Dempsey, is to me intellectually dishonest. Senator aot. Mr. Chairman just for the record president george w. Bush signed an agreement with maliki government to withdrawal all forces. Well have that debate later on but it was clear we could have and Everybody Knows they could have and the people that were there knows they could have senator a yot. Thank you both for being here and your service to the country. We both appreciate it. Secretary carter you had answered to senator manchin that the arms were providing to the kurds were doing so with the consent of the iraqi Central Government. Are we doing that directly or through the iraqi Central Government . We are not the only ones but we and others convey the weapons directly to the kurds. But we inform the Iraqi Government and get their formal consent to it. So it doesnt delay the arming of the kurds but were who are trying to stick up for the Central Government. Because previously we heard complaints about it going through the Iraqi Government and then to the kurds so im glad to hear were providing it directly to the kurds and letting the Central Government know what we are providing. Mr. Berz anie was here in town and you may have met with him a few weeks ago and he was grateful and was being provided and noted that the delays which is the principal problem that was experienced early on are not being experienced now either in the shipment of our equipment or that of others for example the germans providing tank munitions which they value very much. But we are trying to stick up for the principal that iraq is a single unitary multi sectarian state and that is mult preferred to the alternative which is the zin aggravation accident aggravation of iraqi. And at this point are they receiving all of the weapons that they asked for because i understand it isis has unfortunately captured the armaments we left in iraq and some of them heavy armaments an the kurds are effective but it is hard if you are outarmed and are they now what have they requested and not received and if so, why. Ill let general dempsey answer that. There are 12 nations over all arming the kurds. And i was with the German Defense minister in germany last week and she was providing to the kurds these critical antitank weapons of a kind the germans make that is especially effective. So it is not just us. And the kurds are an example of what we are looking for, which is an Effective Ground force that will stick up for itself, hold together take and hold territory and that is why were providing them with support. So we agree with that . I think there is broad agreement on that and we want to make sure they have what they need . Senator, im not aware of anything they asked for that we havent provided. We probably havent provided it in the quantity they desired and were working to address those quantity issues. I wanted to ask follow up on a different topic. Because general dempsey, you mentioned in your testimony some of the other challenges we face around the world, including the malign influence of iran. And i read it today in the press that iran was actually pushing for the lifting of the arms embargo at the u. N. And also the resolution that bans iran from developing Ballistic Missiles so i wanted to get both of your thoughts on those two issues and the importance as we look at irans malign influence in the region as far as i can tell, we still see iran not only supporting the assad regime, hezbollah, the Houthi Rebels and also weve heard reports on the taliban undermining our interest. So your thoughts on those two issues . Ill start. Okay, youre right. I cant speak to the what is going on in the negotiations, secretary kerry is conducting the negotiations, but i agree with your perspective, namely that there are we have serious concerns with iranian malign activities outside of the Nuclear Issue which is the focus of the talks. And it is in several different locations around the region. And whatever happens as far as an agreement over the Nuclear Program with respect to where iran is concerned and i think we and certainly i feel this we have a clear duty in the department of defense first of all to defend our friends and allies keep a robust posture in the gulf our friends and alleys to allies to include especially israel, to maintain our robust posture and to continue to maintain the military means to strike irans Nuclear Program if we were ordered to do so. We work on all three of those things and well work on them whether or not an agreement is reached in geneva. So just to be clear secretary, it doesnt sound like, based on what youre saying, given their malign activities in the region, that it is a good idea to lift the armed embargo right now on what iran receives, would you agrow with that. We want them to continue to be isolated as a military and limited in terms of the kind of equipment and material they are able to carry. And also can you explain to us why it is important that we also continue to stop them from having an icbm program. Because we know they have one. It is in the Development Well the reason that we want to stop iran from having an icbm program is that the i in icbm stands for intercontinental meaning the ability to fly from iran to the United States and we dont want that and that is why we oppose icbms. And general do you want to answer that. Just because you posed it to both of us. Under no circumstances should we relieve iran relative to Ballistic Missiles and arms trafficking. Thank you. I wanted to point out something secretary, carter when the chairman had asked you about the Defense Authorization, one thing that i think needs to be pointed out, the president has said he will veto it. The Defense Authorization received 71 votes in the senate. I would describe that as very bipartisan and so it troubles me that he would seek to veto something that received 71 votes. Thank you, mr. Chairman. General thank you. Secretary, thank you. I just got back from iraq with senator cain who led our trip and one of the meetings we had was with the sunni tribe members and from the houthi area and in talking to them they said we have stood with you, we have faith with you, but we have people who are now eating grass in our town. We have no food. We have no supplies. And we have been told the only airlifts that can come in is on military transport. Is there anything you can do to help feed our people. So i wanted to put that before you to see if there is something we can do to be of aid to these individuals. Well ill Say Something about that and then ask the chairman if he wants to addiment first of all i want to thank you, Senate Donnelly and cain, for traveling there. We appreciate it. And on behalf of the 3550 members of the armed forces that are in iraq and conducting this fight, thank you for taking the time to go visit them this fourth of july weekend. The humanitarian situation is yet another tragic consequence of what has gone on in isil. It remains one of the coalitions efforts, as i indicated in my opening statement, to relieve the humanitarian situation. That is very difficult to do, when there is not order and control on the ground. And so this is why we need to get a security situation that is stable, Ground Forces that are capable of seizing territory Holding Territory and governing. That is the only way to get the humanitarian situation turns around either in iraq or syria. It is very sad. It is tragedy. And in the case of iraq, as has been noted, something brought about by the reemergence of sectarianism in a tragedy way. Jim, do you want to add anything. One of the reasons we went to tack atam air base is to advise and assist in the Anbar Operations Center which is where these kind of situations should migrate through and you should be interested to know the iraqis have the abilities to address that. They have stateoftheart i know they do but they are not. Well pass it to the guy who did and when youre hungry, your stomach doesnt tell you, you want iraqi food or u. S. Food you just want help. And one of the bonds created with the tribal leaders is they said we felt we could count on you. And to follow up on that as we look at ramadi and other areas, and the iraqi armed forces, one of the great tragedies of this whole thing was that the number of isis fighters in ramadi was extraordinarily insignificant in terms of the over all number but the iraqi forces heading the other way. And so i wanted to hear your thoughts on making sure that the iraqi forces know there is no back door any more, only one way through ramadi and that is forward . Ill Say Something about that and then chairman you may want to add. The way you recount the fall of ramadi is correct. Ramadi needs to be retaken and the way to do it is to have a force under the command and competent command and control of Iraqi Security forces commanders which has been a challenge and a plan and the means to as you say, make sure that they dont bag down and are able to take ramadi and move through ramadi. This will be a test of the competence of the Iraqi Security forces. And it is a test that they must pass and therefore our and the coalitions involvement is to try to train and equip and support them to be successful and were going to take the time and encourage them to take the time so that the operation, when they do conduct it, is successful. One of the side spinoffs when it is successful, and ramadi is taken back is that isis will then look for a quick p. R. Claim somewhere else. Yeah. And so i just want to make sure were ready in surrounding towns and surrounding areas that when ram yd a falls, we know they will step somewhere else and that we have a plan in place to protect the other towns as well. The ram yd a campaign which about a month ago was about to be executed precipitously, with our help, was been to first isolate it and then recapture it and with the supporting effort in fallujah. So our presence in the Anbar Operations Center is allowing the Iraqi Security forces to take a more deliberate campaign approach and to avoid the very tooth paste aspect of the way isil squirts around the battlefield when you squeeze it in one place and it turns up in another. And this is very much us helping them understand the threat and formulate a campaign to address it so they get credit for it and they became credible to the people in the anbar province. As im sure you know, the sunni tribal leaders they have tremendous value for the relationship theyve established over the years with the United States. Established in blood and treasure. And so what gives them confidence more than anything is knowing not that our soldiers are in the front, not that our soldiers are in the combat, but that were there to help guide and provide advice and help provide plan and help provide air cover is the other thing they talked to us about. They say you have no idea how our spirits soar when we see your air assets and so they want to make sure all of that is going to be in place as we move forward. Then they are willing to buy in. If not. They feel their families are exposed. One last thing i want to ask you. I see my time is running short. And that is in syria and you dont have to answer this. Ill ask in the second round. The question comes up so when assad goes if assad goes how does the space get filled with people who we think can be of help as opposed to nose raw or isis and it seems like were further behind the curve rather than in front of the curve on that question. Thank you mr. Chairman. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Mr. Secretary mr. Chairman, thank you for appearing today for your testimony. Would like to associate myself with the remarks that mr. Mccain made today about arming the Ukrainian Government. He and i travelled there last month to as far east as we could go to pet rosk and we saw brave and scaled soldiers constructing things out of styrofoam to meet their needs and in addition they need a substantial amount of nonlethal aid, some soldiers need improved first aid kits and some look like they came out of the prop scenes in m. A. S. H. And in addition to radios and so forth. And moving on to the Islamic State. One thing i dont think that has been discussed today is the Islamic State in egypt. There have been a series of terrorist attacks in the peninsula and the Islamic State takes credit for those attacks. We have still have the observers in the peninsula for almost 1800 soldiers, 1200 of which are american personnel. Secretary carter, general dempsey, can you explain to us what steps weve taken to ensure our troops in the senai peninsula are protected and working with the egyptian Security Forces to not just depend themselves but work in the peninsula. Let me address that first and then the chairman can address signi. Thank you for going to ukraine. Ive been there very many times. The government and the people there, particularly in the western part of ukraine, Vladimir Putins conduct there has had the opposite of whatever he thought it might have in terms of attracting ukraine he has strengthened the feeling among the western part of the country that they want a future they determine and isnt determined from outside. And to get to your point, were constantly assessing and this gets back to the chairmans earlier point, the kind of assistance we provide to the ukrainians. The principal kind of assistance, however, is ill come back to the military part in a moment but i cant emphasize the importance of economic assistance to ukraine and that is largely in the hands of the europeans and so are the sanctions against russia and that is really the main event. And i cant emphasize enough the importance of that. Because that is mostly a matter for the e. U. Rather than the United States. We are less directly involved but we certainly support the e. U. , both in the sanctions against russia which we share but theirs are more important because the volume of trade is greater. And also the efforts to strengthen the Ukrainian Government and economy, support reform there and the independence of ukraine. I did talk to, as i mentioned to the defense minister there, about what he needed and his principal focus was on training and so as i said, well constantly reassess that. But we are assessing that and im open to what we do in the future. Ive indicated that. I continue to indicate that. But his emphasis was on training and we have trainers now in yavarif, which is a principal Training Range there that is much appreciated. He was asking me and us for more of that kind of training. And well continue to do that. And to support the ukrainian military. I should say the defense ministers used to be the interior minister very good combination. Because the russian and separatists threat is a hybrid kind of threat. Hybrid in the sense that its signified by the little green men phenomenon. A combination of the exercise of malign influence through kgb tactics on the one hand and battlefield on the other. Hes somebody that really understands that kind of hybrid warfare. Thats really where he wants our help. Thank you, mr. Secretary. I dont want to cut you off. I have other questions. About nine months ago, anticipating and watching the intel stream of the radicalization of the sinai and the fact that the Egyptian Armed forces had moved resources to sheer western border. We did an integrated vulnerability assessment. We moved tracker raid towers, changed movement techniques, enhanced their communication, put in counter mortar things you are familiar with. They have increased the number of Egyptian Armed forces into the sinai. They accompany us on our movements when we make them. And, of course we recently released some of the capabilities that have been withheld from them. So that they could address their terrorist threat and the sinai. You are confident the american personnel in the sinai currently had adequate protection against terrorist activeity there. I am confident today and i expect that threat to increase. I recently had a conversation with the secretary about the future of the fou mix, which really hasnt changed in the last 50 years. Thank you. Id now like to move to the hearts of the middle east and the Islamic States. For the record, i think the Islamic State is a grave and growing threat him until they grow their own Central Program and tons of uranium, i think the Greater Public will be a threat than the greater state. That is the republic of iran my objections to the course are taken are well known and i will fought repeat them here. But i will note that iran remains an antiamerican terrorist sponsoring outlaw regime, that is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of americans from lebanon to iraq afghanistan, general dempsey, you served three different tours and are associated with iraq, how Many American soldiers died at the hands of projectiles during your command . Yeah, i recently heard the chief staff in the army and the centcom commander put that number at 500. Hundreds of marines died and probably thousands were wounded or suspected of being wounded. What should we say to their family, the families that lost soldiers at the hands of the iranian militias or iranian roadside bombs once we reach a bill to give iran tens of billions of