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next, the vatican

spokesman briefs reporters. this is 45 minutes. >> i am coordinator for the papal visit. we are honored to have with us this evening father federico lombardi. by a member of the archdiocese of chicago. father lombardi will be providing daily briefings to the media across the three cities of the popes visit this week. we are honored to have with us

his eminence, archbishop of galveston, houston and vice president of the conference of catholic bishops. axillary bishop of the archdiocese of washington. the format for this evening will be that each of our principals will say a few opening remarks and then we will open the floor to questions. would you like to start? father lombardi: thank you very much and thank you for being the papalworking on visit. i would say that in the first meeting of the pope on the plane with journalists leaving from journalistsd to the thank you for the service that you will do in helping me in my mission.

and theding good news news of peace that he has sent the pastoral visit to cuba and the u.s. sent togreeting he has the journalists on the plane. yours said pleased say to colleagues, they you for your work in this coverage of the pastoral visit and give news of the peace and so on in the world. notress these also for you only for the group that is flying with the pope. cuba has come today. about the three

days in cuba. -- it is good as always. he is very happy to be here now. there was a very good reception of you had -- as you have seen. this came in this motorcade. by big cars. this is the pope. and it was easy to recognize where the pope is because it is the smallest car of the motorcade. pope arrives from cuba.

in the pastdone , anh, a few months important visit to latin america. and this means that in some fives the pope visits lands of the american continent. from latin america to central , north and to the u.s. america. i think it is good to reflect how this proceeds. in the entire world, visitpe has begun with and has visited some lands in europe.

then he has visited asia. now he comes back to america, latin america and north america. in november,onth he will also be in africa. this means that the experience of the pope is universal and it is growing. growing not only meeting bishops from all parts of the world but also traveling in different parts of the world and problems ing the the mankind of today. feel that the pope is now ready to address global questions, very global questions

and he is doing in latin america and the now, here in the u.s. and the united nations assembly. the pope feels to have now the experience and moral authority questionsnswers and to the most important assemblies of the world of today. speech he will have for congress and the u.n. assembly i think are very speed --ng because the

speeds of a persian that has great moral authority and is a -- is able to interpret the questions that come from the global mankind. and to try to give orientation and answers to the people of the entire world. this occasion in particular here ,n washington and in new york there are two important speeches in the expectation of every one of us. theial in this way of service of the hoped-for the peace in the world and orientation and solidarity with mankind, addressing the most urgent and crucial question of today.

the hope is here for the first time, as you know. and this gives him i think an attitude of humility, of hepect, of interest because will speak and also learn. the cultureaks of of encounter. greatm, this is a occasion of a new encounter. think this is also in the attitude of someone that comes to receive and not only to give. veryis i think interesting. we expect three much from him. what hes always open to sees in the attitude of the

dialogue. mind towhat i had in say. the problem of the visit is already in your hands create i don't need to call this. we have this tomorrow morning. there is the reception at the white house. that is obviously very important. this is the first speech in english of the pope and then following the great speech to the congress. and tomorrow in the afternoon we [indiscernible] and it is also important. cardinal: we are excited to welcome pope francis to washington. country, even to

texas if i can use a personal association because i am the archbishop in houston. he is visiting the three cities but this is an apostolic journey. he comes as a pastor. he comes as a shepherd. that is to my mind the clarity of the mission of what pope francis is bringing. in his speeches, talks, and his meetings, his encounters. he has come as a shepherd to support his people and to reach out. he is asking for greater service to one another. in short he comes to speak the minds in the heart of the gospel. fromhe point of view myself and i think of the applicable conference, our role

is to step back in leave room for the message of the holy father to be received in all of its fullness. >> thank you. the archbishop of washington has expressed that the diocese is through -- thrilled with the decision of his holiness. we have been preparing for quite a long time here, a number of months for and in anticipation of this visit and we are looking forward to hearing his words of the joy the gospel expresses, and all that he says. and his own example, charity which we have seen over the last couple of years. with all these months of preparation i do want to pause for just a moment and express some thanks to a number of

individuals and groups who have been very involved in the planning and have assisted us to help with this planning. we are grateful for the secret they have given toward security and federal officials who have been part of the planning process from the beginning. ofor bowser from the city washington, city officials, the chief of police, the metropolitan police, the department and fire and emergency services and the city as well. staff inpreciative of to all the people of washington. many are affected by the visit. providedeful they have such a warm and hospitable welcome to our holy father, his holiness and very grateful for that today. and anticipate more in the coming days. also i want to express thanks

for the staff and volunteers. for all they have done to pull anything together. i start with these remarks speaking about thanks. i have always been taught to begin any endeavor with a sense of gratitude for blessings even as we ask for blessings upon the activities to come. thank you. >> thank you. we will now take questions from the media to indicate that you have a question. please raise your hand and our staff will guide you to the microphones. when you're at the microphone, please give us your name, the name of the outlet you represent, and to whom you are addressing the question. >> hello. welcome. thatt to clarify something was quoted from the plane. you know there would be a lot of interest in this comment which if he pope talking about

is a little bit to the left. can you explain about what he was asked and what he meant? he sounded like he was asked about economics. could you clarify a little bit more about what was said? >> think he has answered .uestion the center of his answer, i have , anything something less or more than what is in the social teaching of the church.

line, and this. i do not have to say that some things he is more left or more right than what is in the compendium of the social doctrine of the church. true.k this is someone asked him after the are proposing directions in engagement of the social service in the church. do you think that the church will follow you and then he said

no, the church is not to follow me. i am following the church. following what the tradition of the church is in the social teaching. and this is what i am doing. peoplely there are many not known maybe with the complexity and richness of these. and then [indiscernible] in a limited way. it is in these clear traditions. obviously as we know, he has he was onessed that the team of solidarity. ,e uses also -- some expression

now from social friendship. and inattention to the order and the thing together sanctity. this is to do with the friendship, with human relations, with complete relation between -- among persons. maybe this is something that he [indiscernible] and the social taking of the church. i think that also in the last ours, the church teaching progressing in the new world of

today. the environment crisis and some that are now more crucial maybe as in the past area but always in the direction of the traditional teaching of the church. today stressed that again during this conversation. >> thank you. i am correspondent for macedonian tv. macedonialy know that is the land of mother teresa. can you tell us whether the hope plans to visit macedonia is to mark -- macedonia? >> the pope has not yet a clear

agenda of the visit for the next years. known or public. there is no fixed agenda. trip that is clear and decided our africa in november usecrack of for the world in the next year. other chips are not decided. but it is [inaudible] what you say. hasave seen that the pope then sorry of and oh. macedonia. attached to this

region i think. thatfore i cannot exclude [indiscernible] but there is no project ever visit to -- of a visit to macedonia. >> the world meeting of families began today in philadelphia. pope francis mentioned this morning in his meeting with families, he asked everyone to pray for the world meeting and senate.oming how will the holy father be monitoring the events in philadelphia throughout the week and how will he be emphasizing family life while he is in the united states? thank you. father lombardi: he is very

interested as you know. to the wordas due in philadelphia before the invitation to the congress, before the invitation to the united nations. therefore it is very important for him. is -- we have to see it that participation of the pope and in the context of this in synod. sig the conclusioner of world family day. the encounter with the families this morning and century ago the

cuba wasantiago de designed to stress the continuity of the visit and cuba with the visit in the united states. speech the pope has given this morning for the veryy in santiago is wonderful and very interesting. and take this as a document for the meeting in philadelphia. i think the pope of -- was informed of what happened. we follow also the first days of the meeting but it will come to the end with his contribution with all his heart.

the homily this morning was very impressive. it is a way to appreciate the importance of the family formation of humanity. in many concrete aspects. you have to read the text has it is fantastic. >> good afternoon. [speaking spanish]

father lombardi: i think there are information that arrived to the vatican and the pope. there is [inaudible] that follows what happens. it was also the information of 2000 and more people -- 3000 and more people who were freed, as a sign in the preparation of this visit. in the sense situation may be with those science. is aware of the problems. and therefore he has traveled to cuba and given an important contribution to help the church to be allies in the difficult

situation and to encourage it to thehe contribution for renewal of a society. it is an institution that can move forward and to creativityto promote in the direction of the development of a society of participation, of freedom, and dialogue. and the reconciliation. in these things, if you listen boat --y well to this the speech of the pope in cuba, there are clear references to these encouragement of the pope

to go forward in this direction. the pope is always aware that he that specific possibility [indiscernible] he has practiced always from the faith. everyone has to [indiscernible] his responsibility and creativity to contribute to the well-being of the society. givenk the pope has thinkbution and i something is happening especially with these renewal of contacts and now between cuba and the united date, otherwise

also thisot feel but task. i think the pope has decided to have this trip from cuba to the united states to stress situation and to encourage progress. >> my name is angela. i am from spain. my question is addressed to father the party. you mentioned about the pope came in a humble attitude to receive. expected -- expecting to receive from america? thank you. we refer tordi: what the pope said in his

speech. i am always encouraging to listen. express- he will also history'son for the of the american nation and the american church. that the east and the universal church receives an exchange of gifts create also people anderican faithful. he -- it is impressive work of charity and education and i think that you know better than i of these positive aspects here. this is an important

problem ofn for the the world of today. church.ife of the i think that the question we have to address is the issue of responsibility. in this land there is great power, power of intelligence. of the science of the reflection of the economy and many aspects of creativity in the enterprises. these can help very much the .rogress if it is put to the service of the common good, the service of poor or in the difficult situation of their lands. surely the pope feels

the richness of the sources and the [indiscernible] ofe to be put to the service the common good of mankind. >> thank you. you, i am from a brazilian newspaper. we will you -- will you let us if there is an end to the u.s. economic embargo on cuba. what are the main topics of the conversation that you will have with president obama tomorrow? thank you. >> as i have said i am not a prophet in the sense i do not anticipate what has to happen and what had -- the pope as to say about the problem of the

embargo. flamek populace in the has to -- he would not address this find in his speech. it does not mean he does not of removal process of the relation but not completely that point of embargo. -- yes.e now there are contracts, bilateral contract selling problems. [indiscernible] concrete policies or solutions.

it is to the dialogue. to encourage always process altogether. he has recalled as i have recalled many times that the position of the church, of the catholic church and the popes of [indiscernible] thishave criticized that is as a source of suffering for the people. he is already safe either in the server of pope francis. he has not said that he will address this specifically in the next days. fix thank you.

>> i would like to go back to the question of capitalism. father barty, thank you for your answer. i wonder what the american church thinks about those positions. we have read several opinions that we are worried about calling and defining capitalism as the deadly or culture of idols. i am not sure of all 18 million people would like to hear the same thing. there are some positions that have been considered by some extreme. thank you. think thatardi: i

the sense of the briefing is not to discuss the contents of the doctrine. it is to give information and short answers about what will happen. these questions are addressed in the content of the speech and of the document of the pope. there is a lot to see. substantial answers to your question. but yes. it is in the line of the tradition of the social doctrine of the church. he thinks that he is not driving. there is a substantial tradition in these things. >> thank you for your question. -- it certainly is

true that the u.s. is a place of intense financial investment. find -- economics. -- we have new york's symbol -- new york city as a symbol. the u.s. is not monochromatic. appreciation and understanding of what can happen. the ships have always pointed out that what we do with in the marketplace is a republican never lose sight of the human person. so what happens in the human person and how we deal with for for those who are looking for a better life, the disparity at times between the rich and poor. we may not be as angular in that sense of stating matters as might be true in some other countries and we have always been aware of the poor.

financialportance of immunity to say that working those who are poor to have it defense -- decent wage, a decent living across the boards is good for the economy. where economists say. to my mind the u.s. in many ways in its culture, finances, and motive governing has a lot of tensile strength and attendance -- and tends not to be as monochromatic as simple presented. it goes in waves. the bishops are very intent that we be mindful of our culture where there is such an incredible growing disparities of this issue. without necessarily going into all the details. i do not feel overly confident down general but

important statements. the am reporter with [inaudible] northwesternt of university. earlier the press conference you have stressed the holy father's desire to communicate the idea piece. howhat note and seeing as he is about to speak with president obama and the congress, i was wondering if you could comment as to whether he plans on addressing issue of american involvement in iran, syria or iraq. thank you. i have saidrdi: before you have to listen what the pope will say. not to speak with the safe. otherwise it is not a surprise.

which problem will address explicitly. which problem represents not so explicitly. it will be very interesting. more.have time for one -- i am aorder reporter. this is another anticipatory question. topyou tell us what are the issues on the agenda of the pope ? there has been talk about immigration, furthering the agenda of the answer her on the environment. economists, are we getting it right in predicting those are the top issues and if i may throw in a simple question, can

you tell us about the exchange between the pope and president obama when they met? see the address to the united states we will of issues and it is , the question of the environment. the address of immigration will come. this is not possible that the .ope confidence -- and speaks

also about the environment, emigration. we will see how and when but it is clear that we will speak about this. obviously this is the basis of speeches, many addresses of the pope. find a wide -- you all that you find have mentioned. wonderful. of the different aspects

of the environment and the social crisis and the economy. this is really wonderful. find these aspects in the speech of the pope in the next days. for the meeting with president -- i don't know. normally these encounters are also private. of a private dimension. characteristic because the pope has a personal encounter.

also political leaders. the approach the other as a complete person. as a political leader that has a particular ideology. complete person that meets this person. as aerson meets the pope concrete man. this is something wonderful. this is another way to approach the question and solve something. if you have got a personal approach and personal feeling. help us to understand maybe the credibility and

sincerity of the order. everys sense, i think leader that has a meeting with the pope, the six -- this experience, a personal encounter. this is maybe more important if i can say. [indiscernible] would indicate. they will talk about something. this is obvious. thatis more important is concept of the conversation of the personalt encounter and the appreciation of the personality of the order. that candidate progressed to a chaingood results also -- -- obtain good results.

popean a person as the [indiscernible] proposing to do something new built a personal [indiscernible] --t can be the premise to four us to propose something new to happen. i do not know if this is clear. >> thank you. we have many more questions but we will have the opportunity for another reefing tomorrow after the mass of canonization at approximately 8 p.m. father somebody has recently agreed to be with us again, joined by archbishop joseph kurtz. a couple other housekeeping notes. please remember that the text of the speeches will be posted at media. vatican

speeches. they will be available to you digitally. just housekeeping note. we are continuing to distribute credentials tomorrow here at the if colleaguesroom have yet to pick up their credentials do they need to do that tomorrow. we will not distribute credentials on thursday. that is a change. thank you for your time. we will see you tomorrow. >> thanks to all of you. we are asking for blessings today upon the jewish trinity. .his is the day of yom kippur we pray for them in this day of atonement that the lord will continue to bless them. >> thank you, everyone.

[captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2014] the tour.st stop on the welcoming ceremony for the pope. if coverage begins at 8:45 p.m. -- 8:45 a.m. eastern. and canonization at the shrine of the immaculate conception. from capitolegins hill as pope francis makes history, becoming the first pontiff to address a joint meeting of congress. friday morning at 10, with coverage as the pope speaks to

the un's general assembly on c-span 3, c-span radio, and c-span.org. pontiff will the hold a multireligious service at the nine memorial and museum. follow coverage of the trip to the u.s. live on tv or online at c-span.org. up, a senate armed services hearing with former cia director david patrice talking about u.s. foreign policy in the middle east. international monetary fund director christine lagarde on global economic policy. later another chance to see the arrival of pope francis in the united states. we will show you his arrival at joint ace andrews where he was greeted at the president and a briefing on the pope's visit. on the next washington journal

we continue coverage of the visit to the united states. our guest is jim nicholson, former u.s. ambition -- ambassador to the holy see. he will talk about u.s.-vatican relations and look ahead to the visit to the white house and a speech before congress. live every morning at 7 a.m. eastern and you can join the conversation with your calls and comments on facebook and twitter. >> this -- is this marion barry's place? i went back to the office and i called him up and said i have into club 55. don't you realize people are watching what you do, where you go and they say you sit there all the time to watch naked dancing girls there was a pause and he said, it's nice, isn't it? >> nbc washington reporter tom sherwood on the political corruption in d.c., maryland, and virginia. >> 44 attorneys general from

around the country signed a letter saying they agreed with the governor. what he did was politics, not bribery. and these gifts, he should have reported the gifts. $15,000 for a child's wedding. $70,000 loans. been considered a vice presidential candidate was over in his head. this is another case where you are a public figure and you let your messy private life combined together. >> sunday night at eight eastern and pacific on q&a. >> david patrice spoke before policy.te armed service he talked about syria, iraq, and agreement. he starts with an apology for

sharing classified information. this hearing is almost three hours. >> i asked the committee to consider a list of 3725 pending

military nominations. all of these nominations have been before the committee, the required length of time. is there a motion? and second. motion carries. the armed services committee meets this morning to receive testimony on u.s. strategy in the least. ago, our nation was losing a war in iraq. despite the favorable comments the secretary of defense had stuff happens. we were losing the conflict. in fact we were at a point where there was almost sufficient toes in the u.s. senate force a complete withdrawal from iraq. -- then a seminal event

event in place. the day that i will never forget. 2007.ber 11, general david patrice appeared before this committee with ambassador ryan crocker. their compelling testimony was critical in securing support for the search. plannedrated campaign to defeat al qaeda brought security to the iraqi people and created the possibility for meaningful political reconciliation. now i meet again. at a time ofain grave security challenges. more than ever, our nation must be able to draw upon the wisdom and experience of its most distinguished leaders area that is why i'm so pleased to welcome has had this committee many appearances before this committee, one of our most distinguished leaders, welcoming back general david trias for his

first appearance before congress if -- since leaving government. i want to thank you on behalf of this committee for your willingness to testify today and offer insights from your decades of distinguished service, especially your leadership in iraq, afghanistan, and is director of the central intelligence agency. thess the middle east today old order is collapsing. the regional balance among states and social order within states. no new vision has emerged to take its place and across the region, ks fills the best ungoverned spaces left kind. filling this vacuum have been terrorist groups such as iceland one handand -- on the and hostile states such as iran and russia on the other. this is integration has been made worse by a failure of u.s. strategy and leadership to shape events in this final part of the world for the better. too often we have confused our friends, encouraged her enemies,

this taken in excess of caution for prudence and replace the risk of action with the perils of inaction. iraq and syria one year after the president commenced airstrikes and committed u.s. troops, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and commander of central command have characterized the fighting against isil as a stalemate. isil is consolidating control of its core territories and expanded its control in syria. efforts to retake iraqi cities like most all my falluja, and ramadi have foundered. isil is expanding globally to places like afghanistan, lebanon, yemen, libya, and egypt. this appearance of success only enhances isil's ability to radicalize, recruit, and grow. the obama administration tells us there started working. ultimately -- their strategy is

working. the current policy does not appear sufficient to achieve our goal of degrading and drying isil. put it mildly, committee hearing did little to alleviate concerns . in the absence of an effective strategy violent extremist groups like isil, al qaeda, and their appearance are expanding across the middle east and africa and south asia, and quitting afghanistan. after 14 years of fighting in afghanistan decisions made in the months ahead will determine whether our sacrifices were worth it. after pulling out of iraq against the advice of our military leaders, the president's plan to withdraw from afghanistan would risk of replay of that failure. we look forward to your views on this policy. in addition to the so-called islamic state, the islamic republic of iran has in another main beneficiary of the middle east peace descent into chaos. many of us have urged the

administration to. -- adopt a regional strategy to counter iran's malign activities in the middle east. unfortunately, that has not happened. the administration is too often controliran as an arms challenge rather than the wider geopolitical challenge that it is. left unchecked, iran has stepped up its destabilizing activities in iraq, syria, lebanon, brain, gaza, and elsewhere. whatever one thinks of the nuclear agreement, it will not resolve this larger iran challenge and will likely make it worse as iran gains new legitimacy, the lifting of sanctions and billions of dollars in sanctions relief. into the wreckage of our middle east policy has stepped put in. as in ukraine and elsewhere, the proofs -- perceives the administrations in action and caution is a weakness and he is taking advantage. his ongoing military buildup in

syria is the greatest expansion of russian power in the middle east in four decades. it will it will melt him to maker, undermine u.s. policy and ultimately prolong this conflict. the main beneficiary will be isil. administration first condemned vladimir putin's move but has now agreed to military to military talks m.p. mulcair:. the first step toward a solution is recognizing there is a problem. that seems beyond the capacity of the administration. the result to partisan attacks and talking points that require a willing suspension of disbelief. in a display of self-delusion, they can rival the bush administrations iraq policy at

its worst. they say time is on our side, the strategic patience is all we need and we should just stay the course. when our earlier strategy in iraq and the broader middle east was failing not so long ago, we think we have leaders like our distinguished witnesses were willing to face a situation with realism and a president whose everlasting credit took responsibility of that failure and changed course. other american presidents have demonstrated a similar capacity for change. there is no reason president obama cannot do the same. no one believes there are good options. they never are. no one believes these kinds of problems lend themselves to purely military solutions. they never have and they never will. no one expects us to succeed overnight and no one believes that america can or should solve

every problem by itself. but that does not absolve us of our responsibility to make the situation better where we can. these problems are hard. but as our witness once said, they are not hopeless. now more than ever, we need reasons to be hopeful again. i thank you for before the committee and look forward to your testimony. senator reid. back onreagan: welcome the general petraeus. this one easier and continues the committee's review. you have experience in a number of leadership positions in the u.s. military and as director of the central intelligence agency. can make she prepared and qualified to provide your perspective on the situation in the middle east and thank you for being here. the situation in the middle east presents a deeply complex

problem. they challenge our nation's security today. well are nations military is playing a critical role in addressing this and lasting solutions will require diplomacy and persistent attention. as the committee heard at last week's hearing, the media threats to the u.s. and our partners are isil. iraq provides them a violent base to spread their theology regionally and globally. the brutality of my soul coupled with that of viasat regime -- assad regime has forced many to flee. the refugee crisis highlights the urgent need for us to focus on restoring security in the

region. the national coalition enabled by the leadership of retired general john allen has brought together 60 plus countries to respond to the isil threat. including programs to train local forces. we are very interested in your views on the value of multilateral approach to confronting isil. i would be interested to hear whether you support the efforts to build local forces on the ground to liberate and restore security to areas previously under iso-control -- isil control. given your experience on the ground in iraq both as an operational and strategic level commander, i look forward to hearing your assessment of the military campaign on whether the iraqi security forces can summon

the will to fight successfully against isil and other opponents. hasadministration conditioned our support to the iraqi government under continuous efforts to be more inclusive and responsive to the concerns of the sunnis, kurds, shias. in syria, according to public reports, the dod run a variety of setbacks. many have criticized this program and i would be interested in your assessed of the viability of this program. assessment of the viability of this program. what president putin hopes to gain from military intervention is unclear.

we would like your perspective on that issue. the other major issue to the u.s. is iran. oa enterede jcp the implementation phase. the worlds will be watching to ran will be held accountable to this phase of the agreement. the most significant effort we can take along with our allies. iran's destabilizing activities are a critical concern. this continues the support of financing of the assad regime and shia militias. demonstration has made a significant commitment to our partners in the gulf cooperation council. we want to ensure they have the necessary capability to overcome

any threat to stop your assessment of these efforts would be appreciated. the u.s. continues to have nearly 10,000 u.s. forces in afghanistan as part of the support mission. a critical decision will have to be made in the next few months assuredg it u.s. forces be retained in afghanistan the on 2016. altly, we cannot forget qaeda remain a trans regional threat to the u.s. and other interests around the world. your insights with respect to what can be done to keep the pressure on al qaeda and the organizational structure would be deeply appreciated. andk you for your service for joining us today. chairman mccain: welcome. gen. petraeus: thank you, mr.

chairman. it's good to be back. thank you for this opportunity to discuss the situation in the middle east. as you noticed, this is the first time i've testified in open session in congress since -- asing a director director three years ago. i think it's appropriate to begin my remarks this morning with an apology, one i've offered before but nonetheless one i want to repeat to you and the american public. four years ago, i made a serious mistake, one that brought discredit on me and paying to thoseo me -- pain closest to me. it was a breach of the values i've been committed throughout my life. there's nothing i can do to undo what i did. i can only say again how sorry i am to those are let down and strive to go forward with a greater sense of humility and purpose and with gratitude to

those whose to with me during a very difficult chapter in my life. in light of all that, it means a great deal you have asked me to share my views on the challenges in the middle east where i spent most of my last decade and government. i thank you for that and for the support and friendship you have long extended to me. the middle east today is experiencing revolutionary upheaval unparalleled in its modern history. at the root of this upheaval is the disintegration of state authority in multiple countries. this has led to a violent struggle for power across a vast territory. the competition between different groups within states and one between different states in the region and some outside it. almost every middle eastern country is now a battleground or

combatant in one or more wars. the principal winners thus far have been the most ruthless, revolutionary, and anti-american elements of the region. this includes sunni extremists like the so-called islamic state . iranhe islamic republic of , hoping to establish a regional hegemony. all of the revolutionary forces are exploiting the upheaval in the middle east well exacerbating it for the while hostile to each other, the growth of each is feeding the radicalization that is fueling the other. none of them reflect the hopes of the overwhelming majority of middle eastern or's fault -- easterners.

they pose a threat to regional and global stability and to vital national interest of the u.s. the repercussions of developments in the middle east extend well beyond it. indeed, the middle east is not a part of the world that plays by las vegas rules. what happens in the middle east is not going to stay in the middle east. we see this in the global reach of the islamic state of the sanctuaries it has seized in the region. in the scene on the of refugees fleeing the conflict of the middle east, and the danger of the nuclear cascade sparked by iranian actions and in the escalating tensions between the u.s. and russia over syria.

international peace and security do not require the u.s. to solve every crisis or to intervene in every conflict. ineffective oris absent in the face of the most egregious violations of the most basic sensible's of international order we have championed, our commitment to that order is inevitably questioned and further challenges to it are invited. i will focus here this morning on three countries at the eye of the present gop political storm -- a rock, syria, -- iraq, syria, and iran. while there have been significant accomplishments, the progress achieved thus far has been inadequate. an impressive coalition has been established. key isis leaders have been killed or captured and support

for local forces in iraq and syria has helped rollback isis. some elements of the right strategy are in place. but several are under resourced well others are missing. we are not where we should be at this point. in iraq, we have halted and reversed isis's momentum in some areas but we have seen gains in others. in my judgment, increased support for the iraqi security forces, sunni tribal forces is needed, including embedding u.s. advisor elements down to the brigade headquarters level of those iraqi forces fighting isis. i believe we should explore use of joint tactical air controllers with select iraqi units to coordinate coalition airstrikes and we should examine whether our rules of engagement for purses and -- for purses and

shrek's -- four precision strikes are effective. u.s. personneled at the iraqi battalion level, nor would i support clearance operations before a viable hold forces available. as critical as the frontline fight against isis is, however the center of gravity for the sustainable feet of isis in iraq lies in baghdad. we should recall because of iraq's unraveling was the behavior oforrupt the former prime minister and his government. this is what alienated the sunni-arab population we worked so hard to get back into the fabric of iraqi society.

his actions created the conditions for the islamic state to reconstitute itself after which it gained additional strength in the syrian civil war and slept back into iraq. the key now is for the u.s. to help strengthen those in baghdad who are prepared to pursue inclusive politics and better governance, goals that unite the iiterity of iraq's sh sunni, and kurds. and kurds areni given a stake in the success of iraq and not its failure. with the backing of iraqi citizens, iraq's senior shia cleric and one shia party has embarked on reforms resisted by the leaders of the major iranian

supported militias and the former prime minister. the reality then is that the challenges in iraq are natalie -- are neither purely political or military, they are both. what's required is an integrated civil military plan in which diplomatic and military lines of effort are coordinated to reinforce each other. all the elements of that effort are required though it is the iraqis who must provide the ground forces and achieve reconciliation if the results are to be sustainable. we do not yet have the proper civil military architecture in place to support this though we do appear to be moving closer to it. the operational headquarters for the military campaign against isis and iraq is based in kuwait. the u.s. ambassador in baghdad.

always have a day-to-day military counterpart. i would recommend facilitating this will stop -- this. i'm very encouraged the general selected to lead the campaign in q is one who launched the reconciliation initiative on which we subsequently built during the search, leading eventually to what became the awakening. in my view,o note the commander in baghdad should focus primarily on a rock -- iraq. let me know turn to the situation in syria.

geopoliticals a instability. the fallout from the meltdown of syria threatens to be with us for decades and the longer it's permitted to continue, the more severe the damage will be. that frequently said there's no military solution to syria or other conflicts in the middle east. this may be true, but it's also misleading. for an every case if there's to be any hope of a political securityt, a certain context is required and that will not materialize on its own. we and our partners the facility it and over the past four years, we've not done so. it's been clear from early on in

syria, the desired context requires the development of capable ground forces. such a sunni elements are critical for any objective one might have in syria. defeating extremists like isis, changing the momentum on the battlefield to enable a negotiated settlement, and upholding that agreement while keeping prices down -- isis down. we're no closer to having that force than we were a year ago: support for such forces was first considered. sunni arabs will not be willing the islamicinst state unless we commit to protect them and the broader population against all enemies. that means protecting them from the unrestricted warfare being waged against them. especially by his air force

entities of their own bonds -- barrel bombs. this has been the primary source of civilian casualties. it has also been a principal driver of the radicalization fueling isis and the refugee crisis. the problems in syria cannot be quickly resolved. their actions the u.s. and only the u.s. can take that would make a difference. assad the use of a barrel bombs must end and if they continue, we will stop the air force from flying. we have that capability. this would not end the military and crisis in syria or the broader war or bring about the collapse of the regime. what it would remove a particularly vicious weapon from assad's arsenal and it would

show the syrian people that we can do what the islamic state cannot, provide them with a measure of protection. i would also support the establishment of enclaves of syria protected by air power where a moderate sunni force could be supported and where additional forces could be trained. internally displaced people can find refuge. of theis more conscious cost of military intervention or of the limits of our military power than i am. andommander in iraq afghanistan during the height of combat, i wrote more letters of condolence to parents of america's sons and daughters then any of my contemporaries. i don't take recommendations for any kind of military action lightly. carry action can also

profound risk and cost for our national security. we see that clearly today in syria and russia's recent military escalation in syria is a further reminder that when the u.s. does not take the initiative, others will fill the vacuum, often in ways that are harmful to our interest. russia's actions to bolster as sad increase the support for moderate opposition in syrian civilians. we should not allow russia to push us into coalition with assad. while we should not rush to oust assad, he cannot be part of the solution in syria. he is the individual seen by sunnis across the region as responsible for the deaths of some 250,000 syrians, the displacement of will over a third of the population in

syria, and the destruction of any of their once thriving communities. let me turn to iran. the nuclear agreement negotiated by the obama administration contains many positive elements. it also contains problematic elements. the the next 10-15 years, agreement will impose meaningful constraints on the wrong -- iran's nuclear activities and increase the resources available for them to pursue the line longer-term,d the the risk of iranian proliferation will increase. the key question going forward is what will be the relationship of the u.s. to iranian power. will we seek to counter it or to

accommodate it? as the obama administration thought to promote the nuclear agreement, it senior members select the form to counter malign iranian activity but many in the region worry the white house will pursue the latter, attempting to work with iran beginning with syria. this would be a mistake. to be sure the idea of reconciliation with iran should not be dismissed but it's one thing if reconciliation means iran abandons its policy, sponsorship of extremist prophecies, and pursuit over its neighbors. it's a different matter if reconciliation entails accommodating those actions. iraq, syria,en in activities are's

not only hostile to us, they exacerbate through the feelings of alienation and disenfranchisement which dries radicalization and the growth of groups like isis. thus rather than viewing the nuclear agreement as marking the end of a hostile relationship that will enable our disengagement from the middle east, we should see it as inaugurating a new, more complex phase of that competition that will require intensified u.s. involvement in the region. this should include several important actions. u.s. should make absolutely clear that we will never allow iran to possess highly enriched uranium and that any move in that direction will be met with military force. this guarantee must be ironclad

to reassure our partners in the region and have the desired effect with iran. such a declaration would carry maximum credibility if issued by the president and congress together. second, we must intensify our work with our arab and israeli partners to counter iran's malign regional activities. this can take several forms, including continued use of existing sanctions authorities against iranian entities tied to terrorism and human rights abuses. it should also include expedited approval of weapons systems software partners in the region and greater integration of the capabilities and it should encompass additional actions to demonstrate the theater remains set with respect to our capability to carry out military operations against iran's nuclear program if necessary.

beyond these actions, we should understand that the most immediate test for the credibility of our policy will syria. we do in iraq and the outcome in those countries will be the basis for the judgment of friend and foe alike about our steadfastness and competence in affording extremists. the situation confronting the u.s. in the middle east today is very hard but as i observe, when i took command in iraq, amidst terrible violence, hard is not hopeless. as complex and challenging as the crises in the region are, unconvinced the less is capable of rising to the challenge.

i ended my statements in the past by thanking its members for their steadfast support for the men and women in uniform. repeat the gratitude that so many of us felt during the height of our engagement in iraq and afghanistan for the committee's extraordinary support for so many critical initiatives on and off the battlefield, even when a number of members questioned the policies we grexit you to -- we were executing. this committee has played a critical oversight role, opposing tough questions about u.s. policy. i highlight the leadership of chairman mccain in this regard for questioning the strategy before 2007 and calling for many of the key elements that make possible destabilization of that country. the questions members of this committee ask about our approach

in syria and the broader fight against isis continue in this tradition. this committee's unwavering support of those serving our nation has meant a tremendous amount to those on the battlefield and those supporting them. it with those great americans in mind that i've offered my thoughts here this morning. thank you very much. chairman mccain: thank you very much and thank you for the most apprehensive overview this committee has received on the situation and i'm very grateful and i would mention perhaps one admirable and important part of my experience was watching your leadership not only in the architect of the surge but your motivation of the young men and women who are serving in the military as officers and enlisted your

inspirational leadership to them was something in which i will always remember with great admiration. you called for in your statement what some of us have been asking for four years and that's they'll bonds have to end -- barrel bombs have to end. isis are not the ones that have ,000 of their countrymen, that's assad and we should own up to that. calling for a your assad to that we tell stop the barrel bombs and establish an enclave where people could take refuge and could have protection from the insane cruelties