• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
Download
 
Face the Nation, March 29, 2009President Barack Obama
(CBS)
This interview was conducted in the Oval Office by 
CBSNews chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer 
:
CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Bob Schieffer:
Mr. President, thank you for joining us. This economic crisis hasbeen so severe that it has literally pushed all the other issues off the television, out of the newspapers. But as - when you outlinedyour program for Afghanistan and the new strategy, it reallyunderlined in the starkest terms that we may not be talking aboutthese serious issues, but there are some very serious things goingon out there. So I'd like to start there -
President Obama:
Please.
Schieffer:
- if I could. This is a hugely ambitious plan. 22,000more troops. You're gonna increase spending by 60 percent. Yousaid in your announcement we must defeat al Qaeda.
President Obama:
Right.
Schieffer:
 This has really now become your war, hasn't it?
President Obama:
I think it's America's war. And it's the samewar that we initiated after 9/11 as a consequence of those attackson 3,000 Americans who were just going about their daily round.And the focus over the last seven years I think has been lost.What we want to do is to refocus attention on al Qaeda. We are
 
going to root out their networks, their bases. We are gonna makesure that they cannot attack U.S. citizens, U.S. soil, U.S. interests,and our allies' interests around the world.In order for us to do that, we have to ensure that neitherAfghanistan nor Pakistan can serve as a safe haven for al Qaeda.And, unfortunately, over the last several years what we've seenis, essentially, al Qaeda moving several miles from Afghanistan toPakistan but effectively still able to project their violence and, andhateful ideologies out into the world.
Schieffer:
 You talked many times during your - as you outlinedthis strategy, about al Qaeda in Pakistan.
President Obama:
Right.
Schieffer:
 You talk about safe havens in Pakistan.
President Obama:
Right.
Schieffer:
Are you giving our commanders now in Afghanistan agreen light to go after these people even if they're in what used tobe safe havens in Pakistan?
President Obama:
Well, I haven't changed my approach. If wehave a high-value target within our sights, after consulting withPakistan, we're going after them. But our main thrust has to be tohelp Pakistan defeat these extremists.Now, one of the concerns that we've had building up over the lastseveral years is a notion I think among the average Pakistani thatthis is somehow America's war and that they are not invested.And that attitude I think has led to a steady creep of extremism inPakistan that is the greatest threat to the stability of the Pakistan
 
government - and ultimately the greatest threat to the Pakistanipeople.What we want do is say to the Pakistani people, you are ourfriends, you are our allies. We are going to give you the tools todefeat al Qaeda and to root out these safe havens. But we alsoexpect some accountability. And we expect that you understandthe severity and the nature of the threat.In addition, what we want do is to help Pakistan grow itseconomy, to be able to provide basic services to its people, andthat I think will help strengthen those efforts. If the Pakistangovernment doesn't have credibility, if they are weakened, thenit's gonna be much more difficult for them to deal with theextremism within their borders.
Schieffer:
But you're talking about going after them. Are youtalking about with American boots on the ground -
President Obama:
No.
Schieffer:
- pursuing these people into these so-called safehavens?
President Obama:
No. Our plan does not change the recognitionof Pakistan as a sovereign government. We need to work withthem and through them to deal with al Qaeda. But we have tohold them much more accountable. And we have to recognizethat part of our task in working with Pakistan is not just military.It's also our capacity to build
their 
capacity through civilianinterventions, through development, through aid assistance. Andthat's part of what you're seeing - both in Afghanistan andPakistan I think is fully resourcing a comprehensive strategy thatdoesn't just rely on bullets or bombs but also relies on agricultural
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...