The following is an extract from the transcript of a roundtable discussion with Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta and U.S. Representative Silvestre Reyes at Fort Bliss, Texas, January 12, 2012.
Q: Has the authenticity of the videos of service member allegedly urinating on –
SEC. PANETTA: Yes.
Q: Has it been confirmed? Has — can you say they’re authentic or not?
SEC. PANETTA: I have not gotten, you know, a firm conclusion. The indication from the commandant of the Marines is that it appeared to be valid and appeared to be a real video of what took place.
But I think we’re still waiting for, you know, a firm confirmation if that’s the case.
But you know, my view is, and I said it today, that that kind of behavior is deplorable, and I condemn it because it does not represent the kind of standards and values that the U.S. military and those in uniform are sworn to — the kind of values and standards that they’re sworn to uphold.
And so what I’ve ordered is the commandant of the Marines and General Allen, who represents our forces in Afghanistan, to immediately conduct an investigation to determine exactly what happened and to hold those individuals accountable.
Q: Secretary, but even if it’s not confirmed, it wouldn’t be the first time that service members are involved in this kind of activity? What has happened over the years that these kinds of scandals are becoming more common issues? Because technology is more readily available to document that? Is there a culture shift?
SEC. PANETTA: You know, I have to say, the vast — the vast, vast majority of our men and women in uniform do not behave in that manner, that they are, you know, that they really uphold the highest standards of our military, and that there will always be a few — always be a few — that will do deplorable and disgusting things like what we saw.
But I don’t think you should use that as a basis on which to indicate that across the board there are, you know, problems that undermine what the military is doing. These are isolated incidents.
But having said that, it doesn’t make it any less deplorable. And my responsibility is to make sure that those involved in that kind of behavior are — that we conduct an investigation and that we hold them accountable.
Q: And you said that to President Karzai, too, correct, sir?
SEC. PANETTA: I had a discussion with President Karzai earlier today, indicated our concern about what had occurred, and that I condemned that behavior, and that I was directing that an investigation proceed as rapidly as possible to determine what happened and to hold those individuals accountable. He appreciated the fact that I called him and told him that we were going to do that.
Q: Does that affect possibly the talks with the Taliban and the establishment of the Taliban office?
SEC. PANETTA: Well, you know, I mean, the danger obviously is that this kind of video could be misused in many ways to not only, you know, undermine what we’re trying to do in Afghanistan, but undermine the potential for reconciliation. There’s a danger there.
But I think if we move quickly, if we conduct this investigation, if we hold these people accountable, we send a clear signal to the world that the United States is not going to tolerate that kind of behavior. And it doesn’t represent what the United States is all about.
Q: Are there concerns for some soldiers who might be there right now that this kind of video might provoke some sort of –
Q: Backlash.
Q: — yeah, backlash or retaliation?
SEC. PANETTA: I can’t — I just can’t speculate obviously the implications of it except to say that that kind of deplorable behavior is there and is in the hands of those that are enemies. It can be misused in a way that makes the challenge we face in that part of the world that much tougher.
Q: Have the troops there been — (inaudible) — is there some extra level of security there now in light of this? Or, I mean, how are they handling, you know, the — (inaudible) — this video –
SEC. PANETTA: They’ve handled this through the chain of command. And they are, you know, they make very clear that this kind of behavior is not to be tolerated.
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