Former SecDef: Not Too For U.S., Russia To Renew START Treaty

Former Secretary of Defense William Cohen addresses the renewal of the START I treaty, which was ratified by Russia and the United States in 1991 in an attempt by both nations to achieve a dramatic reduction in strategic forces. Cohen also discusses the possibility that START be renewed before it expires at the end 2009. Cohen insists that it is not too late to solve the issue as long as both countries show determination in the process. (0:27)
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Former Defense Secretary Wants Congressional Delegates To Visit Russia

Former Secretary of Defense William Cohen says that in order to increase ties with Russia, delegates from both the U.S and Russia should exchange visits. Cohen argues that this will help "break barriers" that stand between both countries. (0:16)
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Former Sec'y Of Defense Says Russia Key To Disarming Iran

Former Secretary of Defense William Cohen argues that, as a long-time economic partner of Iran, Russia may play a critical role in reducing Iran's nuclear ambitions. But, Cohen adds that Russia may want to avoid tension with Iran because of its commercial interests in the Middle-Eastern state. (0:31)
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Former Defense Secretary: U.S. Must Carve Out Role For Russia

Former Secretary of Defense William Cohen says the U.S. must figure out what role it wants Russia to play in the world. Among other things, Cohen says Russia can be either a "perennial adversary"or an "ally." (0:44)
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Gates On Priorities of Defense Budget FY 2010

U.S Secretary of Defense Robert Gates discusses the priorities set for the FY 2010 Defense Budget announced in May by President Barack Obama. Gates states greater commitment to the well being of the soldiers, rebalancing the department's programs and finally reforming expenses as the main focus of the Department of Defense. (0:52)
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Perry On Nuclear Proliferation and Fissile Material leaks

Former Secretary of Defense William Perry explains the dangerous of nuclear proliferation. Perry says that there is a risk that North Korea will leak fissile materials. In addition, Perry mentions the strategy to follow in order to avoid these leaks. (0:43)
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Where Did Presidential Helicopters Go?

Ranking minority member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Bill Young asks why the government wasted taxpayers' money on presidential helicopters which are now judged obsolete. To this, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates replies that this was not intended. (0:44)
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Gates' Three Objectives For Defense Budget

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates describes the three objectives of the Defense budget: to take care of the forces, to rebalance the Department's programs and to start a reform on how and what the Department buys. (0:44)

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Gates: We have entered the endgame in Iraq

At the Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing on the Situation in Iraq and Afghanistan, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates says that he agrees with the President that the reduction in troops is a return on success, but would expand on that. The changes on the ground is reflective of a fundamental change in the nature of the conflict. No matter how you think about the origins of the war in Iraq, “we must get the endgame right,” and he says he believes that we have entered that endgame and that our decisions today are critical to region security and national security interests for years to come. (0:33)


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Rumsfeld: Our nation will force the dawn

Speaking at the dedication ceremony for the Pentagon September 11 Memorial former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld makes a reference to a poem by Robert Frost. He says that America has been acquainted with the night and that the U.S. will force the dawn. (0:24)
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Iraq the priority of Pentagon and Bush administration

During a press briefing at the Pentagon, Defense Department spokesman Geoff Morrell says that it is no secret that, of the two fronts, Iraq is the priority for the Pentagon and the current administration. He says that the U.S. does not lack committment to Afghanistan and it is a matter of timing when more troops will be sent to Afghanistan. (0:52)
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A direct threat to Europe from Afghanistan

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, speaking at a press conference at the Pentagon, says that European NATO member countries need to be aware that they face a direct threat of terrorism from Afghanistan, and that should inspire them to increase their commitments to the war there. (0:25)
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Secretary of Defense Robert Gates speaks to the Indonesian World Affairs Council about a shift in U.S. military policy toward Asia

Sec. Gates, speaking during his trip through Asia, says that there has been a shift in U.S. military thinking away from permanent bases and toward empowering other nation's national defense. (0:50)
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