Lions for Lambs

00:27:32,595 --> 00:27:34,471 A war we cannot lose. 534 00:27:34,555 --> 00:27:35,889 But we're not winning it. 535 00:27:35,973 --> 00:27:39,643 Yet. This new strategy can change that. 536 00:27:39,769 --> 00:27:42,103 How about a strategy to bring the troops home? 537 00:27:47,151 --> 00:27:48,193 So leave? 538 00:27:48,319 --> 00:27:49,611 That's not an option? 539 00:27:54,033 --> 00:27:57,827 Okay, let's play this out. 540 00:27:58,412 --> 00:28:02,707 We walk and Afghanistan reverts back to the Taliban. 541 00:28:03,668 --> 00:28:06,253 Only now the Taliban has metastasized into something 542 00:28:06,337 --> 00:28:08,421 infinitely more vicious and potent 543 00:28:08,506 --> 00:28:11,424 because they're now 2-0 versus superpowers. 544 00:28:11,509 --> 00:28:13,359 They butcher the people who helped us, who voted, 545 00:28:13,386 --> 00:28:16,137 who were stupid enough to put their faith in our word. 546 00:28:16,222 --> 00:28:17,681 So call it not only the end of hope 547 00:28:17,765 --> 00:28:21,268 for tens of millions of Afghans but the end of American credibility, 548 00:28:21,352 --> 00:28:24,229 the end of America as a force for righteousness in the world. 549 00:28:24,313 --> 00:28:25,353 When did America become... 550 00:28:25,356 --> 00:28:26,506 And when we're forced to go back 551 00:28:26,524 --> 00:28:28,525 in a couple of years, and please quote me on this, 552 00:28:28,609 --> 00:28:30,610 we'll be squared off against a shattered Iraq, 553 00:28:30,695 --> 00:28:34,197 a hopeless Afghanistan, and a nuclear Iran. 554 00:28:34,907 --> 00:28:36,449 How many troops are we gonna need then? 555 00:28:36,534 --> 00:28:38,618 I guarantee you'll be adding some zeros. 556 00:28:39,787 --> 00:28:43,331 Wait. May I speak freely? 557 00:28:43,749 --> 00:28:47,669 You're about to implement another new strategy 558 00:28:47,753 --> 00:28:49,963 regardless of the human cost 559 00:28:50,047 --> 00:28:52,424 or the financial cost because you predict that maybe... 560 00:28:52,508 --> 00:28:54,217 We thought deeply about the human cost 561 00:28:54,302 --> 00:28:55,592 when we were planning this strategy. 562 00:28:55,595 --> 00:28:57,012 What were your estimates exactly? 563 00:28:57,096 --> 00:28:59,014 What I can say is that this strategy 564 00:28:59,098 --> 00:29:02,017 has patience and determination at its core. 565 00:29:02,101 --> 00:29:04,269 It ensures that it puts our fighting men in spots 566 00:29:04,353 --> 00:29:06,479 where they can face, fight and kill the enemy, 567 00:29:06,564 --> 00:29:09,816 so that we can then go about rebuilding that country. 568 00:29:09,900 --> 00:29:12,750 And if it takes ten years, that's how long we stay. We do whatever it takes. 569 00:29:12,778 --> 00:29:17,824 Whatever it takes. 570 00:29:20,369 --> 00:29:23,496 Then why did it take three years to up-armor our Humvees? 571 00:29:23,581 --> 00:29:25,415 They're up-armored now, at my constant urging. 572 00:29:25,499 --> 00:29:28,835 Add-ons don't provide the same protection, Senator. You know that. 573 00:29:28,919 --> 00:29:31,421 And why does the President insist on spending billions 574 00:29:31,505 --> 00:29:35,050 on subs and fighter planes that are completely useless in this kind of war? 575 00:29:35,134 --> 00:29:36,424 What do you think I'm working on? 576 00:29:36,427 --> 00:29:40,013 And why do we send 150,000 troops 577 00:29:40,097 --> 00:29:41,890 to a country that did not attack us? 578 00:29:41,974 --> 00:29:43,850 And one-tenth that number to the one that did? 579 00:29:43,934 --> 00:29:46,978 How many times are you people going to ask the same question? 580 00:29:47,355 --> 00:29:48,605 Till we get the answer. 581 00:29:48,689 --> 00:29:50,649 Okay, here goes. 582 00:29:52,276 --> 00:29:54,361 Iraq was almost a First World country. 583 00:29:54,445 --> 00:29:55,904 "Was" is the operative tense. 584 00:29:55,988 --> 00:29:58,073 We took it quick because we had numbers. 585 00:29:58,157 --> 00:30:00,241 Afghanistan was, is, and always will be 586 00:30:00,326 --> 00:30:02,452 the definition of rugged Third World. 587 00:30:02,620 --> 00:30:04,788 Big numbers have bogged down there since before 588 00:30:04,872 --> 00:30:06,665 Alexander became "the Great." 589 00:30:06,749 --> 00:30:08,124 We "took" Iraq? 590 00:30:08,209 --> 00:30:09,209 How did I miss that? 591 00:30:09,293 --> 00:30:10,752 Militarily, we did. 592 00:30:11,796 --> 00:30:16,549 We made mistakes. Colossal mistakes. 593 00:30:16,634 --> 00:30:18,593 That should never be forgotten. 594 00:30:22,515 --> 00:30:23,807 But six years ago, 595 00:30:24,892 --> 00:30:27,352 who could have known what to do or when to do it 596 00:30:27,978 --> 00:30:31,022 after watching our jets fly into our buildings? 597 00:30:31,524 --> 00:30:33,274 Do you remember how petrified we were 598 00:30:33,359 --> 00:30:35,568 at what our enemies might do for an encore? 599 00:30:35,945 --> 00:30:38,697 And how, all