admiral mike mullen, the chairman of our joint chiefs of staff has stated that they have enough uranium to make an atomic bomb. international inspectors also report that iran has enough low ridge uranium to achieve nuclear weapons break out possibilities and possible military dimensions to it iran's nuclear program remains unresolved. additionally, iran continues to develop chemical and biological weapons and ballistic missiles while army and bankrolling violent islamic extremist world wide -- worldwide. we need to keep this in mind when we determine the appropriate response to the iranian regime's policies and actions. today, we must focus on the hopes of the individual iranians who had been robbed of a better future for almost 30 years by regime that promises almost nothing but misery and malaise. now's the time for all responsible nations to stand four square with the people of iran as they seek freedom, as they seek true self governance at home. we must send a clear signal today to the iranian regime and all of its proxy's and affiliate's that free nations will not tolerate further

on july 1, the secretary of the smithsonian institution will be here and on july 8, admiral mike mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. i would like to present our guest with the traditional in pnpc mod. >> i now have a matching set. imagine my pride. >> for a final question, someone asked if your parents ask you not to play outside in the rain. what is with the playing outside during the downpour's? >> then i tell you how great national park is to come soon? we have games and stuff going on. but it doesn't have a roof. i did not think we would need a roof in washington is always a tough thing. and these things are difficult in every city. if there is any way to play the game, we're going to play the game. that is because of all the workers in a prepared to play there and the people who bought tickets and travel to be at the game. if there is any way, we're going to play the game. of this inconveniences' other people. but there is no really good alternative. whether it is rain or shine, you should come because we are going to be playing. >> thank you very much. >> [applause] >>

on july 8, admiral mike mullen, chairman of the joint chief of staff. i like to present our guest with the traditional npc mug. [applause] >> i now have a matching set. this is awesome. >> for our final question, we have someone asking, did in your parents ever to do not to play outside in the rain? what is with the playing outside during a downpour? >> did i tell you how great nationals park is to come to? [laughter] we have games. it is so great. it does not have a roof. i did nothing we would need one in washington. -- i did not think we would need one in washington. these things are difficult and every secretive if there is any way to play the game, we are going to play the game. this is for the workers and for people who bought tickets to traveled. those people should do so. if there is any way we are going to play the game, we will. this often inconveniences' other people. we will try to do our best. there is really no good alternative to playing in the game. i think whether it is rain or shine, it yet tickets, you should come. where once the plan

defense secretary robert gates and joint chiefs of staff chairman admiral mike mullen speak with reporters for 35 minutes. >> good afternoon. first, i would like to extend my sympathies and commiserate with the secretary of state with her fractured elbow. having broken my right arm as secretary of defense and the left arm operated on, i can truthfully say i feel hurricane. -- i could feel her pain. i wish her a speedy recovery. last week i attended the nato meeting in brussels along with partners and allies who are contributing troops to afghanistan. in brussels, i was pleased to introduce general crystal to the nato defense ministers and it to our troop contributing partners. he is now on the job and in the midst of a 60-day review of operations. he brings unparalleled energy and determination, as well as substantial counterinsurgency experience and expertise to the international military effort in afghanistan. i look forward to the results of his review, which should represent a more comprehensive and effective civil military approach. one of the key takeaways from brussels was an agreem

mullen for some type of plan on how to implement a change in the don't ask don't tell policy, do we have a sense of what the time frame on when that would come from and does the president ask for a time frame? >> not that i know of, but again i think consistent with what we've talked about in terms of working with the pentagon to ensure that durable solution. >> on health care, yesterday both tom daschle said they would not hesitate to use reconciliation to get a bill pass and the republicans are demanding too high. you believe that parliamentary move should be deployed in? >> again, i think that gives a great deal and have them where we are in the process. >> in a bipartisan bill? >> i think the president has confidence in the system, working the system moving toward, the steps that that many committees are taking to work among six themselves to find a legislative solution. obviously i think having the ability, having lost a different avenues to take this i think congress and understanding of how serious the problem is and the fact that we want to go through congress and work with

a admiral mike mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said that iran likely has enriched enough uranium to make an atomic bomb. inspectors say they probably can achieve nuclear weapons breakout possibilities and that issues about possible military dimensions tie ran's nuclear program remain unresolved. yet iran is allowed to continue its nuclear pursuit virtually unchallenge. additionally, iran continues to develop chemical and biological weapons and ballistic missiles while arming and bankrolling violent islamic extremists worldwide. we must bear this in mind when we determine what is the appropriate response to the iranian regime's policies and actions. today, mr. speaker, we must focus on the hopes of the individual iranians who have been robbed of a better future r

when i look back and see those who've said, for example, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, mike mullen, "the concern i've had about guantanamo is it has been a recruiting symbol for those extremists and jihadists who would fight us. that is the heart and concern for guantanamo's continued existence." same statement from general petraeus. same statement from defense secretary gates. same statement from rear admiral mark busby and others. we have a situation here with guantanamo where it is not making us safer. the president has made the right decision, a hard decision, to deal with the 240 detainees that he inherited, and i think we should do this in a calm and rational and not a fearful way. mr. president, i yield the floor. mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the republican leader. mr. mcconnell: let me just say that senator mccain and senator graham can speak for themselves, but neither of them have ever been in favor of closing guantanamo without a plan to do something. they want to see what the plan is to deal with these terroris terrorists. and beyond that,

the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff mike mullen said the concern i've had about guantanamo is that it has been a recruiting symbol for those extremists and jihaddists who would fight us. that's the heart of the concern for guantanamo's continued existence. general david petraeus said guantanamo is -- quote -- "a symbol that is used by our enemies to our disadvantage who beat around the head and shoulders with it." defense secretary robert gates said closing guantanamo is essential to national security. it has become a rallying cry and recruitment tool for our enemies. of course skaoeul is entitled to his -- of course senator kyl is entitled to his opinion and i respect him very much and count him as a friend, but we don't hear evidence to support his opinion, certainly not evidence that compares with those that i've quoted here, starting with general colin powell. not only is guantanamo a recruiting tool, there is evidence that the al qaeda is recruiting terrorists within guantanamo. the mckhra which i newspapers did an -- the mcclatchey newspaper says guantanamo often produces mor