English subtitles for clip: File:6-10-15- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Earnest: Good
afternoon, everybody.

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Happy Wednesday.

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You all have presumably had
an opportunity to dial into

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the call that was convened
by the National Security

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Council and representatives
from the State Department

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and the Department of
Defense, discussing the

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announcement that the
President and his team made

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today to ramp up our
training, advise and assist

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efforts in Anbar
Province in Iraq.

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So I'm happy to take your
questions on that and any

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other topics that
may be on your mind.

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Darlene, do you want
to get us started?

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The Press: Sure, thanks.

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Do you have any information
on an American named Keith

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Broomfield who apparently
was killed fighting ISIS in

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Syria -- fighting
against ISIS in Syria?

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Mr. Earnest: I don't have
any information on that, but

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we can check on
that for you.

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The Press: A couple of
questions on trade.

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With the House vote coming
up on Friday, can you give

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us a little sense of what
the President is doing last

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minute to kind of get some
more Democrats to vote for

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that legislation?

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Mr. Earnest: The President
does continue to be engaged

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with members of Congress in
both parties about why he

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believes the House should
pass legislation that's

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already passed the Senate
that would give him the

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authority to negotiate the
most progressive trade bill

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that's ever passed.

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This is an agreement that
the President believes is

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clearly in the best interest
of middle-class families in

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the United States.

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The agreement would include
enforceable provisions

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related to higher labor
standards, higher

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environmental standards, and
specific language about the

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need to respect
basic human rights.

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So the President, as you
know, has been actively

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engaged in making this case
both publicly and privately

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to Democrats and
Republicans.

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He spent most of his time
talking to Democrats on this

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matter, and the President
and his team will continue

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to be engaged in the days
leading up to the vote in

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convincing Democrats and
Republicans to build the

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kind of bipartisan majority
that we also saw in the Senate.

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The Press: Does the White
House believe that it will

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have more than the 18
Democrats who have already

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said publicly that they're
going to vote yes?

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Mr. Earnest: I don't have
a whip count to update you

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with, but I can tell you
that the President and his

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team are engaged in an
effort to build a bipartisan

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majority to support
this legislation.

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The Press: There was
Medicare pay-for that was

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removed from the trade
assistance package.

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What does the White
House think about that?

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And do you think, having
done that, that will

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encourage more Democrats
to vote for the bill?

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Mr. Earnest: Darlene, as
it relates to the specific

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pay-fors included in this
legislation, we have

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acknowledged that this is
something that Democrats and

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Republicans in Congress will
have to work out, and we are

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supportive of bipartisan
efforts to resolve some of

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these differences.

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But we haven't weighed
in on any of the specific

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proposals that have been
floated back and forth.

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This is consistent with the
kind of legislative process

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that we've seen on a range
of issues; that's not

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surprising that it's emerged
in the discussion of this

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issue as well.

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What we are ultimately
seeking is the kind of

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bipartisan support for this
bill that would allow it to

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pass the House of
Representatives so the

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President could sign it into
law and we could get about

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the work of completing the
TPP negotiations with the

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other countries in
the Asia Pacific.

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The Press: Finally, the Vice
President has returned to

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the White House today
to have lunch with the

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President and to meet with

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the Ukrainian Prime Minister.

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Have you seen him today?

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Is there anything you can
tell us about how he is

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holding up?

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Mr. Earnest: I have not seen
the Vice President today.

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I know that -- but I was
aware of his schedule and

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that he was returning.

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But what I know from talking
to those who have talked to

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him is that he has -- I
think I mentioned this --

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had the opportunity to
mention this last week that

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the Vice President and his
family continue to be moved

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by the incredible outpouring
of support that his family

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has received in this
very difficult time.

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And I think that was on full
display for those of you

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that had the opportunity to
either attend or watch the

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funeral over the weekend.

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And this will continue to
be a difficult time for the

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Biden family and for all of
those of us who care deeply

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for the Vice President
and his family.

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But I think what is not a
surprise to anybody in this

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room is that the Vice
President is very dedicated

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to his job, and we obviously
are pleased that he'll be

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able to -- that he's able
to return today and to be

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focused again on the many
difficult policy challenges

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that he has assumed in the
role of Vice President.

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Jeff.

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The Press: Thank you, Josh.

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Going back, or as a
follow-up to the call today,

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did the President consider
sending more than the 450

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troops that he ended
up deciding on?

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Mr. Earnest: Jeff, I think
that the Department of

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Defense official that you
spoke to on the call I think

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explained the
decision-making behind the

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decision to pursue
this specific policy.

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And that is starting from
the question related to what

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is needed to improve our
efforts in Iraq, what can we

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do to better support the
strategy that has been laid

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out by Prime Minister Abadi,
and what can we do to

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capitalize on those elements
of our strategy that have

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proved effective in Iraq.

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And the best way for us to
do both of those things is

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to essentially expand the
capacity of our train,

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advise and assist mission
in Anbar Province.

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That is to build up the
capacity of Iraqi security

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forces, give them the
benefit of training by U.S.

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and our coalition partners.

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We also are seeking to
more efficiently provide

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equipment and materiel to
the Iraqi security forces

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and those fighters that are
working in concert with

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Iraqi security forces.

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This will also allow the
Abadi government to more

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effectively pursue either
strategy to recruit Sunni

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tribal fighters
into this effort.

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Those tribal fighters will
also benefit from some of

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the advise-and-assist
efforts that our military

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personnel are engaged in.

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They will benefit from
the expedited transfer of

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weapons and equipment.

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And bringing them into this
fight under the command and

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control of the Iraqi central
government will be an

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important part of ensuring
that we have Iraqi fighters

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on the ground who are
fighting ISIL in their own

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country and even in
their own communities.

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So in pursuit of that
specific effort, the

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President and his team
decided that expanding our

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training and advise and
assist missions at Taqaddum

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Air Base was the
right approach.

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Then there was the
consideration of how many --

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or how large of an
additional contingent of U.S.

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military forces would be
required to undertake that

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mission at the new location,
and the President's national

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security team recognizing
that force protection in

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Iraq is critically
important.

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Obviously, it continues to
be a dangerous country.

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Obviously, Anbar Province
continues to be a

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particularly volatile region
of an already dangerous country.

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So based on the analysis of
the Department of Defense

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and other elements of
the President's national

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security team, they arrived
at this number -- that about

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400 or 450 U.S. military personnel would be

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required to carry out this mission at Taqaddum.

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And that is the basis of the
decision that the President

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made today.

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The Press: And given
the pressures that U.S.

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troops are under, given the
political pressures that

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this White House and the
President are facing to do

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more, are you confident, A,
that that number is enough;

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and B, that these
initiatives are enough right

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now to halt the progress
that Islamic State has had?

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Mr. Earnest: Jeff, the
President and his team are

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confident that, for now,
450 troops -- additional

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military personnel are what
is necessary to fulfill this

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expanded advise and assist
and training mission to

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Taqaddum Air Base.

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But what is also true is
the President is going to

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continue to push his
national security team to

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continually evaluate the
strategy to take a close

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look at the tactics that are
being employed in Iraq and

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determine which ones have
proven to be effective, and

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ensure that they are being
applied not just in those

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areas where we're making
progress, but also in those

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areas where we're
sustaining some setbacks.

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And that's been true in
many locations in Anbar.

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As was referred to on the
call, there actually are

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some locations in Anbar,
near the other training base

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in Anbar -- at Al-Asad Air
Base -- where we have seen

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Iraqi security forces
that have been trained by

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coalition forces that have
received the benefit of

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advice and
assistance of U.S.

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military personnel, where we
have seen the Iraqi security

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forces be effective
in driving out ISIL.

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That's the reference to this
town in Baghdadi, which is

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in Anbar Province, which is
a town that was taken over

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by ISIL but essentially was
retaken by American- and

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coalition-trained
Iraqi security forces.

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They did that not just using
the training that they had

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received from our coalition;
they did that with the

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advice of our coalition
and with the backing of

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coalition military
airstrikes.

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That's an indication of an
area where the strategy that

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the President has laid
out has yielded

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important progress.

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And that's the kind of
progress that we'd like to

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see in other places in
Anbar, but also in other

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places across the
country in Iraq.

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The Press: Can you give us a
sense of what else he would

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consider in terms of future
actions when you talk about,

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and as Ben said on the call,
not ruling out additional steps?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, it's hard
to give you a real clear

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sense of exactly what other
things are on the table.

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The President has been clear
about what's not on the

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table, and that is a
large-scale, ground combat

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operation inside of Iraq.

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And the reason the President
has ruled out that option is

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the President does not
believe it is in the

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national security interest
of the United States to us

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to do for the Iraqis what
they must do for themselves

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-- and that is to provide
for the security situation

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in their country.

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The United States is
prepared to stand with the

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Iraqi people and the Iraqi
government, and the Iraqi

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security forces as they take
the fight to ISIL on the ground.

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We're prepared to back
their efforts with

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military airpower.

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But the President does not
believe that sending in a

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large contingent of U.S.

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ground combat troops is
in our best interest.

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It's also relevant that the
Iraqi central government

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does not believe that that
would be a good move.

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So we are working closely to
coordinate our efforts with

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the Iraqi central
government, under the

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leadership of Prime Minister
Abadi, to pursue this effort.

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And so it's difficult to
foreshadow what other things

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may be considered, but there
is at least one prominent

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option that the President
won't consider.

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Julie.

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The Press: Thanks.

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Somebody mentioned on the
call that this option has

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been under consideration for
quite a few months and that

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it only sort of resurfaced
after the fall of Ramadi.

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What took so long?

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If the Prime Minister was
telling the President and

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the administration months
and months ago that they

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needed more training and
acceleration of equipment

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and weapons, and even more
intelligence sharing, what

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took the administration so
long to decide that this was

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a step you needed to take?

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And secondly, what is the
timetable for retaking

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Ramadi now?

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Is it going to be this
summer, is it going to be

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the end of the year?

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And what about Mosul?

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I mean, this seems like a
shift away from emphasis there.

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And I wonder if you could
just say what the White

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House or what the President
would consider to be success

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in terms of the timetable
for retaking those cities.

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00:12:51,270 --> 00:12:54,540
Mr. Earnest: Julie, let me
clarify the first part of

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00:12:54,540 --> 00:12:57,340
the question that you asked.

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The President and his team
had been discussing the

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possibility of expanding the
advise-and-assist mission

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00:13:07,953 --> 00:13:13,963
into Taqaddum Air Base prior
to ISIL taking Ramadi.

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00:13:18,631 --> 00:13:22,771
The specific request that
was received from Prime

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00:13:22,768 --> 00:13:27,208
Minister Abadi did not come
until after the fall of Ramadi.

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And that was at the
same time that we were

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considering a wide range of
other things that could be

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00:13:35,381 --> 00:13:37,381
done to support the Iraqis.

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So it's not as if there was
a situation where there were

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00:13:43,856 --> 00:13:48,026
a large number of Iraqi
requests that had been made

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00:13:48,027 --> 00:13:51,097
by Prime Minister Abadi that
were not considered until

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after the fall of Ramadi.

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00:13:53,265 --> 00:13:55,765
The fact is, the President
and his national security

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00:13:55,768 --> 00:13:58,708
team, even before the fall
of Ramadi, we're considering

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00:13:58,704 --> 00:14:01,474
a range of options,
including this specific

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00:14:01,473 --> 00:14:04,813
option of expanding our
training and advising and

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00:14:04,810 --> 00:14:11,850
assist mission to
Taqaddum Air Base.

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As it relates to the
timeline for retaking

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Ramadi, those kinds of
operational decisions will

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be decisions that will be
made by Prime Minister Abadi

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and the Iraqi
security forces.

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They'll make that decision
in consultation with the

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United States and all of
our coalition partners.

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00:14:27,166 --> 00:14:29,306
They're certainly interested
in the advice that U.S.

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00:14:29,301 --> 00:14:32,241
military officials have
to offer in that regard.

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00:14:32,238 --> 00:14:34,238
But ultimately, it will be a
decision that they'll make.

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And so if there's any sort
of announcement about

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00:14:36,242 --> 00:14:38,942
timing, it will come from
Prime Minister Abadi's office.

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As it relates to the need
to drive ISIL out of Mosul,

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I'll say a couple of
things about that.

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The first is that our
strategy -- and when I say

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00:14:52,291 --> 00:14:54,331
our strategy, I mean both
the strategy of the Iraqis

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00:14:54,326 --> 00:14:59,736
and our coalition -- will be
based on our knowledge of

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00:14:59,732 --> 00:15:00,862
what's happening
on the ground.

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00:15:00,866 --> 00:15:06,936
And what's happening on the
ground in Anbar is a source

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00:15:06,939 --> 00:15:08,879
of concern.

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00:15:08,874 --> 00:15:14,944
And the strategy that we
have discussed today in

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00:15:14,947 --> 00:15:18,587
terms of ramping up our
training and advising and

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00:15:18,584 --> 00:15:21,654
assisting mission reflects
the concern about the

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situation in Anbar Province.

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00:15:25,724 --> 00:15:32,494
And we are confident that
these efforts will enhance

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00:15:32,498 --> 00:15:36,368
the capacity of Iraqi
security forces and those

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00:15:36,368 --> 00:15:38,608
forces that are operating
under the command and

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00:15:38,604 --> 00:15:41,704
control of the Iraqi central
government to addressing the

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situation in Anbar Province,
and driving ISIL out of the

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00:15:46,545 --> 00:15:49,785
province and ultimately
out of Ramadi as well.

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00:15:49,782 --> 00:15:53,652
We are also confident that
that will eventually benefit

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00:15:53,652 --> 00:15:59,592
the effort to drive
ISIL out of Mosul, too.

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00:15:59,591 --> 00:16:03,231
So I guess the point is, we
continue to be concerned

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00:16:03,228 --> 00:16:05,228
about the situation
in Anbar Province.

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00:16:05,230 --> 00:16:09,970
It's not unrelated to the
concern that we have, or

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00:16:09,968 --> 00:16:12,468
about the priority that
we've placed on ultimately

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00:16:12,471 --> 00:16:14,471
driving ISIL out
of Mosul as well.

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00:16:14,473 --> 00:16:16,473
The Press: But you can't say
what the President would

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00:16:16,475 --> 00:16:18,645
consider success in terms
of a timeframe for retaking

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00:16:18,644 --> 00:16:20,914
Ramadi or Mosul --
recognizing that it's up to

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00:16:20,913 --> 00:16:23,183
the Prime Minister to decide
what the plan is going to be

313
00:16:23,182 --> 00:16:24,052
for doing so?

314
00:16:24,049 --> 00:16:27,119
But what would the White
House consider to be in line

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00:16:27,119 --> 00:16:28,659
with what you're
shooting for here?

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00:16:28,654 --> 00:16:31,894
Mr. Earnest: I wouldn't put
any sort of timeline on it

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00:16:31,890 --> 00:16:33,530
from here.

318
00:16:33,525 --> 00:16:39,165
But we have heard the --
shortly after the fall of

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00:16:39,164 --> 00:16:43,064
Ramadi, the Abadi government
announced a specific plan,

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00:16:43,068 --> 00:16:47,168
back on May 19th, for what
they believed was necessary

321
00:16:47,172 --> 00:16:52,812
to retake Ramadi and to drive ISIL out of Anbar Province.

322
00:16:52,811 --> 00:16:57,781
And the expansion of our
training, advising, and

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00:16:57,783 --> 00:17:01,683
assist mission that was
announced today is an effort

324
00:17:01,687 --> 00:17:08,427
to reinforce that previously
announced strategy.

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00:17:08,427 --> 00:17:12,797
And the way that it will
reinforce that strategy is

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00:17:12,798 --> 00:17:16,398
both by bolstering the
capacity of Iraqi security

327
00:17:16,402 --> 00:17:18,602
forces who will benefit
from this training.

328
00:17:18,604 --> 00:17:21,644
It also will make it easier
for the Abadi government to

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00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:24,680
fulfill the element of their
strategy that's dependent on

330
00:17:24,676 --> 00:17:30,216
recruiting local Sunni
tribal fighters and ensuring

331
00:17:30,215 --> 00:17:32,555
that their efforts are
coordinated with the Iraqi

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00:17:32,551 --> 00:17:36,491
security forces as they take
the fight to ISIL in Anbar.

333
00:17:36,488 --> 00:17:38,828
And we can assist those
efforts by offering advice

334
00:17:38,824 --> 00:17:41,794
and assistance to those
Sunni tribal fighters, and

335
00:17:41,794 --> 00:17:43,834
we can supplement those
efforts by ensuring that

336
00:17:43,829 --> 00:17:48,699
we're efficiently delivering
equipment and materiel to

337
00:17:48,700 --> 00:17:52,910
those fighters as they
prepare to retake Ramadi

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00:17:52,905 --> 00:17:55,145
and, ultimately, Anbar.

339
00:17:55,140 --> 00:17:56,140
Michelle.

340
00:17:56,141 --> 00:17:58,141
The Press: You mentioned
that the additional trainers

341
00:17:58,143 --> 00:18:00,083
and other things were being
considered well before the

342
00:18:00,078 --> 00:18:01,318
fall of Ramadi.

343
00:18:01,313 --> 00:18:02,753
But consideration
is one thing.

344
00:18:02,748 --> 00:18:05,348
Why weren't
these acted upon?

345
00:18:05,350 --> 00:18:08,120
You said that Abadi didn't
ask for them until after the

346
00:18:08,120 --> 00:18:11,320
fall of Ramadi, but surely
our advisors are the ones

347
00:18:11,323 --> 00:18:14,063
who are making the decisions
when Iraq hasn't been able

348
00:18:14,059 --> 00:18:17,199
to handle this ISIS problem
from the beginning.

349
00:18:17,196 --> 00:18:20,466
So why wasn't the pressure
put on, or the decision

350
00:18:20,466 --> 00:18:25,166
made, or the advice given to
do some of this before the

351
00:18:25,170 --> 00:18:25,900
fall of Ramadi?

352
00:18:25,904 --> 00:18:28,744
Because clearly the
problems were identified.

353
00:18:28,740 --> 00:18:30,340
Mr. Earnest: Michelle, I'll
say a couple of things.

354
00:18:30,342 --> 00:18:32,382
That these kinds of
decisions are closely

355
00:18:32,377 --> 00:18:34,377
coordinated with the Abadi
government, and in this

356
00:18:34,379 --> 00:18:39,689
case, the decision to expand
the mission to Taqaddum Air

357
00:18:39,685 --> 00:18:44,425
Base was at the specific
request of the Abadi

358
00:18:44,423 --> 00:18:47,093
government but also
reflected the unanimous

359
00:18:47,092 --> 00:18:49,092
recommendation that the
President had received from

360
00:18:49,094 --> 00:18:50,894
his national security team.

361
00:18:50,896 --> 00:18:53,136
And these are the kinds of
things that the President's

362
00:18:53,131 --> 00:18:56,031
national security team has
been considering for some time.

363
00:18:56,034 --> 00:19:00,704
And it reflects the need
for the United States, our

364
00:19:00,706 --> 00:19:04,676
coalition partners, and for
the Iraqi government to be

365
00:19:04,676 --> 00:19:11,616
nimble as we respond to an
adversary, an opponent on

366
00:19:11,617 --> 00:19:14,787
the ground in Iraq that has
also demonstrated a capacity

367
00:19:14,786 --> 00:19:17,256
to adapt their tactics and
to try to capitalize on

368
00:19:17,256 --> 00:19:19,026
their perception
of weaknesses.

369
00:19:19,024 --> 00:19:22,494
So that's what
we're trying to do.

370
00:19:22,494 --> 00:19:26,094
But ultimately we continue
to have confidence that the

371
00:19:26,098 --> 00:19:28,168
effort to build up the
capacity of Iraqi security

372
00:19:28,166 --> 00:19:31,766
forces, to enlist Sunni
tribal fighters in the

373
00:19:31,770 --> 00:19:35,410
effort by bringing them into
the mobilization forces and

374
00:19:35,407 --> 00:19:37,407
putting them under the
command and control of the

375
00:19:37,409 --> 00:19:39,409
Iraqi central government,
that this will be an

376
00:19:39,411 --> 00:19:43,151
effective tactic against
ISIL in Anbar, primarily

377
00:19:43,148 --> 00:19:46,888
because when you're bringing
Sunni tribal fighters from

378
00:19:46,885 --> 00:19:52,055
Anbar into this fight,
you've got local Iraqi

379
00:19:52,057 --> 00:19:57,267
security forces that are
fighting against ISIL in

380
00:19:57,262 --> 00:19:59,262
their own province and, in
some cases, even in their

381
00:19:59,264 --> 00:20:00,264
own communities.

382
00:20:00,265 --> 00:20:05,105
And we believe that will be
effective because these are

383
00:20:05,103 --> 00:20:07,803
fighters who are fighting
for their own towns.

384
00:20:07,806 --> 00:20:11,476
And that's a good thing both
in the short term, in terms

385
00:20:11,476 --> 00:20:14,176
of trying to drive
ISIL out of the town.

386
00:20:14,179 --> 00:20:18,419
It also represents a path
toward a sustainable

387
00:20:18,417 --> 00:20:20,557
solution; that ultimately,
over the long term, what we

388
00:20:20,552 --> 00:20:22,792
need to do is we need to
build up the capacity of

389
00:20:22,788 --> 00:20:25,958
local security forces and
local governing structures

390
00:20:25,958 --> 00:20:27,228
to govern these territories.

391
00:20:27,225 --> 00:20:29,925
And we've seen that this is
something that the American

392
00:20:29,928 --> 00:20:33,198
people and the American
military can't do for the

393
00:20:33,198 --> 00:20:34,498
Iraqis; this is something
the Iraqis must

394
00:20:34,499 --> 00:20:35,599
do for themselves.

395
00:20:35,601 --> 00:20:37,501
And we want to help them
build up the capacity to do

396
00:20:37,502 --> 00:20:38,902
exactly that.

397
00:20:38,904 --> 00:20:40,474
The Press: And the 450
additional trainers, that's

398
00:20:40,472 --> 00:20:42,542
a doubling of the number
that's there now -- so

399
00:20:42,541 --> 00:20:45,381
obviously a
significant increase.

400
00:20:45,377 --> 00:20:47,617
But doesn't that
also point to a --

401
00:20:47,613 --> 00:20:48,583
Mr. Earnest: Well, let me
ask you -- when you say

402
00:20:48,580 --> 00:20:50,080
doubling what's there now,
right now there aren't

403
00:20:50,082 --> 00:20:53,052
any U.S. military at
Taqaddum Air Base.

404
00:20:53,051 --> 00:20:55,551
The Press: Not at that
location, but in Iraq.

405
00:20:55,554 --> 00:20:58,124
There are about 450
designated for training,

406
00:20:58,123 --> 00:21:00,693
according to numbers
that came from the DOD.

407
00:21:00,692 --> 00:21:05,002
It was a breakdown of the
3,000 or so that are there now.

408
00:21:04,997 --> 00:21:06,167
Mr. Earnest: Okay, well, I
don't want to leave you with

409
00:21:06,164 --> 00:21:07,834
the impression that the
additional 450 are all

410
00:21:07,833 --> 00:21:09,473
dedicated to training.

411
00:21:09,468 --> 00:21:10,938
As I mentioned earlier, some
of them are dedicated

412
00:21:10,936 --> 00:21:13,706
to force protection.

413
00:21:13,705 --> 00:21:14,235
The Press: Okay, got it.

414
00:21:14,239 --> 00:21:15,439
Mr. Earnest: But that's --
but okay, we're on the same

415
00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:16,210
page then.

416
00:21:16,208 --> 00:21:17,708
The Press: So compared --
when you look at the number

417
00:21:17,709 --> 00:21:20,709
that's there now, this is
a significant increase.

418
00:21:20,712 --> 00:21:23,582
So I'm just thinking,
doesn't that also point to a

419
00:21:23,582 --> 00:21:29,122
significant underestimation
in what was needed initially?

420
00:21:29,121 --> 00:21:33,091
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
what it represents is a

421
00:21:33,091 --> 00:21:35,331
conclusion by the President
and his national security

422
00:21:35,327 --> 00:21:39,497
team that the situation on
the ground in Iraq would

423
00:21:39,498 --> 00:21:44,368
benefit from more trained
Iraqi security forces and

424
00:21:44,369 --> 00:21:47,739
more Sunni tribal fighters
that are operating under the

425
00:21:47,739 --> 00:21:51,479
command and control of the
Iraqi central government who

426
00:21:51,476 --> 00:21:54,916
have received advice and
assistance and equipment

427
00:21:54,913 --> 00:21:58,183
from the U.S. military.

428
00:21:58,183 --> 00:22:01,553
And our strategy is
predicated on ramping up the

429
00:22:01,553 --> 00:22:03,553
capacity of the Iraqi
security forces, and

430
00:22:03,555 --> 00:22:06,395
enlisting Sunni tribal
fighters in the fight.

431
00:22:06,391 --> 00:22:11,161
And setting up this training
and advising and assisting

432
00:22:11,163 --> 00:22:14,463
mission at Taqaddum Air Base
will facilitate that effort.

433
00:22:14,466 --> 00:22:17,536
The Press: But just the fall
of Ramadi alone, doesn't

434
00:22:17,536 --> 00:22:20,906
that indicate a lot of
underestimations there on

435
00:22:20,906 --> 00:22:23,576
the part of the Iraqis, as
well as the U.S., who's

436
00:22:23,575 --> 00:22:26,245
advising them?

437
00:22:26,244 --> 00:22:28,444
Mr. Earnest: Michelle, I
think what we have said

438
00:22:28,447 --> 00:22:32,217
about Ramadi is that
it was a setback.

439
00:22:32,217 --> 00:22:35,617
There are, however, other
places where the Iraqi

440
00:22:35,620 --> 00:22:37,790
security forces, with the
support of the United States

441
00:22:37,789 --> 00:22:40,459
and our coalition partners,
have made important progress.

442
00:22:40,459 --> 00:22:42,499
And this is consistent with
what we've seen in military

443
00:22:42,494 --> 00:22:45,294
conflicts -- that there will
be areas of progress and

444
00:22:45,297 --> 00:22:46,527
periods of setback.

445
00:22:46,531 --> 00:22:49,201
And what we want to do is we
want to apply the lessons

446
00:22:49,201 --> 00:22:51,671
learned in those areas where
we've made progress, and

447
00:22:51,670 --> 00:22:55,070
apply them in areas where
we've experienced some setback.

448
00:22:55,073 --> 00:22:58,043
And expanding our capacity
to offer advice and

449
00:22:58,043 --> 00:23:00,943
assistance, and increase
training not just to Iraqi

450
00:23:00,946 --> 00:23:03,786
security forces, but also
to Sunni tribal fighters in

451
00:23:03,782 --> 00:23:06,422
Anbar, reflects the
successful implementation of

452
00:23:06,418 --> 00:23:07,418
the strategy.

453
00:23:07,419 --> 00:23:09,419
We know that, in other
places, that has been

454
00:23:09,421 --> 00:23:12,421
successful in improving the
performance of the Iraqis on

455
00:23:12,424 --> 00:23:14,594
the battlefield as they take
the fight to ISIL in their

456
00:23:14,593 --> 00:23:15,593
own country.

457
00:23:15,594 --> 00:23:17,594
So that's why we're applying
it in Anbar Province.

458
00:23:17,596 --> 00:23:19,596
The Press: The Iraqis are
also asking for all kinds of

459
00:23:19,598 --> 00:23:20,998
additional equipment.

460
00:23:20,999 --> 00:23:23,199
Why isn't it time
for that right now?

461
00:23:23,201 --> 00:23:25,341
Mr. Earnest: Well, that is
part of this announcement,

462
00:23:25,337 --> 00:23:29,507
as well, is to ensure that
we can more quickly and more

463
00:23:29,508 --> 00:23:34,248
efficiently provide that
equipment not just to Iraqi

464
00:23:34,246 --> 00:23:36,646
security forces, but also to
Sunni tribal fighters who

465
00:23:36,648 --> 00:23:38,418
are operating under the
command and control of the

466
00:23:38,416 --> 00:23:39,356
Iraqi central government.

467
00:23:39,351 --> 00:23:43,521
So, yes, the focal point of
this announcement has been

468
00:23:43,522 --> 00:23:46,022
on additional U.S.
military personnel who

469
00:23:46,024 --> 00:23:47,924
can carry out a training,
advising and assisting

470
00:23:47,926 --> 00:23:49,626
mission at
Taqaddum Air Base.

471
00:23:49,628 --> 00:23:52,828
But what also is included
in this announcement is a

472
00:23:52,831 --> 00:23:55,801
process for more efficiently
delivering needed equipment

473
00:23:55,801 --> 00:23:58,371
and materiel to Iraqi
fighters, either in the

474
00:23:58,370 --> 00:24:02,640
security forces or tribal
forces who are operating

475
00:24:02,641 --> 00:24:04,711
under the command and
control of the Iraqi

476
00:24:04,709 --> 00:24:06,609
central government.

477
00:24:06,611 --> 00:24:08,081
Justin.

478
00:24:08,079 --> 00:24:11,519
The Press: I wanted to loop back on trade really quickly.

479
00:24:11,516 --> 00:24:13,916
First, I wanted to ask
about the letter that

480
00:24:13,919 --> 00:24:15,589
Richard Trumka
sent today.

481
00:24:15,587 --> 00:24:16,757
I'm not sure if you saw it.

482
00:24:16,755 --> 00:24:19,125
Mr. Earnest: I
haven't seen it.

483
00:24:19,124 --> 00:24:20,864
The Press: Well,
barreling ahead anyway.

484
00:24:20,859 --> 00:24:22,089
(laughter)

485
00:24:22,093 --> 00:24:23,663
Mr. Earnest: Let's try.

486
00:24:23,662 --> 00:24:25,602
The Press: He accused
the President of

487
00:24:25,597 --> 00:24:28,367
mischaracterizing the union
stance on trade, and he said

488
00:24:28,366 --> 00:24:31,066
that the President a
few weeks ago said, on

489
00:24:31,069 --> 00:24:34,409
principle, regardless of
what the provisions are, the

490
00:24:34,406 --> 00:24:35,976
unions are opposed to trade.

491
00:24:35,974 --> 00:24:40,914
But he noted that, back
in 2000, the AFL-CIO had

492
00:24:40,912 --> 00:24:43,212
supported the U.S.-Jordan
trade pact, and he said that

493
00:24:43,215 --> 00:24:45,815
this kind of
mischaracterization was

494
00:24:45,817 --> 00:24:49,517
essentially marginalized
into an important

495
00:24:49,521 --> 00:24:50,591
Democratic ally.

496
00:24:50,589 --> 00:24:54,959
I'm wondering what your
response to that is.

497
00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:58,630
Mr. Earnest: Well, let
me just say as a general

498
00:24:58,630 --> 00:25:02,570
matter, Justin, that I think
that it is true that the

499
00:25:02,567 --> 00:25:08,777
President and many of the
leaders of organized labor

500
00:25:08,773 --> 00:25:13,983
in this country have values
that we share about the need

501
00:25:13,979 --> 00:25:16,019
to expand the economic
opportunity for middle-class

502
00:25:16,014 --> 00:25:18,154
families all
across the country.

503
00:25:18,149 --> 00:25:19,219
That's the focal point.

504
00:25:19,217 --> 00:25:22,217
I'm confident that these
leaders in the labor

505
00:25:22,220 --> 00:25:26,120
movement would say that
that is their priority.

506
00:25:26,124 --> 00:25:28,124
It also is the priority
of President Obama.

507
00:25:28,126 --> 00:25:31,666
And that is why when we
confront the vast majority

508
00:25:31,663 --> 00:25:35,503
of economic issues that are
moving through the Congress,

509
00:25:35,500 --> 00:25:40,070
that there's broad agreement
between the President and

510
00:25:40,071 --> 00:25:44,481
these labor leaders, but we
have encountered a scenario

511
00:25:44,476 --> 00:25:47,576
here where there is a
difference of opinion.

512
00:25:47,579 --> 00:25:51,149
And it is a difference
of a pretty strongly held

513
00:25:51,149 --> 00:25:53,589
opinions I think
on both parts.

514
00:25:53,585 --> 00:25:56,385
And the President believes
that he has made a powerful

515
00:25:56,388 --> 00:26:00,528
and persuasive case about
why progressive Democrats

516
00:26:00,525 --> 00:26:03,295
should be supportive of this
specific Trade Promotion

517
00:26:03,295 --> 00:26:05,295
Authority legislation.

518
00:26:05,297 --> 00:26:08,567
It is legislation that
writes in enforceable labor

519
00:26:08,566 --> 00:26:10,336
and environmental standards.

520
00:26:10,335 --> 00:26:12,535
It included specific
language related to human

521
00:26:12,537 --> 00:26:14,537
rights -- the first time
that those kinds of

522
00:26:14,539 --> 00:26:16,539
provisions have ever been
included in Trade Promotion

523
00:26:16,541 --> 00:26:17,781
Authority legislation.

524
00:26:17,776 --> 00:26:21,246
And that's why we feel good
about winning the support of

525
00:26:21,246 --> 00:26:24,586
about a third of the
Democratic Caucus in the

526
00:26:24,582 --> 00:26:26,982
Senate for this legislation.

527
00:26:26,985 --> 00:26:28,955
I don't know that we're
going to get a similar

528
00:26:28,954 --> 00:26:32,924
percentage in the House, but
it is a clear illustration

529
00:26:32,924 --> 00:26:34,264
that the President is
not the only progressive

530
00:26:34,259 --> 00:26:38,899
Democrat who believes that
this legislation is clearly

531
00:26:38,897 --> 00:26:41,297
in the best interest of
middle-class families.

532
00:26:41,299 --> 00:26:43,069
The President is going to
continue to make this case

533
00:26:43,068 --> 00:26:44,638
to Democrats in the House.

534
00:26:44,636 --> 00:26:45,636
He's going to continue to
make this case to Democrats

535
00:26:45,637 --> 00:26:47,237
across the country.

536
00:26:47,238 --> 00:26:49,608
He does not expect that
he'll be able to persuade

537
00:26:49,607 --> 00:26:53,547
them all, but this reflects
a difference of opinion.

538
00:26:53,545 --> 00:26:55,985
It does not, however,
reflect a difference when it

539
00:26:55,981 --> 00:26:59,151
comes to the priority that
we all place on looking out

540
00:26:59,150 --> 00:27:01,150
for the best interests of
America's middle-class families.

541
00:27:01,152 --> 00:27:03,152
The Press: Well, I think the
argument that they're making

542
00:27:03,154 --> 00:27:06,754
is that it's harder to make
a case to progressives if

543
00:27:06,758 --> 00:27:09,358
you are mischaracterizing
their position.

544
00:27:09,361 --> 00:27:12,031
And we've heard this from
the AFL-CIO, from

545
00:27:12,030 --> 00:27:13,370
Elizabeth Warren.

546
00:27:13,365 --> 00:27:16,265
Is there any concern from
the White House, especially

547
00:27:16,267 --> 00:27:20,237
on something that was
rhetorical and off the cuff,

548
00:27:20,238 --> 00:27:22,108
but also kind of
demonstrably untrue that the

549
00:27:22,107 --> 00:27:25,307
President has
mischaracterized his

550
00:27:25,310 --> 00:27:27,780
opponents' position on this?

551
00:27:27,779 --> 00:27:28,979
Mr. Earnest: No, I
don't think there is.

552
00:27:28,980 --> 00:27:30,780
I'm not sure there's
anything demonstrably untrue

553
00:27:30,782 --> 00:27:32,822
about what the
President said, either.

554
00:27:32,817 --> 00:27:38,427
But I think what is true is
that, generally speaking,

555
00:27:38,423 --> 00:27:40,663
on the vast majority of
economic matters that come

556
00:27:40,658 --> 00:27:43,998
before the United States
Congress, the President

557
00:27:43,995 --> 00:27:46,365
and leaders of the Labor
Movement are in strong

558
00:27:46,364 --> 00:27:48,864
agreement about what's
necessary to advance the

559
00:27:48,867 --> 00:27:50,867
interests of
middle-class families.

560
00:27:50,869 --> 00:27:52,869
In this case, there is a
disagreement, and I would

561
00:27:52,871 --> 00:27:55,571
acknowledge that it is
a sharp disagreement.

562
00:27:55,573 --> 00:27:59,443
But the President has had
success in making his case

563
00:27:59,444 --> 00:28:03,214
to Democrats in the
United States Senate.

564
00:28:03,214 --> 00:28:05,214
I'm confident that we'll
have some success in making

565
00:28:05,216 --> 00:28:07,216
our case to Democrats
in the House.

566
00:28:07,218 --> 00:28:11,058
And, frankly, if you look at
some of the polling data,

567
00:28:11,056 --> 00:28:13,926
which I know that you guys
are often eager to do,

568
00:28:13,925 --> 00:28:16,495
there's some evidence to
indicate that the majority

569
00:28:16,494 --> 00:28:18,494
of Democrats across the
country agree with the

570
00:28:18,496 --> 00:28:20,396
President about this.

571
00:28:20,398 --> 00:28:27,038
But differences of
opinion are not unusual.

572
00:28:27,038 --> 00:28:33,548
What's important is that we
continue to have a set of

573
00:28:33,545 --> 00:28:37,115
shared values that relate to
the importance of providing

574
00:28:37,115 --> 00:28:39,915
for the best interests of
middle-class families.

575
00:28:39,918 --> 00:28:41,558
The Press: And then I just
finally wanted to loop back

576
00:28:41,553 --> 00:28:46,323
to what Darlene was asking
about -- the Medicare tweak

577
00:28:46,324 --> 00:28:49,664
that's been floated --
the Pelosi-Boehner deal.

578
00:28:49,661 --> 00:28:51,401
I know that you said that
you haven't weighed in, but

579
00:28:51,396 --> 00:28:53,866
I'm kind of hoping that
you will weigh in on this

580
00:28:53,865 --> 00:28:57,335
because it's I think kind
of the last, I don't know,

581
00:28:57,335 --> 00:28:59,405
stumbling block here.

582
00:28:59,404 --> 00:29:03,274
House Democrats are upset
because they say that this

583
00:29:03,274 --> 00:29:07,614
fix, which would have cut
Medicare to pay for trade

584
00:29:07,612 --> 00:29:13,522
assistance for people who
are hurt by the trade deal,

585
00:29:13,518 --> 00:29:16,288
won't be attached to
legislation that must pass

586
00:29:16,287 --> 00:29:17,727
as part of the deal.

587
00:29:17,722 --> 00:29:19,722
Republicans are saying,
well, now you're trying

588
00:29:19,724 --> 00:29:23,224
to move the goal posts,
possibly killing the

589
00:29:23,228 --> 00:29:24,698
entire package.

590
00:29:24,696 --> 00:29:28,896
So I guess to return to one
of our favorite rhetorical

591
00:29:28,900 --> 00:29:32,840
tools, if representative
Josh Earnest, D of Missouri,

592
00:29:32,837 --> 00:29:34,077
was voting -

593
00:29:34,072 --> 00:29:35,142
(laughter)

594
00:29:35,140 --> 00:29:36,880
-- and presumably cared both
about this trade deal but

595
00:29:36,875 --> 00:29:40,075
also about this Medicare
cut, is the Medicare issue

596
00:29:40,078 --> 00:29:43,318
not important enough for
him to want it attached to

597
00:29:43,314 --> 00:29:45,814
must-pass legislation?

598
00:29:45,817 --> 00:29:48,717
Mr. Earnest: Justin,
that was a good try.

599
00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:50,660
(laughter)

600
00:29:50,655 --> 00:29:54,355
What I will say is that
these kinds of decisions

601
00:29:54,359 --> 00:29:58,559
about legislative procedure
and pay-fors are part and

602
00:29:58,563 --> 00:30:02,133
parcel of the standard
legislative process.

603
00:30:02,133 --> 00:30:06,103
And this is all -- there's
a reason they call it

604
00:30:06,104 --> 00:30:09,044
sausage-making, which is
it's not particularly

605
00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:14,410
appetizing to watch but
it often yields a useful result.

606
00:30:14,412 --> 00:30:18,452
And so as the Congress goes
through this process, we're

607
00:30:18,449 --> 00:30:21,289
hopeful that Democrats and
Republicans will be able to

608
00:30:21,286 --> 00:30:25,886
work out an agreement that
yields bipartisan support

609
00:30:25,890 --> 00:30:27,890
for this package of
legislation that the

610
00:30:27,892 --> 00:30:30,132
President believes is
critically important to our

611
00:30:30,128 --> 00:30:32,128
economy and to the interests
of middle-class families.

612
00:30:32,130 --> 00:30:35,530
The Press: I guess to put
it very bluntly, having the

613
00:30:35,533 --> 00:30:39,133
Medicare fix attached to
must-pass legislation is not

614
00:30:39,137 --> 00:30:42,577
a definite priority
of the White House?

615
00:30:42,574 --> 00:30:45,144
It's not something that you
need to see in a final --

616
00:30:45,143 --> 00:30:47,383
Mr. Earnest: Again,
these are differences in

617
00:30:47,378 --> 00:30:49,518
legislative mechanics that
have to be worked out by

618
00:30:49,514 --> 00:30:52,154
Democrats and
Republicans in Congress.

619
00:30:52,150 --> 00:30:55,290
And, look, here's the thing
that we often do weigh in

620
00:30:55,286 --> 00:30:57,626
on, which is the need for
Democrats and Republicans to

621
00:30:57,622 --> 00:31:00,122
try to work together to
resolve these differences.

622
00:31:00,124 --> 00:31:03,224
And so often we find that
those differences don't get

623
00:31:03,228 --> 00:31:05,798
resolved when we see that
Republicans are unwilling to

624
00:31:05,797 --> 00:31:07,127
talk to Democrats about it.

625
00:31:07,131 --> 00:31:09,131
That's not what we're
seeing in this case.

626
00:31:09,133 --> 00:31:11,133
What we're seeing in this
case is a good-faith effort

627
00:31:11,135 --> 00:31:13,335
on the part of Republicans
to work with Democrats of

628
00:31:13,338 --> 00:31:15,608
good faith to try to resolve
this particular issue.

629
00:31:15,607 --> 00:31:18,877
And, again, it may not be
particularly appetizing to

630
00:31:18,876 --> 00:31:22,046
watch, but if Democrats and
Republicans continue to work

631
00:31:22,046 --> 00:31:25,146
together in good faith, I
continue to be confident

632
00:31:25,149 --> 00:31:27,889
that they'll be able to
resolve their differences.

633
00:31:27,885 --> 00:31:28,785
April.

634
00:31:28,786 --> 00:31:30,626
The Press: Josh, on two
different subjects.

635
00:31:30,622 --> 00:31:33,192
For one reason or
the other, U.S.

636
00:31:33,191 --> 00:31:34,591
troops remain in Iraq.

637
00:31:34,592 --> 00:31:38,132
And now forces are being
bolstered to help the Iraqi

638
00:31:38,129 --> 00:31:39,499
soldiers stand up.

639
00:31:39,497 --> 00:31:42,497
Can you quantify
how long U.S.

640
00:31:42,500 --> 00:31:44,400
troops will be in
Iraq, even beyond this?

641
00:31:44,402 --> 00:31:46,972
Because it looks like
there is a need for U.S.

642
00:31:46,971 --> 00:31:51,141
troops in Iraq to help them
in one way or another.

643
00:31:51,142 --> 00:31:52,542
Mr. Earnest: I wouldn't put
a timeline on it, April,

644
00:31:52,543 --> 00:31:55,483
other than to say that the
President has acknowledged

645
00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:57,920
since last year that this
will not be a short-term

646
00:31:57,915 --> 00:32:02,855
proposition and that the
efforts to support the Iraqi

647
00:32:02,854 --> 00:32:05,424
people and the Iraqi
military as they take the

648
00:32:05,423 --> 00:32:07,923
fight to ISIL on the ground
in their own country will

649
00:32:07,925 --> 00:32:11,125
require a serious commitment
not just from the United

650
00:32:11,129 --> 00:32:15,269
States but from the other 62
members -- or the other 62

651
00:32:15,266 --> 00:32:19,166
members of our
international coalition.

652
00:32:19,170 --> 00:32:21,170
The President built that
coalition so the United

653
00:32:21,172 --> 00:32:23,172
States wouldn't be in a
position of carrying all

654
00:32:23,174 --> 00:32:25,814
this weight on our own, and
the President has been very

655
00:32:25,810 --> 00:32:29,610
clear that the efforts of
the United States and our

656
00:32:29,614 --> 00:32:32,184
coalition partners will be
to support the Iraqi people.

657
00:32:32,183 --> 00:32:34,953
We will not do for them what
they must do for themselves.

658
00:32:34,952 --> 00:32:40,862
And that will be a central
tenet of this

659
00:32:40,858 --> 00:32:42,758
policy-making process.

660
00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,630
The Press: I'm going to go
back and ask you to quantify

661
00:32:45,630 --> 00:32:47,230
or at least try to quantify.

662
00:32:47,231 --> 00:32:48,931
Are we talking, when you
say it's not going to be a

663
00:32:48,933 --> 00:32:53,073
short-term proposition, well
beyond the next 18 months?

664
00:32:53,071 --> 00:32:56,541
Maybe into the next eight
years or maybe even after

665
00:32:56,541 --> 00:32:58,781
the next eight years,
or the next four years?

666
00:32:58,776 --> 00:33:02,716
Can you help quantify this
issue that's not going to be

667
00:33:02,714 --> 00:33:05,354
a short-term proposition?

668
00:33:05,350 --> 00:33:08,390
Mr. Earnest: Not beyond
what I've already said.

669
00:33:08,386 --> 00:33:10,256
The Press: So when you
say not a short-term

670
00:33:10,254 --> 00:33:14,324
proposition, am I right to
go down that track beyond

671
00:33:14,325 --> 00:33:15,795
this administration?

672
00:33:15,793 --> 00:33:18,793
Mr. Earnest: I think it is
fair for you to say that the

673
00:33:18,796 --> 00:33:23,206
President does -- and we've
said this before -- that we

674
00:33:23,201 --> 00:33:26,041
do not expect that the
situation with ISIL will be

675
00:33:26,037 --> 00:33:29,707
resolved by the President's
last day in office; that

676
00:33:29,707 --> 00:33:33,947
this kind of instability and
chaos, and threat to the U.S.

677
00:33:33,945 --> 00:33:35,985
interests around the globe
is something that the next

678
00:33:35,980 --> 00:33:37,980
President will
have to deal with.

679
00:33:37,982 --> 00:33:39,982
The Press: I was
trying to say U.S.

680
00:33:39,984 --> 00:33:42,054
troop involvement, not
necessarily ISIL U.S.

681
00:33:42,053 --> 00:33:44,653
troop involvement in Iraq
for one reason or another.

682
00:33:44,655 --> 00:33:46,325
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
that would apply, too --

683
00:33:46,324 --> 00:33:52,094
that I would expect that
at least some of the U.S.

684
00:33:52,096 --> 00:33:56,166
military personnel that are
currently in Iraq will still

685
00:33:56,167 --> 00:33:57,907
be there when the
President leaves office.

686
00:33:57,902 --> 00:33:59,572
The Press: And on the next
subject, there seems to be a

687
00:33:59,570 --> 00:34:02,910
picture that's going around
making the news, with

688
00:34:02,907 --> 00:34:06,477
President Obama meeting with
the Italian Prime Minister.

689
00:34:06,477 --> 00:34:09,177
And he has something in his
hand, and there's a lot of

690
00:34:09,180 --> 00:34:12,420
question about what this
white thing is his hand.

691
00:34:12,417 --> 00:34:16,187
Can you tell us, is the
President -- does he have a

692
00:34:16,187 --> 00:34:18,127
pack of cigarettes
in his hand?

693
00:34:18,122 --> 00:34:19,292
Mr. Earnest: He does not.

694
00:34:19,290 --> 00:34:20,190
The Press: What was it?

695
00:34:20,191 --> 00:34:21,021
Mr. Earnest: I
don't know, April.

696
00:34:21,025 --> 00:34:21,895
I wasn't there.

697
00:34:21,893 --> 00:34:22,493
The Press: I understand.

698
00:34:22,493 --> 00:34:26,163
But, I mean, did he
tell you what it was?

699
00:34:26,164 --> 00:34:27,664
Mr. Earnest: You may not be
surprised to hear that I

700
00:34:27,665 --> 00:34:29,905
have not raised this issue
with the President today.

701
00:34:29,901 --> 00:34:31,071
The Press: Okay, well,
the President, as you've

702
00:34:31,068 --> 00:34:33,968
acknowledged, he
reads media reports.

703
00:34:33,971 --> 00:34:36,911
And it's everywhere,
this picture with him

704
00:34:36,908 --> 00:34:37,678
holding something --

705
00:34:37,675 --> 00:34:38,745
Mr. Earnest: I'm not
sure that's the way

706
00:34:38,743 --> 00:34:39,343
I'd describe it.

707
00:34:39,343 --> 00:34:39,913
The Press: It is everywhere.

708
00:34:39,911 --> 00:34:40,511
Check it out.

709
00:34:40,511 --> 00:34:41,511
(laughter)

710
00:34:41,512 --> 00:34:43,212
Mr. Earnest: I have.

711
00:34:43,214 --> 00:34:45,084
The Press: Well, I mean,
and the size -- I'm not a

712
00:34:45,082 --> 00:34:50,052
smoker, but the sizing looks
like -- so you're saying --

713
00:34:50,054 --> 00:34:51,354
Mr. Earnest: I told you
it's not -- that they

714
00:34:51,355 --> 00:34:52,085
aren't cigarettes.

715
00:34:52,089 --> 00:34:53,029
Let's move on.

716
00:34:53,024 --> 00:34:54,054
Kristen.

717
00:34:54,058 --> 00:34:55,198
The Press: Josh, thank you.

718
00:34:55,193 --> 00:34:56,463
I'm hoping you could
respond to something

719
00:34:56,461 --> 00:34:57,661
that House Speaker John
Boehner said earlier today.

720
00:34:57,662 --> 00:35:00,932
He said, after hearing about
the President's plan to send

721
00:35:00,932 --> 00:35:04,072
450 advisers, he said, "I
think it's a step in the

722
00:35:04,068 --> 00:35:05,238
right direction.

723
00:35:05,236 --> 00:35:07,276
But as the President
admitted the other day,

724
00:35:07,271 --> 00:35:10,171
he doesn't have a
strategy to win."

725
00:35:10,174 --> 00:35:10,944
Those are his words.

726
00:35:10,942 --> 00:35:11,712
What's your reaction?

727
00:35:11,709 --> 00:35:12,879
Mr. Earnest: That's an
intentional distortion of

728
00:35:12,877 --> 00:35:14,147
the President's comments.

729
00:35:14,145 --> 00:35:17,015
The Press: Is the President
confident, though, that this

730
00:35:17,014 --> 00:35:20,414
is a winning strategy and a
complete strategy, to use

731
00:35:20,418 --> 00:35:22,318
the term that he
used the other day?

732
00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:23,690
Mr. Earnest: The President
is confident that the

733
00:35:23,688 --> 00:35:26,758
announcement that he
made today to establish

734
00:35:26,757 --> 00:35:31,127
essentially a fifth base
in Iraq -- where U.S.

735
00:35:31,128 --> 00:35:34,628
military personnel and some
coalition military personnel

736
00:35:34,632 --> 00:35:38,802
will conduct training
and advising, and assist

737
00:35:38,803 --> 00:35:43,003
operations -- will bolster
the capacity of both the

738
00:35:43,007 --> 00:35:46,847
Iraqi security force, as
well as the Sunni tribal

739
00:35:46,844 --> 00:35:51,354
fighters in Anbar that are
operating under the command

740
00:35:51,349 --> 00:35:54,089
and control of the Iraqi
central government.

741
00:35:54,085 --> 00:36:00,195
And that will further our
strategy to assist the

742
00:36:00,191 --> 00:36:02,531
Iraqis as they take the
fight to ISIL on the ground

743
00:36:02,527 --> 00:36:03,897
in their own country.

744
00:36:03,895 --> 00:36:06,865
And we can support them
through these missions that

745
00:36:06,864 --> 00:36:08,334
the President
has authorized.

746
00:36:08,332 --> 00:36:10,832
We can also support them
with military airpower.

747
00:36:10,835 --> 00:36:13,075
But ultimately it will not
be the responsibility of the

748
00:36:13,070 --> 00:36:16,410
U.S. military to go in and do for the Iraqis what they must

749
00:36:16,407 --> 00:36:17,507
do for themselves.

750
00:36:17,508 --> 00:36:19,148
The Press: And to that
point, you said earlier that

751
00:36:19,143 --> 00:36:24,683
this is the number, this 450
figure is the number for now.

752
00:36:24,682 --> 00:36:28,222
Is there a point at which
the President will rethink

753
00:36:28,219 --> 00:36:28,919
this number?

754
00:36:28,920 --> 00:36:30,760
Is there a benchmark?

755
00:36:30,755 --> 00:36:32,855
Has he said in six weeks
we're going to sit down and

756
00:36:32,857 --> 00:36:35,627
look at this, and determine
if we need to add more troops?

757
00:36:35,626 --> 00:36:37,226
Mr. Earnest: The reason I
said "for now" is because

758
00:36:37,228 --> 00:36:39,728
450 is the number that's
required to carry out the

759
00:36:39,730 --> 00:36:43,070
mission that's been expanded
to Taqaddum Air Base.

760
00:36:43,067 --> 00:36:44,967
So it is the number
of personnel that is

761
00:36:44,969 --> 00:36:47,369
specifically required to do
what the President

762
00:36:47,371 --> 00:36:49,441
announced today.

763
00:36:49,440 --> 00:36:51,710
What is also true is the
President has directed his

764
00:36:51,709 --> 00:36:55,979
national security team to
regularly be in the process

765
00:36:55,980 --> 00:37:00,620
of evaluating the strategy
and looking for refinements

766
00:37:00,618 --> 00:37:03,618
in ways to optimize
that strategy.

767
00:37:03,621 --> 00:37:04,991
This is one example of that.

768
00:37:04,989 --> 00:37:08,489
What we have seen in other
parts of Iraq is that Iraqi

769
00:37:08,492 --> 00:37:12,232
security forces that receive
training, advising and

770
00:37:12,229 --> 00:37:13,369
assisting from U.S.

771
00:37:13,364 --> 00:37:16,034
military personnel, when
backed by coalition military

772
00:37:16,033 --> 00:37:18,673
airpower, perform well
on the battlefield.

773
00:37:18,669 --> 00:37:22,839
And we want to expand the
capacity of our operation

774
00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:25,780
there to train even more
Iraqi security forces and to

775
00:37:25,776 --> 00:37:30,016
be prepared to train
additional Sunni tribal

776
00:37:30,014 --> 00:37:32,554
fighters that are recruited
by the Abadi government to

777
00:37:32,550 --> 00:37:34,550
fight under the command and
control of the Iraqi

778
00:37:34,552 --> 00:37:35,552
central government.

779
00:37:35,553 --> 00:37:37,553
Many of them will be
fighting as part of these

780
00:37:37,555 --> 00:37:40,255
mobilization forces.

781
00:37:40,257 --> 00:37:43,727
And we want to make sure
that our efforts to support

782
00:37:43,728 --> 00:37:46,268
the Iraqis in this
particular element of our

783
00:37:46,263 --> 00:37:51,573
strategy is one that we
have the capacity to do.

784
00:37:51,569 --> 00:37:53,769
And that's what's driving
the decision that was

785
00:37:53,771 --> 00:37:54,601
announced today.

786
00:37:54,605 --> 00:37:58,045
That's also what's driving
the decision to streamline

787
00:37:58,042 --> 00:38:01,742
the provision of equipment
and materiel to Iraqi

788
00:38:01,746 --> 00:38:03,716
security forces and Sunni
tribal fighters in that

789
00:38:03,714 --> 00:38:05,114
region of the
country as well.

790
00:38:05,116 --> 00:38:07,256
The Press: And you've
stressed that these 450

791
00:38:07,251 --> 00:38:10,291
forces are not going
to be in a combat role.

792
00:38:10,287 --> 00:38:11,957
But what would you say to
those who are concerned that

793
00:38:11,956 --> 00:38:14,896
this is mission creep?

794
00:38:14,892 --> 00:38:16,692
Mr. Earnest: Well, the
President, I think as I've

795
00:38:16,694 --> 00:38:20,034
tried to convey to you, is
very specific about what he

796
00:38:20,031 --> 00:38:24,231
expects about what
their mission is.

797
00:38:24,235 --> 00:38:26,835
We're also very clear about
what their mission is not.

798
00:38:26,837 --> 00:38:30,507
These troops are not being
deployed to Iraq to engage

799
00:38:30,508 --> 00:38:32,448
in ground combat operations.

800
00:38:32,443 --> 00:38:33,313
The Press: But they're
going to be in dangerous

801
00:38:33,310 --> 00:38:34,910
territory, Josh,
if they are --

802
00:38:34,912 --> 00:38:37,682
Mr. Earnest: There is absolutely
-- and I would not --

803
00:38:37,682 --> 00:38:39,482
The Press: (inaudible) themselves.

804
00:38:39,483 --> 00:38:40,553
Mr. Earnest: There is no
environment in which I would

805
00:38:40,551 --> 00:38:47,591
downplay the risk that these
military servicemembers will

806
00:38:47,591 --> 00:38:49,161
face in Iraq.

807
00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:51,830
We've been direct about
the fact that the security

808
00:38:51,829 --> 00:38:56,739
situation in Iraq is
tenuous, particularly in

809
00:38:56,734 --> 00:38:58,434
Anbar Province.

810
00:38:58,436 --> 00:39:01,176
That's why, as I mentioned
to Michelle, that a number

811
00:39:01,172 --> 00:39:05,272
of the troops that will be
a part of this mission will

812
00:39:05,276 --> 00:39:11,586
actually be at Taqaddum Air
Base to provide security for

813
00:39:11,582 --> 00:39:16,952
the military officials that
are directly responsible for

814
00:39:16,954 --> 00:39:21,924
providing advice, assistance
and training to Iraqi fighters.

815
00:39:21,926 --> 00:39:23,996
The Press: And just one
other topic, quickly.

816
00:39:23,994 --> 00:39:26,334
Josh, is the President aware
that, as of last week, four

817
00:39:26,330 --> 00:39:29,170
to five dozen Secret Service
officials didn't have their

818
00:39:29,166 --> 00:39:31,506
security clearances, and
that this is something that

819
00:39:31,502 --> 00:39:34,702
Director Clancy has
expressed is a problem and

820
00:39:34,705 --> 00:39:38,375
has ordered to be fixed
by the end of this week?

821
00:39:38,375 --> 00:39:40,875
Mr. Earnest: Well, Kristen,
I think what the Secret

822
00:39:40,878 --> 00:39:44,078
Service will tell you is
that all of the officers,

823
00:39:44,081 --> 00:39:47,781
prior to stepping into their
roles and assuming the

824
00:39:47,785 --> 00:39:50,955
significant responsibilities
that they have, undergo, as

825
00:39:50,955 --> 00:39:52,955
you would expect,
significant background

826
00:39:52,957 --> 00:39:57,297
checks, extensive training,
and other measures to ensure

827
00:39:57,294 --> 00:39:59,264
that they can assume the
significant responsibilities

828
00:39:59,263 --> 00:40:01,403
that they're given.

829
00:40:01,398 --> 00:40:05,668
And what I think the Secret
Service will also tell you

830
00:40:05,669 --> 00:40:09,739
is that this backlog that
has materialized has already

831
00:40:09,740 --> 00:40:13,110
been significantly reduced;
that the backlog now is less

832
00:40:13,110 --> 00:40:14,110
than a dozen.

833
00:40:14,111 --> 00:40:17,451
And I think this
reflects two things.

834
00:40:17,448 --> 00:40:21,788
One is, it reflects the
effort that the Secret

835
00:40:21,786 --> 00:40:28,026
Service has undertaken to
hire more police officers

836
00:40:28,025 --> 00:40:31,625
and agents to implement the
reforms that Director Clancy

837
00:40:31,629 --> 00:40:34,329
has so doggedly pursued.

838
00:40:34,331 --> 00:40:37,701
And it also reflects what he
has acknowledged is making

839
00:40:37,701 --> 00:40:40,171
sure that these individuals
have all the training and

840
00:40:40,171 --> 00:40:45,281
that they've received all
of the background checks to

841
00:40:45,276 --> 00:40:49,046
perform the duties that they
are expected to perform.

842
00:40:49,046 --> 00:40:51,316
The Press: And yet this is a
problem by Director Clancy's

843
00:40:51,315 --> 00:40:52,555
own admission.

844
00:40:52,550 --> 00:40:54,820
Is the President confident
that the Secret Service is

845
00:40:54,819 --> 00:40:57,319
getting better under
Director Clancy?

846
00:40:57,321 --> 00:40:58,891
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
Kristen, as I think the

847
00:40:58,889 --> 00:41:01,329
Secret Service can tell you,
that this backlog has been

848
00:41:01,325 --> 00:41:03,495
reduced to less
than a dozen.

849
00:41:03,494 --> 00:41:05,394
And that reflects the
priority that they have

850
00:41:05,396 --> 00:41:09,366
placed on not just hiring
more personnel, but making

851
00:41:09,366 --> 00:41:13,876
sure that those personnel
have undergone the

852
00:41:13,871 --> 00:41:18,511
background checks and other
measures that are necessary

853
00:41:18,509 --> 00:41:20,749
to fulfill their
responsibilities.

854
00:41:20,744 --> 00:41:21,544
Kevin.

855
00:41:21,545 --> 00:41:23,785
The Press: Josh, thanks.

856
00:41:23,781 --> 00:41:26,081
Affordable Care Act --
earlier today, we heard

857
00:41:26,083 --> 00:41:30,483
Congressman Ryan sort
of grill, if you will,

858
00:41:30,487 --> 00:41:31,387
Secretary Burwell.

859
00:41:31,388 --> 00:41:34,028
And he essentially
said something about a

860
00:41:34,024 --> 00:41:35,964
one-sentence fix.

861
00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:38,100
Is the President simply
going to trot out this

862
00:41:38,095 --> 00:41:42,095
one-sentence fix, or is he
going to work with Congress

863
00:41:42,099 --> 00:41:46,039
and broaden his approach
if the court rules

864
00:41:46,036 --> 00:41:48,436
against Burwell?

865
00:41:48,439 --> 00:41:50,239
Your reaction to that?

866
00:41:50,241 --> 00:41:51,911
Mr. Earnest: Well, Kevin,
to be clear, the only issue

867
00:41:51,909 --> 00:41:54,409
that's before the Supreme
Court right now is whether

868
00:41:54,411 --> 00:41:58,411
Americans in every state are
eligible for tax credits.

869
00:41:58,415 --> 00:42:00,415
The President believes
that they are.

870
00:42:00,417 --> 00:42:02,417
The Republican staffers who
worked on this legislation

871
00:42:02,419 --> 00:42:05,019
believes that every American
should be eligible for those

872
00:42:05,022 --> 00:42:06,292
tax credits.

873
00:42:06,290 --> 00:42:08,860
And that, frankly, is a
problem that can be fixed

874
00:42:08,859 --> 00:42:12,159
directly by Congress
in a one-sentence bill.

875
00:42:12,162 --> 00:42:14,932
And Republicans who are
resisting that solution --

876
00:42:14,932 --> 00:42:17,902
if it's needed -- are
Republicans who have already

877
00:42:17,902 --> 00:42:20,272
voted 50 times to try
to dismantle the law.

878
00:42:20,271 --> 00:42:23,271
So their opposition to an
easy fix for the Affordable

879
00:42:23,274 --> 00:42:26,144
Care Act is not
at all a surprise.

880
00:42:26,143 --> 00:42:31,013
The Press: How concerned
are you about rising costs?

881
00:42:31,015 --> 00:42:35,085
We read reports about
double-digit premium

882
00:42:35,085 --> 00:42:37,825
proposed hikes coming up and
how that might impact the

883
00:42:37,821 --> 00:42:39,191
American people.

884
00:42:39,189 --> 00:42:40,629
Mr. Earnest: Kevin, thanks
to the Affordable Care Act,

885
00:42:40,624 --> 00:42:42,594
those insurance companies
that are considering a

886
00:42:42,593 --> 00:42:44,863
double-digit increase in
premiums are forced to

887
00:42:44,862 --> 00:42:46,932
disclose those
plans in advance.

888
00:42:46,931 --> 00:42:49,001
They're subjected to
intense scrutiny by

889
00:42:48,999 --> 00:42:49,939
state regulators.

890
00:42:49,934 --> 00:42:52,204
And that's why, over the
last two or three years that

891
00:42:52,202 --> 00:42:54,302
the Affordable Care Act has
been in place, we've seen

892
00:42:54,305 --> 00:42:57,675
insurance companies regularly reduce those increases.

893
00:42:57,675 --> 00:43:00,615
And in fact, the overall
numbers bear this out; that

894
00:43:00,611 --> 00:43:03,751
since the Affordable Care
Act went into effect, we

895
00:43:03,747 --> 00:43:05,847
have actually seen the
slowest growth in health

896
00:43:05,849 --> 00:43:08,449
care costs in
recorded history.

897
00:43:08,452 --> 00:43:10,452
It's our view that that's
not a coincidence.

898
00:43:10,454 --> 00:43:12,624
The Press: I'd like to ask
you about something you said

899
00:43:12,623 --> 00:43:15,723
earlier about Iraq, before I
ask you one question

900
00:43:15,726 --> 00:43:16,926
about Iran.

901
00:43:16,927 --> 00:43:18,927
You said, in Ramadi -- and
I've heard you say this

902
00:43:18,929 --> 00:43:20,929
previously -- that
it was a setback.

903
00:43:20,931 --> 00:43:23,001
Given what's happened in
Mosul, given what's happened

904
00:43:23,000 --> 00:43:28,370
in Ramadi, were the same
fate to come to Baghdad,

905
00:43:28,372 --> 00:43:32,542
would you describe
that as a setback?

906
00:43:32,543 --> 00:43:37,613
Mr. Earnest: Well, Kevin,
it's our view that it's

907
00:43:37,614 --> 00:43:40,354
necessary for the Iraqi
government and the Iraqi

908
00:43:40,351 --> 00:43:43,851
security forces to take the
fight on the ground to ISIL.

909
00:43:43,854 --> 00:43:45,854
And there have been areas
where they made

910
00:43:45,856 --> 00:43:46,856
important progress.

911
00:43:46,857 --> 00:43:49,297
I mentioned Baghdadi, a
town in Anbar, earlier.

912
00:43:49,293 --> 00:43:51,733
There have been other
places, like Tikrit and

913
00:43:51,729 --> 00:43:54,769
Haditha, where we have seen
Iraqi security forces drive

914
00:43:54,765 --> 00:43:57,365
ISIL out of those towns.

915
00:43:57,368 --> 00:44:00,308
And that represents
important progress.

916
00:44:00,304 --> 00:44:06,814
What we've also seen is,
those forces that did have

917
00:44:06,810 --> 00:44:12,120
to retreat from Ramadi were
able to, essentially, to

918
00:44:12,116 --> 00:44:16,316
reorganize themselves
outside of Ramadi.

919
00:44:16,320 --> 00:44:22,690
And they've been subjected
to some ISIL attacks, but

920
00:44:22,693 --> 00:44:25,833
they have so far been able
to, generally speaking,

921
00:44:25,829 --> 00:44:27,969
withstand many
of those attacks.

922
00:44:27,965 --> 00:44:30,435
And what they're trying to
do is to reorganize and

923
00:44:30,434 --> 00:44:33,904
reconstitute themselves, and
prepare to retake Ramadi and

924
00:44:33,904 --> 00:44:37,504
ultimately drive ISIL
out of Anbar Province.

925
00:44:37,508 --> 00:44:40,448
And there is no doubt that
the Iraqi security forces

926
00:44:40,444 --> 00:44:42,444
and those forces that are
operating under the command

927
00:44:42,446 --> 00:44:44,446
and control of the Iraqi
central government have

928
00:44:44,448 --> 00:44:46,448
their work cut out for them
-- have their work cut out

929
00:44:46,450 --> 00:44:48,550
for them as they pursue
this important task.

930
00:44:48,552 --> 00:44:51,052
The Press: Lastly, I'd like
to ask you about comments

931
00:44:51,055 --> 00:44:54,195
made by General Flynn and
his testimony that the

932
00:44:54,191 --> 00:44:56,491
administration's Iran
strategy is wishful thinking.

933
00:44:56,493 --> 00:44:59,433
He said -- and I'm quoting
now -- "Once these sanctions

934
00:44:59,430 --> 00:45:02,530
are lifted, we've seen I
think, really since 2013,

935
00:45:02,533 --> 00:45:04,333
the genie is out
of the bottle.

936
00:45:04,334 --> 00:45:07,134
And you know the phrase
'snap-back sanctions'?

937
00:45:07,137 --> 00:45:09,677
Well, that's
wishful thinking."

938
00:45:09,673 --> 00:45:11,673
Your reaction to the
General's comments?

939
00:45:11,675 --> 00:45:13,675
Mr. Earnest: Well, we've
been very clear about

940
00:45:13,677 --> 00:45:16,417
exactly what we envision,
and that is diplomatic

941
00:45:16,413 --> 00:45:18,813
negotiations that are
carried out to prevent Iran

942
00:45:18,816 --> 00:45:20,816
from obtaining a
nuclear weapon.

943
00:45:20,818 --> 00:45:25,988
And in exchange for Iran
taking very specific steps

944
00:45:25,989 --> 00:45:28,359
-- steps that can be
verified -- to shut down

945
00:45:28,358 --> 00:45:30,798
every pathway they have to a
nuclear weapon, the United

946
00:45:30,794 --> 00:45:33,134
States and the international
community would begin to

947
00:45:33,130 --> 00:45:37,030
offer sanctions relief on
sanctions that had been

948
00:45:37,034 --> 00:45:38,804
specifically imposed on Iran
because of their

949
00:45:38,802 --> 00:45:40,742
nuclear program.

950
00:45:40,737 --> 00:45:43,737
And that is, after all, why
the sanctions were put in

951
00:45:43,740 --> 00:45:46,780
place in the first place,
which is to compel Iran to

952
00:45:46,777 --> 00:45:49,217
come to the negotiating
table and cease their

953
00:45:49,213 --> 00:45:51,953
pursuit of a nuclear weapon.

954
00:45:51,949 --> 00:45:55,049
And that's exactly the way
that this was designed to work.

955
00:45:55,052 --> 00:45:58,322
It certainly will not
resolve all of the concerns

956
00:45:58,322 --> 00:46:01,592
that we have with
Iran's behavior.

957
00:46:01,592 --> 00:46:03,632
We're going to continue to
have concerns with the way

958
00:46:03,627 --> 00:46:07,267
that Iran has engaged in
destabilizing activities

959
00:46:07,264 --> 00:46:08,564
throughout the region.

960
00:46:08,565 --> 00:46:10,165
We're going to continue to
have concerns with Iran's

961
00:46:10,167 --> 00:46:11,297
support for terrorism.

962
00:46:11,301 --> 00:46:13,571
We're going to continue to
have concerns with the way

963
00:46:13,570 --> 00:46:16,740
that Iran menaces the
closest ally of the United

964
00:46:16,740 --> 00:46:18,280
States in the Middle East.

965
00:46:18,275 --> 00:46:21,515
But it is a priority for
us to prevent Iran from

966
00:46:21,512 --> 00:46:22,742
obtaining a nuclear weapon.

967
00:46:22,746 --> 00:46:25,586
And the sanctions regime
that we have put in place

968
00:46:25,582 --> 00:46:28,722
has worked in terms of
compelling Iran to come to

969
00:46:28,719 --> 00:46:30,559
the negotiating table.

970
00:46:30,554 --> 00:46:32,924
And hopefully we'll find
out, sometime around the end

971
00:46:32,923 --> 00:46:38,393
of June, whether or not Iran
is going to be serious about

972
00:46:38,395 --> 00:46:40,895
committing to shutting down
every pathway they have to a

973
00:46:40,898 --> 00:46:44,368
nuclear weapon, and
cooperating with the most

974
00:46:44,368 --> 00:46:46,568
intrusive set of inspections
that have ever been imposed

975
00:46:46,570 --> 00:46:48,640
on a country's nuclear
program to verify their

976
00:46:48,639 --> 00:46:50,109
compliance with
the agreement.

977
00:46:50,107 --> 00:46:52,047
The Press: So the General
got it wrong when he said

978
00:46:52,042 --> 00:46:52,842
"wishful thinking?"

979
00:46:52,843 --> 00:46:54,283
Mr. Earnest: Well, I didn't
see the General's comments.

980
00:46:54,278 --> 00:46:55,778
Nadia.

981
00:46:55,779 --> 00:46:57,379
The Press: I just
interviewed Salim

982
00:46:57,381 --> 00:47:00,481
al-Jabouri, the Speaker of
the Iraqi Parliament, who is

983
00:47:00,484 --> 00:47:02,554
meeting with the President
and the Vice President on

984
00:47:02,553 --> 00:47:03,583
Friday, I believe.

985
00:47:03,587 --> 00:47:05,787
He said that any arms that
you've given to the central

986
00:47:05,789 --> 00:47:08,489
government, you have to make
sure that it will reach the

987
00:47:08,492 --> 00:47:10,392
Sunni tribes in Anbar.

988
00:47:10,394 --> 00:47:12,334
What mechanism do you have
to make sure that actually

989
00:47:12,329 --> 00:47:13,929
they will receive
these arms?

990
00:47:13,931 --> 00:47:16,601
Because they are at the
forefront of fighting ISIS

991
00:47:16,600 --> 00:47:17,770
in Anbar.

992
00:47:17,768 --> 00:47:20,138
And why not arm them
independently, just like

993
00:47:20,137 --> 00:47:21,107
the Peshmergas?

994
00:47:21,104 --> 00:47:23,774
They've been working with
for a while by themselves.

995
00:47:23,774 --> 00:47:26,474
Mr. Earnest: Nadia, what we
have indicated is that when

996
00:47:26,476 --> 00:47:31,046
it comes to providing
equipment and materiel to

997
00:47:31,048 --> 00:47:33,048
fighters that are operating
under the command and

998
00:47:33,050 --> 00:47:35,290
control of the Iraqi central
government, that those are

999
00:47:35,285 --> 00:47:37,485
weapons that will be
provided in coordination and

1000
00:47:37,487 --> 00:47:40,257
under the supervision of the
Iraqi central government.

1001
00:47:40,257 --> 00:47:42,157
Now that is one of the
things that we actually

1002
00:47:42,159 --> 00:47:44,399
believe that we'll be able
to do at Taqaddum Air Base,

1003
00:47:44,394 --> 00:47:47,064
which is to be able to work
closely with the Iraqi

1004
00:47:47,064 --> 00:47:49,904
central government
and with U.S.

1005
00:47:49,900 --> 00:47:54,970
military and coalition
military officials to make

1006
00:47:54,972 --> 00:47:58,312
more efficient the delivery
of equipment and materiel to

1007
00:47:58,308 --> 00:48:00,448
Sunni tribal fighters that
have been recruited into

1008
00:48:00,444 --> 00:48:01,544
the fight.

1009
00:48:01,545 --> 00:48:03,545
These are Sunni fighters
that have been recruited by

1010
00:48:03,547 --> 00:48:04,547
the Abadi government.

1011
00:48:04,548 --> 00:48:06,548
These are Sunni fighters
that will benefit from some

1012
00:48:06,550 --> 00:48:09,290
of the advice and
assistance of U.S.

1013
00:48:09,286 --> 00:48:10,626
military personnel.

1014
00:48:10,621 --> 00:48:13,921
And these are Sunni tribal
fighters that will be

1015
00:48:13,924 --> 00:48:15,794
fighting under the command
and control of the Iraqi

1016
00:48:15,792 --> 00:48:16,832
central government.

1017
00:48:16,827 --> 00:48:20,127
And that is how those
individuals will be able to

1018
00:48:20,130 --> 00:48:24,670
get access to weapons,
equipment, and materiel.

1019
00:48:24,668 --> 00:48:27,368
And we believe that by more
efficiently providing that

1020
00:48:27,371 --> 00:48:29,371
equipment, that they'll
be more effective

1021
00:48:29,373 --> 00:48:30,973
on the battlefield.

1022
00:48:30,974 --> 00:48:32,814
The Press: So you're
creating a Sahwa style just

1023
00:48:32,809 --> 00:48:35,349
like the previous
administration trying to

1024
00:48:35,345 --> 00:48:38,615
fight ISIS or, al Qaeda
in Iraq previously?

1025
00:48:38,615 --> 00:48:40,255
Mr. Earnest: When I'm
trying to create a what?

1026
00:48:40,250 --> 00:48:42,920
The Press: A Sahwa, which is
a similar model of what was

1027
00:48:42,919 --> 00:48:46,059
done before to make sure
that these Sunni tribes are

1028
00:48:46,056 --> 00:48:48,826
able to stand up to
ISIS by themselves.

1029
00:48:48,825 --> 00:48:50,325
Mr. Earnest: I haven't
heard that term before.

1030
00:48:50,327 --> 00:48:53,867
But in terms of our
strategy, what we have done

1031
00:48:53,864 --> 00:49:00,474
is to provide equipment and
materiel to those fighters

1032
00:49:00,470 --> 00:49:03,570
that are operating under the
command and control of the

1033
00:49:03,573 --> 00:49:07,443
Iraqi central government in
cooperation with the Iraqi

1034
00:49:07,444 --> 00:49:09,384
central government
in that effort.

1035
00:49:09,379 --> 00:49:10,479
The Press: One last
question on Syria.

1036
00:49:10,480 --> 00:49:13,650
We just had four officials
in the conference call just

1037
00:49:13,650 --> 00:49:17,720
now, and the theme was your
strategy of fighting ISIS,

1038
00:49:17,721 --> 00:49:20,021
yet we have not heard
anything about Syria.

1039
00:49:20,023 --> 00:49:24,093
Some reports say that ISIS
control 50 percent of

1040
00:49:24,094 --> 00:49:27,734
(inaudible) in Syria.

1041
00:49:27,731 --> 00:49:30,431
Can you ever succeed in
fighting ISIS in Iraq

1042
00:49:30,434 --> 00:49:34,874
without really having a --
strategy for fighting ISIL?

1043
00:49:34,871 --> 00:49:37,011
Mr. Earnest: Well, what we
believe is true about both

1044
00:49:37,007 --> 00:49:42,077
Iraq and Syria, Nadia, is
that these are fights that

1045
00:49:42,079 --> 00:49:45,419
the United States will not
take on on our own, and it's

1046
00:49:45,415 --> 00:49:49,385
not a commitment that we'll
take on -- or that we will

1047
00:49:49,386 --> 00:49:52,826
bear for local populations;
that ultimately, our

1048
00:49:52,823 --> 00:49:56,163
strategy is predicated on
building up the capacity

1049
00:49:56,159 --> 00:49:59,959
of Iraqi fighters in Iraq
and Syrian fighters in Syria

1050
00:49:59,963 --> 00:50:03,303
to take the fight on
the ground to ISIL.

1051
00:50:03,300 --> 00:50:06,140
In Syria, the challenge is
more significant, simply

1052
00:50:06,136 --> 00:50:09,506
because we do not have an
obvious capable fighting

1053
00:50:09,506 --> 00:50:12,246
force on the ground with
which we can coordinate

1054
00:50:12,242 --> 00:50:13,582
in Syria.

1055
00:50:13,577 --> 00:50:17,647
That is why our efforts have
been focused on recruiting

1056
00:50:17,647 --> 00:50:20,517
members of the Syrian
opposition, putting them

1057
00:50:20,517 --> 00:50:23,957
through coalition-led
training programs that are

1058
00:50:23,954 --> 00:50:27,394
operating at bases
throughout the region, and

1059
00:50:27,391 --> 00:50:29,561
then deploying them to the
fight on the ground

1060
00:50:29,559 --> 00:50:31,499
against ISIL.

1061
00:50:31,495 --> 00:50:34,165
So obviously, there is a
significantly longer ramp-up

1062
00:50:34,164 --> 00:50:37,034
period in recruiting those
individuals, organizing

1063
00:50:37,033 --> 00:50:39,073
them, training them, and
then putting them

1064
00:50:39,069 --> 00:50:40,269
into the fight.

1065
00:50:40,270 --> 00:50:42,640
The other challenge that
they face in Syria is that

1066
00:50:42,639 --> 00:50:44,779
the local government in
Syria is actually hostile to

1067
00:50:44,775 --> 00:50:47,545
their efforts.

1068
00:50:47,544 --> 00:50:49,684
And that's obviously a very
different situation than the

1069
00:50:49,679 --> 00:50:52,219
one that we face in Iraq,
where we have already an

1070
00:50:52,215 --> 00:50:55,815
organized Iraqi security
force and we have a central

1071
00:50:55,819 --> 00:50:57,919
government with whom we can
effectively coordinate

1072
00:50:57,921 --> 00:50:59,221
our efforts.

1073
00:50:59,222 --> 00:51:01,962
So that's why, even though
the challenge that we face

1074
00:51:01,958 --> 00:51:08,528
in Iraq and Syria is
significant, we have some

1075
00:51:08,532 --> 00:51:10,532
greater advantages inside
of Iraq that we've already

1076
00:51:10,534 --> 00:51:12,134
capitalized on.

1077
00:51:12,135 --> 00:51:14,835
The challenge that we face
in Syria is complicated by

1078
00:51:14,838 --> 00:51:18,208
the fact that we don't have
that obvious local fighting

1079
00:51:18,208 --> 00:51:20,508
force with whom
we can coordinate.

1080
00:51:20,510 --> 00:51:22,310
But it's one we're obviously
seeking to establish through

1081
00:51:22,312 --> 00:51:23,912
our training program.

1082
00:51:23,914 --> 00:51:24,914
Jon.

1083
00:51:24,915 --> 00:51:26,485
The Press: A couple
of quick follow-ups.

1084
00:51:26,483 --> 00:51:28,123
First on Iraq.

1085
00:51:28,118 --> 00:51:31,788
Is the idea of
deploying JTACs, these

1086
00:51:31,788 --> 00:51:34,358
forward-deployed troops
that would help call in

1087
00:51:34,357 --> 00:51:36,957
airstrikes, is that
something that is still

1088
00:51:36,960 --> 00:51:38,600
on the table and under
consideration?

1089
00:51:38,595 --> 00:51:40,365
Mr. Earnest: Jon, what the
President has said is that

1090
00:51:40,363 --> 00:51:44,873
this is a tactic that he
would be willing to consider

1091
00:51:44,868 --> 00:51:48,908
at the recommendation of his
national security team and

1092
00:51:48,905 --> 00:51:51,405
principally his
military advisors.

1093
00:51:51,408 --> 00:51:54,108
That continues to be the
case, but that is not

1094
00:51:54,110 --> 00:51:56,680
something that the President
at this point has approved.

1095
00:51:56,680 --> 00:51:59,350
The Press: Did he consider
it when he made this move?

1096
00:51:59,349 --> 00:52:02,289
Was that one of the menu of
options that he decided not

1097
00:52:02,285 --> 00:52:03,325
to do at this point?

1098
00:52:03,320 --> 00:52:05,060
Mr. Earnest: At this point,
I won't get into the advice

1099
00:52:05,055 --> 00:52:06,795
that the President has
received from his national

1100
00:52:06,790 --> 00:52:07,620
security team.

1101
00:52:07,624 --> 00:52:08,054
The Press: Okay.

1102
00:52:08,058 --> 00:52:11,198
And then a quick
follow-up on trade.

1103
00:52:11,194 --> 00:52:13,294
You said you want -- you're
predicting a bipartisan

1104
00:52:13,296 --> 00:52:14,296
majority, right?

1105
00:52:14,297 --> 00:52:14,827
Mr. Earnest: Yes.

1106
00:52:14,831 --> 00:52:16,971
The Press: Is there any
way to quantify just how

1107
00:52:16,967 --> 00:52:17,967
confident you are?

1108
00:52:17,968 --> 00:52:19,098
Is this a slam-dunk?

1109
00:52:19,102 --> 00:52:21,772
Is this you're
kind of confident?

1110
00:52:21,771 --> 00:52:23,071
Just how confident are you?

1111
00:52:23,073 --> 00:52:27,573
Mr. Earnest: Well, outbreaks
of bipartisanship in the

1112
00:52:27,577 --> 00:52:29,417
House of Representatives in
the last couple of years

1113
00:52:29,412 --> 00:52:33,412
have not been common, so
that's why I would not

1114
00:52:33,416 --> 00:52:35,616
characterize it
as a slam-dunk.

1115
00:52:35,619 --> 00:52:40,419
But, to be more optimistic,
we have seen a sustained

1116
00:52:40,423 --> 00:52:42,423
commitment on the part
of both Democrats and

1117
00:52:42,425 --> 00:52:48,495
Republicans in the House to
pursuing the passage of this

1118
00:52:48,498 --> 00:52:51,668
legislation in a spirit
of bipartisanship.

1119
00:52:51,668 --> 00:52:53,838
And that's something that
we've been gratified by.

1120
00:52:53,837 --> 00:52:56,507
Now, their work is
cut out for them.

1121
00:52:56,506 --> 00:52:58,506
And, look, here's
the other thing.

1122
00:52:58,508 --> 00:53:01,008
Even in the most functional
of Congresses, trying the

1123
00:53:01,011 --> 00:53:04,681
work across the party aisle
is difficult, particularly

1124
00:53:04,681 --> 00:53:06,681
when it comes to something
as complicated as trade policy.

1125
00:53:06,683 --> 00:53:10,853
But what I would say is that
we continue to be confident

1126
00:53:10,854 --> 00:53:13,054
that Democrats and
Republicans can work

1127
00:53:13,056 --> 00:53:15,596
together to build a
bipartisan majority to pass

1128
00:53:15,592 --> 00:53:16,592
this legislation.

1129
00:53:16,593 --> 00:53:18,593
The Press: Do you expect to
get more than 10 percent of

1130
00:53:18,595 --> 00:53:19,595
the Democratic caucus?

1131
00:53:19,596 --> 00:53:22,196
I mean, the President has
been working hard on this

1132
00:53:22,198 --> 00:53:24,598
and -- pretty
forcefully on it.

1133
00:53:24,601 --> 00:53:26,371
I mean, is he going to have
more than one out of 10

1134
00:53:26,369 --> 00:53:27,239
Democrats to vote?

1135
00:53:27,237 --> 00:53:28,677
Mr. Earnest: What we're
focused on is making sure we

1136
00:53:28,672 --> 00:53:29,972
get a majority of the House.

1137
00:53:29,973 --> 00:53:33,613
And we recognize that in
order to get a majority for

1138
00:53:33,610 --> 00:53:35,080
this bill it's going to
require the support of

1139
00:53:35,078 --> 00:53:36,548
Democrats and Republicans.

1140
00:53:36,546 --> 00:53:38,346
But at this point, I don't
have a breakdown of how many

1141
00:53:38,348 --> 00:53:39,948
Democrats and Republicans
will be involved on the

1142
00:53:39,950 --> 00:53:42,150
"yes" side of the
aisle at this point.

1143
00:53:42,152 --> 00:53:42,552
The Press: Okay.

1144
00:53:42,552 --> 00:53:44,952
And did you get an answer
for us as to who was it that

1145
00:53:44,955 --> 00:53:47,325
covered up the television
cameras in here and why?

1146
00:53:47,324 --> 00:53:48,494
Mr. Earnest: I don't.

1147
00:53:48,491 --> 00:53:49,991
I don't have an
answer to you on that.

1148
00:53:49,993 --> 00:53:51,263
The Press: Can you
take that question?

1149
00:53:51,261 --> 00:53:52,761
Mr. Earnest: Well, again,
I'd refer that question to

1150
00:53:52,762 --> 00:53:55,162
the Secret Service.

1151
00:53:55,165 --> 00:53:56,495
John.

1152
00:53:56,499 --> 00:53:57,669
The Press: Thank
you very much, Josh.

1153
00:53:57,667 --> 00:53:59,737
Two questions on
the foreign front.

1154
00:53:59,736 --> 00:54:04,306
First, recently, a Russian
state-owned television

1155
00:54:04,307 --> 00:54:06,747
network has run
a controversial,

1156
00:54:06,743 --> 00:54:11,243
well-publicized documentary
concluding that from

1157
00:54:11,247 --> 00:54:15,917
declassified documents, the
decision to send tanks into

1158
00:54:15,919 --> 00:54:20,419
Czechoslovakia in 1968 was
to thwart a NATO uprising,

1159
00:54:20,423 --> 00:54:25,263
not, as we believed all
these years, to thwart an

1160
00:54:25,261 --> 00:54:28,661
uprising by the people of
Czechoslovakia against

1161
00:54:28,665 --> 00:54:29,665
Russian control.

1162
00:54:29,666 --> 00:54:32,436
This has been written about
in many publications,

1163
00:54:32,435 --> 00:54:35,805
including the Financial
Times -- and denounced, by

1164
00:54:35,805 --> 00:54:39,075
the way, by the Czech and
Slovak governments now.

1165
00:54:39,075 --> 00:54:41,045
Is the administration
aware of this?

1166
00:54:41,044 --> 00:54:45,044
And does it have an opinion
on this kind of broadcast?

1167
00:54:45,048 --> 00:54:45,878
Mr. Earnest: John, I'm
sure somebody in the

1168
00:54:45,882 --> 00:54:48,552
administration is aware
of this, but I'm not.

1169
00:54:48,551 --> 00:54:50,421
And, again, I missed my
copy of the

1170
00:54:50,420 --> 00:54:51,720
Financial Times today.

1171
00:54:51,721 --> 00:54:53,391
But we'll see if we
can get you a response.

1172
00:54:53,390 --> 00:54:53,990
The Press: Thank you.

1173
00:54:53,990 --> 00:54:57,230
And the other question is
this: Last Thursday, the

1174
00:54:57,227 --> 00:55:01,497
IMF's Managing Director,
Christine Lagarde, assured

1175
00:55:01,498 --> 00:55:04,698
reporters that in all
likelihood there would be no

1176
00:55:04,701 --> 00:55:05,971
impact on the U.S.

1177
00:55:05,969 --> 00:55:09,269
economy by a Greek default,
however she said -- and I

1178
00:55:09,272 --> 00:55:13,342
quote -- "I say this with
a very strong caveat."

1179
00:55:13,343 --> 00:55:16,583
Is that something the
administration agrees with?

1180
00:55:16,579 --> 00:55:19,179
Mr. Earnest: I didn't see
Ms. Lagarde's comments, but

1181
00:55:19,182 --> 00:55:22,652
I can tell you what we've
said about this, which is

1182
00:55:22,652 --> 00:55:26,792
that we are concerned about
the impact that a Greek

1183
00:55:26,790 --> 00:55:29,060
default could have on the
broader international

1184
00:55:29,059 --> 00:55:33,999
economy, and things
that contribute to some

1185
00:55:33,997 --> 00:55:36,567
volatility in the
international economy often

1186
00:55:36,566 --> 00:55:38,666
have an impact on the U.S. economy.

1187
00:55:38,668 --> 00:55:41,308
The Press: On American
economy as well?

1188
00:55:41,304 --> 00:55:43,244
Mr. Earnest: That's what
I said -- on the U.S. economy.

1189
00:55:43,239 --> 00:55:46,839
So that's why you've seen
so much engagement from the

1190
00:55:46,843 --> 00:55:51,113
Treasury Department to try
to bring the Greeks and

1191
00:55:51,114 --> 00:55:53,384
their partners together to
resolve their differences in

1192
00:55:53,383 --> 00:55:57,783
a way that will not
contribute to instability

1193
00:55:57,787 --> 00:55:59,327
either in the European
economy or even in the

1194
00:55:59,322 --> 00:56:00,562
global economy.

1195
00:56:00,557 --> 00:56:04,127
And the President had the
opportunity to discuss this

1196
00:56:04,127 --> 00:56:07,427
a little bit at the G7, and
we continue to be heartened

1197
00:56:07,430 --> 00:56:10,200
by the fact that everybody
seems to recognize that

1198
00:56:10,200 --> 00:56:15,270
resolving the situation
without -- prior to the

1199
00:56:15,271 --> 00:56:18,011
deadline is in the interests
of all the parties that are

1200
00:56:18,007 --> 00:56:19,277
involved in the talks.

1201
00:56:19,275 --> 00:56:20,945
So hopefully
they'll succeed.

1202
00:56:20,944 --> 00:56:22,614
The Press: And no decision
yet or announcement about a

1203
00:56:22,612 --> 00:56:26,382
visit by Prime Minister
Tsipras to the United States?

1204
00:56:26,382 --> 00:56:27,922
Mr. Earnest: No, I don't
have any announcement

1205
00:56:27,917 --> 00:56:29,087
about that.

1206
00:56:29,085 --> 00:56:30,055
Mark.

1207
00:56:30,053 --> 00:56:32,723
The Press: Josh, also this
morning, Speaker Boehner

1208
00:56:32,722 --> 00:56:37,462
called on the President
to submit a revised AUMF,

1209
00:56:37,460 --> 00:56:40,700
saying that the one that's
up there now isn't adequate

1210
00:56:40,697 --> 00:56:43,397
to the situation that's
going on in Iraq.

1211
00:56:43,399 --> 00:56:46,299
Is that something you're
giving any consideration to?

1212
00:56:46,302 --> 00:56:47,032
Mr. Earnest: No.

1213
00:56:47,036 --> 00:56:49,506
What we've been very clear,
Mark, is that the President

1214
00:56:49,506 --> 00:56:54,716
has called on Congress to
pass an ISIL-only AUMF.

1215
00:56:54,711 --> 00:56:57,711
The President has negotiated
extensively with Democrats

1216
00:56:57,714 --> 00:57:00,014
and Republicans in Congress
about what should be

1217
00:57:00,016 --> 00:57:02,086
included in that AUMF.

1218
00:57:02,085 --> 00:57:04,425
The President directed his
national security team to

1219
00:57:04,420 --> 00:57:08,220
write up draft AUMF
legislation to send to

1220
00:57:08,224 --> 00:57:10,224
Congress as a starting
point for negotiations.

1221
00:57:10,226 --> 00:57:12,496
The President directed
members of his national

1222
00:57:12,495 --> 00:57:14,495
security team, including the
Secretary of State and the

1223
00:57:14,497 --> 00:57:17,137
Secretary of Defense, to
go to Congress to testify

1224
00:57:17,133 --> 00:57:19,133
before congressional
committees in both the House

1225
00:57:19,135 --> 00:57:24,605
and the Senate as they
discuss AUMF language.

1226
00:57:24,607 --> 00:57:27,377
At some point, the Speaker
of the House needs to take

1227
00:57:27,377 --> 00:57:34,817
responsibility for
fulfilling the basic duty of

1228
00:57:34,818 --> 00:57:36,558
the United States Congress.

1229
00:57:36,553 --> 00:57:42,323
And that is, when it comes
to these kinds of matters,

1230
00:57:42,325 --> 00:57:44,565
Congress should have a
voice, and Congress,

1231
00:57:44,561 --> 00:57:47,501
frankly, shouldn't be
ducking the debate.

1232
00:57:47,497 --> 00:57:51,567
And as I mentioned
yesterday, we were gratified

1233
00:57:51,568 --> 00:57:54,438
that at least two members of
the United States Congress

1234
00:57:54,437 --> 00:57:57,277
-- in this case, Senator
Flake and Senator Kaine --

1235
00:57:57,273 --> 00:57:59,273
did take the draft
legislation that had been

1236
00:57:59,275 --> 00:58:02,245
put forward by the
administration, made some

1237
00:58:02,245 --> 00:58:04,815
edits, some reasonable
changes that reflect their

1238
00:58:04,814 --> 00:58:09,884
own views, and tried to
encourage its debate on the

1239
00:58:09,886 --> 00:58:12,126
floor of the United
States Senate.

1240
00:58:12,121 --> 00:58:17,491
That reflects some rare
bipartisan effort to fulfill

1241
00:58:17,493 --> 00:58:19,993
this important congressional
responsibility.

1242
00:58:19,996 --> 00:58:22,236
Unfortunately, the Speaker
of the House, who, arguably,

1243
00:58:22,232 --> 00:58:24,572
has more influence on that
process than anybody else,

1244
00:58:27,036 --> 00:58:32,576
is ducking the debate and
looking to shift the blame

1245
00:58:32,575 --> 00:58:35,815
for his failure to act to
the President of the

1246
00:58:35,812 --> 00:58:36,812
United States.

1247
00:58:36,813 --> 00:58:39,383
That's unfortunate.

1248
00:58:39,382 --> 00:58:40,482
Alexis.

1249
00:58:40,483 --> 00:58:41,983
The Press: Josh, I want to
follow up on your answer to

1250
00:58:41,985 --> 00:58:44,255
Jon's question, because it
came up on the conference

1251
00:58:44,254 --> 00:58:47,254
call, too, about the
spotters in Iraq.

1252
00:58:47,257 --> 00:58:50,027
On the conference call it
was sort of punted,

1253
00:58:50,026 --> 00:58:50,726
the question.

1254
00:58:50,727 --> 00:58:53,227
And your answer to Jon
seemed a little imprecise.

1255
00:58:53,229 --> 00:58:54,329
So can I just try again?

1256
00:58:54,330 --> 00:58:55,970
Mr. Earnest: Sure.

1257
00:58:55,965 --> 00:58:57,005
We're aiming for
precision here.

1258
00:58:57,000 --> 00:58:57,900
The Press: Yes, exactly.

1259
00:58:57,901 --> 00:58:59,531
So, Prime Minister Abadi,
when he was here and he

1260
00:58:59,535 --> 00:59:01,805
talked to the President
this spring, he expressed

1261
00:59:01,804 --> 00:59:07,244
publicly his feeling that
with more assistance, the

1262
00:59:07,243 --> 00:59:10,043
airstrikes could be -- his
words were "more precise

1263
00:59:10,046 --> 00:59:11,076
and effective."

1264
00:59:11,080 --> 00:59:14,650
So my question to you is,
does the President agree

1265
00:59:14,651 --> 00:59:16,691
with the Prime
Minister that with U.S.

1266
00:59:16,686 --> 00:59:20,526
help, spotters, that the
airstrikes could be more

1267
00:59:20,523 --> 00:59:24,463
precise and effective, but
that he is unwilling to okay

1268
00:59:24,460 --> 00:59:27,230
that now because of his concern about U.S. casualties?

1269
00:59:27,230 --> 00:59:30,530
Is that what's on his mind?

1270
00:59:30,533 --> 00:59:32,173
Mr. Earnest: Alexis, what's
on the President's mind is

1271
00:59:32,168 --> 00:59:35,808
that our priority right
now is on building up the

1272
00:59:35,805 --> 00:59:39,605
capacity of Iraqi fighters
on the ground to take the

1273
00:59:39,609 --> 00:59:42,879
fight to ISIL in
their own country.

1274
00:59:42,879 --> 00:59:46,379
And there's no doubt that
the reason that this

1275
00:59:46,382 --> 00:59:49,582
capability exists
to have U.S.

1276
00:59:49,585 --> 00:59:52,725
military controllers on the
ground directing airstrikes

1277
00:59:52,722 --> 00:59:57,862
makes them more precise and,
presumably, more effective.

1278
00:59:57,860 --> 01:00:03,170
But at this point
-- the fact is U.S.

1279
01:00:03,166 --> 01:00:05,906
and coalition military
airstrikes have already been

1280
01:00:05,902 --> 01:00:07,232
plenty effective.

1281
01:00:07,236 --> 01:00:11,746
We have already seen that
these kinds of airstrikes in

1282
01:00:11,741 --> 01:00:15,511
many locations have
significantly aided the

1283
01:00:15,511 --> 01:00:18,351
efforts on the ground from
Iraqi security forces.

1284
01:00:18,348 --> 01:00:21,518
And in the mind of the
President, what is most

1285
01:00:21,517 --> 01:00:27,057
lacking right now is a
sufficiently trained and

1286
01:00:27,056 --> 01:00:31,996
sufficiently equipped Iraqi
security force and Sunni

1287
01:00:31,995 --> 01:00:36,465
tribal fighters that are
taking the fight on the

1288
01:00:36,466 --> 01:00:37,466
ground to ISIL.

1289
01:00:37,467 --> 01:00:40,837
And so we want to support
the strategy that Prime

1290
01:00:40,837 --> 01:00:44,007
Minister Abadi has announced
to put more Iraqi security

1291
01:00:44,007 --> 01:00:47,177
forces through this
training, and to support the

1292
01:00:47,176 --> 01:00:49,416
efforts of the Abadi
government to recruit Sunni

1293
01:00:49,412 --> 01:00:52,952
tribal fighters, offer them
some advice and assistance

1294
01:00:52,949 --> 01:00:55,719
and equipment so that they
can take the fight to ISIL

1295
01:00:55,718 --> 01:00:57,958
on the ground as well under
the command and control of

1296
01:00:57,954 --> 01:00:59,324
the Iraqi central
government.

1297
01:00:59,322 --> 01:01:00,622
That's the
priority right now.

1298
01:01:00,623 --> 01:01:03,523
And that's the priority that
Prime Minister Abadi himself

1299
01:01:03,526 --> 01:01:06,766
has identified, and it's the
priority that the President,

1300
01:01:06,763 --> 01:01:10,233
with the announcement of
this particular mission, is

1301
01:01:10,233 --> 01:01:11,233
seeking to support.

1302
01:01:11,234 --> 01:01:14,474
The Press: Your answer to
Jon was -- suggested that

1303
01:01:14,470 --> 01:01:18,140
the President had not
received this recommendation

1304
01:01:18,141 --> 01:01:19,981
from his military advisors.

1305
01:01:19,976 --> 01:01:20,746
Is that correct?

1306
01:01:20,743 --> 01:01:22,713
Mr. Earnest: What I said to
Jon is that I wouldn't be in

1307
01:01:22,712 --> 01:01:25,952
a position of reading out
conversations or offering

1308
01:01:25,948 --> 01:01:27,948
much insight into the
private advice the President

1309
01:01:27,950 --> 01:01:29,850
is receiving from his
military advisors.

1310
01:01:29,852 --> 01:01:32,052
The Press: But if he did get
that, if he was in receipt

1311
01:01:32,055 --> 01:01:34,425
of that advice, he
would consider it.

1312
01:01:34,424 --> 01:01:35,124
Mr. Earnest: That's correct.

1313
01:01:35,124 --> 01:01:36,324
And that's something that
the President said for

1314
01:01:36,325 --> 01:01:38,065
almost a year now.

1315
01:01:38,061 --> 01:01:40,131
The Press: But then the next
shoe to drop is, did he

1316
01:01:40,129 --> 01:01:42,699
consider it and reject it --
and you are not answering

1317
01:01:42,698 --> 01:01:43,638
that question.

1318
01:01:43,633 --> 01:01:45,273
Mr. Earnest: I'm not going
to talk about what advice

1319
01:01:45,268 --> 01:01:46,738
the President may have
received from his

1320
01:01:46,736 --> 01:01:48,906
military team.

1321
01:01:48,905 --> 01:01:50,175
The Press: The second
question about Iraq, and

1322
01:01:50,173 --> 01:01:51,773
that is the $800
million from the U.N.

1323
01:01:51,774 --> 01:01:54,044
Stabilization Fund.

1324
01:01:54,043 --> 01:01:56,683
Can you add anything to what
the $800 million -- how did

1325
01:01:56,679 --> 01:01:57,919
it get arrived at?

1326
01:01:57,914 --> 01:01:59,214
Where did that come from?

1327
01:01:59,215 --> 01:02:00,415
What's the goal?

1328
01:02:00,416 --> 01:02:04,716
Anything about the U.S. commitment to that?

1329
01:02:05,288 --> 01:02:06,618
Mr. Earnest: Let me
check on that for you.

1330
01:02:06,622 --> 01:02:08,322
I think I heard a different
number than that.

1331
01:02:08,324 --> 01:02:09,564
The Press: It's $8 million.

1332
01:02:09,559 --> 01:02:10,629
Mr. Earnest: I think it's
just $8 million that's been

1333
01:02:10,626 --> 01:02:12,126
provided by the United
States to that U.N.

1334
01:02:12,128 --> 01:02:13,258
Stabilization Fund.

1335
01:02:13,262 --> 01:02:15,362
And the goal of that --
thank you, Jeff -- the goal

1336
01:02:15,364 --> 01:02:21,134
of that fund is to assist
those local communities that

1337
01:02:21,137 --> 01:02:23,877
have recently been
retaken from ISIL.

1338
01:02:23,873 --> 01:02:29,183
But again, the focal point
of our strategy here is that

1339
01:02:29,178 --> 01:02:31,318
one of the important reasons
that the United States can't

1340
01:02:31,314 --> 01:02:37,754
be in the business of
fighting ISIL for the Iraqi

1341
01:02:37,753 --> 01:02:39,753
people, the reason the
Iraqi people need to do it

1342
01:02:39,755 --> 01:02:42,725
themselves, is that this
is the sort of enduring

1343
01:02:42,725 --> 01:02:45,625
solution to trying to
address the instability that

1344
01:02:45,628 --> 01:02:47,728
we've seen there -- that
what we need are enduring

1345
01:02:47,730 --> 01:02:51,200
security forces and an
effective local government

1346
01:02:51,200 --> 01:02:56,270
to govern these communities,
to provide security for

1347
01:02:56,272 --> 01:02:59,972
these communities and allow
these communities to thrive.

1348
01:02:59,976 --> 01:03:03,746
And so what the President
believes we need to do is

1349
01:03:03,746 --> 01:03:07,386
to, of course, support local
fighters as they take the

1350
01:03:07,383 --> 01:03:08,923
fight to ISIL on the ground.

1351
01:03:08,918 --> 01:03:11,158
When they succeed, the
intelligence community needs

1352
01:03:11,154 --> 01:03:14,494
to be there to help local
governments build back the

1353
01:03:14,490 --> 01:03:17,390
capacities that ISIL may
have destroyed, or, frankly,

1354
01:03:17,393 --> 01:03:21,233
didn't exist when ISIL tried
to -- or succeeded in taking

1355
01:03:21,230 --> 01:03:22,770
them over in
the first place.

1356
01:03:22,765 --> 01:03:26,905
And so the President
does believe that these

1357
01:03:26,903 --> 01:03:27,203
international efforts to
support those communities

1358
01:03:27,203 --> 01:03:33,913
that have driven ISIL out
are critically important to

1359
01:03:33,910 --> 01:03:36,950
our long-term success, and
that's why the United States

1360
01:03:36,946 --> 01:03:38,946
has committed to
supporting them.

1361
01:03:38,948 --> 01:03:40,948
And we're going to continue
to encourage the other

1362
01:03:40,950 --> 01:03:42,950
members of our coalition to
offer up their financial

1363
01:03:42,952 --> 01:03:45,322
support for this
effort as well.

1364
01:03:45,321 --> 01:03:47,121
Dave.

1365
01:03:47,123 --> 01:03:49,593
The Press: On the OPM
breach, why does President

1366
01:03:49,592 --> 01:03:54,092
Obama plan to go forward
with giving the President

1367
01:03:54,096 --> 01:03:58,266
of China the honor of an
official state visit here

1368
01:03:58,267 --> 01:04:00,867
given not only this breach
but the thousands of other

1369
01:04:00,870 --> 01:04:03,170
cyber-attacks that this
administration has

1370
01:04:03,172 --> 01:04:06,972
documented that China has
carried out against us?

1371
01:04:06,976 --> 01:04:10,176
Mr. Earnest: Dave, as you
know, the United States has

1372
01:04:10,179 --> 01:04:16,349
not at this point identified
a perpetrator in this latest

1373
01:04:16,352 --> 01:04:21,562
reported breach of the
OPM computer system.

1374
01:04:21,557 --> 01:04:24,197
So I don't have any new
information for you on that.

1375
01:04:24,193 --> 01:04:26,193
That's something that
continues to be under

1376
01:04:26,195 --> 01:04:28,865
investigation by the FBI.

1377
01:04:28,864 --> 01:04:31,604
But as it relates more
broadly to China, we have

1378
01:04:31,601 --> 01:04:35,041
previously on a number of
occasions expressed our

1379
01:04:35,037 --> 01:04:37,137
concern to the Chinese about
some of their activities

1380
01:04:37,139 --> 01:04:38,679
in cyberspace.

1381
01:04:38,674 --> 01:04:41,314
Some of those activities
have actually resulted in a

1382
01:04:41,310 --> 01:04:45,850
Department of Justice
indictment of five Chinese

1383
01:04:45,848 --> 01:04:50,088
military members.

1384
01:04:50,086 --> 01:04:53,156
So I think that's a pretty
clear statement that we have

1385
01:04:53,155 --> 01:04:56,955
concerns broadly about some
of China's activities

1386
01:04:56,959 --> 01:04:58,699
in cyberspace.

1387
01:04:58,694 --> 01:05:00,664
What's also true is that
there are some areas where

1388
01:05:00,663 --> 01:05:04,303
we're able to coordinate
effectively with the Chinese.

1389
01:05:04,300 --> 01:05:09,570
One example is the Chinese
have been active and

1390
01:05:09,572 --> 01:05:14,412
important participants in
the P5+1 talks with Iran.

1391
01:05:14,410 --> 01:05:16,880
And we value their
contribution to that effort,

1392
01:05:16,879 --> 01:05:19,719
and they have acted
constructively, alongside

1393
01:05:19,715 --> 01:05:21,585
other members of the
international community, to

1394
01:05:21,584 --> 01:05:24,324
try to prevent Iran, through
diplomatic talks, from

1395
01:05:24,320 --> 01:05:28,820
obtaining a nuclear weapon.

1396
01:05:28,824 --> 01:05:31,594
And the President has talked
about this, too -- there are

1397
01:05:31,594 --> 01:05:33,434
going to be some areas with
China where we're able to

1398
01:05:33,429 --> 01:05:37,299
cooperate and some areas
where we're going to compete.

1399
01:05:37,300 --> 01:05:42,070
And engaging with China has
served this country well and

1400
01:05:42,071 --> 01:05:44,271
it's something that we
intend to do for the

1401
01:05:44,273 --> 01:05:45,573
foreseeable future.

1402
01:05:45,574 --> 01:05:48,414
But even in the context of
those engagements, we won't

1403
01:05:48,411 --> 01:05:51,711
shy away from raising
concerns about those areas

1404
01:05:51,714 --> 01:05:55,784
of Chinese policy that we
believe need to be changed.

1405
01:05:55,785 --> 01:05:57,785
The Press: So given that
answer, I take it there's

1406
01:05:57,787 --> 01:06:02,227
been no discussion here
about disinviting President Xi?

1407
01:06:02,224 --> 01:06:04,764
Mr. Earnest: None that I'm
aware of at this point.

1408
01:06:04,760 --> 01:06:06,000
Juliet.

1409
01:06:05,995 --> 01:06:06,825
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

1410
01:06:06,829 --> 01:06:09,329
The EPA announced today that
it considers greenhouse gas

1411
01:06:09,332 --> 01:06:11,572
emissions from aircraft a
threat to public health and

1412
01:06:11,567 --> 01:06:14,437
the environment but is
deferring any rulemaking

1413
01:06:14,437 --> 01:06:17,107
to see what a U.N.
organization does

1414
01:06:17,106 --> 01:06:19,346
first and then
will write rules.

1415
01:06:19,342 --> 01:06:22,912
I'm curious whether, given
that delay in the timeline,

1416
01:06:22,912 --> 01:06:24,852
does the administration
consider the carbon cuts

1417
01:06:24,847 --> 01:06:27,587
that ultimately would come
from this as helping meet

1418
01:06:27,583 --> 01:06:32,153
the 2025 climate goal that
the President has set out or

1419
01:06:32,154 --> 01:06:33,854
is the idea this is a
long-term project that would

1420
01:06:33,856 --> 01:06:38,896
ultimately yield carbon
cuts much later on?

1421
01:06:38,894 --> 01:06:41,264
Mr. Earnest: Well, in terms
of what impact this would

1422
01:06:41,263 --> 01:06:45,533
have in the lead up to
meeting the 2025 deadline,

1423
01:06:45,534 --> 01:06:47,874
I'm going to have to have
somebody follow up with you

1424
01:06:47,870 --> 01:06:48,870
on that.

1425
01:06:48,871 --> 01:06:50,871
What I can do is I can give
you a better explanation of

1426
01:06:50,873 --> 01:06:52,873
this process.

1427
01:06:53,943 --> 01:06:57,413
The fact is, there is an
international group -- the

1428
01:06:57,413 --> 01:07:01,213
International Civil Aviation
Organization -- that is

1429
01:07:01,217 --> 01:07:06,087
currently examining the way
in which aircraft contribute

1430
01:07:06,088 --> 01:07:10,288
to carbon pollution and is
developing carbon dioxide

1431
01:07:10,292 --> 01:07:12,892
standards for aircraft.

1432
01:07:12,895 --> 01:07:16,435
The thing I think that's
important to note is that

1433
01:07:16,432 --> 01:07:18,532
small-piston engine planes
and military aircraft would

1434
01:07:18,534 --> 01:07:20,534
be exempted from these
rules, so we're just talking

1435
01:07:20,536 --> 01:07:24,406
about commercial aircraft
principally here.

1436
01:07:24,407 --> 01:07:30,817
And I think it's a
common-sense reason why we

1437
01:07:30,813 --> 01:07:35,853
would rely on an
international standard.

1438
01:07:35,851 --> 01:07:39,921
And the reason for that
is that obviously these

1439
01:07:39,922 --> 01:07:43,722
airplanes operate in a
variety of different

1440
01:07:43,726 --> 01:07:47,996
countries in many cases, and
even the airlines themselves

1441
01:07:47,997 --> 01:07:51,237
have said that trying to
deal with a patchwork set of

1442
01:07:51,233 --> 01:07:54,503
regulations would
be untenable.

1443
01:07:54,503 --> 01:08:00,643
And that if -- so what the
EPA has announced today is

1444
01:08:00,643 --> 01:08:03,343
essentially the beginning of
an effort to lay the ground

1445
01:08:03,345 --> 01:08:08,485
work for a broader
international agreement and

1446
01:08:08,484 --> 01:08:10,824
then implementing that
agreement here in the

1447
01:08:10,820 --> 01:08:11,850
United States.

1448
01:08:11,854 --> 01:08:14,894
So I'd refer you to the EPA
for the details of that

1449
01:08:14,890 --> 01:08:20,900
implementation process and
for how the reduction in

1450
01:08:25,367 --> 01:08:29,007
carbon pollution from those
rules would contribute to

1451
01:08:29,004 --> 01:08:32,344
our broader effort to meet
some of the deadlines that

1452
01:08:32,341 --> 01:08:34,641
we've previously announced.

1453
01:08:34,643 --> 01:08:36,183
Patty, I'll give
you the last one.

1454
01:08:36,178 --> 01:08:37,008
The Press: The
President said the U.S.

1455
01:08:37,012 --> 01:08:38,512
didn't have a complete
strategy because it was

1456
01:08:38,514 --> 01:08:41,184
lacking firm commitments
from the Iraqi officials on

1457
01:08:41,183 --> 01:08:42,853
recruitment and training.

1458
01:08:42,852 --> 01:08:44,322
Does he have those
commitments now?

1459
01:08:44,320 --> 01:08:45,990
Specifically, what are they?

1460
01:08:45,988 --> 01:08:47,658
And it sounds to me like
you're saying the U.S.

1461
01:08:47,656 --> 01:08:50,396
will directly arm the Sunnis
-- you're just going to let

1462
01:08:50,392 --> 01:08:52,992
the Iraqis know that
you're doing that?

1463
01:08:52,995 --> 01:08:58,935
Mr. Earnest: On your second
question, we have made clear

1464
01:08:58,934 --> 01:09:00,374
that we want to
do two things.

1465
01:09:00,369 --> 01:09:03,939
We want to try to make
the process of providing

1466
01:09:03,939 --> 01:09:08,039
equipment and materiel to
Sunni tribal fighters that

1467
01:09:08,043 --> 01:09:10,013
are operating the command
and control of the Iraqi

1468
01:09:10,012 --> 01:09:12,012
central government
more efficient.

1469
01:09:12,014 --> 01:09:14,014
And we're looking for
ways that we can do that.

1470
01:09:14,016 --> 01:09:16,986
And we can do some of
that by establishing this

1471
01:09:16,986 --> 01:09:19,826
training, advising and
assist mission at Taqaddum

1472
01:09:19,822 --> 01:09:21,222
Air Base.

1473
01:09:21,223 --> 01:09:23,923
Second, however, is we want
to make sure that everybody

1474
01:09:23,926 --> 01:09:26,866
understands, including these
local Sunni tribal fighters,

1475
01:09:26,862 --> 01:09:29,562
that we take very seriously
the need for them to operate

1476
01:09:29,565 --> 01:09:31,565
under the command and
control of the Iraqi

1477
01:09:31,567 --> 01:09:32,567
central government.

1478
01:09:32,568 --> 01:09:35,438
And that's why the process
for providing this equipment

1479
01:09:35,437 --> 01:09:38,377
and materiel to these Sunni
fighters will be done in

1480
01:09:38,374 --> 01:09:40,814
close coordination with the
Iraqi central government.

1481
01:09:40,809 --> 01:09:44,249
So I think your description
of it might get short shrift

1482
01:09:44,246 --> 01:09:46,246
to the important role that
the Iraqi central government

1483
01:09:46,248 --> 01:09:49,288
would play in
that transaction.

1484
01:09:49,285 --> 01:09:52,685
More broadly, the President
I think was pretty blunt in

1485
01:09:52,688 --> 01:09:55,328
the news conference that he
did -- that he convened on

1486
01:09:55,324 --> 01:10:02,894
Monday about the fact that
right now the capacity that

1487
01:10:02,898 --> 01:10:10,508
we have to train Iraqi
fighters is larger than the

1488
01:10:10,506 --> 01:10:14,176
number of recruits
that we have right now.

1489
01:10:14,176 --> 01:10:18,146
What we are hopeful of is
that by establishing this

1490
01:10:18,147 --> 01:10:22,147
specific mission at Taqaddum
Air Base in Anbar Province,

1491
01:10:22,151 --> 01:10:25,691
that we can actually
facilitate the recruitment

1492
01:10:25,688 --> 01:10:28,258
of local Sunni tribal fighters by the Abadi government.

1493
01:10:28,257 --> 01:10:35,067
To be blunt about it, by
training -- by opening this

1494
01:10:35,064 --> 01:10:37,964
training mission essentially
in the neighborhood where we

1495
01:10:37,967 --> 01:10:42,007
want these Sunni tribal
fighters to fight, we can

1496
01:10:42,004 --> 01:10:46,404
make it easier for them to
get training and equipment

1497
01:10:46,408 --> 01:10:49,078
in Anbar Province, and then
go carry out the fight in

1498
01:10:49,078 --> 01:10:50,078
Anbar Province.

1499
01:10:50,079 --> 01:10:54,519
By shrinking that distance,
we can hopefully make it

1500
01:10:54,516 --> 01:10:57,686
easier for the Abadi
government to recruit

1501
01:10:57,686 --> 01:10:59,126
those fighters.

1502
01:10:59,121 --> 01:11:03,021
The other thing that we
hope is that by, again,

1503
01:11:03,025 --> 01:11:05,925
establishing the training
mission closer to the areas

1504
01:11:05,928 --> 01:11:08,428
where the fighting is
occurring, we can make it

1505
01:11:08,430 --> 01:11:11,530
more easier and more
efficient for specific Iraqi

1506
01:11:11,533 --> 01:11:13,803
security forces to go
through this training

1507
01:11:13,802 --> 01:11:18,012
process and then be deployed
to the fight more promptly

1508
01:11:18,007 --> 01:11:19,477
and more efficiently.

1509
01:11:19,475 --> 01:11:21,015
The Press: But the President
said he needed firm commitment.

1510
01:11:21,010 --> 01:11:22,750
So did you get those?

1511
01:11:22,745 --> 01:11:24,345
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
what the President was

1512
01:11:24,346 --> 01:11:31,386
talking about is evidence
of the Abadi government

1513
01:11:31,387 --> 01:11:33,387
following through on the
commitments that they had

1514
01:11:33,389 --> 01:11:36,689
made to enlist more Sunni
fighters in the fight.

1515
01:11:36,692 --> 01:11:38,692
The good news is these
commitments come with the

1516
01:11:38,694 --> 01:11:40,694
strong backing of not just
Prime Minister Abadi, but

1517
01:11:40,696 --> 01:11:43,596
Prime Minister Abadi's
full cabinet that's

1518
01:11:43,599 --> 01:11:45,299
multi-sectarian in nature.

1519
01:11:45,300 --> 01:11:49,740
It also reflects -- it has
the strong support of Sunni

1520
01:11:49,738 --> 01:11:52,308
tribal leaders in
Anbar Province.

1521
01:11:52,307 --> 01:11:55,507
And so what we want to see
is we just want to see

1522
01:11:55,511 --> 01:11:58,451
results, and we want
to see more recruits.

1523
01:11:58,447 --> 01:12:03,887
And we have been heartened
that there is evidence that

1524
01:12:03,886 --> 01:12:07,056
some of these recruiting
efforts are starting to gain

1525
01:12:07,056 --> 01:12:11,496
traction, but we hope that
that trend continues.

1526
01:12:11,493 --> 01:12:14,193
Because right now what we
see is that our training

1527
01:12:14,196 --> 01:12:16,536
capacity outstrips the
number of recruits.

1528
01:12:16,532 --> 01:12:21,802
But as these Sunni tribal
fighters get recruited, as

1529
01:12:21,804 --> 01:12:25,544
they get some equipment
and material, and as they

1530
01:12:25,541 --> 01:12:28,011
benefit from the advice
and assistance of U.S.

1531
01:12:28,010 --> 01:12:31,110
military personnel, we do
believe that they can be

1532
01:12:31,113 --> 01:12:33,853
effective in taking the
fight to ISIL in their own

1533
01:12:33,849 --> 01:12:35,249
country and, in some
cases, even in their

1534
01:12:35,250 --> 01:12:36,490
own neighborhoods.

1535
01:12:36,485 --> 01:12:40,825
And that is a core element
of the military strategy

1536
01:12:40,823 --> 01:12:42,963
that the President has
outlined for degrading and

1537
01:12:42,958 --> 01:12:44,858
ultimately destroying ISIL.

1538
01:12:44,860 --> 01:12:45,790
Thanks, everybody.