i would have been one of the 438,000 under area and juice -- hungarian jews killed by the not cease here -- by the not seeazis here in auschwitz. >> not the germany believed that jews had no right to live. the holocaust was designed by the nazis. there was complicity by almost every country in europe. [applause] 470 years philosophers, and historians have tried to explain auschwitz.

for 70 years, no one has come up with an adequate answer. auschwitz never goes away. this awful place stands as a reminder that propaganda leads to anti-semitism. a reminder that anti-semitism will grow if nobody speaks out. a reminder that when whole countries are filled with hate anti-semitism leads to places like auschwitz. i was going to make a very different speech here today. but after the recent events in paris, and throughout europe, and around the world, i cannot

ignore what is happening today. jews are targeted in europe once again. because they are jews. synagogues and jewish businesses are attacked. there are mass demonstrations with thousands of people shouting death threats to the state of israel and to jews. shortly, after the end of world war ii, after we saw the reality of auschwitz, and other death camps, no normal person wanted to be associated with the anti-semitism of the nazis. for a time, we thought that the hatred of jews had finally been eradicated. but slowly, the demonization of

jews started to come back. first in articles and on the internet. in some religious schools, and even in universities. from there, it made its way into mainstream society. it all seemed so unimportant that a few people paid any attention. until now. when europe suddenly awoke to find itself surrounded by anti-semitism once again. it looked more like 1933 then 2015. once again, young jewish boys are afraid to wear yarmulkes on the streets of paris and

budapest london, and even berlin. once again, jewish businesses are targeted. once again, jewish families are starting to flee europe. this past summer, a mother of four was walking down the street in sweden. she was suddenly viciously beaten by a mob. what did she do to deserve this? she was wearing a star of david around her neck. how did this happen again? why? after seven decades and three generations, is this new storm of anti-semitism sweeping through europe and targeting jews once again?

after -- for decades, the world has been fed lies about israel. that israel is the curse of everyone problems. that israel the villain of the 21st century and that israel has no right to exist. we have all learned that when you tell a lie three times, and there is no response, that lie becomes the truth. this quickly became an opportunity to attack jews, much of this from the middle east. it found grounds throughout the world. the targets of this hate are not just jews, but christians who

are being slaughtered in africa and the middle east. women and girls are killed in afghanistan just for wanting to go to school. journalists are murdered in the middle east and right here in europe. an awful wave of hatred has ascended on earth -- descended on earth once again. there are representatives today from 40 countries with us here today. we, the jewish people, are so grateful that you have joined us. you are good, decent people. because of what we are and what this place means, your government must stand up to this new wave of hatred. [applause]

schools must teach tolerance of all people. houses of worship should be places of love, understanding, and healing. they should not be telling their people to kill in the name of god. all countries -- [applause] all countries must vacate a crime. any country that openly brags about the annihilation of another country should be expelled from the family of nations. [applause] every country must have

absolutely zero tolerance for hate of any kind. unless it is checked right now it will be too late. we still have a chance to stop this, but if every government does not act quickly, then the tragedy of this terrible place will darken the world again. world silence led to auschwitz. world indifference led to auschwitz. world anti-semitism led to auschwitz. do not let this happen again. [applause] do not let this happen again.

thank you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, we will now bring up the guardian of auschwitz. we ask>> they expected the worst.

not the unthinkable. can the pain of a victim from 70 years ago become our heritage today? i don't know. but we don't have another choice. it was on this very pain that we had to build the post-war europe. we had to listen closely and

feel what has already happened to us. our imaginations are still unable to fathom this. night without end. auschwitz is not a source of strength. if anyone came here to feel strength wisdom, catharsis they are all wrong. auschwitz is darkness, destruction, annihilation. this is why it takes on the form of a warning, a horrid warning. we still cannot cope with auschwitz, as we cannot consent

to hatred, anti-semitism. first and foremost, our daily indifference. this is why auschwitz is jso frightening. it awakens the demons and the conscience. this conscience accuses each and every one of us. we, the dead, accused. the survivors, you, the living in your memories carrying the visages of those murdered. we thank you, dear friends, for your difficult words of warning. for your fear and for your hope.

for everything that you told us about ourselves. today, we have to become mature adults, carrying further all that your words have sown in our memories. this often feels too overwhelming. but, we don't have and will not have another choice. we have a dark premonition because we know. it would seem that the world should stay different for good. that no one should be innocently killed. it would seem that, no longer,

hatred can be propagated today and that no one is going to try to change laws. it would seem that indifference and passiveness have shed their dust. we have, however, so many times seen that the remembrance has not yet matured in us. it happened therefore, it can happen again. it can happen anywhere. even today, we have tried to be afraid, but we also have the obligation to be responsible because we know. as our future is rooted in remembrance, and when we forget, we are not destroying an image of the past, but the tangible

shape of our future. never again is not a political program, but it is a personal decision. it means, never again because of me. never again in me. never again with me. i believe that never again with all of us. thank you. [applause] ♪

♪

♪

♪

♪ ♪ [applause] >> we have been listening to this quartet. distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we now stand united for those murdered in auschwitz. [gunshot]

[indiscernible] >> thank you for standing. [gunshot]

[horn] >> i am now asking for kaddish. he was on the council of auschwitz. [singing]

[prayer in hebrew]

>>[singing]

[singing]

[singing]

>> pray it turtle rest -- pray eternal rest in latin. now, pray eternal rest in polish.

>> grant unto them. may they rest in peace. amen. >> now for the prayer in old czeslaw onyxvonic.

[singing] [no audio]

>> ladies and gentlemen, i am asking everyone to take their seats. please stay seated. in a moment, the delegation will be leaving to walk through the monument. everyone staying here in front of the gate will see the placement of the candles. we shall now honor those murdered. let the candles be a sign of our eternal memory.

they will be accompanied by the young who want to temper the memory of auschwitz. [no audio]

>> once again, i am asking you kindly to stay in your seats. the delegation of former inmates together with the young people will take over the responsibility to remember auschwitz are asked to pass towards the monument. >> now, i am asking the heads of state of all state delegations

to proceed towards the monument. and i am asking the remaining representatives to stay in their seats. we will see the placement of the candles on your screens.

representatives of state authorities present here will return to the gate for the closing of the ceremony in this day.

ladies and gentlemen, i am asking you to remain seated. let me once again remind you that we can watch the placement of the candles, and then we will see all the representatives and the guardians and inmates. they will return here to the gate for the closing of this ceremony. in reflection and watching the symbolic gesture of the placement of the candles, we will listen to a dodgy as

strings -- addaaggio strings. ♪

♪ >> please stay in the tent because we are waiting for the end of our commemoration.

♪

♪

♪ ♪

[no audio] what and gentlemen representatives of former inmates, state authority pillars of memory, will soon return here to the gates of death. we shall continue our ceremony. the celebration today.

-- >> ladies and gentlemen representatives of former inmates, at state authority pillars of memory, will soon return here to the gates of death. we shall continue our ceremony. ♪

>> now the representatives of former inmates of auschwitz. ♪

>> each of the former prisoners' representatives are paying tribute. and now, representatives of the highest authorities of many countries. now, representatives of>> now the

candles are laid by the representatives of the highest authorities. ♪

♪

>> ladies and gentlemen i would kindly remind you that all representatives will come back to the tent and we will continue our commemoration. ♪ please remain seated. ♪

the delegations are paying tribute to the victims. all representatives are coming back here in front of the gate of death. please remain seated.

♪

ladies and gentlemen, i would like to thank you for your patience. all delegations are coming back and they will be here soon. >> ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for your patience. they will soon be here. we will be continuing the ceremony. ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ >> is ceremony was held to commemorate the auschwitz liberation the red army 70 years ago. russian president vladimir putin slammed what he called attempt to rewrite history and lauded the red army.

a polish foreign minister says it was ukrainian putin soldiers rather than the red army, who liberated the death camp, in 1945. and mr. putin's essence highlights worsening of relationships. dick durbin spoke on the senate floor. >> the holocaust remembrance day commemorating the genocide of 6 million jews by the not too regime. the allied forces entered a complex of concentration camps in poland. they liberated more than 7000 prisoners. auschwitz was made up of three main camps and 40 south camps covering 15 square miles. between 1940 and 1945, nearly 30 million people were deported to auschwitz. 1.4 million were murdered.

by january 1945, allied forces were closing in. to eliminate witnesses thousands of prisoners were killed at auschwitz. 60,000 were marched west days before the liberation. guards shot anyone who fell behind or could not continue. more than 15,000 died in that march. in the months prior to liberation, and elderly inmate urged a prisoner named olga to watch everything she saw and to tell the world what she had seen. olga wrote on memoirs and gave a voice to those who could no longer speak. the washington post featured stories of four bank -- four survivors, including those who suffered under dr. mengele.

eisenhower understood the importance of documented what he saw. after dessert -- visiting a recently liberated camp, he urged washington to send a delegation to witness the crimes first hand so there would be no attempt to dismiss these atrocities as propaganda. the responsibility to ensure that future generations never forget these atrocities false to us. today, i join my colleagues in introducing a resolution commemorating this anniversary. this resolution calls on us to be witnesses to the 1.1 million victims murdered at auschwitz and honors the legacy of the survivors of the holocaust. i chair the senate subcommittee on the constitution of civil rights and human rights. though i am disappointed that republicans chose to change the name of that subcommittee, i am

going to continue to focus on protecting human rights and all right -- civil rights. i try to give a platform to voices that are not often heard and examine what needs to be done to protect human rights. our responsibility is to focus on legislation, not lamentation. we wrote legislation and passed bills to hold perpetrators of serious human rights violations accountable for their crimes. in 2007, my genocide accountability act was enacted. allowing prosecution of genocide outside of the u.s. war someone other than a u.s. national outside the united states. the following year, president bush signed the child soldiers accountable yet. the act was used to deport liberian warlords. i also offered the trafficking and persons account ability yet human rights enforcement act

child soldier prevention act. the congo conflict minerals act. all legislation aimed at protecting human rights in terrible situation. all of which became law. our hearts go out to the survivors and those murdered in the holocaust. today, the survivors will return to auschwitz. they will recall the moment when they first arrived more than 70 years ago and passed under a sign that read in german "work makes you free." standing before them was joseph mengele. turning right meant death in the gas chamber. turning left may have meant survival for a few weeks. some invoices were silenced that we have to tell their stories. as the memory of the holocaust passes from those who are there to the generations that were not , we cannot forget the importance of their memories and speaking out against intolerance

wherever it occurs. unfortunately, these horrible crimes still take place. consider boko haram isil, and the gulags of north korea. we cannot be silent. as a holocaust survivor said in the washington post, i used to be an optimist until a few years ago. the situation in the middle east has changed, and the world has not noticed anything. it can happen again. it is happening again in many places. not necessarily to the jews. but to anyone. we want to hold accountable those who commit the most unspeakable crimes. i look forwardwe want to hold accountable those to continuing to work with my colleagues in the senate to make progress towards ending human rights abuses everywhere it exists. we should proclaim, never again. i yield the floor.

>> president obama's nominee for the next attorney general testifies on capitol hill. loretta lynch will take questions at 10:00 a.m. eastern. we will have live coverage on c-span3. >> this sunday on q and a, dr. francis jensen on the discoveries of the teenage brain. >> they do not have the lobes to reason. their frontal lobes are not at the ready. they are not as readily accessible. they have envelopes, but the connections cannot be made as quickly or slit second decision-making. a lot of the hormones are changing in the body of those young men and women. the brain has not seen these yet in life until you hit teenage years.

the brain is trying to learn how to respond hormones and locking onto receptors, sinensis of different types. i think this contributes to a very roller coaster kind of experience that we watch as parents. >> sunday night at 8:00 eastern and pacific. >> now, a senate armed services committee on national security including the threat of islamic extremism and efforts to combat isis as well as iran and afghanistan. senator ayotte chaired the hearing. this is three hours, 15 minutes. >> the senate armed services committee meets today for its second hearing in a series on global challenges in u.s.

national security. chairman mccain was invited to join the delegation the funeral of the king of saudi arabia. he asked that i chair the hearing in his absence. i know he regrets not being able to join us today. i request unanimous consent that chairman mccain's opening statements the entered into the record. >> no objection. >> i am pleased to welcome three of america's most distant with military leaders. general jim mattis, jack keane, and admiral william fallon. i welcome you and thank you for your willingness to testify before us. even more so, i thank you on behalf of this committee and the american people, for your decades of rate and honorable service to our country. it is because of leaders like you and the men and women you have commanded and continue to serve that americans enjoy unprecedented freedom, security, and prosperity.

each of you commanded at all levels and ultimately served in positions that required not only a deep knowledge of technical operational, and strategic levels of military operations, but also an understanding of security decision-making at the highest levels. it is that experience, at the nexus of military operations and strategic national security making, that is particularly relevant to our hearing today. there is a broad consensus among national security experts that the threats to the united states and our allies that we are confronting our growing in complexity and severity. in ukraine, we have witnessed latent russian aggression that has forced the demonstration to take a reassessment of the putin regime and question assumptions

regarding the security situation in europe. in iraq and syria, isis has established a safe haven and training ground in the middle east that it is using to disable the region and threaten core national security interests of the united states and our allies. the regime in tehran seeks to use negotiation to achieve sanctions relief well providing a permanent and verifiable end to its nuclear weapons program. iran continues to oppress its own people, threaten key allies like israel, and support terrorist groups like hezbollah. across the middle east and into north africa, emboldened al qaeda affiliates brought attacks against the united eights and our allies. al qaeda in the arabian peninsula uses the horrible security situation in ye united eights and ourmen.

a country the president cited as a counterterrorism success story, to carry out attacks throughout the world. in the asian pacific, china is using historic economic growth to build middle -- military power. it is bullying its neighbors and testing internationalin laws that are essential to the united states. our partners international security and prosperity in that region. while each of these threats and challenges are unique, there is a consistent and concerning cap -- gap between security and the strategies visit ministration is pursuing. with defense sequestration set to return next year and threats growing, there is an increasing gap between military capabilities and the capabilities we will need to address these threats. the key question for this panel

and for all of us remains, what is the best path forward to address these national security challenges? few in our country have as much national security wisdom and real-world experience as the members of this panel. between the three of you, you have more than 115 years of experience. much of it at the most senior levels of our military. we look forward to hearing your best advice on how the federal government can fulfill its most important responsibility to the american people. that is protecting the security of the united states of america. thank you very much. i would like to turn it over to senator reid. >> thank you very much. let me join you in welcoming our witnesses. extraordinary individuals who have served the nation with great distinction and courage. never broke faith with the men

and women they let, the highest tribute anyone can make to a soldier. thank you. let me also thank chairman mccain for putting together this series of hearings. these discussions will help us inform our consideration of the administration's budget requests in a few days. last week, two of the most prestigious thinkers discussed a number of issues with the committee. among these was the need to give negotiation on iran's nuclear program significant time to reach conclusion. they have urged the body not to press forward with additional sanctions. this matter is being discussed with the senate banking committee. i have to leave here and go there. i am a senior member of that committee also.

my colleagues will be taking up the slack, particularly senator king. i want to thank him. i will return to ask questions of the panels. much of last week's discussions revolved around the ministration's strategy in iraq and syria and the threat posed by the so-called islamic state. dr. burzynski stressed that efforts to take on isis will take both military and political elements. we also received testimony from the department of defense. this is just one aspect of the ministration's approach to the threat in iraq and syria, which is built upon an international coalition, including regional and arab and muslim states using economic tools to go after isis

financing. coalition, includingand strikes against leadership and facilities. this morning's hearing provides an opportunity to examine the military aspects of our strategy for addressing the isil threat. all of you have been outspoken in your recommendations of that strategy. some of the aspects are reflected in the actions of the administration has taken. coalition aircraft have flown over iraq and syria. 586 involved kinetic strikes. president obama has authorized the deployment of 3000 military personnel to assist security forces. at the administration's request the fiscal year 2015 act included $5.6 billion in operations funding for dod activities in iraq and syria. also in testimony last week,

they cited the need to work with international partners and address the si -- isil threat. i hope our witnesses can bring their perspective to the strategy both in syria and iraq and the region. i think it is appropriate to focus on not only military aspects, but political and diplomatic initiatives as well. i want to thank the witnesses particularly admiral fallon. thank you for your efforts. with that, thank you. >> thank you, senator reid. i would like to begin with general mattis. he served 42 years in the marine

corps, including time as commander of central command. thank you for being here. >> thank you, madam chairwoman. member read, distant which members of the committee. i have some it is a statement for the record. during active duty, i testified many times before this committee and gained the highest regard for the manner in which you carried out your duties through good times and bad. i remain grateful for the support you have provided our military. i commend the committee for holding these hearings. as former secretary of state george schultz has commented the world is awash in change. the greatest generation, coming home from mankind's bloodiest conflict, international order is under increasing stress. it was created with elements we take for granted. united nations nato, marshall

plan, and more. it reflected the wisdom of those world war ii veterans who recognized no nation lived as an island. and we needed new ways to deal with challenges that, for better or worse, impact all nations. like it or not we are part of this larger world and bus carry out our part. we cannot wait for problems to arrive here or it will be toco the. -- too late. the system is not self sustaining. it believes england and america standing for each of the freedoms we have enjoyed. the hearing today addresses the need for america to adapt to changing circumstances, to come out from our reactive crouch and take a firm strategic stance in defense of our values. while we recognize that we oh future generations the same freedoms we enjoy, the challenge

lies in how to carry out the responsibility. america needs a refreshed national strategy. the congress can play a key role in crafting a coherent strategy with bipartisan support. doing so requires us to look beyond the current -- events currently consuming the executivethe congress can play a branch. there is an urgent need to stop reacting to each vexing issue in isolation. such response creates unexpected effects and more problems. the senate armed services committee is uniquely placed in our system of government to guide, oversee, and ensure that we act strategically and morally , using america's in delivery -- ability to inspire to ensure freedom for future generations. i suggest the best way to get to the essence of these issues and to helping crafting america's response to a rapidly changing

security environment is simply to ask the right questions. if i were in your shoes, these are some of the russians i would ask -- questions i would ask. the committee should provide a -- you will enable a more focused use of resources allocated or national defense. is our intelligence community fit for its expanding purpose? today, we have less military shock absorbers in our smaller military. less ability to take surprise in stride. you are deployed forces overseas to act as sentinels. accordingly, we need early warning. working with the intel community , we should question if we are adequately funding intel agencies to reduce the chance of our agencies being caught flat-footed. you know that the foreseeable future is not foreseeable.

in your assessments, you should consider what we must do if the national debt is assessed to be the biggest security threat we face. as eisenhower noted, the basis of military strength is economic strength. in a few short years, we will be paying interest on debt. it will be a bigger bill and will be paid for defense. much of the interest money is destined to leave america for overseas. if we refuse to reduce our debt or pay down our deficit, what is the impact on national security for future generations who will inherit this irresponsible debt? no nation in history has maintained its military power if it failed to keep its fiscal house in order. how do you urgently halt damage caused by sequestration? no foe can wreak such having as mindless sequestration is achieving today.

congress passed it because it was so injurious that it would force why choices. we use arithmetic rather than sound thinking to run our government, despite emerging enemy threats. this committee must lead the effort to repeal sequestration that is costing military readiness and long-term capability while sapping our troops' morale. no strategy can be implement it by military leaders. in our approach to the world, we must be willing to ask strategic questions. in the middle east, where influence is at its lowest point, we see a region directing in crisis. we need a new security architecture for the middle east built on sound policy, one that permits us to take our own side in this fight. crafting such a policy starts with asking a fundamental question. the fundamental question is, is

political islam in our best interest? and how to we support countervailing forces? violent jihadist terrorists cannot take refuge behind religious garb. we have many potential allies around the world, and in the middle east, who will rally to us. but we have not been clear about where we stand in defining or dealing with the growing violent jihadist threat. iran is a special case that must beat up with. it is a threat to regional stability, nuclear and otherwise. i believe you should question the value of congress adding new sections well -- sanctions while the gates -- negotiations are ongoing.

further question now, if we have the right policies in place. when iran creates more mischief in lebanon and elsewhere in the region. recognizing that regional counterweight like egypt, saudi arabia, the arab emirates, and the rest of the council can reinforce us if they understand our policy. in afghanistan, we need to consider asking for the same outcome as we saw last summer in iraq. should we pull out all our troops on the administration's proposed timeline. echoing the same military advice given on the same issue about iraq, we pull the troops out the gains achieved at great cost against our enemy in afghanistan are reversible. we should recognize that we may not want this fight, but the barbarity of an enemy that kills women and children and has refused to break with al qaeda needs to be fought. more broadly is the u.s.

military being developed across the spectrum of congress -- combat? knowing enemies will move against perceived weakness, we must be ready for counterinsurgency and everything in between, including cyber domain. while surprises a factor, this committee can in short. while we do not need in oteri that is dominant and irrelevant, we must deny funding for bases or capabilities no longer needed. the nuclear stockpile must be tended to and fundamental questions must the past and answer. we must clearly establish the role of nuclear weapons? do they deter nuclear war? if so, we should say so. resulting clarity will determine the number we need. i think you should ask if it is time to reduce the triad to a

diad. removing land-based missiles. this would reduce false alarm danger. good we re-energize the arms control effort by only counting warheads? was the russian test violating the imf treaty a blunder on their part or a change in policy? what is our appropriate response? the reduced size of our military drives a need to ask questions. our military is uniquely capable and the envy of the world. are we giving it the resources to ensure we have the best equipment and toughness training? with a smaller military comes the need for troops kept at the top of their game. when we next for them in harms way, it must be the enemies longest day and worst day. while sequestration is the nearest threat to this national

treasure that is then military sustaining it will need critical oversight. are the navy and our expeditionary forces receiving the support they need in a world where america's naval role is more pronounced because we have fewer forces overseas? with the cutbacks to the army and air force, fewer forces around the world, military aspect of our strategy will inevitably come -- become more naval in terror -- nature. we will need to take this development into account. today, i question if our shipbuilding budget is sufficient, especially in light of the situation in the south china sea. while our efforts to keep positive relations with china are well and good, these must be paralleled by a policy to build

a counterbalance if china continues to expand. [no audio] >> we have to then ask, are we taking into our strategy a reduced role? strategy connects ways and means and we must reduce our appetite for using it. prioritization is needed if we are to remain capable for the most critical mission, to fight on short notice and defend the

country. we have to ask that our strategy , as senator reid pointed out take into account our increased need for allies. the need for stronger alliances comes sharply into focus as we shape the military. history reminds us that countries with allies generally defeat those without. as churchill intimated, the only thing harder than fighting with allies is fighting without them. this committee should track closely with increased military capability to work with allies. we must ask if the nato alliance efforts have adjusted to the unfortunate. with regard to tightening the bond and those other militaries

we may need at our side, the convoluted and military sales system needs your challenge. hopefully it can be put in order before we drive more potential partners who equip themselves with foreign equipment and make it harder to achieve interoperability with our allies. when the system fails to reach its potential. as we attempt to restore stability, the critical question will be, is america good for its word? when you make clear and give our word about something -- >> when the decision is made to employ our forces in combat, the committee should still ask, is the military being employed with the proper authority. for example, are the political execs -- objectives clearly defined area murky political

states condemn us to enter wars we do not know how to end a. -- and no -- end. such announcements do not take the place of a mature, well-defined and state. you should ask, is a theater of war itself effective for prosecution. if the defined theater is insufficient, the plan itself needs to be challenged. the authority for detaining prisoners of war, is it appropriate or the enemy we are fighting? we have observed a disturbing lack of d10 a policy and we should not engage intro another fight without resolving this issue up front creating hostile forces. we have to ask, are america's

economic and diplomatic goals aligned with the war aid? when we take the serious decision to fight, we must bring to bear all of our nations resources and you should question how the diplomatic and development efforts will be deployed to victory and our nation astro strategy demands that approach -- our nation 's strategy to man's that approach. no matter how laudable our countries instincts, they need to consider carefully any proposed changes to military rules, traditions and standards. there is a great difference between military service and dangerous circumstances and serving intro a combat unit whose role is to kill the enemy

at close quarters. this committee has a responsibility for imposing reason over impulse. ultimately, we need the foresight of this committee in a oversight role to draw us out of our reactive stance and charter a strategic way ahead. our national security strategy needs your bipartisan direction. mixing capable people with good ideas and bad processes results in the bad processes to feeding good ideas nine times out of 10. this is an tro urgent matter because intro interconnected age, democracies work into band of to destroy stability and our country needs to regain strategic footing.

we need to improve our efforts before he lose the confidence of the american people and allies. >> thank you general mattiswe need to improve our, next i would like to introduce general keane. he is a vietnam combat veteran and one of the architects of this successful surge intro iraq and the current chairman for the institute of war. >> madam chairman and senator reid, members of the disinterest committee, thank you for enjoying -- inviting me to testify. it is always a privilege to be with this committee, that has been 15 years and tro association for me. and the reputation of tackling tough issues as always been appreciated. i wanted to be here with general

mattis and admiral fell in. i don't know what the criteria for panel selection was but obviously we have someone in common. we are all getting older and have four stars retired. the thing we also have in common is we are very direct very straightforward and sure as hell opinionated. theso you will not get someone who is nuanced,, you will not get that from us three. i put some extra in their because congratulations to the new members of the kitty there -- committee, there is background information that may feel useful and i appreciate senator mccain giving us extra time on such a complex subject. the united states is confronting

emergency security challenges not seen since the rise of the soviet union to superpower status. with radek islam morphing into a global jihad, iran seeking hegemony and revisionist powers of russia and china capable of employing various degrees of sophistication, disruptive members of war and things that will test the methods of sustaining powers abroad. the united states will have to confront these challenges without its long-standing decided advantage in the scale of resources is able to devote to the competition. the budget control act is not only irresponsible, it is downright reckless. let me refer the outline the major security challenges and what we can do without them. radical islam are both

geological -- geopolitical movements. radical islam is the major security challenge of our generation. today's discussion consists of three distinct movements who share a radical ideology. they use terror objectives to achieve things but -- i provided a map that you can use and there are also some display maps that you can use that you may be challenged in seeing. intro 1980 iran declared the united states as a strategic enemy and the goal was to jive -- drive the united states out of the region. it uses proxies as the number one state sponsoring terrorism.

for 36 years iran has used these proxies to attack the united states. today the results is iran has direct influence over beirut, lebanon, damascus, syria baghdad, iraq and now yemen. is there any doubt that iran is on the march and systematically moving toward their regional objective? iran has been on a twenty-year journey to acquire nuclear weapons because they know it guarantees preservation of the regime and makes them the dominant power in the region and capable of expanding their control and tro influence. add to this their ballistic missile delivery system. as the increased missile range is eventually a threat to united states. a nuclear arms race is on the

horizon for the middle east. the al qaeda sunni-based movement, declared war on the united states in the early 90's. and they would dominate all muslim lands. that is the most ambitious radical islam movement to eventuallyand they would achieve world emanation. al qaeda and its affiliates exceed iran and are beginning to dominate multiple countries. al qaeda has grown four fold in the last five years. third the islamic state is an outgrowth of al qaeda and iraq which was defeated intro 2009. after the u.s. troops pulled out intro 2011, isis reemerged as a terror organization and moved into syria and began seizing towns and villages from the syria-iraq war all the way to

western syria. after many tourist attacks and assassinations, to set the conditions for follow-on operations, they launched a conventional attack back into i rock, with the seizure of falluja. is it possible launched a conventional attack back to look at that map in front of you and claim the united states policy and strategy is working or that al qaeda is on the run. it is unmistakable that our policies have failed. and the only explanation is that u.s. policy has disengaged from focusing on the military -- middle east. u.s. policymakers choose to ignore the harsh realities of radical islam. intro my view, we became paralyzed by the fear of adverse

consequences in the middle east. moreover, as we sit here this morning, u.s. holocene makers refuse to accurately name the movement as radical islam. we further choose not to define it nor explain this ideology and most critical we have no comprehensive strategy to stop it or defeated. we are choose not to define reduced to a piecemeal effort using drones intro yemen and pakistan, a vital tactic but not a strategy area -- strategy. our partnering program with other nations is fragmented with no overall strategy. this approach almost certainly guarantees we will be implementing an engagement with

no end insight. what can we do? it requires a broad, long-term comprehensive, strategic approach. world leaders understood how long-term formidable communist ideology and the soviet threat was to the world order and formed political and military alliances. forming similar alliances today offers the opportunity by member nations to discuss and set goals for necessary political and social reform and to share intelligence technology, equipment and training. the alliance is mostly about orting countries in the region to make internal changes and to assist comprehensively. we should rely on some of the leaders in and outside to

enforce the alliance. this is not about major military intervention, it is about assisting alliance members who trained their counterterrorism horse and their conventional counterinsurgency and conducting counterterrorism operations as required, while killing and capturing terrorists is key, so is the strategy to organize an alliance wide effort. on iraq and syria, the isis advance has stalled intro iraq. with modest gains. a successful counteroffensive to retake mozul and anbar provinces are a very real challenge. no one knows how the sunni

tribes and shia militia will perform. the united states should plan now to have u.s. soldiers accompanying troops. direct action and special operation forces should assist by targeting isis leaders. u.s. and coalition combat the gates should be designated for employment and move to kuwait to be ready for employment if the counteroffensive stalls or is defeated. the alternative? we wait a couple years and try again. the syria policy is a failure. isis is continuing to advance and taking new territory. you can see that on the other map and even approaching damascus and attacking south

damascus. the plans for training and assisting is not robust enough. attacking south i know you received a classified briefing, so you know more than i. and committing to bomb faster than new members are trained makes no sense. the united states should work with jordan and turkey to establish a no-fly zone and a buffer zone to protect refugees. the long-term goal for any alliance that is formed should be the regime change or at least a collapse of the existing government framework similar to the collapse of the soviet union. i'm ron oestreich -- iran's stated objective -- i run -- iran cannot be permitted to college its nuclear

objective. congress should do two things in reference to i ron -- iran. they should legislate ratification of any deal by the senate. the political situation intro afghanistan -- in afghanistan has improved considerably but the security situation remains at risk while the security situation in the south is relatively stable, the situation to the east is not. haqqani network has not been rooted out of of their support zones and safe areas. this is a serious problem. it follows that the a msf -- amsf needs funding support to

conduct counterterrorism and to advise train and assist beyond 2016. we also need to target the network in the sanctuary in pakistan in the vicinity of five top. -- fahtah. all that we've accomplished in afghanistan will be at risk if the troops have pulled out. how can we not learn the obvious and painful lesson from iraq. the security challenges posed by vision -- visionary nation -- in europe, the campaign against the georgia in 99 was not an aberration. by seizing the crimea answer

orting trumped up rebel forces and engaging in military deployments that threaten the baltic neighbors moscow has made it clear that it does the accept the political map of post cold war europe. i believe that we need to realistically conclude that moscow is willing to challenge the existence of nato. what can be done? given the dramatic drop in oil prices, conclude that moscow is willing to challenge the russia is suffering economically and is likely headed toward a recession. it is a disgrace that once again we have refused to help people being oppressed when all they ask for are the weapons to fight. we should robustly arm and assist campaigns. the nato military presence in

central europe -- from central europe, should be significantly shifted to the baltics and eastern europe with plans for a permanent basis. a clear signal must be sent to moscow. these actions will strengthen our diplomatic efforts have failed. china's continued economic growth has continued a buildup that is beginning to shift. as regime has been emboldened especially expanding his territorial claims which includes not only taiwan but most of the south china sea islands. china has embarked on a strategy at the expense u.s. interest and decades of partnership with allied countries within the region.

what can be done? develop a regional strategy, recognize that chinese military strategy to defeat u.s. information networks which they believe a loan made momentarily -- they are exploding decision to strike capabilities threaten and ground the naval forces and air and seaport demarcations. the united states no longer enjoys the command a position in the pacific -- pacific strike regime. we should pass a u.s. military defense to recognize the chinese threat and recognize that a change is likely. lastly, sequestration. it must be repealed and reasonable services restored to

meet the emergency challenges. in conclusion, given the emergent security challenges and limited resources, the need for a well-crafted regional defense strategy, more so now than a time i believe since homework to. this is not what we do. what we do is a cute vr, every four years, largely driven by process and far too focused on the budget. >> admiral fallon, inc. you for being here, admiral fallon is a vietnam veteran who served 40 years in the navy including as commander of u.s. central command. >> madam chairwoman and senator

reid, members of the committee thank you first of all for your essential and enduring some more. thank you for the opportunity to address this distinguished body and also for my perspectives on the current threat american foreign policy and national defense topics. there are certainly many area's of concern around the world will see those highlighted regular -- regularly by the media. first of all, i believe that a coherent national security strategy requires a long-term focus. we should resist reactive responses and attempts to find near-term fixes which will pop up issues. you're one to write continuously

and compete for attention with what we concern the highest priority national interests. considering the world today, i think we should focus on where we want to be in the future. with more people around the world enjoying a better life in conditions in their choosing with responsible elected leaders providing good government and respect for human dignity. this scenario is not going to happen without lots of hard work, informed and guided by an effective strategy. the united states government has and will provide -- political economic and military security assistance. the fundamental prerequisite for any u.s. national security strategy is a strong and proud

domestic foundation. our credibility is ace on the actions of our actions and how people see we might act in current situation hard not to wonder if other people in the world take us seriously. seemingly, ever-changing policies and 40's. a military capability is an essential element of power and one of the metis tools and certainly moral leadership, about if, when and where to our military services. we also faced some tough choices on what to do. we can't have everything, some people would propose an endless list of things that we did never of ward.

we have to make choices as we contemplate the u.s. ability or responsibility in world security. the reality is nuclear weapons and that bracing or them is continuing to -- the counter proliferation progress, fueled in large, russian operation appears to have ground to a halt in the wake of bad behavior. viewers strategy in dealing with the potential use of these weapons has been halt in the heretofore successful with our national turgid force. the critical components have been aging without significant upgrades. monetization and the survivability of the free-based or it should be a responsibility

for us to remain credible. in my view one of my most important -- most important strategic a interests is the stability of the vast asia-pacific region and our long-term relationship with china. mutually beneficial in many respects, it has other dimensions notably in the area of cyber security, military expansion and reasonable disputes with neighboring countries which need to be addressed. a key focal point is conflict in the middle east and the threat and spread of violent extremism. the middle east scenario is height for us, for obvious reasons. next year, the backs rows to improve stability, but i think we should continue to engage in this region. with the editors saying that we are not likely to be successful

by mandating u.s. solutions. sooner or later, they will have to step up and prevent the issues. we can and should accept will not rob their problems. some recommendations for addressing the current challenges in iraq and syria from my perspective include recognition that in iraq, success will rest on the ability of a new government and body to convince the majority of his countrymen and women that they will get a fair shake going forward. after this political foundation, nothing we do will be effective in the long term. second, getting islamic leaders to encounter the extremist ideology and cut funding.

i would highlight the recent remarks by the egyptian leader abdullah. and third we should continue u.s. military effort, to enhance their capabilities, increase their combat effectiveness and support them with training, airpower as required to defeat them and reclaim arias that were overrun. simultaneously, crushing it in rural it in rural arias -- they deny their ability to expand stain actions in iraq. collectively we have a chance to achieve our general objectives. combat and violent extremism worldwide will be a close term effort. especially in area's of intelligence sharing, u.s. military training and assistance and in summary strategic adherence