of the daunting tasks ahead for our  
> country. An economy that is reeling, a climate that is warming. And  
> as we saw with the horrible events in Mumbai, threats that are  
> relentless.
>
> The fate of our nation and the future of our children will be  
> forged in the crucible of these global challenges. America cannot  
> solve these crises without the world, and the world cannot solve  
> them without America.
>
> By electing Barack Obama our next president, the American people  
> have demanded not just a new direction at home but a new effort to  
> renew America's standing in the world as a force for positive  
> change. We know our security, our values, and our interests cannot  
> be protected and advanced by force alone nor, indeed, by Americans.
>
> We must pursue vigorous diplomacy using all the tools we can muster  
> to build a future with more partners and fewer adversaries, more  
> opportunities and fewer dangers for all who seek freedom, peace,  
> and prosperity.
>
> America is a place founded on the idea that everyone should have  
> the right to live up to his or her God-given potential. And it is  
> that same ideal that must guide America's purpose in the world  
> today. And while we are determined to defend our freedoms and  
> liberties at all costs, we also reach out to the world again  
> seeking common cause and higher ground.
>
> And so I believe the best way to continue serving my country is to  
> join President-elect Obama, Vice President-elect Biden, the leaders  
> here, and the dedicated public servants of the State Department on  
> behalf of our nation at this defining moment. President Kennedy one  
> said that engaging the world to meet the threats we face was the  
> greatest adventure of our century.
>
> Well, Mr. President-elect, I am proud to join you on what will be a  
> difficult and exciting adventure in this new century. And may God  
> bless you and all who serve with you and our great country.
>
> GATES: I am deeply honored that the president-elect has asked me to  
> continue as secretary of defense. Mindful that we are engaged in  
> two wars and face other serious challenges at home and around the  
> world, and with a profound sense of personal responsibility to and  
> for our men and women in uniform and their families, I must do my  
> duty as they do theirs. How could I do otherwise?
>
> Serving in this position for nearly two years, and especially the  
> opportunity to lead our brave and dedicated soldiers, sailor,  
> airmen, Marines, and defense civilians has been the most gratifying  
> experience of my life. I am honored to continue to serve them and  
> our country. And I will be honored to serve President-elect Obama.
>
> HOLDER: Thank you, President-elect Obama, for the honor that you  
> have bestowed upon me. I look forward to working with you and the  
> members of this national security team assembled here.
>
> The Department of Justice plays a unique role on this team. It is  
> incumbent those of us who lead the department to ensure not only  
> that the nation is safe but also that our laws and traditions are  
> respected. There is not a tangent (ph) between those two. We can  
> and we must ensure that the American people remain secure and that  
> the great constitutional guarantees that define us as a nation are  
> truly valued.
>
> For example, working with Republicans and Democrats in Congress,  
> should I be confirmed, we look forward to actually structuring  
> policies that are both protective and consistent with who we are as  
> a nation.
>
> HOLDER: I also look forward to working with the men and women of  
> the Department of Justice to revitalize the department's efforts in  
> those areas where the department that's unique capabilities and  
> responsibilities in keeping our people safe and ensuring fairness  
> and in protecting our environment.
>
> This president-elect and the team you see before you are prepared  
> to meet the challenges that we will confront. From my experience at  
> the Department of Justice, I know that we cannot be successful if  
> we act alone. We must never forget that in many ways those in state  
> and local law enforcement are our first line of detection and  
> protection against those from foreign shores who would do us harm.
>
> We will need to interact with our state and local partners in new  
> innovative ways to help them solve the other issues that they  
> confront on a daily basis. National security concerns are not  
> defined only by the challenges created by terrorists abroad but  
> also by criminals in our midst, whether they be criminals located  
> on the street or in a board room.
>
> We must forge new ties and reestablish old bonds with our state and  
> local partners. There is much that needs to be done in this new  
> century. I am confident that working with our president-elect, the  
> people on this stage and the departments that they represent, those  
> of both parties who I know and respect on Capitol Hill, we can keep  
> our nation safe, strong, and respected.
>
> It is now my pleasure to introduce Janet Napolitano, a great  
> governor and an old friend.
>
> NAPOLITANO: Thank you, Eric.
>
> President-elect Obama, I am honored by your confidence in me and  
> your support. Your message of change has resonated with the  
> American people as has the clarity and the confidence of our vision  
> of a United States that is safe, secure, and effective in the world  
> and at home.
>
> The team you have assembled faces the challenge of protecting our  
> homeland with constant vigilance and relentless work to prevent  
> terrorist attacks. It also will plan carefully and thorough so that  
> our domestic response to all hazards is fast, sound, levelheaded,  
> and effective. Americans deserve no less.
>
> To achieve this high level of performance, it will be my job and  
> the job of this team to hold ourselves and our agencies  
> accountable, to coordinate fully across the spectrum of government  
> agencies and to ensure that we work hand in hand with state and  
> local governments to share information, secure our borders, and  
> keep our country safe.
>
> We are a nation that will be proud, prepared, and resilient. Thank  
> you for the opportunity to serve. And I would be remiss if I did  
> not also thank the wonderful people of Arizona. Like Hillary, it is  
> difficult to leave one job for another, but one must go where one  
> can best serve.
>
> It's now my privilege to introduce to you the nominee to be it the  
> ambassador of the United Nations, Susan Rice.
>
> RICE: Mr. President-elect, Mr. Vice President-elect, I am deeply  
> honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve you and our great  
> country as the U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations.  
> I look forward to working with this outstanding bipartisan national  
> security team to implement your visionary agenda, to strengthen our  
> security, and renew American's leadership in the world.
>
> I want to take this opportunity to thank my parents who taught me  
> that no dream is too bold to embrace. My husband and our children,  
> Jake and Maris (ph), for their patience, love, and sacrifice.
>
> With your election, Mr. President-elect, the American people have  
> signaled to the world that our nation is on the path to change.  
> Now, we must fulfill that promise by joining with others to meet  
> the challenges and seize the opportunities of the 21st century to  
> prevent conflict, to promote peace, combat terrorism, present the  
> spread and use of nuclear weapons, tackle climate change, end  
> genocide, fight poverty and disease.
>
> All of these goals are vital to America's security but none can be  
> accomplished by America alone. To enhance our common security, we  
> must invest in our common humanity. And to do so, we need capable  
> partners and far more effective international institutions.
>
> The United Nations was, in major part, America's creation.
>
> RICE: Mr. President-elect, I share your commitment to rededicate  
> ourselves to the organization and its mission. If confirmed, as  
> U.N. ambassador, I will work constructively within the organization  
> to help strengthen its capacities and achieve needed reforms.
>
> I can think of no more important time to represent the United  
> States at the United Nations. Mr. President-elect, thank you for  
> the confidence you've placed in me and for the opportunity to serve  
> in this vital mission.
>
> It's now my pleasure to introduce General James Jones.
>
> JONES: Mr. President-elect, Mr. Vice President-elect, members of  
> this tremendous team assembled this morning, I'm deeply humbled to  
> have been asked by the president-elect to serve as national  
> security adviser especially during the challenging times we  
> currently face.
>
> And Mr. President-elect, I deeply appreciate your mentions my  
> family's contribution to our national security since 1939.
>
> As has been previously mentioned, national security in the 21st  
> century comprising a portfolio which includes all elements of our  
> national power and influence working in coordination and harmony  
> towards the desired goal of keeping our nation safe, helping to  
> make our world a better place, and providing opportunity to live in  
> peace and security for the generations to follow.
>
> I am deeply humbled and deeply appreciative of this great  
> opportunity, and I am very proud now to introduce a man who will  
> play a key role in making this come to pass, the vice president- 
> elect, Joe Biden.
>
> BIDEN: Well, Mr. President, you've assembled quite a team. And I  
> hope and believe that the American people will come to feel as I do  
> that we brought together one of the most talented national security  
> teams ever assembled. A team prepared to meet the serious  
> challenges we face today and the emerging threats that will  
> confront us tomorrow.
>
> I have worked with and admired each of the members of the team some  
> as far as back in days, Jim, when you were a Marine liaison to the  
> United States Senate. And so we have a -- I have a long  
> relationship, as the president does, and I do with each of these  
> folks.
>
> And each has a clear understanding of the forces that are shaping  
> this new century and the lives of our fellow Americans. As was  
> mentioned earlier, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the emergence  
> of China, India, Russia, Brazil, and the unifying Europe as major  
> powers, the spread of lethal weapons to dangerous countries as well  
> as dangerous groups, the shortage of -- and scarcity of energy,  
> water, and food, the impact of climate change, economic  
> dislocations, persistent poverty. The technological revolution that  
> sends people, ideas, and money around the planet as ever faster  
> speeds. And, as was already mentioned, as we witnessed again last  
> week with the terrible events in the India, the challenge to  
> democratic nation states from radical ideologies.
>
> That's just a short list of the forces that are shaping the 21st  
> century. And it's been implied by all the comments thus far, no one  
> country can control these forces. But more than any other country  
> in the world, we have the ability to affect them if we use the  
> totality of our strength.
>
> And bringing together Senator Clinton, Secretary Gates, Eric  
> Holder, Governor Napolitano, Susan Rice, and General Jones, the  
> president-elect has assembled a national security team that is  
> poised, in my view, to recapture the totality of America's  
> strength. Each member of this team shares the goals and the  
> principles that the president-elect and I have attempted to advance.
>
> Each member shares our conviction that strength and wisdom must go  
> hand in hand. Each member believes, as we do, that America's  
> security is not a partisan issue. Witness the team. Each member  
> understands that America's military might and economic strength  
> must married to the power of our ideas and our ideals if we are to  
> deal effectively with dealing with the forces of change, some of  
> which I've mentioned, and if we're going keep this country we love  
> so dearly prosperous and free.
>
> These are extraordinary times. That's not in a flight of fancy or  
> exaggeration. These are extraordinary times. We face extraordinary  
> challenges.
>
> BIDEN: But I am, as the president-elect is, optimistic, absolutely  
> optimistic that this team, with the president-elect at our helm,  
> will see to it that America leads not only by the example of our  
> power but by the power of our example.
>
> And now, President-elect Obama is prepared to take your questions.  
> And, again, Mr. President-elect, congratulations on assembling what  
> I believe will be a first-class team to lead us into this century.
>
> Thank you.
>
> OBAMA: OK. Let's start with Liz.
>
> QUESTION: (Inaudible)?
>
> OBAMA: Well, first of all, I think it's important to reiterate that  
> our condolences, our thoughts, and our prayers go out to the people  
> of India, the families that have been affected, and, obviously,  
> we're heartbroken by the deaths of the six Americans that were  
> caught up in this tragedy.
>
> I've spoken to Prime Minister Singh and expressed these concerns to  
> him. An investigation is taking place. I was briefed by Secretary  
> Rice throughout the weekend. She's on her way to the region. We've  
> sent FBI to help on the investigation.
>
> And this is one of those time where I have to reiterate there's one  
> president at a time. We're going to be engaged in some very  
> delicate diplomacy in the next several days and weeks. So I think  
> it would be inappropriate for me to comment.
>
> But what I can say unequivocally is that both myself and the team  
> that stands beside me are absolutely committed to eliminating the  
> threat of terrorism. And that is true wherever it is found. We  
> cannot have -- we cannot tolerate a world in which innocents are  
> being killed by extremists based on twisted ideologies.
>
> And we're going to have to bring the full force of our power, not  
> only military but also diplomatic, economic, and political, to deal  
> with those threats not only to keep America safe but also to ensure  
> that peace and prosperity with exist around the world.
>
> So I will be monitoring the situation closely. Thus far, I think  
> the administration has done what's needed in trying to get the  
> details of the situation. And my expectation is that President  
> Zardari of Pakistan, who has already said that he will fully  
> cooperate with the investigation, will follow through with that  
> commitment.
>
> All right. Karen?
>
> QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President. You've selected a number of  
> high profile people for your national secure team. How can you  
> ensure that the staff that you are assembling is going to be a  
> smoothly- functioning team of rivals and not a clash of rivals?
>
> OBAMA: Well, I think you heard Joe mention the fact that many of  
> the people who are standing beside me are people who have worked  
> together before, who have the utmost respect for each other. These  
> are outstanding public servants and outstanding in their various  
> fields of endeavor.
>
> They would not have agreed to join my administration, and I would  
> not have asked them to be part of this administration unless we  
> shared a core vision of what's needed to keep the American people  
> safe and to assure prosperity here at home and peace abroad.
>
> I think all of us here share the belief that we have to maintain  
> the strongest military on the planet, that we have to support our  
> troops and make sure that they are properly trained, properly  
> equipped, that they are provided with a mission that allows them to  
> succeed. All of us here also agree that the strength of our  
> military has to be combined with the wisdom and force of our  
> diplomacy and that we are going to be committed to rebuilding and  
> strengthening alliances around the world to advance American  
> interests and American security.
>
> And so in discussions with this entire team, what I am excited  
> about is a consensus not only among those of us standing here  
> today, but I think cross a broad section of the American people,  
> that now is the time for us to regain American leadership in all  
> its dimensions. And I am very confident that each of these  
> individuals are not going to be leaving the outstanding work that  
> they are currently doing if they weren't convinced that they could  
> work as an effective team.
>
> One last point I will make. I assembled this team because I'm a  
> strong believer in strong personalities and strong opinions. I  
> think that's how the best decisions are made. One of the dangers in  
> the White House, based on my reading of history, is that you get  
> wrapped up in group think and everybody agrees with everything and  
> there's no discussion and there are no dissenting views. So I'm  
> going to be welcoming a vigorous debate inside the White House.
>
> But understand I will be setting policy as president. I will be  
> responsible for the vision that this team carries out, and I expect  
> them to implement that vision once decisions are made. So as Harry  
> Truman said, the buck will stop with me. And nobody who's standing  
> here, I think, would have agreed to join this administration unless  
> they had confidence that, in fact, that vision was one that would  
> help secure the American people and our interests.
>
> Jake?
>
> QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President-elect. During the campaign, you  
> said that you thought the U.S. had a right to attack high-value  
> terrorist targets in Pakistan if given actionable intelligence with  
> or without the Pakistani government's permission. Two questions on  
> that.
>
> One, do you think India has that same right?
>
> And, two, regarding what Karen just said, some people up there on  
> the stage took issue with your saying that. They have strong  
> opinions about issues ranging from Pakistan to the surge. And while  
> they're all committed to have a successful United States, what  
> private assurances have they given you that they will be able to  
> carry out your vision even when they strongly disagree with that  
> vision as some of them have been able to do in the past?
>
> Thank you, sir.
>
> OBAMA: I think that sovereign nations, obviously, have a right to  
> protect themselves. Beyond that, I don't want to comment on the  
> specific situation that's taking place in South Asia right now. I  
> think it is important for us to let the investigators do their jobs  
> and make a determination in terms of who was responsible for  
> carrying out these heinous acts.
>
> I can tell you that my administration will remain steadfast in  
> support of India's efforts to catch the perpetrators of this  
> terrible act and bring them to justice. And I expect that the world  
> community will feel the same way.
>
> Now, in terms of my team and carrying out my vision and my  
> policies, as I've said, during campaigns or during the course of  
> election season, differences get magnified. I did not ask for  
> assurances from these individuals that they would agree with me at  
> all times. I think they understand and would not be joining this  
> team unless they understood and were prepared to carry out the  
> decisions that have been made by me after full discussion.
>
> And, you know, most of the people who are standing here are people  
> who I've worked with, and on the broad core vision of where America  
> needs to go, we are in almost complete agreement. There are going  
> to be differences in tactics and different assessments and  
> judgments made. That's what I expect. That's what I welcome. That's  
> why I asked them to join the team.
>
> Peter Baker?
>
> QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President-elect.
>
> You've talked about the importance just now of having different  
> voices and robust debate within your administration. But, again,  
> going back to the campaign, you were asked and talked about the  
> qualifications of the -- your now, your nominee for secretary of  
> state. And you belittled her travels around the word, equating it  
> to having teas with foreign leaders. And your new White House  
> council said that her resume was grossly exaggerated when it came  
> to foreign policy. I'm wondering whether you can talk about the  
> evolution of your views of her credentials since the spring.
>
> OBAMA: Well, I mean, I think -- this is fun for the press to try to  
> stir up whatever quotes were generated during the course of the  
> campaign. No, I understand. And you're having fun.
>
> But the -- and there's nothing wrong with that. I'm not -- I'm not  
> faulting it. But, look, I think if you look at the statements that  
> Hillary Clinton and I have made outside of the heat of a campaign,  
> we share a view that America has to be safe and secure. And in  
> order to do that...
>
> OBAMA: ... the statements that Hillary Clinton and I have made  
> outside of the heat of a campaign, we share a view that America has  
> to be safe and secure. And in order to do that we have to combine  
> military power with strength and diplomacy. And we have to build  
> and forge stronger alliances around the world so that we're not  
> carrying the burdens and these challenges by ourselves.
>
> I believe that there is no more effective advocate than Hillary  
> Clinton for that well-rounded view of how we advance American  
> interests. She has served on the Armed Services Committee in the  
> Senate. She's knows world leaders around the world. I have it  
> extensive discussions with her both pre-election and post-election  
> about the strategic opportunities that exist out there to  
> strengthen American's posture in the world.
>
> And I think she is going to be an outstanding secretary of state.  
> And if I didn't believe that, I wouldn't have offered her the job.  
> And if she didn't believe that I was equipped to lead this nation  
> in such a difficult time, she would not have accepted.
>
> John McCormack. Where's John?
>
> QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President-elect.
>
> You're known as a pretty good storyteller. Can you tell us a little  
> bit of a story about how Senator Clinton was selected for this job?  
> Was there a seminal moment? How was the offered extended? Can you  
> give us some detail on how it was accepted and kind of the  
> negotiation process that was involved here?
>
> And, also, does Secretary Gates meet the requirement for a  
> Republican on the Cabinet, or should we be looking for others as well?
>
> OBAMA: Well, I mean, I didn't -- I didn't -- I didn't check his  
> voter registration. Secretary Gates, meets the qualification of  
> being an outstanding current secretary of defense and somebody who  
> is doing everything he can every single day to make sure that our  
> troops are properly equipped and trained and organized in order to  
> succeed at their missions and that their families are cared for.
>
> So I have complete confidence in Secretary Gates being able to  
> carry out his tasks. And I think the point here is that I didn't  
> going around checking people's political registration. What I was  
> most concerned with was whether or not they can serve the interests  
> of the American people.
>
> With respect to Senator and soon-to-be, Secretary of State Clinton,  
> it was not a light bulb moment. I have always admired Senator  
> Clinton. We have worked together extensively in the Senate. I have  
> always believed that she is tough and smart and disciplined and  
> that she shares my core values and the core values of the American  
> people.
>
> And so I was always interested after the primary was over in  
> finding ways in which we could collaborate. After the election was  
> over and I began to think about my team, it occurred to me that she  
> could potentially be an outstanding secretary of state. I extended  
> her the offer and she accepted.
>
> I know that's not as juicy a story as you were hoping for, but  
> that's all you're going to get, John. Thanks.
>
> Where's Dean? There you are. Hey, Dean.
>
> QUESTION: Sir, do you still intend to withdraw all U.S. forces from  
> Iraq in 16 months after inauguration? And did you discuss that --  
> the possibility of that -- with Secretary Gates, before selecting him?
>
> OBAMA: Well, keep in mind what I said during the campaign. And you  
> were there most of the time.
>
> I said that I would remove our combat troops from Iraq in 16 months  
> with the understanding that it might be necessary, likely to be  
> necessary, to maintain a residual force to provide potential  
> training, logistical support to protect our civilians in Iraq.
>
> The SOFA that has been now passed by the Iraqi legislature points  
> us in the right direction. It indicates we are now on a glide path  
> to reduce our forces in Iraq. I will be meeting be not only  
> Secretary Gates but the joint chiefs of staff and commanders on the  
> ground to make a determination as to how we move that pace -- how  
> we proceed in that withdrawal process.
>
> I believe that 16 months is the right timeframe. But as I have said  
> consistently, I will listen to the recommendations of my  
> commanders. And my number one priority is making sure that our  
> troops remain safe in this transition phase and that the Iraqi  
> people are well served by a government that is taking on increased  
> responsibility for its own security.
>
> It is a sovereign nation. What this signals is a transition period  
> in which our mission will be changing. We will have to remain  
> vigilant in making sure that any terrorist elements that remain in  
> Iraq do not become strengthened as a consequence of our drawdown.  
> But it's also critical that we recognize that the situation in  
> Afghanistan has been worsening. The situation in South Asia, as a  
> whole, and the safe havens for terrorist that have been established  
> there represent the single most important threat against the  
> American people.
>
> And we're going to have to mobilize our resources and focus on  
> attention on defeating Al Qaeda, bin Laden, and any other extremist  
> groups that intend to target American citizens.
>
> Thank you very much, everybody.

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