gen. petraeus: i do. sen. inhofe: if we have a strategy in the middle east and dealing with these countries, i don't know what it is because we've been waiting for these and it seems to me you will not resolve the refugee problem. it's a very real one. here we are expanding the numbers we would be willing to accept and it's just a drop in the bucket. thinkthat time, i don't it's going to resolve the problem. specific have a explanation of the strategy of the administration in the middle syria, iraq, and iran? gen. petraeus: i will to defer to the administration for that. sen. inhofe: i have been deferring to the administration and we still don't have it. i happened to be there right after the ukrainian elections. how proud they were and how committed they were to us that they for the first time in 96 years don't have one communist in their parliament and immediately, vladimir putin started sending troops and equipment in, similar to what's happening in syria. you did respond to what they are trying to do with

gen. petraeus: exactly. the concern is that one gets out of hand interests somewhere else and takes down a civil airliner -- the risk in this has to be very carefully measured. and mitigated, there are some techniques and technologies that can be employed. i am not sure that we have not done that, or that other countries have not done that. it is a very risky proposition, in we have to do exercise norma's caution to do that. >> final question, do people wake up in iraq and think of themselves as iraqis? gen. petraeus: sadly, in recent sectarian, orore ethnic identity rather than iraqi. said that, i remember when the soccer team won the asia cup, that night there where cheers all over. so there can be unifying features, and let's never forget the most important centrifugal force is the distribution of the oil revenues by the central government to the provinces, ministries, and so forth. >> thank you, general. > thank you, mr. chairman. general, good to see you again. agree with what senator king said a budget

gen. petraeus: i would have concerns about that. you have neighbors going into one of the countries in this region, again, every country is different. to go into the country that is already has fractured as is syria, i think there are some complications with that. >> finally, assad must ago. gen. petraeus: he has to go ultimately, that is the keyword, until we have a sense of what would replace him, we need to be very careful monday push him out because what comes after could be even worse. >> how many people are left that would be willing to fight both isil and aassad? how long would it take to train this force? i would them in the ground first in turkey, and the jordan. i would be willing to put them into when enclave and you would not put people in jeopardy. >> how long do you think -- gen. petraeus: i don't know, senator, there is a host of assumptions that we would have to make before we can get any precision. >> thank you very much. >> general, on behalf of chairman kane, thank you for your extraordinary testimony. it was thou

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 governmen