MODERATOR：Thank you.
Continuing in a similar vein， how well linked is the NDS to the budgets and activities of the State Department and civilian agencies？
SEC. MATTIS：Yes， it is somewhat linked. Again， I do not take any －－ I＇m leaving to visit Indonesia and Vietnam this weekend， and before I go， I sit down with Secretary Tillerson， and he actually sends to me in writing， at some point after we＇ve talked， what are the foreign policy parameters， what are the priorities he has while I＇m visiting those countries.
I think that probably the most important thing is to ensure that， in everything we say and in everything we do， we are reinforcing our diplomats. That＇s the way it works when you＇re doing foreign policy， and we＇re an instrument of foreign policy.
As some of our tough young men put it， we do the last 600 meters of foreign policy. And that＇s a fair statement in terms of －－ we＇re there， first of all， to back up the diplomats. And then， you know， if push comes to shove and we＇re unable to avert －－ you know， basically avert war， or we end up in one， then we carry it forward.
|
