174000000 investment in the program and is poorly positioned to transfer responsibilities to the afghanistan national army the program was launched 5 years ago to provide the afghan army with surveillance trained and trained personnel to make it more self-sufficient but the report points to several shortcomings including a lack of oversight and concern that some of the equipment may have gone missing on top of that it says afghan soldiers aren't getting adequate training which obviously humpers their ability to use the information gathered by those drones the u.s. army those thinks afghan forces now only require minimal assistance now the program was launched in anticipation of american troops leaving the country just to recap of course a peace deal was struck in february between washington and the taliban setting a 14 month deadline for the u.s. military to leave last month the number of personnel stationed in afghanistan was reduced to fewer than 9000 former u.s. marine intelligence officer scott ritter says the program has been a massive drain on american taxpayers. we know that the american military e

he is an active national guardsman who served nearly five years in the u.s. army and was a platoon leader in afghanistani worked in the press operations of the white house when homeland security was created. tom ridge was the first homeland security adviser before there was a department. if we compiled intel on journalists covering the agency, then congressman waxman would have hauled us up to congress with our attorneys and there would have been hell to pay. what can you do -- this would appear that dls only stopped the practice because they got caught. that's why they are targeting the journalists that reported on unclassified documents. what can you do that would hold what would appear to be an out of control agency at least to the norms and laws as we know them? >> you are 100% right. they have to be held accountable. when you consider the role and function of law enforcement, of which dls falls under the umbrella of, they have three roles and functions. the first is public safety. the second is upholding law and the constitution. the third is maintaining the trust of the community. they have utterl

army and served in the district of col n columbia national guard. he served with the fifth special forces group. he participated in combat operations in afghanistan and iraq. upon retiring from the army in 2014, he worked as a defense contractor before serving as the special assistant to the president and senior director of counterterrorism at the national security council. he currently serves as the deputy assistant secretary of defense for special operations and for combatting terrorism. mr. hovakimian received his law degree from stanford university in 2010. he entered private practice for several years before joining the u.s. department of justice as an assistant u.s. attorney. during this time, he served multiple roles here in washington to including -- during his time with doj, he served in multiple roles here in washington to include as the department's director of counter trans national organized crime, he serve as the associate deputy attorney general and chief of staff of deputy attorney general jeffrey rosen. you've been asked to lead otct at a time when we're engaged in a debate, a robust debate about the intelligence community and ou

nation. when rory fanning the burly veteran who served in the 2nd army ranger battalion that was deployed in afghanistan in 20022004 appeared at a donald trump rally in chicago it was wearing the top half of his combat fatigues as he moved through the crowd dozens of trump supporters shouted greetings such as welcome home brother and thank.

nation. when rory fanning the burly veteran who served in the 2nd army ranger battalion and was deployed in afghanistan in 20022004 appeared at a donald trump rally in chicago it was wearing the top half of his combat fatigues as he moved through the crowd dozens of trump supporters shouted greetings such as welcome home brother and thank you for your service then came the protest that shut the rally down fanning one of the demonstrators pulled out a flag that read vets against racism war and empire immediately someone threw a drink on me he told me i got hit from behind in the head 3 or 4 times it was quite a switch quite pivotal on me questioning the narrative questioning donald trump's narrative and i was suddenly out of their good graces. nationalists who claim to be patriots do not really venerate veterans they only venerate veterans who read from the approved patriotic script america's the greatest the most powerful country on earth those we fight are to prayed to barbarians our enemies deserve death god is on our side victory is assured our soldiers and marines are heroes deviate from this can't

nation. when rory fanning the burly veteran who served in the 2nd army ranger battalion it was deployed in afghanistan in 20022004 appeared at a donald trump rally in chicago it was wearing the top half of his combat fatigues as he moved through the crowd dozens of trump supporters shouted greetings such as welcome home brother and thank you for your service then came the protest that shut the rally down fanning one of the demonstrators pulled out a flag that read vets against racism war and empire immediately someone threw a drink on me he told me i got hit from behind in the head 3 or 4 times it was quite a switch quite pivotal on me questioning the narrative questioning donald trump's narrative and i was suddenly out of their good graces nationalists who claim to be patriots do not really venerate veterans they only venerate veterans who read from the approved patriotic script america's the greatest the most powerful country on earth those we fight are to prayed to barbarians our enemies deserve death god is on our side victory is assured our soldiers and marines are heroes. deviate from this can't

the army had a big internal fight about whether they should have used the national guard more in that conflict. there's still debates about whether national guard brigades in iraq and afghanistan performed as well in the tougher sectors. what do we know about the army side where as you say it's harder to maintain unit readiness. what do we know as the brigade to be just as good as an active army brigade. i'm sorry for the long question. but i wanted to sort of frame this and pick up on your points about how the guard has evolved over your career, ask you to reflect a little more on that and speak to how good the guard has become today. over to you, please. >> we were a completely force than the one i joined almost 30 years ago. we're more ready, we're more disciplined. we have become -- and, again, my experience predominantly until the last eight years or so has been predominantly air force. but we have become exactly what the air force demanded that we become. part of that was, you know, great reduction in the size of the air force coupled with continuous deployment cycles to the middle east since the early '90s and the mid '90s. they needed the national guard to become part

there are still debates whether the national guard brigades in iraq and afghanistan performed as well in the tougher sectors. what do we know especially about the army side where as you say it is harder to maintain unit readiness if these are big for mason, what about the ability of the national guard on the use brigades to be just as good as an active army brigade with the historical perspective, sorry for the long question but i wanted to frame this and pick up your points allegory vault on your career, reflect a little more on that and speak to how good the guard has become today. "imus in the morning" we are completely different force than the one i joined almost 40 years ago. we are more ready, more disciplined. we have become, mike's parents predominantly until the last eight years or so has been predominantly air force but we have become what the air force demanded that we become. part of that was a reduction in the size of the air force coupled with continuous deployment cycles to the middle east sincerely 90s following the gulf war. they needed the national guard to become part of the deployable cadre that could go and we had to deploy with

army officer. both of them could be sent to afghanistan in the next year. so it's personal, it's not just strategic and nationalecurity for us. and i think every family wants to know that their commander in chief is going to bend over backwards and do everything that he can to protect them. and while i have faith that our military in afghanistan is doing right by force protection and making sure that folks are, you know, they have the security that they need on their bases, i just want the president to articulate clearly himself, that if these allegations are true, he's not going to accept it and will take action. that's what we still haven't heard directly from him, and it's painful, as a stepmom with an active duty kid, just say that. say that if we find out that there were boumty bounties on ts of our soldiers, that you will not let that stand. because personally and strategically, the mess ajit sends to russia and every other country in the world, if we allow that to happen and don't push back and instead just continue to bring that relationship with russia closer, it is just an absolute like foregoing of h

army ranger, completed three combat tours in iraq and afghanistan. and michael mcfall, former u.s. ambassador to russia during the obama administration and msnbc national security analyst. congressman crow, you were one of the house impeachment managers who prosecuted the case against president trump in the united states senate. the impeachment case. if you had known this information to the extent that it has been developed tonight last year, might it have been included in an impeachment investigation of this president? >> good evening, lawrence. it very well might have. you know, it's hard to tell right now. but i can say that it fits the overall pattern and practice. this president's pattern of neglecting his duties, not relying on our intelligence agencies, even refusing to hear information that he doesn't want to hear continues. it's dangerous for the country, and that's why we made the case so ardently earlier this year for his removal. there are troops serving around the country and the world that rely on a president who's engaged and willing to discharge his duty, and it's very clear this president will not be that person. >> john bolton is refu

the united states army currently serving in afghanistan, my number one priority is force protection and the safety of the brave men and women called into action to protect our national interest. that said i'm very concerned with any amendments that would slash the defense budget, impact our force protection, or degrade our investment in new technologies. a $73 billion cut to the defense budget would cause irreparable harm to our military and readiness and decimate the very programs that keep our service members safe. i want to close by thanking ranking member thornberry for his leadership and guidance not only this year but many years of his truly exemplary leadership. with that i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentleman from washington. mr. smith: thank you, mr. speaker. i am pleased to yield two minutes to the gentleman from maine, a member of the committee, mr. golden. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from maine is recognized. mr. golden: thank you, mr. chair. thank you, chairman smith. i want to take a moment to talk about an amendment coming forward today having to do with th

the united states army currently serving in afghanistan, my number one priority is force protection and the safety of the brave men and women called into action to protect our national interest. that said i'm very concerned with any amendments that would slash the defense budget, impact our force protection, or degrade our investment in new technologies. a $73 billion cut to the defense budget would cause irreparable harm to our military and readiness and decimate the very programs that keep our service members safe. i want to close by thanking ranking member thornberry for his leadership and guidance not only this year but many years of his truly exemplary leadership. with that i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentleman from washington. mr. smith: thank you, mr. speaker. i am pleased to yield two minutes to the gentleman from maine, a member of the committee, mr. golden. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from maine is recognized. mr. golden: thank you, mr. chair. thank you, chairman smith. i want to take a moment to talk about an amendment coming forward today having to do with th