Transcripts For CSPAN Joint Chiefs Of Staff Chair Confirmati

Coordinator and making sure that people are aware and have the resources. Thats certainly not the time to be coming into the Government Office and working with us to make sure we have appropriate remedies. Another topic i raised seeing trade secrets as a form of intellectual property like copyright and trademark. We are beginning to get it. They have been actively advocating and working with european nations and they are very interested in whats happening here in the United States. You mentioned moving from first inventor to file with the systems we have now. Theres a number of changes i pr was created out of that whole process. We just need to see the implications. Just now, three or four years later, what it means. Later, what it means. Will it have positive implications or something that we may see there are issues with that. That is why, if we are going to legislate again in this area we need to be very careful about how we go about it because we are just now seeing the output of what it was back in 2011. We ought to be cautious about how we go back and wade into that water again. I agree with you. This is a big harmony with the United States. Japan is also looking at providing their trade secret law and its a problem for european countries. I think this is where the u. S. Government can work well with its counterpart. They need to try to encourage other governments to put domestic laws in place that make it easier to prostaglandins prosecute against that. Or at least prevent it from happening in the first place. There does seem to be consensus in europe and japan that there are measures you can take to reduce the problem but one of the things we are seeing now is rethinking our approach with a more assertive approach. Weve reached the end of our time. I thought this was a great panel. It was really fascinating. Was really fascinating. Michelle lee, thank you so much. You cut me off before i could think victoria and mike so thank you to them as well. [applause]. Live at 10 00 a. M. On cspan. And monday Governor Scott walker is expected to announce that is entering the president ial race. Next weekend on road to the white house, two political events from iowa. Live in cedar rapids for the Iowa Democratic hall of fame dinner. It will mark the first time that all five democratics candidates shared the same stage. Then we will be live in ames where nine leading president ial candidates are expected to speak. Road to the white house 2016 we take your. You there. On thursday they held a hearing for general dunford who is expected to be anointed by president obama to become the next joint chiefs of staff chair. They spoke on a wide array of security concerns. This is two hours 25 minutes. [inaudible] these are your standard questions for the military nomination [inaudible] [inaudible] sen. Mccain good morning. The Senate Armed Services committee joins to consider the nomination of general dunford as joint chiefs of staff. General dunford is no stranger to this committee. He was our commander in afghanistan and many posts before that. He is a warrior and a leader of the highest quality and we are grateful for his 38 years of distinguished service. Were also thankful for the sacrifices general dunfords family has made over the years and their willingness to lend him to the nation once again. We welcome you to introduced members of your family joining you this morning. I would like to take this moment to express our special thanks to your wife ellen. We know how much his service and future absence will rest on you and we honor the sacrifices you are making through your continued support to our nation, not to mention the downgrade in your residence. [laughter] that will be part of this. The next chairman will have to conduct the military to confront the most diverse and array of global crises since 2002. Isis has continued to succeed on the battlefield taking ramadi and other key terrain in iraq. The lack of a coherent strategy has resulted in the spread of isil around the world in libya egypt, nigeria and even to afghanistan where i visited last weekend. Supporting our partners in sustaining a stable and democratic future, but even as isothreatens the future isil threatens the future, the president remains committed to a reduction in troops before they are fully capable of operating without our support. This would create a security vacuum and we have seen what fills similar kinds of vacuums in syria and iraq. Given your experience in afghanistan, we be interested to hear your thoughts about the appropriate u. S. And coalition presents going forward. Meanwhile, iran continues to threaten peace and stability across the middle east and development of the missiles needed to deliver them to targets far beyond its shores. In europe, Vladimir Putins russia continues its onslaught of ukraine, but even as russian weapons and equipment execute this neocampaign, United States has refused the ukraine weapons it needs and deserves for its defense. In the asiapacific, china is continuing its efforts of behavior. Its continued military tilde designed to counter u. S. Military strengths and its blatant and undeterred Cyber Attacks against United States. Well our efforts in the asiapacific has shown some successes especially the deepening of our alliances this has not deterred china from its assertive course. While challenges grow, the Defense Department has grown more complex, but less innovative. More profession with lowtech adversaries but more vulnerable to hightech ones. And the selfinflicted wounds of the budget control act and sequestration have lowered defense spending and made all these problems worse. The air force is the oldest and smallest it has ever been. The navys fleet is shrinking to preworld war i levels. We will continue the downward spiral of military capacity and readiness that will compromise each Services Ability to execute our defense strategic guidance at a time of accumulating danger to our National Security. Budget cuts have slowed priorities comparing the nations ability to prepare its military and technological vantage. Advantage. This is just about the aircraft we hear about, but budget cuts threaten our ability to seize the future and make the vital investments in Breakthrough Technologies such as directed energy out of his vehicles and data analytics. The current general joint chiefs of staff has stated that even if the Defense Department receives the additional 38 billion above the budget cap, our military would remain at the lower ragged edge of manageable risk in our ability to execute the defense strategy. More worrisome is that everyone of our military Service Chiefs has testified that continued sequestration level defense spending puts american lives at greater risk. Less we change course limit sequestration i fear that our military will confront depleted readiness, chronic monitor to station monetization problems and deteriorating morale. No matter how many dollars we spend we will not provide the the material they need with a broken acquisition system that takes too long and costs too much. With the act, this committee has embarked on a major effort to reform this system including ways to empower our Service Leaders to manage their own programs in exchange for greater accountability. We are very interested in hearing your views about improving the defense acquisition system based on your years of service. The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff is the principal military advisor to the president. More than ever we need an honest and forthright leader that offers his best and unvarnished military advice. The president will not always take your advice that it is my hope that he will always have an appreciation of the military dimensions and difficult problems our nation confronts with you at his side. Thank you for your willingness to serve once more. Thank you very much to thank the general for his Extraordinary Service to the nation. During 38 years he has served with courage and distinction and im confident hell continue to do so as the next chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. , finally, let me also recognize his family. Alan and patrick, thank you for being here today. Thank you very much for what you have done to serve the nation and the marine corps. Last week, general dempsey released the 2015 National Military strategy. In his forward he stated that the current environment is the most unpredictable he has seen during his military service and that global disorder has significantly increased while the military advantage has become begun to erode. It is confirmed if confirmed as the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff you will be advising the president and the secretary of defense on these issues facing our National Interests. You will be countering the Security Threat from isil in iraq and syria. As the president said earlier this week our counsel icer counter isil campaign will employ all elements including military intelligence, diplomatic and economic. If confirmed you will be authorized on a military role including getting rid of isil safe havens with training assistance and air support from the international coalition. The success of these efforts will depend on a couple metairie effort to i look forward to hearing your views on the situation in iraq and syria and thinking in the ultimate role the military can play in supporting the diplomatic front. Regarding the ran iran the department of defense will play a key role in reassuring our shared priorities in the region. Working to did deescalate or resolve threats. If confirmed you will bring valuable experience to oversight in afghanistan where you have led the u. S. And Coalition Forces with distinction. While the Afghan Forces fought courageously come up more is to be done courageously, more needs to be done. There will be a clinical Critical Role in the size of u. S. Forces in afghanistan in 2016 and beyond. Another challenge will be deterring additional aggression toward ukraine and its european neighbors and reinforcing the minsk court. Defensive weapons to help the ukrainian people defend their sovereignty. We will be interested in your views and the security situation in the ukraine and what additional steps you recommend for assisting russias neighbors and themselves. Our men in uniform and women in uniform remain the committees top concern. Our armed forces are nothing without its people and we continue to juggle the twin goals of a high quality of life and adequate levels of training and equipping. To meet National Defense requirements. Sometimes that means making hard choices. To that end as you well know, the department of congress has for several years considered various proposals. I would be particularly interested in your views on the proposals and the impact on such changes if not enacted. This committee had a robust debate on how best to fund defense programs. I repeatedly stated that sequestration is not the approach we need to address the fiscal challenges and more pointedly it under nine undermines National Literary readiness. Military readiness. Even a oneyear increase in boko spending oko spending does not provide the certainty needed. It undermines the morale of our troops and families who want to know if their futures are planned for more than one year at a time. I hope you will share your thoughts on this topic with the community today. Thank you for your willingness to serve the nation and i look forward to discussing these issues. Sen. Mccain there are standard questions the committee always asks of military nominees and i would like to proceed with that before your testimony. In order to exercise its legislative and oversight responsibilities it is important that this committee is able other communications of come information. Do you agree when asked to give your personal views even if they differ from the administration in power. Gen. Dunford i do, chairman. Sen. Mccain have you taken any duties that would impede the competition process . Gen. Dunford i have not. Sen. Mccain do comply with the deadlines for communications and hearings . We cooperate with witnesses and briefs for congressional request . Gen. Dunford i will. Sen. Mccain will witnesses be protected from reprisals . Gen. Dunford they will. Sen. Mccain you agree to testify on request before this committee . Gen. Dunford i do. Sen. Mccain do you agree to provide documents and a timely manner when requested or to consult with the committee for any goodfaith basis for delay or denial in providing documents . Gen. Dunford yes, chairman. Sen. Mccain thank you for providing complying with that formality. Gen. Dunford thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. Going to thank the secretary of defense for their confidence in me. Joining me today is my wife ellen, and my son patrick. Ellen has been a great mother to our children and is an advocate for military families. Her sense of humor, flexibility and endurance have been tested in over 30 years as a Military Spouse and i would not be here today without her love and support. I like to thank you for your commitment to our soldiers, sailors and parades. They are the most marines. They are the most wellequipped material force in the world. This committee is also well aware of the pressing challenges we face in europe, the middle east, space and cyberspace. While doing with these and other issues we have to joint force in the face of budget challenges. If confirmed i will provide the president with my best military advice and a full range of military options. When asked i will provide congress with my best military advice. When delivering best military advice i will do so with candor. They will maintain a joint force capable of securing today and tomorrow. If confirmed, i will dedicate myself to properly leading representing and keeping the faith with the civilian men and uniform who volunteered to serve our nation. Sen. Mccain thank you very much general. The day before yesterday we received testimony that so far with 500 million committed, theres been 60 individuals who have been trained to go into syria and fight against isis. What do you know about that particular situation . Gen. Dunford chairman, what i know is we have the general who has been working at that for some months. Those numbers are less than he estimated. The feedback i received is those numbers are largely attributable to the vetting process that they think they learned things during the process of these first 60, but frankly chairman until i have an opportunity to get on the ground and speak to the commanders what i know is secondhand. Sen. Mccain do you believe we should get a pledge from these recruits that they will only fight against isis and not Bashar Al Assad . Gen. Dunford chairman, what i understand right now is we do not have the authority to take action against assads forces. Unless that policy would change, that pledge would be required. Sen. Mccain given your experience in the military, do you think its a good idea to train people and send them to be attacked and barrel bombed by another entity and not defending them . Gen. Dunford chairman, if we train those individuals and they go back into syria to fight, i think if them with enabling capability to allow them to be successful. Provide them with a full range of capability to be successful. Sen. Mccain and other words prepare them in ways that are routine now . Gen. Dunford provide them with a full range of capability to be successful. Sen. Mccain i was recently in afghanistan over the fourth of july and there was great concern with the afghani and with the abdullah and other afghans about the present proposal to have our force in afghanistan down to a embassycentric force by 2017. Meeting that we would be giving up and turning over our basis. With a force only based in the u. S. Embassy. Great concern was voiced concerning this plan, or the articulated, announced plan by the president of United States. The taliban did not respect the nonfighting season. The casualties are higher than they have ever been and we now have isis and the iranians providing taliban with weapons. Is this a wise decision on your part to have a calendarbased withdrawal rather than a conditionbased withdrawal . Given your background and experience i think you are qualified to make that judgment. Gen. Dunford i am aware of the consequences and i have a personal commitment in having spent time there. I am cant assure you if confirmed i will provide advice to the president that will allow us to meet our desired end state and i think that will be based on conditions on the the ground as articulated. Sen. Mccain rather than a calendarbased decision . Gen. Dunford sen. Mccain in ukraine, its obvious that the russians continue their military buildup. I was in Eastern Ukraine and watched the Surveillance Video that was made by the ukraineians showing the gradual buildup of Russian Forces inside ukraine. Do you believe that we should get the ukrainians a counter battery system with which to defend themselves from russian strikes and should we provide them with Mission System Missile Systems to defeat the russian tank rates . Raids. Gen. Dunford i think it is reasonable and without that support they are not going to be able to protect themselves against russian aggression. Sen. Mccain general dunford, i would like to repeat again my appreciation for your service and i am confident that you will serve with distinction and you are the principle military adviser to the president of the United States and that is a unique role as designed in the 1947 act. I hope youll keep in mind your obligation to the president , but also to the men and women who are serving that we may have to send into harms way and make sure they are provided with the best capabilities. I hope, in answer to some of these questions, that you will