years, to a group including stanley mcchrystal, mike rogers, chairman of the house intelligence committee, a former colleague of mine, and the former director of the national counter-terrorism center. on another occasion, john brennan, when he was president obama's chief counterterrorism adviser, spoke about the need of rolls around our use of drones, an issue that is not yet fully resolved. and general keith alexander, the head of cyber command at the national security agency, came here to discuss how the public can get into the debate about cyber. another tough issue. as the towers were falling and the pentagon fire was burning on 9/11, i was a senior member of the house intelligence committee and headed to the capitol dome. that is where the intelligence committee rooms were then located. it was the intended target of the for their plan that went down in pennsylvania, is believed.

>> so replace stanley mcchrystal? >> in woodward's book the president considered only two strategies which is a fully resourced counterinsurgency which is iraq transferred to afghanistan or what the vice president advocated which was called the counterterrorism plus which is we leave the fighting all together and rely on special forces and drones to target al qaeda inside of pakistan's northwest frontier. the a diplomatic option-- which is what richard holbrooke wanted-- was never actually one of the option it is president considered. he could have considered it and rejected it. but -- >> rose: but he didn't consider it. >> he was not -- you read the book. there is no mention of a third tion which was richard's option with far fewer troops on the ground and aggressively and actively look for a diplomatic solution which would have made holbrooke and secretary clinton the principal actors in managing the end of the war. >> rose: i mean smeshgs had a powerful voice in conversation. so if richard holbrooke's ideas

to and from what might otherwise be sterile legal arguments and recognize that -- as i think stanley mcchrystal said, general mcchrystal, that what may appear riskless to us here on the perspective of people on the receiving end very much like war. that's what we have to consider going forward, including about whether we want to expand aumf authority at a time when the public is tired of the blood and treasure that have gone into a war-based endeavors and when our policy makers are telling us that al qaeda and other organizations have been decimated. it's a debate that we have to have more information to have an informant basis. >> bank. i like to open up to your questions now. when i recognize you come with into a microphone comes. and please state your name and organization. if you like to direct a question to a particular catalyst, do so. john? >> from the georgetown university. great panel. john bellinger made statements that the obama administration is making efforts to clarify things. it seems more of a rationalization for what we have done rather than establishing a credible legal framew

that sounds pretty routine today but i can tell you, -- jane was referring to stanley mcchrystal.ame to joint special operations forces command, we would conduct teleconferences, and maybe 50% of them would work. frankly, most people did not want to do video teleconferences. they did not want to be bothered by having to do face-to-face discussions. stan quickly said,, you are either going to be a zealot for a murder, but we are going to do video teleconferences -- or a martyr, but we are going to do video teleconferences. but that allow us to do was then, from general mcchrystal down to the youngest operator, he could pass commanders in 10, and he could hear without operator was doing and thinking. and then we pass across the entire network. understanding that network, having communications across the network, having business rules in place so that everyone knew what their roles and responsibilities were, that was crucial. that is how that organization that stan mcchrystal build was so effective. now what we're trying to do was enhance the special operation that provide you the sa

ground to inform what otherwise might be a sterile legal argument and recognize that, as i think stanley mcchrystalsaid, general mcchrystal, that what may appear riskless to us here, to the perspective on those on the receiving end is very much like war. that is part of what we are doing and what we have to consider going forward including whether we want to expand authority at a time when the public is tired of the blood and treasure that has gone into war-based endeavors, and when our policy makers are telling us that al qaeda and other organizations have been decimated. it is a debate we have to have, a debate we have to have more information to have on an informed basis. >> thank you, and i would like to open it up to your questions. we do have microphones. wait till the microphone comes, then please state your name and organization. if you would like to direct a question to a particular panelist, these do so. >> john gannon. >> thanks, great panel. the bellinger mentions obama administration was making efforts to clarify this issue. andve read those speeches, it seems to me what i have read is

ground to inform what otherwise might be a sterile legal argument and recognize that, as i think stanley mcchrystalsaid, general mcchrystal, that what may appear riskless to us here, to the perspective on those on the receiving end is very much like war. that is part of what we are doing and what we have to consider going forward including whether we want to expand authority at a time when the public is tired of the blood and treasure that has gone into war-based endeavors, and when our policy makers are telling us that al qaeda and other organizations have been decimated. it is a debate we have to have, a debate we have to have more information to have on an informed basis. >> thank you, and i would like to open it up to your questions. we do have microphones. wait till the microphone comes, then please state your name and organization. if you would like to direct a question to a particular panelist, these do so. >> john gannon. >> thanks, great panel. john bellinger mentions the obama administration was making efforts to clarify this issue. i have read those speeches, and it seems to me what i ha

that sounds pretty routine today but i can tell you, -- jane was referring to stanley mcchrystal. he came to joint special operations forces command, we would conduct teleconferences, and maybe 50% of them would work. frankly, most people did not want to do video teleconferences. they did not want to be bothered by having to do face- to-face discussions. stan quickly said,, you are either going to be a zealot or a martyr, but we are going to do video teleconferences. but that allow us to do was then, from general mcchrystal down to the youngest operator, he could pass commanders in 10, and he could hear without operator was doing and thinking. thethen we pass across entire network. understanding that network, having communications across the network, having business rules in place so that everyone knew what their roles and responsibilities were, that was crucial. that is how that organization that stan mcchrystal built was so effective. now what we're trying to do was enhance the special operation that provide you the same thing. how do i push communication's debt to every liaison

general stanley mcchrystal has also stated that the resentment created by a american use of unmanned strikes is much greater than the average american appreciates. mr. al-muslimi's testimony provides a chilling example of how these strikes can undermine our efforts to win hearts and minds of the very people we are relying on to provide us intelligence and ultimately be our allies. are we trading short-term tactical success of killing individual targets for the long-term strategic failure by sowing widespread discontent and anger? >> senator, i can't talk to specific operations. >> understand. >> but i am worried that we have lost the moral high ground for much of the reasons that the witnesses have talked about. and that some element of transparency in process, in decision-making, in the understanding not just of those who actually make decisions, but of the people of this country and the people of countries that we are working in, is going to be a sensual to find our way back up moral high ground. i believe that these people understand what the options are and the choices are and th