This is just under two hours. [inaudible] we think our distinguished witness for being here today. We regret the Defense Department was unable to send a witness. This is a second hearing on the searing conflict. An issue that has been raised during many meetings. For the 4000 people have been killed in the searing conflict. Within 12 me million are displaced. The assad regime bears overwhelming responsibility for the extremism. None of this wouldve been possible without the support of iran and russia, both intervened to extend influence in the region and country the u. S. And its partners. With the support of u. S. And Coalition Partners, the searing Democratic Forces succeeded in sweeping isis out of raqqa in october. Despite losing territory, isis remains a major threat. Theres also the danger proposed by affiliates which maintain significant influence and opposition controlled areas. Its worth highlighting to developments. The u. S. , russian jordan signed a memorandum of principles maintaining the arrangements in opposition held areas. Iran and its proxies have deepened their foot hole potentially exasperating and risking further instability by threatening our ally, israel. For the past two weeks the assad regime have been in the massive suburb which of the socalled deescalation zones. The attacks killed dozens of civilians and displaced tens of thousands. I hope the investor will provide details of what were trying to do to counter those activities and assess the current prospects to solving this were diplomatically. I has been if you would like to make any opening comments. Thank you for calling the searing on the u. S. Strategy in syria. We cannot have a more distinguished witness before us. I look for to our discussion today. There are many issues involving syria in which we have primary oversight. The use of force, and many of us question if that applies to isis what happens after theyre defeated, wheres the authorization to maintain u. S. Troops in syria . We see an increase in the u. S. Troops, i think its close to 2000. What is the role for u. S. Development assistance working with other countries. How will america diplomacy play out, whats russias role, will mr. Assad be held accountable for his work crimes. Wheres our concern about iran and developing a land bridge which affects israels security. The Trump Administration view syria through military lens. For example, in a Pentagon Press briefing the American Public was informed the United States will have a condition based military presence after defeat. However no information has been provided about the conditions about which u. S. Forces will be syria. To gate i hope to gain insight. Our young men and women in uniform and their families deserve to be fully informed of what theyre fighting for and what when the fight will be over. I share the chairmans concern that the department of defense declined the invitation to testify. We have jurisdiction over the authorization for the use of military force to spend significant time debating whether this covers entities like isis given the authorization was to target al qaeda in afghanistan. Now even after isis is defeated our forces may still remain in syria to make sure isis cannot return. The same time forces have increased without public explanation. Considered that forces mistake to mitigate against isis return ramping up u. S. Forces seems like the prelude to another forever war with no congressional authorization. If weve learned anything its that the military fight is not even half the battle. Longterm sustainable ends need stabilization activities, reconciliation, accountability of local leadership and patience, and constants diplomatic investigations. Now the people in syria, so many who risked their lives are forced to look for another solution. Its an arena where the Trump Administration is ready to once with russia. I hope the reef port a release yesterday about russia and their tactics is not lost on those committed to a stable, prosperous middle east. Working through moscow we bring further instability increase human suffering the same old topdown corruption. Russia is enabling iran of their militia to make themselves at home and set the stage to explore lucrative contracts. Let amir putin who ensured assads survival is fine around competing deals with base access of weapon deals. With United States absence governments are rolling out the red carpet for him. This is not a situation that benefits the United States and the people who want to look to the west but are compelled to look east. I hope we can get a better understanding of the strategy in syria. Thank you, its rare that i would make comments after years, i will say there is a lot of progress be in may and i think we will be in a place soon to have a markup. Were doing it in a way to gender support and input on both sides of the aisle. As it relates to what is happened in syria, to me, after watching our people in action, think what we saw was a seamless handout between one administration to another. Obviously the generals were given more flexibility but i saw seamless handoff where we were very successful in doing away with the caliphate. To me this is something that has been successful in our left with the country that we have to figure out how to deal with. I want to thank the ambassador for being with us today. Is the acting secretary of state and david satterfield. One of our most distinguished diplomats who most recently served on the force and previously served as u. S. Ambassador. We thank you so much for being here look forward to your testimony. Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity to testify today. We have made significant progress since 2014 when isis first emerged and swept across iraq and syria that summer and had impacts far beyond. We remain focused on the enduring defeat of isis and other terrorist organizations. Countering iranian influence in iranian behaviors prevented the use of chemical weapons ensuring the safety of syrias neighbors and resolving the humanitarian crisis through the deescalation of violence on a political resolution. There must be a resolution as of today, coalition backed efforts have liberated over 98 of the territory previously controlled. Seven half Million People free from isis domination in iraq and syria. While russian the demon announced the fight and isis in syria is over, the u. S. And our Coalition Partners to not regard this as a finished effort. We are committed to the total defeat of isis and other terrorist groups ensuring they cannot regenerate and return. Thanks to the generosity of the congress and American People the u. S. Has provided nearly 7. 5 billion come about 1. 5 billion over last year. This critically assess at least 4 million syrians and name every month. In Eastern Syria the state department and usaid lead Recovery Efforts to help military gains, provide lifesaving assistance to civilians and stabilize areas. Unlike in iraq, we do not have a trusted government partner to work with. We are not working and we will not work with the assad regime. Until there is a credible process, supported by the searing people that can lead to a government chosen by the Syrian People without decided it sent, the u. S. And our allies will not support largescale efforts to reconstruct syria. The u. S. , jordan and jordan made an agreement to reduce violence in southwest syria. On november 8 we signed a formal memorandum codifying principles that strengthen this effort. This further defines our efforts as shrines the commitment that non syrian foreign fighters Must Withdraw from areas within the ceasefire lines delineated by this agreement. President trump and president putin announced a joint statement on syria. And they reaffirmed the u. S. And russia commitment to a pluralistic and free syria. They urged all syrian parties to participate genuinely and actively in the geneva political process. On november 29 russia had to curse them to attend meetings. The opposition came prepared and ready to discuss matters. All the efforts are in line with the implementation of un security resolution 2254 which calls for searing constitution and includes those displaced outside of searing borders can participate. A stable syria requires departure president assad. They have inflicted suffering and death on the searing and people including the use of debacle weapons. Is incapable of democratically leading syria. We come to russia with a path toward a political solution. We call on russia today to pressure the regime to work seriously towards a political resolution. Thank you. Because the last portion of your statement, we are now not demanding that assembly. Instead as i understand were embracing the Un Resolution as putin has recently done. That would mean therapy an election that would take place. A constitutional reform and revision process in electoral process which would be under Un Monitoring supervision. Its my sense that people like you and others believe if that process occurs as supported right now by russia, you believe the way assad would go through a democratic election he would lose. Mr. Chairman, we cannot conceive of a circumstance with a fair electoral process overseen by the un the syrian displaced community could lead to a result where he remained at the home. Is there any chance in syria there appear real election the people have the opportunity to vote and it was not cropped . This is that goal. Exactly what russia in the Community Want to achieve. It is a challenge. Thank you. Everything you said, i agree with. I like the way you emphasize the importance of mr. Assad leaving. Let me express some skepticism with russias involvement and try to understand how we are prepared to deal with what is likely to come about. That is russias goals not having a free syria. Theyre comfortable with mr. Assad, it looks like theyre setting him up to be a manned from being held accountable to his war crimes. How do we and i agree with the reference that its beyond reasonable expectations that syria would have a free and Fair Election in the near future, it would be extremely difficult to pull off. So how do we minimize russias influence in the outcome of syria negotiated settlement . There are two things. I dont disagree with the points you made. They form the basis of our approach and understanding. We have an International Consensus that is widely supported, there should be no granting of legitimacy, authentication to what has happened in syria minus that credible constitutional reform in electoral process. The certification of victory from moscow or the regime. The second is money. Syria needs reconstruction. The blueberries an estimate between 20,300,000,000,000 plus to reconstruct. The International Community will not provide that assistance until those goals, constitutional reform, you and supervised elections are realize. Thats a powerful incentive. Because they do not have the funds will not be able to contribute they want stability and authentication. Thats what were withholding. Translating everything we do, through the un, through the legitimacy of the Security Council this is the counter or counterweight to russian initiatives which would control and attract on their own. The one have legitimization. This committee has been particularly strong on and u. S. Deployments have been strong on traditionally. That is mr. Assad must be held accountable for his activities. That cannot be compromised in the final political settlement. You committed to that goal . We are. Another area that has been a major concern is irans footprint in syria. Seems likely that russia would be sympathetic to iran having a footprint moving forward. Theres great concern about jordan and i israel and their security presence. What game plan to we have to make sure we minimize the risk factors and protect our security arrangements with israel and jordan . The activities of iran in and through syria, i mean a greater qualitative alignment with the hezbollah is the primary challenge we face in the future in and through syria and iraq. We would hope russia would recognize that russias longterm issues, should not way iran is a positive factor. We can you think we can convince russia that . I think i agree with you. But i think mr. Putin likes having a proxy of iran and syr syria. The focus from the Russian Point of view on stabilization and securing the success of the regime and putting an end to the violence, the question is at what price over the long term. In an enhancement cannot serve any regional or trans regional interests. U. S. What we are doing. First step was the defeat of isis. As long as isis remained a potent force the space to deal with these was not there. That bandwidth is being freed up now. With the un process and International Support for credible Electoral Reform process we seem transition and syria as a potentially achievable goal. Is going to be hard to do. Assad will cling to power at every cost possible. We will treat iran and syria as a separate strategic issue. You deal with it in all places it manifests. Not just syria but iraq, yemen, the gulf, other areas where their behavior affects our interest. It is a challenge for seas with right now. Having a politically transformed syria will be a mitigating factor on iran and the opposite is also true. With the russian concerns about assad, to think russia cares greatly about assad himself or just having the syrian leader that they can deal with . Ive worked with the syrian puzzle since 1983. My views the russians above all us with the soviets before them treasure security affair chaos. It represents a source of stability, at a high price. We would argue instability, but i think that is the prime motive. It is stability and an end to threatening chaos. Thank you. Its good to see you mr. Ambassador. I think a lot of hoosiers will be watching the syrian with great interest. On january 2 i attended a ceremony for 38 Sustainment Brigade of the indiana and national guard. For sending 38 of our best men and women into kuwait to support our operations in iraq and syria. These allamericans demand the best possible strategy for operations there. I started in the letter that my unbelief is if were going to defeat terrorist groups we need to address the legitimate concerns of community on the ground and governance needs. Do you believe the current strategy is optimized and properly resourced so far to ensure we accomplish those objectives . You are right without an address of this there will be an insurgence of violence. Some of these are being addressed, others can be addressed that are by governments in the area. The issue forms part of our dialogue with every state in the region and our partners from outside. Their systemic, longstanding generators of extremism and violence this troubled region. Is there a particular milestone or to your watching to ensure our existing strategy remains on track . There is. We watch iran emeline behaviors throughout the region. You and i have discussed yemen but there are other places we watch in terms of aggressive efforts to rollback these efforts in denying iran the ability to deploy and support these efforts, were more actively engaged today than in the past 15 years. Its a challenge on many fronts when you full cooperation as we move ahead. There is indeed a strategy. You mentioned yemen, i want to thank you and your team for your excellent diplomatic work. Have a quick update on humanitarian assistance and its delivery or lack thereof. We appreciate your efforts and those of your colleagues for helping us. We have full access to commercial and humanitarian goods. That means fuel moving. Weve seen a reduction in the price and an increase in basic for fuels throughout yemen. We expected that to be the case. Weve engaged in saudi with saudis to assure no further closures of the sports. We will continue to work in the days ahead with the saudis on this issue. The four u. S. Funded world food crane should arrive at 10 00 p. M. This sunday and be installed the next day, that is a major accomplishment and we all deserve, including congress the credit. In your written testimony, you say that assad has inflicted countless deaths against his own people. You also right of the need to diminish hezbollah forces and syria. Is it accurate that Iranian Forces and proxies are in syria at least in part to help keep a man of power whose murder of many of his own people with searing gas . That is correct. I hope the people of iran heard that. This radical and oppressive regime is not only failing to respect the human rights of their own people, but there are also using the resources that are causing some of this and have driven much of these reset protests it was notable in light of against iranian civilians back in the 80s there through the use of chemical weapons inflicting i think the people of iran its another order shame is complicit in a directly involved i think the same as may and slogans use it has focused on iranian money and i think one of the slogans was not syria, not iraq have a fall for us. I think there is a recognition perhaps more than we had assumed up exactly what nature of the external engagements are and what the price being paid for those engagements us. Thank you mr. Chairman. In your Opening Statement you noted lester the state department announced the memorandum of principles between the United States, russia and georgia that included a commitment to remove iranian back forces including hezbollah and other forces. Since then weve maintained the land through iraq, increase its own proxy forces deeper into syrian territory. Meanwhile weve described the presence and syria as legitima legitimate, insist they never committed to the withdrawal of those forces. Last month indicated 80 of the fighting force may be provided by ran and iran seems keen and doing the continuing land bridge to iraq. I dont understand. I heard your testimony that we do not have enough bandwidth. But is that the policy of the United Stat