Gibbs: White House May Contact Florida Pastor

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said today that the administration is discussing the possibility of directly engaging a pastor in Florida over his plan to burn hundreds of copies of the Koran on the ninth anniversary of 9/11.

During his daily briefing on Thursday, Gibbs would not label the proposed event as a hate crime, but channeled remarks made this morning by President Obama, who warned that it could serve as a boon for terrorist recruitment efforts.

“There is no doubt…that this is a hateful act,” Gibbs said. He called the instigator behind the proposal, pastor Terry Jones, a “desperate man seeking the attention of the better part of the world.”

Meanwhile, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters today that Jones could very well expect to hear from the administration.

“That possibility is currently under discussion,” he said. “That is an active ongoing discussion in which [Defense Secretary Robert Gates] is a participant. I don’t believe they’ve come to any resolution.”

Jones said in an interview with USA Today that he has not yet been contacted by any official in Washington, but that he would listen in the event things changed.

“That would cause us to definitely think it over,” he said. “I don’t think a call from them is something we would ignore.”

Meanwhile, Jones did meet with a handful of FBI agents today about the proposed event. The pastor is expected to make a statement about that meeting later today.

Pentagon Demands Return Of Leaked Documents

The Pentagon has demanded WikiLeaks to return the more than 90,000 documents obtained by the whistle-blower website, and to expunge copies of the files from their webpage and records.

“These documents are the property of the U.S. government,” Pentagon spokesperson Geoff Morrell said during a briefing Thursday. “The only acceptable course is for WikiLeaks to take steps immediately to return all versions of all of these documents.”

While Morrell did not elaborate on the legal authority behind the request, he said that the Department is essentially asking WikiLeaks to “do the right thing” and warned that specific binding steps to ensure the return of the documents could follow.

Last month, WikiLeaks published 75,000 classified documents, a portion of which identified Afghan informants and revealed other sensitive information, on their website.

The site is withholding an additional 15,000, and claims to have asked the Pentagon for assistance in redacting data that could harm individuals. However, Morrell reasserted Thursday that the Pentagon has not yet received a direct request from the site, nor would it be particularly inclined to cooperate.

“We’re not looking to have a conversation about harm-minimization,” Morrell said. “We’re looking to have a conversation about how to get these perilous documents off the website as soon as possible.”

Detainee stays in prison no matter the verdict

Salim Hamdan, the defendant at the first military commission since World War II, would still be considered an enemy combatant, subject to detention, regardless of the outcome of his trail. A verdict was expected today out of Guantanamo Bay prison in the case against Hamdan, the former driver and alleged body guard of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. "Even if he were acquitted of the charges that are before him he would still be considered an enemy combatant...and still a danger and would likely still be detained for some period of time thereafter," said Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell. Morrell explained that Hamdan, if acquitted, can go to a review board, which judges suitability for release or transfer. Also if he is not found guilty, Hamdan may also have the opportunity to challenge his status as an enemy combatant in court.

Morrell said that the Defense Department was pleased that the commission was taking place. "We think that you've seen a fair and transparent process," he said. 'It was a good first effort...we hope it is the beginning of at least 20 additional trials that will hopefully take place sooner than later down there.

Morrell also addressed recent comments by the Secretary of Defense Robert Gates that the DoD is working toward facilitating more U.S. troops in Afghanistan Morrell emphasized that the situation in Afghanistan is not urgent and that despite the commanders' request for more ground forces, troop levels in Iraq are not directly tied to a force increase in Afghanistan. "I know much has been made of the correlation between forces coming down in Iraq and going up in Afghanistan and while that certainly would seem to be the most natural transaction to take place, the truth is we're 2.5 nearly million strong around the world, we have the means to draw forces elsewhere. Whether that be through reserves the [National] Guard or drawing down from other places around the world where we have commitments. "

Pentagon: Strategic reserve force stays put

The problem in Afghanistan is urgent, said Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell, but not so urgent that the U.S. combat reserves in Kuwait are being considered for deployment there.

"Yes there are problems in Afghanistan, there are pockets of problems that we are concerned about and we are determined to get the commanders the troops they need to address them. But the situation is not precarious, it is not urgent, the sky is not falling in Afghanistan," he said speaking to the Pentagon press corps. He added that Central Command has decided to hold the strategic combat reserve in the event of other contingencies in the region should they arise. Morrell declined to specify, but the U.S. faces many potential conflicts in the region, including Iran, which Morrell described as "hell bent" on obtaining nuclear weapons and capabilities.

Additionally Pakistan has recently been highlighted by the Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates as having a porous border with Afghanistan. Gates discussed the issue of foreign militants crossing into Afghanistan from Pakistan, after a U.S. outpost was attacked near the border region earlier this month. The new government of Pakistan is struggling to provide internal defense from terrorist groups, while at the same time bolster a failing economy and control lawless northern territories. Morrell spoke about the slow progress of reimbursement measures, which repay the Pakistani military for actions taken against mutual threats on behalf of the coalition. "Those reimbursements are taking an awful long time to get back to the Pakistani government," he said.


In advance of a congressional hearing scheduled for July 30, investigating electrocution deaths of U.S. soldiers on Iraq in relation to work done by military contractors, Morrell explained the Defense Department's position.

"There seems to be a misperception out there that our facilities in that theater are replete with electrical hazards, that have caused hundreds of fires and multiple fatalities. What's more, some seem to believe that this department and one of the Army's lead logistical support contractors are so negligent and callous that we have failed to address these dangers. I am here to tell you that is flat out wrong." He went on to explain that while 16 soldiers have died in Iraq in electrical accidents, more than half have died from loose electrical wiring outside of bases and improperly grounded generators.

DoD: No secret that Iraq is U.S. priority

The message coming from the Pentagon is unequivocally clear on which war zone takes priority, "I don't think it's any secret to anyone out there that the focus of this building, the focus of this administration has been on winning the war in Iraq...that is the war we are now winning, " said Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morell during a press briefing. "And now that we have seen gains there the dividend from those gains, we are looking to see if we can apply them to Afghanistan," he said.

Morrell emphasized previous statements made be Defense Department official. Adm. Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has repeatedly said when speaking of the two wars, 'In Afghanistan we do what we can. In Iraq we do what we must." As a guest on the News Hour with Jim Lehrer Mullen said that the urgency to move more troops to Afghanistan should not give the impression that the U.S. is losing there.

Morrell said that given the question of the pace of shifting more troops to Afghanistan as the surge winds down indicates that the ultimate decision will be up to the next administration. Commanders on the ground in Afghanistan, principally General Dan McNeil, have asked for 3 more combat brigades and about 3,000 police trainers. Morrell said that some of these needs are being met by NATO allies.

Additionally Morrell spoke to the U.S. military policy of "Don't ask, don't tell," being addressed in the House Armed Service Committee. Morrell said that at this time "Don't ask, don't tell" is the law of the land and there is no change in that policy on the horizon.