11:33:22;15 11:33:22 the week started with news that five iranian attack boats 11:33:33 you all covered the story. but the incident ought to remind us how real the threat posed by iran and how ready we are to meet that treat. i much rather prevent a war than fight one. all expect iran to take a more positive role in the region. *** 11:34:04 prob of iran is not and should never be considered purely military problem. never be confused for lack of capability. continue to operate in the gulf for a long time.  we take our resp to these friends very seriously 11:34:39 we will defend ourselves and our ships and we will do so with deadly force if need be. ******* 11:34:53 second guessing whether those ship commanders acted reportedly. radio commands may not be from iranian boats. i’ve read the reports and spent little bit of time out in sea myself. those commanders and sailors guided exactly right. followed procedures exactly they should have. not fight needed to be fired, not doubt in my mind shots needed to be fired would be. *** / 11:35:50;15 al Q - Iraq 11:35:50 now moving north in efforts to survive. we seek to deny that. push against these safe havens. we face a very determined enemy in iraq. 11:36:27 gen. frazer is officer of integrity, good friend and thnk very highly of him. glad that the prez saw fit to admin him. 11:36:50 headed next week to the Chad (sp?) conf. and spend some time with my counterparts in el Salv....in latin america. / 11:37:45;15 11:37:45 in AFghan there is widely reported that there is a proposal on the table. no decision made at this point. the issue of forces in afghan speaks to the challenges we've had there. had a yr described as uneven. some tremendous amounts of success. 11:38:34 to listen to gen. mcneil consistant what he has said in past, pretty signif military impact on the taliban this year. we are in an economy of force operation there. and able to create addtional force able to create impact there. 11:39:13 that con...