Transcripts For CSPAN2 Hearing On Middle East Policy 20240713

Welcome, everyone the subcommittee is meeting today to hear testimony on both budgetary and policy priority is in the middle east for the fiscal year 2020. We look forward to hearing from the witnesses about the 2020 budget2020budget for the departf Near Eastern Affairs bureau. Thanks the witnesses were appearing today and now recognize myself for the purpose of making an opening statement. Thank you assistant administrator for testifying today nearly three years into the administration the United States faces a multitude of challenges while the administration touts its maximum pressure policy, iran continues to destabilize from iraq to lebanon despite President Trumps bellicose rhetoric, tehran has been able to launch attacks in the International Shipping and regional states and undermining the deterrence and credibility in the process. The program was more intense today than it was on the day President Trump took office and the International Community is more divided in confronting it. Iran continues to imprison americans including my constituents and finally the human rights of its own people. Iran also continues to support the shower of assad and fuel the conflict that has led to the death odeaths of more than 600,e displacement of millions inside in the neighboring countries. The conflict but created with reshape the middle east for decades to come the policy remains ambiguous at best. President trump has twice announced the withdrawal of the troops and little known given to the partners on the ground. This approach has seated the leverage over the future political solution and placed american troops in danger undermined the credibility, remove pressure on isis and betray our partners who fought to counter american support. I commend the operations we had to take out but i caution that the removal of one individual shouldnt invalidate the current withdrawal strategy. If anything it should show the importance of the mission and cooperation with partners on the ground. The president also provide a strategic victory to the adversaries and russia used military force, economic support and weapons sales to become the arbiter to increase the regional influence at the expense of the United States and yemen with the intervention into the worst humanitarian crisis. The administration has offered support to saudi arabia to the campaign and yemen ignoring the bipartisan support in congress for ending the military support for the Coalition Operations and while i understand the risk the conflict has led to tens of thousands and shifted focus from al qaeda and worsened the humanitarian catastrophe. They also face ongoing challenges that confront threats on the borders from terrorist organizations like hezbollah and hamas and remains elusive. Into the arena for expanding proxy war between the regional powers 45 of the middle east is under 25yearsold and presents the chance to reset u. S. Relations with the people of the region in the coming decade to demand that the government corruption and better meet the needs of people more than eight years after millions took to the streets to protest corruption and hypocrisy these demonstrations indicate to many regional governments remain unaccountable to the people on the human rights and Democratic Values at the time that many are questioning the commitment to the region the administration has too often turned a blind eye to human rights abuses and equivocated in expressing support for Good Governance in the middle east administration has proposed cuts to the budget into the fy 20 budget requested an estimated 6. 5 billion in total, excuse me, total bilateral assistance to the region. A figure that is 6 less than the fy 19 requested 11 less than what congress appropriated in fy 19. The subcommittee has oversight responsibility over the bureau and middle east bureau budgets and i hope this hearing today can help us get some better understanding of the administrations strategy and clear articulation of the policy ipolicy inthe middle east and he allocating resources to accomplish this objective in the region. Im grateful to the witnesses for appearing i in that i will turn it over to the Ranking Member wilson for his opening statement. Thank you, chairman, for calling this important hearing and examining the administrations policy objectives. We appreciate the distinguished witnesses and assistant administrator Michael Harvey for their Extraordinary Service and for their testimony before the committee today. Formulating u. S. Policy isnt easy, but living alone for crafting a policy of so many complexities of the region like the middle east for centuries of conflict but they certainly have their job cut out for them and we thank them for their positive efforts. Indeed republican and democratic administrations alike that despite the difficulties, the United States has remained engaged in the region. Although we may have disagreed about the specific policies, we can all agree the u. S. Engagement and commitment is necessary. Its definitely preferred to the middle east in which the road regimes like russia, iran or china or powerbrokers. To be fair, the administration has presided over many important successes in the middle east and todays hearing comes days after the special forces success rate conducted a raid that led to the death of the leader of isis, t o be clear to ensure that this ideology of isis doesnt resurrect from the ashes and require the commitment, not just to the global war against terrorism but the stability of the middle east itself i also commend the administration for spearheading the campaign against iran and this is the right approach. But im deeply concerned about the current approach as something not enough in the past year alone, they have cemented the stranglehold over iran and lebanon and increased the amount of territory that it controls in this area. It appears that theres only so much that can be accomplished in the sanctions. We are working to push back and increase the influence of the region in ways other than sanctions consistently over the decades theyve remained committed to exporting their evil ideology throughout the middle east fostering terrorism and violence everywhere. Meanwhile the United States sought to promote democracy in the region. There are plenty of reasons to renew its results and commitme commitment. The middle east today is teaming up with potential in the past year alone we have seen the citizens of sudan from egypt, and most recently iraq and lebanon take to the streets and give expression to their democratic aspirations. Im even hopeful the spark of liberty will one day at night a Democratic Movement in iran as well which has such a historic background reflective of the person culture. Just last week the world as the runnerup in tunisia is president ial elections met with the countriebut withthe countrid president a sign of Democratic Institutions and i was fortunate to travel to tunisia last month with the Helsinki Commission for the democracy inaction. They must not concede influence to those who counter the spirit of democracy and freedom in the middle east is simply no substitute for the u. S. Leadership in the region and i look forward to hearing from the Witnesses Today and i yield back my time. It is now my pleasure to introduce the witnesses. Before i do that objection all members may have five days to submit the limitation and the rules and assistant secretary david is the assistant secretary of Near Eastern Affairs sworn in june 15, 2019 player to join the department of state as director of the program on the politics of the Washington Institute for near east policy and previously served in the office of the secretary of defense at the country director and was awarded ththework of the office of the secretary defense medal for Exceptional Service in 2005. Before joining the government in 2002, he was a Research Fellow at the institute and a project coordinator of large centrally funded projects in egypt and jordan. Assistant administrator harvey was appointed assistant administrator of the middle east bureau in january, 2019 and comes to position after serving more than 30 years with multiple overseas assignments including Mission Director of nigeria and west bank and gaza and served as a faculty member of the National War College in washington, d. C. And chaired the task force to defeat the state as assistant to the administrator. After receiving numerous awards for the department of state and usaid for his Exceptional Service thank you both for being here today. He reminded the witnesses to keep within five minutes and without objection your statements will be made a part of the hearing record. Thank you for being here today. You are recognized. Thank you for inviting us today for the budget request stability is the imperative in the middle east and north africa to protect the American People and our interests abroad. The core object if it benefits the interest as well as the reason for the diplomatic and foreign assistance the president s fy 2020 foreign assistance budget requested 6. 6 billion for the region have also put the priorities and ensure the defeat of isis support persecuted religious minorities throughout the region and maintain support for the key allies in the critical partnerships across the region. The request also recognizes the United States cannot alone bear the sole responsibility for the challenges in the region. The request places an emphasis on burden sharing without reducing the taxpayer dollars and the investments from the regional partners in the International Community. The strategy focuses on the destabilizing influence and constrained activities particularly the support for terrorism and militants. Strong diplomatic, economic and security measures must be bolstered by the Assistance Programs and seek to deny access. Resource is requested counter the influence in iraq, yemen by working with partners. The u. S. Assistance would enable them to become a constructive stabilizing influence in the region and the request of the supports we are working to address critical needs that pubc Health Creates the foundation for the durable peace and in addition the budget request 41 million economic assistance and their institutions. The budget reflects the commitment to comprehensive the safe and secure israel consistent between the United States and israel requires 3. 3 billion they continue to work towards a comprehensive and lasting peace between israel and palestinians in separate of these efforts the president s fy 2020 budget request 33 million for the Palestinian Authority Security Forces and requires funding in the diplomatic fund that can also be used for the west bank and gaza and to improve the regional security. The fy 2020 request includes 1. 275 billion for jordan with the bilateral m. O u. And i would like to think the subcommittee for sharing the administrations support for the u. S. Jordan relationship and they help further the impact is a Syrian Crisis and supports the longstanding u. S. Jordanian relationship. Egypt and the most populous country is also important to u. S. Interests. By 2020 request includes 1. 3 billion to support the Armed Forces Capacity to Counter Terrorism and to secure the maritime borders including the canal. In closing, the request over the National Security priority is in the region and supports advancements to advance the interest. Thank you for your support to the diplomacy in the region and our Foreign Service investment and Foreign Service. For the continued support i look forward to answering your questions. Thank you. Thank you, assistant secretary and administrator harvey you are recognized for five minutes. Thank you, chairman, Ranking Member wilson and distinguished members of the subcommittee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify on the Important Role of the development and humanitarian Assistance Programming in advancing u. S. Interests in the middle east and north africa. To be here with the secretary and to be representing the administrator as a professional. Usaid recognizes most of the nations in the region are middle income countries, countries with young populations whose energy, education and inspiration can be capped to help speed up the countries journey to selfreliance. We believe well targeted investments by the United States and others can play a Critical Role in helping the countries walwalked in democratic advances where they have occurred and drive the job creating Economic Growth through modern freemarket economies. In line with administration policies, the focus to some of our friends and allies and steadily worked towards those with foreign assistance helping partners build selfreliance is key to the broad u. S. Effort to focus the malign influences coming from outside while demonstrating American Values in the context of renewed for competition. In iraq we continue to support the government initiatives to strengthen fiscal management and improve service delivery. Progress in these areas will strengthen iraqi sovereignty and providing an effective counter influence within the society. Another area of focus is our support for the areas of Northern Iraq building a 400 milliondollar investment we have made thus far to help communities recover from the atrocities of isis to support affordable religious and ethnic minority groups globally, this investment will help ensure the communities are able to remain in their historical homeland and thrive as crucial components of the larger society. I want to know it as a part of our effort effort to expand ther base is a Global Initiative earlier this month the administrator announced six awards to the local iraqi organizations working to implement programming ethnic and religious. We played with pride to our pilot and High School Programs targeting science, technology, engineering and math programs in egypt theyve expanded across the country with the capacity to take on the success and address and forward the countrys development effort. Lets be clear job creation across the region as the key concern. Our work with the private sector is yielding results. We recently handed diplomas and Employment Contracts to the first group of logistic students that graduated in the suez Corridor Program and we are doing similar jobs matching projects across the region helping both the firms and young people they will employ. In tunisia with the support of congress and in particular the subcommittee, the unite united s has played an Important Role since 2011 in solidifying the democratic transition. During my recent visit there, i was honored to officially reopen the office as a full mission, and on the same trip to sign the first fiveyear Bilateral Agreements with tunisia. While there, i traveled to the interior where i had the pleasure of visiting the businesses that are now growing at with young people that are actively participating with their local governments into setting up a path forward for their communities. Before i close, a word on burden sharing just to echo the remarks. The administrations foreign assistance request prioritized as investment matched by the commitments and encourages International Donors to share the burden of development. Our work is an example programs have restored water and electricity to hundreds of thousands in areas liberated from isis. We helped revitalize agriculture, rehabilitate the canals in all of this was funded by the coalition partners. We will continue to do the best interests first and to be full partners in advancing the u. S. National interest in the region with the support of congress and to the strategic efficient use of resources we will continue to present the best of the American People to the people of the middle east and north africa. Thank you and i look forward to your questions. Thanks to both of you for being here and a sincere thanks for your work in advancing the interest and representing the American Values throughout the region. We will now begin five minutes questioning and then we will alternate between the parties. Last week the Iranian Foreign ministry reportedly sent to the United States a list of people its demanding a prisoner swap and also made another proposal. Can you speak to the recent proposal and to tell us whethere administration wide and gauge in a Prisoner Exchange with iran or does it rejects the idea in principle . Thank you for that question, congressman. The United States and Administration Priority is to get back americans held unjustly. We are talking about exchanging people whove been kidnapped, americans in iran versus iranian prisoners and people whove done it legal illegal things like kobe ambassador in georgetown. Its a priority to get people back and we are looking to all sorts of opportunities they should present themselves but i cant go into the details. Can you comment on the reports of the proposal plaques can you tell us if there are any talks under way to help . There has been a history in the state of offers and they generally leverage them when you pay for this type of behavior and when you pay for kidnapping. To both of you to ask about for the assistance in august of 2018 of Congress Acts to remove the constraints by the clarification act, should the United States consider resuming them and if so which types and under what conditions . This is an important piece of legislation. Can you answer the question about which age addresses that issue . Iowa with the assistant secretary addressed that issue that is a broad conversation. If they were to resume if the political decision were made to justify that, we would take a look very closely with our hosting partners to determine where it starts. I wouldnt want to preach just now but historically water and wastewater have been high priority is for the neighbors and to ensure that would be at least one place we would start. Should it start to flow recognizing the benefits . That is something that would have to come out of the rollout of the peace plan but i cant really comment on whether there is a package that awaits the peace proposal. Lets talk about that. Can you tell us what role you have helped in addressing this . None. But you are aware of what is in it lacks i have seen from the officials. Lets me focus on the one if she wouldve to security assistance. Why should we wait for a peace proposal that may come soon or may never come at all to resume the funding of the security coordinator if it helps to protect the palestinians and the israelis. We would love to extend that right now. We have allocated the dollars ds into the security coordinator out there and we would like to spend 35 million eurojust being held back. Thats good to go over 35 million. And any other projects, are there any other projects since my understanding is operations have essentially wound down in the west bank and as a result of the birth of the combination of the administrations decision to withhold. Can you prioritize where the funds would be spent . I dont have a list right now but i can get back to you on that. I would think Wastewater Management would be a leading factor. I appreciate that. Thank you mr. Chairman and thank you for your service i know it makes a difference. Assistant secretary, what is the Near Eastern Affairs bureau of the state department doing to counter the iranian influence in the region . First of all, we are implementing crushing sanctions. This has resulted in some 50 billion of oil revenue and is likely going to result in a conscription of the economy by double digits by the end of 2019. This economic pressure provides less money to fund the regional proxies into terrorist organizations like hezbollah which are facing increased pressure because of the lack of Funds Available to them. That is the one side. We are working with our partners to come strain the behavior and this is building coalitions in the region whether it is through the International Maritime security construct or also known as operation sentinel and also calling out iran by name to hold them responsible for what they did a few weeks back. Thats sort of unprecedented. Likewise, we are exposing the regimes brutality and governance problems. We are working with local partners strengthening and financially backing the sources which someday could serve as a counterbalance to the activities in lebanon. We are pressing our allies with a prospect of success to get a Peace Agreement in yemen which would roll back the influence. We appreciate each of your initiatives. Can either of you today guarantee to the subcommittee no u. S. Taxpayer funds are sent to the government which including the Iraqi Federal police could be dispersed to the iranian backed militia operating in the country. I believe that is the case we are not providing. I will have to check on the other funds. Thank you. Then assistant secretary, what is your assessment of the relationship between the un operations and the regime in damascus would you say they benefit from the programming and syria . My understanding is that it does not benefit the regime. You are raising a very serious issue that concerns us greatly. The one activity that we have in the area is our humanitarian Assistance Program that is almost exclusively through un agencies with a few exceptions and the issue of keeping the control over their resources and ensuring the integrity is a constant challenge of something we work very closely with our partners on and we watch very closely. Please do keep the attention on as we well as well. Im grateful that we have Bipartisan Legislation on this point. I know its not covered very often the people of both parties can Work Together substantially in the middle east and then are there any u. S. Citizens currently held or detained by the saudi government and what efforts the administration making for their release . This is an issue of concern. We have been engaging in the saudi government continuously about the case held for two years charged and recently he was charged and released and they are going through a trial. We view that as a positive development and hopefully that will be over soon and that he te will be exonerated and able to come home. Thank you and i will yield back my time. Im trying to discern the administrations policy in the middle east the president says he wants to support israel but has taken many steps that have been covered iran so he said he wants to destroy isis but we have handled a lifeline with our actions and youve talked about how this is intended to stabilize the region while youre also calling for large cuts to the budget. So, im trying to understand what the policy is in the middle east and with these cuts to foreign aid and to the priority is that you have laid out many of them i agree with and the justification has been to increase, quote, burden sharing across international partners. Do you believe this is going to lead the allies contributing more or are we just getting russia, iran and china a bitter debate over spending to influence the region lacks thank you, congressman. I believe that our partners have stepped up. The best example of that would be syria. There are 325 million including 180 million from saudi arabia and the united arab emirates. They stepped up and they stepped ugave steppedup again and made r commitments for this year. So, across the board we find our allies. Defined these commitments to be sustainable . Im wondering because we have a National Security interest in this region. We dont use foreign aid out of the goodness of our hearts in all cases. We use it because it stabilizes countries that allow us not to have to commit our brave men and women in the two conflicts abroad. We have a National Security interest if we are shaking down our allies into getting them to step in while we are not going to pay that maybe in the short term that is something we can do but i dont see that as a sustainable policy for the United States. I understand your concern. So far we have been successful raising funds from our allies. I think that we have to go every day and make the case to them about why its not only in our interest, but its in their interest. Certainly saudi arabia and the emirates have stepped up on syria. But across the board, if they see things and share in many ways the same threat perception in the region and are willing to back our efforts lets talk about syria and how the turkish and persian impacts this budget request. Is this reflective of the events or was this something formulated before . How is this going to impact this request and plans in the region lacks a that is a good question. We have quite a bit of flexibility. Not only after the invasion we would provide 50 million plus another 4. 5 million for the humanitarian assistance was also obligated funds as necessary to. In the Recovery Fund with 145 million up through the diplomatic progress. We want to be part of the discussion of how this is going forward. If you could talk about the role in this potential refugee crisis we are seeing unfold. When we are dealing with the issue of refugees wev we will e working with our state Department Colleagues in the refugee bureau. Weve been supporting the programming. Weve got about 90,000 people displaced from their recent kurdish or turkish actions who we will be supporting for the ongoing access to humanitarian Assistance Program. For the most part we have access to them and our partners are implementing programs remarkably. We have about 12,000 refugees have crossed into iraq. The systems are in place to deal with that and we are using a planning figure of about 50,000. If we are lucky we will not get anywhere near that if the ceasefire holds and they stay where they are. My worry is less a dealing with the humanitarian situation as it is reestablishing political stability in that area and that is going to be a challenge for all of us. Thats why i disagree in the budget request. We will formulate what we think is necessary. Thank you for your time. Thank you. You are recognized. Thank you both for being here. Specifically i want to say i dont think that you get enough credit and generally in the state department you dont get t enough credit because when you alleviate a conflict, obviously you dont know that its been alleviated until it is unsuccessful so i want to thank you for all the good work and specifically its important to make sure we are spending taxpayer resources effectively and we should cut the resources simply should make sure they are efficient but also its important to make sure that we are following the president s priority is even if we disagree. Its not the end of the world on isis is a generational type that is going to go on for a long time and we have to understand and accept that and thats where you come in as well making sure the next generation is not radicalized into the pushback against radicalization of the more we kill the dumber they dislike in iraq. Youve expressed a lot of concern in the policy, but i believe those for now. I do want to turn to the regime i think the corruption was key to the caliphate and there is a whole lot. Now it seems all but certain that they will consolidate control over the country. You mentioned about rebuilding projects in the controlled territory and i want to echo we do not want the taxpayer dollars going. And i know that you are with me on that. I will continue to urge them to hold those responsible for war crimes accountable so if President Trump were to sign i think he said hes willing to do it. We have won the senate hold up in the protection act of 2019. What kind of impact would that have on the regime and their supporters . The so we are celebrating. Its a great thing but there is no knockout blows. We are spending money and funding projects to document the atrocities we are working on recordkeeping and underwriting some of that. The focus narrowly on the three things. In rolling that back into the implementation this is the issue about caesar this is a regime that cannot be allowed to persist as it is. The people have to have a say in the direction of their country. Refugees were not ancillary to the conflict. The act is very important in that regard. Its going to be out of those refugee camps that were created whered you get radicalization. Thats where you find radicalization that is going to be and you can also address with putin standing up the regime how are you working to counter their malign influence in the region lacks they are playing out the pernicious role across the region. We are working on a number of strategies to try to come pain and by working with our allies with warnings about the sanctions and others but also letting them know in having a dialogue about what russia does when they are on the ground. Im out of time, but i think its important that as a plus in when they basically showed up in 2012 or 2013 is a lesson because we see them in venezuela and elsewhere stopping them early, present them from coming. I will yield back. Thank you mr. Chairman. I am going to start off by just reading the lead of the story in the wall street journal from yesterday about egypt and one young one in particular who was a political activist in the country. The lead of the story is the Security Officers grabbed her from her car october 12th and blindfolde 12 andblindfolded hea secure facility. Two lawyers visited her in prison said she was slapped, beaten and threatened with electrocution as officers demanded the password to her mobile phone. When she refused, the officers bound her hands, legs, choked her with her jacket, forcibly used her fingers to unlock the phone. You know as well as i do, i know youre experiencing you know mine this is a routine story in egypt and things have gotten worse in the last month. More than 4,000 people detained since protests seeking the removal started in the largest wave of arrests of the country has seen since he came to power. I dont think i need to ask if this is wrong because im sure youd agree that it is, but i will ask this policy is based were allegedly based on advancing our security interests. Does this kind of repression which is escalating now, help or hurt the efforts to fight extremism and terrorism in the country . Thank you, congressman. Im familiar with the story. I think that it is outrageous. I had to be egyptian ambassador in my office last week and this matters greatly to the administration. Egypt has a long way to go on human rights. You heard the Administration Made a statement talking about the rights of egyptians to demonstrate peacefully and the obligation of the egyptian authorities to protect demonstrators. This is something thats very important and we talked about it. Thank you. Im glad you did that but i guess im asking a more fundamental question because i remember sitting in your chair saying something along the lines that egypt has a long way to go and seems to have an even longer way to go to a head here we have the same security relationship that we used to have. Any progress over the last several years and again the question that i would ask you to tactics help or hurt the fight against what we say is our shared enemy . They have made some progress. I think that its incremental. They have received training that is more narrowly tailored to that kind of Counterterrorism Mission but for importantly they have recognized through our counsel at the counter terrorise counterterrorism requires more than just a military component if i will let my coffee talk about what we are giving it with the egyptians are doing in that regard. I dont have that much time though because i have a different question i wanted to ask but i would just say a fundamental problem here is that even if the president pulls back from syria and claims that its just a bunch of sand we need to get out of the middle east and we cant use things forever when the people that we were holding both the kurdish and arab are fighting and dying with us to fight terrorism, many of us who share our values incredibly brave, we are no longer supporting because we have pulled back so much of our programming, and yes we continue to spend 1. 3 billion of the taxpayers money helping the Egyptian Military with their tanks and that doesnt sit well with me. Very little time left for you and its about a yemen. When is the last time usaid or the un provided a no strike list to the saudi military in terms of humanitarian locations and targets that we asked them not to hit in yemen flex i cant answer that question. I dont know, but i do know that it is a constant point of discussion between the two governments. Okay. But we have provided them a no strike list. I think that is a very important thing to confirm on the record because we have not just broad concerns about human rights and targeting that we have shared, but that they havent always listened to. Specific locations and coordinates that they have hit that we have specifically given them as locations not to hit elevates this to the highest possible level of concern. Thank you very much mr. Chairman. If i want to apologize for not being here to hear the testimony. I have a memorial and that is a priority and we see those Great American heroes used to be mostly world war ii veterans like my father who would be 100 if he were still alive next month but now it is korean war veterans in vietnam war veterans and on and on but its one of those things, so i apologize for not being here earlier and if i repeat some of the questions i apologize for that but i certainly appreciate the tough line that this administration has taken for the most part which greatly expanded its influence in the region. I would like to focus on socalled land bridge to the mediterranean. A critical goal is for iran to be able to threaten and potentially ultimately attack one of our most significant allies in the world, and that is israel. Could either of the gentleman discussed the plans to curtail the ability to move equipment or supplies or fighters through syria and on to the Israeli Border . Thank you, congressman. The land bridge is an issue of enormous concern to the administration. Before the turkish incursion into Northern Syria, the positioning of our troops as an ancillary benefit to being present in fighting isis have limited ability in some way to do everything it wanted. We still have residual presence there. To be able to provide security and stability and work with our afghan partners in these areas which we continue to do it appears that they have hit the iranian targets for some time. . It better enables them to push back from the nefarious intent of russia and iran and others. Yes. In some ways though weekly is iraq and then syria. If you know iran is storing Ballistic Missiles in iraq it cannot exert its sovereignty and pushback. No problem but then that will remain a problem for some time. In this has been mentioned. Obviously taking out aku bakr albaghdadi was a huge victor victory, a horrific horrible individual probably the most despicable organization that we have seen in a long time. I want to commend the president and all those that accomplish this and principally our men and women in uniform who took the action to end this horrible persons time on this earth. Can you discuss the plans moving forward that isis does not reestablish itself with a new caliphate under a new leader cracks what are the administrations plans at this point quick. Thank you congressman that the top priority contrary to what many people say and and then the key point of the presence so that will remain a high priority for the indefinite future to say its a generational mission. Thank you. Following up on a rack that is a great concern. It was is a non emergency personnel. And those security funds representing the future with a critical area for so many areas but without that presence it will be that much more difficult. Can you comment on what the prospects look like with this critical area that is often overlooked quick. I share your concern the safety and wellbeing of the diplomats are a top priority for me in many ways. So we have been eight days or seven days it will be six months. The security situation is deemed normal but that said not the height of the numbers that we have had befor even under ordered departure. We have done more outside then we had the year before on ordered departure. So this is diplomatically away even more so. Our military presence as part of this burden sharing where they can equip and work with at military of the Iraqi Military notwithstanding to have numbers of troops i have been in iraq maybe four times the past four months. This is a priority if you want to roll back i ran we are there. Thank you for your engagement. There are the yemenis that are on the verge of starvation. So what are we doing to help the worst humanitarian situations . Line of the largest humanitarian assistance it is an extremely difficult place to do work. The de facto authorities in the north make it very difficult but we are extremely proud of the performance of wf pletter colleagues in particular. I have long felt we can have a greater significance and to coordinate better what they are doing in critical areas of the world. And with that Multiplier Effect there is an enormous opportunity that way. I cannot agree with you more. In countries like yemen. And with that pooled funding of activities. And with that bilateral programming there is more coordination than you might see. The bureaucracy is even slower than ours. If i ever feel frustrated by the usaid bureaucracy i look at others and feel better. And then brussels meeting with our counterparts with the bilateral Assistance Programs. And then spending four years with boko haram not successfully in nigeria but the partnership we had with the brits and the germans. I hope the subcommittee can continue. I yield back. You are recognize. After the murder of Jamaal Khashoggi and the press failing to provide consequences for the khashoggi assassination. What is the administration doing to prevent this possibility cracks. And the murder of Jamaal Khashoggi and not getting to the bottom of it but what matters to me personally so in 2018 there were with the magnitsky action sanctions. Right now 11 defendants in saudi arabia are in the middle of a trial and the prosecution and then and then to fall short of full accountability and we indicated that that the saudis we are encouraging nonetheless. We certainly are getting that at the end of the day. But the crown prince intensify the crackdown and it was directed against the leading womens rights advocates. To end the male guardianship system. And of those that were accused of grave crimes. There is also reports they were subjected to Sexual Harassment and torture. And with the saudi arabia crackdown against the activists and dissidents. It is a concern of the administration so it is a mixed bag. The saudi government the last four months ended the guardianship law so now women can travel abroad without the permission of their children or a male guardian. Those that were released from jail with a dual us National Citizen has been charged and released from jail. And very positive as well to put the Yemeni Government back together to foster negotiations with the council and then to get an agreement on that to have a deescalation that appears to be taking hold. At our encouragement they gave 500 million last month for humanitarian assistance in yemen. So saudi also has a long way to come in terms of human rights and then to put together a committee to traffic human persons to look at this more closely so they dont have a bad rating next year. And in some places succeeding. There is questions about torture and abuse and suffering and a crown prince that has not been held accountable. If we are not where we are going to be but fresh one pressure for where we should be. This is a topic of ongoing discussions between us in the saudis. And then to drop in where they were given credit. And then from 86 million was cut in half what about that sentence . But we think the elections were a dramatic success. And then right before the elections in the electoral commission. And that is a source of pride for them that is unusual. So the money that we provide the Security Forces and it has decreased and if we need to be can take that up with a great deal of money from europeans and burden sharing. And with that capacity at the right amount. I just had a couple of followups. Secretary you said iraq was a beachhead. In confronting iranian aggression. That is sixmonth the deadline for departures cracks are there plans to strengthen or what does that stand quick. This is a great deal of time. And and personnel of iraq in particular. And then to come to that discussion the security at the embassy is adequate. Actually better than adequate. That is sufficient for the return of personnel. And then to accomplish the mission. That we have a number of diplomats we feel is appropriate and we can talk about this in another setting but. I would like to do that. So if we curtail our presence it would be more difficult to prevent effectively of what is asked of us. So to curtail the presence beyond what we are doing. But as ambassador jeffrey said, our presence is a stabilizing force to the degree we are present for the right things to happen in syria. Are you confident the current strategy effectively prevents iran for establishing that land bridge cracks. And with the us efforts to spread that iranian influence in syria and iraq in lebanon. It is a work in progress. In iraq right now so it is based on the iranian overreach. And those throughout the region or the shiite nationalist are pushing back. So how many troops are there quick. Im not at liberty to say. But the withdrawal of troops from Northern Syria spirit there is still a residual us presence. You are confident that residual presence is sufficient to establishing a land bridge over to beirut. It does take a positive role on that front. I am sure some is better than none but is that a sufficient number. I really cant comment. Thank you to the witnesses and all the members for being here today. Thank you for your testimony and the members of the subcommittee may have additional question we asked the witnesses to respond in writing within five Business Days we are adjourned. 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