…
SEC. AUSTIN: Contact group members have committed more than $95 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. And I’m very proud of America’s leadership and contributions. And I’m glad that President Biden could sign into law additional life-saving assistance for Ukraine, as well as more funding for Israel, Taiwan, and our defense industrial base.
…
Q: And Chairman Brown, the U.S. is preparing to fully withdraw troops from Niger and special operations forces according to reports will be withdrawn from Chad as well. So, how will these withdrawals affect the U.S.’ counterterrorism operations there? And more broadly, is the U.S. losing to China and Russia on the continent?
GEN. BROWN: One of the areas that we — we’re focused on is to continue our CT operations and continue our influence and work with many of the African nations that are on the continent. And so, as we are working through and adjusting, this is a conversation I’ve had with General Langley on how we can still continue to do our counter-terrorism at the same time to — our influence and work with the various nations within the region. And so, it’s important that we stay engaged. And that’s what we’re doing. And as we have to shift as we work with the various countries, as Secretary has told me several times, we’ve got to have willing partners in certain areas to make sure we are able to be able to execute. And that’s something that, you know, AFRICOM is working through as we adjust. And we — we’ve proven that we can do counterterrorism any place in the world. We have the capability to strike and hold any target at risk anywhere in the world. And again, that’s why I’m so proud of our military and our capability.
Do we have to adjust sometimes based on the dynamics? Yes, we do. But that’s the capability we have for our force to be able to adjust.
Q: and the broader question of influence, losing it to China and Russia?
GEN. BROWN: Well, I mean, one of the — this is part of the conversation we’ve had. It’s about — it’s CT, but at the same time, our influence as we work with the various nations. And I think one of the things that I find is I’ve engaged not just in Africa, but around the world. How much U.S. leadership is valued and, you know, some of our adversaries can — will do things financially, but do not have that long-term relationship with shared values, shared objectives that we have with many of our partners around the world.
SEC. AUSTIN: It’s a big continent and there are many countries on the continent that really do to the Chairman’s point, value their relationship with the United States. I was just in Africa in the fall and I was struck by how true that was, or is, that countries really value their relationship with us. And in some cases, countries that we haven’t had a strong relationship within the past are stepping forward saying that they’d like to have a better relationship with the United States, so.
STAFF: Secretary Austin, General Brown, thank you very much, gentlemen. Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes our press briefing. Thank you very much for joining us today.
SEC. AUSTIN: Thanks, everybody.
###
Source: U.S. Department of Defense
Speakers:
- Lloyd J. Austin III, Secretary of Defense
- Air Force General Charles Q. Brown Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Format: Press Conference
China Policy Research 