Opening Statement at Nomination Hearing for Gen. Lloyd Austin and Gen. David Rodriguez
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Welcome. This morning the committee considers the nominations of two distinguished officers to two of the most active and challenging combatant commands: General Lloyd Austin, U.S. Army, nominated to be Commander, U.S. Central Command; and General David Rodriguez, U.S. Army, nominated to be Commander, U.S. Africa Command. These two combatant commands, CENTCOM and AFRICOM, are the centers of gravity for our military’s operations to counter the threat of terrorism. Both nominees have served the country with distinction and I want to thank each of you for your decades of military service and your willingness to serve once again.
I understand that General Austin’s wife Charlene and General Rodriguez’s wife Ginny are with us this morning. I want to acknowledge them and thank them for their sacrifices and their support to our nominees throughout the years, which is so essential to their success. As is the committee’s tradition, our nominees are invited to introduce any family members or friends who may be with you this morning with your opening remarks.
If confirmed, General Austin will assume command of CENTCOM during a critical transition period for our military operations in Afghanistan. In the coming months, Afghan forces will assume the lead responsibility for providing security throughout their country, with coalition forces stepping back to a support role. And on Tuesday President Obama announced during the State of the Union address plans for drawing down half of the 66,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan this year, a 34,000 troop reduction by February 2014. The President continues to consider options for a significantly-reduced U.S. military presence in Afghanistan after the end of 2014, which will depend in part on negotiations with the Government of Afghanistan over legal protections for our troops. But the President has made clear that the missions of any residual U.S. military presence in Afghanistan after 2014 will be limited to counterterrorism operations and training and advising Afghan forces. General Austin would bring exceptional experience to overseeing this transition, having commanded U.S. Forces in Iraq during the reduction of U.S. forces and equipment from Iraq.
Just this past weekend, our forces in Afghanistan have had a change of command, with General Joseph Dunford replacing General John Allen as Commander, International Security Assistance Forces/Commander, U.S. Forces—Afghanistan. I want to take this opportunity to thank General Allen for his thoughtful and devoted leadership in Afghanistan and his forthrightness in his interactions with me and this committee.
When Senator Reed and I visited Afghanistan in January, we saw real signs of progress, including the Afghan security forces increasingly taking the lead responsibility for protecting their country. Good news stories about Afghanistan and the Afghan security forces don’t seem to get the coverage in the U.S. press that is given to negative stories. For example, it was widely reported that only one of 23 Afghan brigades is rated by ISAF as “independent.” On the other hand, we heard from our commanders in Afghanistan that 87 percent of operations in Afghanistan’s critical Regional Command East are carried out solely by the Afghan security forces. In fact, compared to the previous year, ISAF casualties in 2012 were down, improvised explosive device (IED) casualties were down, and enemy initiated attacks were down.
Another mainly success story is the now 18,000-strong Afghan Local Police (ALP) program. These community defense forces, when coordinated with district-level Afghan National Police and Afghan Army forces, are more and more effective in empowering Afghan communities to defend against Taliban intimidation and violence. Plans are being developed to increase the authorized size of the ALP program from 30,000 to 45,000.
The next CENTCOM commander will also play an important role in shaping our enduring partnership with Afghanistan after 2014, a partnership that I fully support. I am concerned, however, by plans to reduce the Afghan National Security Forces by a third starting in 2015, from 352,000 to 230,000 by 2017. I believe any future reductions in the size of the Afghan forces should be based on security conditions in Afghanistan at that time. As Afghan security forces make progress in providing for their country’s security, we should reassure them that we will continue to support these efforts by deciding that as we draw down our forces there won’t be a drawdown in Afghan forces.
Progress in Afghanistan remains fragile, and significant challenges to Afghanistan’s long-term stability remain. Among the greatest threats to stability are the safe havens for Afghan insurgents across the Pakistan border, which the Government of Pakistan has failed to disrupt or eliminate. In addition, the major shortcomings of the Government of Afghanistan in delivering governance and fighting corruption creates political and economic instability that could exacerbate the challenges to the 2014 transition.
In addition to Afghanistan, CENTCOM must contend with one of the most significant issues in our current national security debate – the threat posed by Iran and its continued pursuit of its nuclear program. As the CENTCOM commander, General Austin, you will be at the tip of the spear with regard to preparing militarily for the potential of an armed conflict with Iran. I share the President’s view that all options must remain on the table with respect to Iran.
Iran’s hand can be seen throughout the region, including its relentless pursuit of instability and fomenting of violence through proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah and through its own covert activities in the region. Already destabilizing events in Syria, Yemen, Gaza, Egypt, Iraq, and Sudan are made worse by Iran’s funding and supply of terrorist organizations seeking to undermine governments and spark further conflict among sectarian and tribal groups. CENTCOM has a critical role to play in leading efforts across the region to counter Iran’s malign influence.
Events in Syria continue to deteriorate. The impact of the Assad regime’s increasing dependence on support from Iran and desperate actions to hold onto power can be seen in the thousands of refugees that flow into the towns and villages of Syria’s neighbors. While the United States is focused on providing humanitarian relief and non-lethal assistance to the Syrian opposition, the CENTCOM commander will be asked to advise on the situation in Syria, including whether to provide lethal assistance to the opposition, whether the United States should conduct limited strikes against key Syrian military capabilities, and whether the United States should seek to build a coalition of nations to take more significant military action. These are extraordinarily complex issues that General Austin will be asked to share his views on today.
CENTCOM’s area of responsibility remains the central location of many of the non-state terrorist threats our nation faces. In addition to core al Qaeda in Pakistan and the re-emergence of al Qaeda in Iraq, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula remains focused on attacking the United States and our interests. Our CENTCOM forces continue to assist our Yemeni security partners in preventing al Qaeda from taking advantage of areas in Yemen where the government has limited control.
Over the past few years, al Qaeda adherents have successfully established franchises in the AFRICOM region. Since its creation half a decade ago, AFRICOM has used available resources and authorities to train and equip foreign nations to combat al Qaeda in East Africa, as well as in the Northwestern Africa. In Somalia, AFRICOM’s investments are showing promise. However, the fall of the Qadhafi regime and the resulting increase in the availability of small arms and some advanced munitions has changed the security dynamics in North Africa. Over the past few months, al Qaeda in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, has used its deep pockets – funded primarily through kidnapping ransoms – to destabilize the nation of Mali and to threaten nations throughout the region. While successful French military action – enabled by the support of AFRICOM – has forced AQIM out of the population centers in northern Mali, the threat of terrorism emanating from Northwest Africa has increased. Making matters worse, this same region has become host to key routes that move drugs, weapons, terrorists, and money that funds terrorist and other transnational criminal activity around the world. General Rodriguez, this evolving situation will consume a great deal of your time.
The events in Benghazi were a poignant and powerful reminder of our need – and public expectations – for a capability to respond quickly to crises around the world. In Africa, we have struggled to find footholds that allow for such a response, or allow us to conduct day-to-day operations, like intelligence collection. Moreover, AFRICOM has received less in the way of resources and support than other geographic commands, and this disparity indeed may grow in a resource-constrained environment. These challenges – combined with destabilizing impacts of terrorist and criminal networks will make General Rodriguez’ task at AFRICOM among the most complicated in the department.
An additional matter in the AFRICOM AOR that this committee watches closely is the ongoing U.S. support operations in central Africa to assist the multinational effort to remove Joseph Kony and his top lieutenants from the battlefield. This committee has sought to ensure this mission is adequately resourced, including additional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. General Rodriguez, I know you are familiar with this mission, and the committee looks forward to hearing from you about it and working with you on it.