TESTIMONYSEPTEMBER18,2014

CHAIRMANROGERS,RANKINGMEMBERRUPPERSBURGER,MEMBERSOFTHECOMMITTEE:

THANKYOUFORINVITINGMETOTESTIFYONTHENATUREOFTHETHREATPOSEDBY
ISLAMICSTATETERRORISTS.PLEASEALLOWMETOONCEAGAINEXPRESSMYAPPRECIATION
FORTHISCOMMITTEESINTEGRITYANDMYRESPECTFORYOURLEADERSHIPINSAFE
GUARDINGOURCOUNTRY.FROMMYTIMEONACTIVEDUTYTOTODAYIHAVEONLYTHE
HIGHESTREGARDFORTHISCOMMITTEESROLE.

THECURRENTMATURATIONOFTHEISLAMICSTATE,ORISIS(KNOWNINEARLIER
FORMSASAQIORISILORIS)ANDITSDEMONSTRATEDPENCHANTFORBARBARITYAREWELL
KNOWNTOTHISCOMMITTEEANDNEEDNOELABORATIONHERE.AREVIEWOFTHEIR
ORIGINSISHELPFULTOPLACETHECURRENTTHREATINCONTEXTASWELOOKATWHAT
MUSTBEDONEABOUTTHISCLEARANDPRESENTDANGER.

WEALLRECOGNIZETHATTHEMIDEASTISDISSOLVINGINTOCRISESANDWEKNOW
TERRORISMDIDNOTSTARTWITH911:TWOFUNDAMENTALSTRAINSOFVIOLENTISLAMIC
JIHADISTSPREEXISTED911ANDPROVIDETHEBACKDROPFORWHATISMANIFESTING
NOW.BOTHAREDRESSEDINFALSERELIGIOUSGARB.

FIRSTARETHEVIOLENTSHIAINSPIREDMOVEMENTSSUPPORTEDBYIRAN.WE
KNOWTHEMASIRANSLEBANESEHEZBOLLAHMILITIAANDASSOCIATEDGROUPS.INTHE
EARLY1980sTHEYCOMMENCEDWARONUSWHENTHEYATTACKEDOURBEIRUTEMBASSY
KILLING63PEOPLEANDALSOATTACKINGTHEFRENCHPARATROOPERANDU.S.MARINE
PEACEKEEPERBARRACKSTHENINTHECITY.THEYCONTINUETHEIRMURDEROUSAND
DESTABILIZINGLEGACY:FIGHTINGTOKEEPASSADINPOWER;MURDERINGISRAELI
TOURISTSINBULGARIA;ORTRYINGTOMURDERTHESAUDIAMBASSADORTOWASHINGTON
AFEWSHORTMILESFROMWHEREWESITTODAYTHEYCONTINUETOSPREADMAYHEM.

THEOTHERSTRAINOFTERRORISMDECLAREDWARONUSINTHEMID1990s,ANDIS
WELLKNOWNTOTHISCOMMITTEEASALQAEDA(AQ)ANDITSASSOCIATEDVIOLENTSUNNI
MOVEMENTS.HAVINGATTACKEDOUREASTAFRICANEMBASSIESANDUSSCOLEINA
NEUTRALPORT,THEDRAMATICEVENTSOF911EARNEDTHEMASTRONGU.S.RESPONSE.
WEHAVESHREDDEDMUCHOFTHEIRSENIORLEADERSHIPINTHEAFGHANISTANPAKISTAN
BORDERREGIONYETTHEMOVEMENTHASFRANCHISED:
AQINTHEARABIANPENNINSULA(AQAP)INYEMEN;
ALSHABAABINSOMALIA;
ALNUSRAINSYRIA;AND
BOKOHARUMINTHEMAGHREBTONAMESEVERAL.

OUTOFTHISFRANCHISINGEFFECTHASARISENTHEISLAMICSTATEINSYRIAAND
IRAQ.IN2010IRAQWASINAPOSTCOMBAT,PRERECONCILIATIONPHASE,WITHTHENAQI
UNABLETOSUSTAINTHEIRINTENDEDLEVELOFVIOLENCETHATCOULDSPAWNAHOPED
FORSUNNISHIACIVILWAR.PRIMEMINISTERMALIKI,RELEASEDFROMAMERICAN
RESTRAINT,ACTEDONHISWORSTINSTINCTS,CREATINGENORMOUSDISTRUSTINIRAQS
KURDISHPOPULATIONANDDEEPLYEMBITTERINGSUNNISINWESTERNIRAQSALANBAR
WHOLOSTANYCONFIDENCEINABAGHDADGOVERNMENTTHEYSAWASADVERSARIAL.
THEREFORMEDBUTSTILLNASCENTIRAQIARMYWASPURGEDBYMALIKIOFITSEFFECTIVE
LEADERSHIPASHEJURYRIGGEDTHECOMMANDSTRUCTURE,UNDERCUTTINGWHATHAD
BEENTHEGROWINGEFFECTIVENESSOFTHATFORCE.INALANBARAQBEGANITSGROWTH
INTOTODAYSISIS.

MEANWHILE,INNEIGHBORINGSYRIAASSADCREATEDACIVILWARAGAINSTHIS
OWNPEOPLE,HEAVILYTARGETINGTHESUNNIS.ABETTEDBYRUSSIASREGRETTABLEVETO
INTHEU.N.ANDSUSTAINEDBYIRANSFULLSUPPORT,ASSADSWARCREATEDACYCLEOF
VIOLENCEANDTHEEXPANDEDRISEOFTHEISLAMICSTATE(ISIS),IDEOLOGICALLYSIMILAR
BUTOPERATIONALLYDISTANTFROMAQ.ISISGROWTHILLUSTRATEDTHEUSUAL
ADAPTATIONSOFTERRORGROUPS:THROUGHWINNOWINGITSRANKS,SHARPENINGITS
IDEOLOGYANDADAPTINGITSMETHODS,ISISMORPHEDINTOAMUCHMOREROBUST
THREAT.COMBININGALQAEDASSIGNIFICANTFIGHTINGCAPABILITIESWITHASTRONGER
FOCUSONTHEADMINISTRATIVECAPABILITIESTHATMIGHTPERMITITTOHOLDGROUND,
THEISLAMICSTATECOPIEDTHELATTERFROMHEZBOLLAHSMODEL.BASICALLYISLAMIC
STATEISACOMBINEDALQAEDAANDLEBANESEHEZBOLLAHONSTEROIDS,DESTABILIZING
THEREGION,DISSOLVINGBORDERS/CHANGINGTHEPOLITICALGEOGRAPHYINTHEMID
EAST,ANDHARDENINGPOLITICALPOSITIONSTHATMAKEMIDEASTPEACEBUILDINGMORE
REMOTEBYTHEDAY.

GAININGSTRENGTHASTHEYDRAWTOTHEIRBANNERTHEMOSTHARDENEDAND
DISAFFECTEDVIOLENTSUNNIRADICALS,TODAYSISLAMICSTATEHOLDSGROUNDINWHAT
ISACONTINUATIONANDSIGNIFICANTMATURATIONOFTHEMODERNVIOLENTJIHADIST
TERRORWARTHATBEGANAGAINSTUSIN1983.IN1984THENSECRETARYOFSTATE
GEORGESHULTZNOTEDTHATTHEVIOLENCEWASNOLONGERRANDOMANDHEREJECTED
ANYMORALCONFUSIONWHENITCAMETOAMERICASSPECIALRESPONSIBILITYTOFIRM
RESISTANCEAGAINSTTERRORISM.TODAYTHEISLAMICSTATEREPRESENTSATHREATTO
GOVERNANCEACROSSTHEMIDDLEEAST,ATHREATTHATEXTENDSFARBEYONDTHAT
TUMULTUOUSREGION:HAVINGDEALTWITHTHEMUTATINGTHREATOFTERRORISMSINCE
1979,IBELIEVELEFTUNFETTEREDTHATITSONLYAMATTEROFTIMEBEFOREISLAMICSTATE
LAUNCHESTRANSNATIONALOPERATIONS.WESHOULDAPPROACHTHEIRTHREATINTHIS
MANNERANDDETERMINEHOWTOTAKEAWAYTHEIRINITIATIVE.

THEENEMYISNOTWAITING.IUNDERSTANDANDAPPRECIATETHEDESIRETOPULL
USOUTOFTHEPOORLYEXPLAINEDMIDEASTFIGHTSWEVEENGAGEDIN.BUTASWESAID
INTHEMILITARY,THEENEMYGETSAVOTE.INLIGHTOFWHATWEVESEENDEVELOPTHIS
SUMMERWEMUSTNOWCHANGEWHATWEVEBEENDOING,CHALLENGING/VALIDATING
OURASSUMPTIONSABOUTTHISTHREAT,DETERMININGOURPOLITICALOBJECTIVES,AND
BUILDINGAFULLYRESOURCEDSTRATEGYNOWINCONCERTWITHALLIES.POTENTIALALLIES
EXISTINTHEREGIONANDAROUNDTHEGLOBE,BUTNOTHINGCANREPLACEAMERICAN
LEADERSHIPINBRINGINGTHEINTERESTEDPARTIESTOGETHER.

FRIENDSMATTERINTODAYSGLOBALIZEDWORLDJUSTASTHEYHAVEALWAYS
MATTERED.ALLIANCESANDCOALITIONSMATTERASHIGHPRIORITIESWHENWE
CONFRONTTODAYSCHALLENGE:WENEEDTOEMBRACETHOSEWHOREJECTTERRORISM,
WORKINGWITHALLIESEVENWHENTHEYARENOTPERFECTBECAUSEOURFRIENDSSTOOD
BYUSWHENWEFELLSHORTOFPERFECTION.WHENTHEUNITEDARABEMIRATESSTANDS
TALLCONDEMNINGISISANDITSATROCITIESAIMSTOKILL,TERRORIZEANDDISPLACES
CIVILIANSWEHEAROUROWNTHOUGHTSINTHEIRBLUNTWORDS.

SOLONGASWEDEMONSTRATEFIRMRELIABILITYTHEREAREMANYALLIESHOPING
FOROURLEADERSHIP,BOTHINTHEREGIONANDMOREBROADLYAROUNDTHEWORLD.
SECRETARYKERRYSEFFORTSTOBUILDINTERNATIONALSUPPORTFORTHISCAMPAIGNARE
ONTARGET,FORWEAREINANERAOFFREQUENTSKIRMISHING.BYERAIAMSAYING
THISWILLBEALONGTERMEFFORTINVOLVINGFIGHTINGALONGSIDEOURPARTNERS;IT
WILLNOTBESOLVEDWITHHUMANITARIANAIRDROPSTOTHESURVIVINGVICTIMSOFTHIS
GROUPSBARBARISM.ADDITIONALLY,FORECASTINGTHEAMOUNTOFTIMEWEWILL
COMMITTOTHISEFFORTISUNWISE,GIVINGHOPETOOURFOESTHATTHEYCANOUTLAST
US.SAYINGTHATTHATTHESEMANIACSAREONTHEWRONGSIDEOFHISTORYALSOWILL
NOTSTOPTHEM,FORHISTORYISWRITTENBYGOODPEOPLEANDBAD.IFHISTORYTEACHES
USANYTHINGANDWEWANTTOLEAVEABETTERWORLDFORTHENEXTGENERATION,WE
LEARNTHATWEMUSTSTANDWITHTHOSEWHOSHAREOURSECURITYINTERESTS.
THROUGHOUTHISTORYITSBEENTHENATIONSWITHALLIESTHATDEFEATEDTHOSE
WITHOUT.

TODAY,INISISWESEEONCEAGAINTHOSEWHOTHINKLIKEON911THATTHEY
COULDSCAREUSBYHURTINGUS.WHILEWEDIDNTASKFORTHISFIGHT,WEMUSTAGAIN
SHOWTHATWEDONTSCAREANDWEWONTABANDONOURFRIENDS.BYTHEIRVERY
BARBARITYTHEISLAMICSTATEHASCREATEDASTRONGMOTIVATIONFORAWIDERANGE
OFCOUNTRIESTOMOVEAGAINSTTHEM,IFAMERICAWILLLEAD.ISISBARBARISMISA
VULNERABILITYWORTHEXPLOITINGTOTHEMAXIMUMDEGREEPOSSIBLE.

THESTRATEGYWECHOOSEMUSTNOLONGERDEALWITHEACHEMERGINGMIDEAST
THREATASONEOFFTHEREISNOEMERGING,VEXINGTHREATTOBEDEALTWITHASAN
IMMEDIATE,STANDALONEPROBLEM.NOWHEREISTHEIMPRESSIONOFAMERICAN
WITHDRAWALMOREPRONOUNCEDTHANINTHEMIDDLEEAST.TOCOUNTERTHAT
IMPRESSIONANDTAKENECESSARYSTEPSNOWBEFOREOURENEMIESGROWSTRONGER,
WENEEDANINTEGRATEDREGIONALSTRATEGYTHATAVOIDSUNINTENDEDCONSEQUENCES
THATCOMEFROMDEALINGWITHINDIVIDUALPROBLEMSWITHOUTREGARDFORTHEIR
REGIONALCONTEXT.INLEAGUEWITHOURALLIES(THOSEWHOFINDTHEIRPURPOSEIN
MODERATEPOLICIESANDBEINGRESPONSIVETOTHENEEDSOFTHEIRPEOPLE),WEMUST
BUILDAPOLITICALLYUNAMBIGUOUS,GUIDINGVISION.THATWOULDSTARTWITHAPOLICY
THATPROVIDESCLARITY,OBJECTIVELYANDPERSUASIVELYLAYINGOUTTOTHEAMERICAN
PEOPLEANDTHEGLOBALAUDIENCEWHATWESTANDFOR,BUTALSOWHATWEWILLNOT
TOLERATETOWARDSINNOCENTPEOPLE,EITHEROUROWNOROTHERS.RECOGNIZINGTHAT
INTHEMIDEASTTODAYVACUUMSARENOTFILLEDBYTOLERANTELEMENTS,WEMUST
STANDWITHTHOSEOPPOSEDTOTERRORISM.

WHILEWECANRECOGNIZETHATWEMAYHAVEPREVIOUSLYCONFUSEDANDEVEN
DISMAYEDOURFRIENDS,ORUNINTENTIONALLYEMBOLDENEDENEMIESSWORNTOOUR
DESTRUCTION,WEMUSTNOWACCEPTWHATTHISCOMMITTEEKNOWSSOWELL:THATTHE
INTERNATIONALORDERPROMOTINGPEACEANDPROSPERITYISNOTSELFSUSTAINING.WE
MUSTCHOOSESIDESOUROWNSIDESTANDINGWITHTHOSEWILLINGTOFIGHTWHAT
PRESIDENTOBAMARIGHTLYCALLEDACANCER,ANDOUTLININGOURAPPROACHUSING
CLEARSTRATEGICOBJECTIVES.

ISIS,BORNOFREGIONALWARFAREANDVIOLENTRELIGIOUSEXTREMISM,HAS
GROWNINTOASTRATEGICTHREAT.OCCUPYINGANAREAASLARGEASGREATBRITAIN
WITHMILLIONSOFINHABITANTS,ITSHOLDISNOTYETFIRM.EVENASISISTRIESTOSTRIKE
EVERMOREDEEPLYINTOIRAQ,SYRIAANDLEBANON,THEIRINTENTISCLEARLYTOSETUPA
FATALIKESAFEHAVENINTHEHEARTOFTHEMIDDLEEASTFORDIRECTDESTABILIZATION
OFTHEREGIONANDFORUSEASALAUNCHINGPADFORTRANSNATIONALATTACKS.WE
MUSTNOTPATRONIZETHEMORDISMISSTHETHREATTHEIRWORDSANDACTIONSCLEARLY
PROCLAIMEVENIFTHEYCANNOTYETCARRYOUTTHEIRMOREGRANDIOSE
PRONOUNCEMENTS.

THEROBUSTANDCOHERENTSTRATEGYTOSHATTERTHEENEMYSDESIGNSMUST
STARTWITHOURCOMPREHENDINGTHEIRIRRECONCILABLEWORLDVIEW.INCONFRONT
INGTHATREALITYANDRIGOROUSLYDEFININGOURPOLITICALOBJECTIVES,WEWILLENLIST
ALLIESANDAVOIDMISSIONCREEP,RECOGNIZINGTHELIMITSOFWHATOUTSIDERSCANDO
WHILESTRENGTHENINGOURFRIENDSWHOLIVEINTHATAREA.ASDR.NADIASCHADLOW
HASADVOCATED,WEMUSTUSEALLMEANSTOCARRYOUTOURSTRATEGY,ONETHATDOES
NOTRELYSOLELYONMILITARYACTIVITIESTOFIGHTWHATISATITSHEARTAVIOLENT
POLITICALARGUMENTAGAINSTTHEVALUESTHATFORUSGREWOUTOFTHE
ENLIGHTENMENT.

WITHREGARDTOTHEIMMEDIATETHREATOFISIS,THECRITICALFIRSTSTEPTO
RESTARTINGTHEIRAQIPOLITICALPROCESSWASSUPPORTINGTHEREMOVALOFMALIKIAS
PRIMEMINISTER.USINGAMERICANAIRPOWERTOBUYTIMEISALSONECESSARYASTHE
IRAQISGETTHEIRPOLITICALANDMILITARYACTTOGETHERANDWEALIGNINTERNATIONAL
SUPPORT.

THESTRATEGYWHICHTHENFOLLOWSMUSTDEFINEWITHCAREFULLYCHOSEN
WORDSWHEREWEINTENDTOGOINTHISCAMPAIGN:DEGRADING,ORDEFEATING,OR
DESTROYINGTHEISLAMICSTATE,FOREXAMPLE,PORTENDDIFFERENTENDSTATES
DEMANDINGDIFFERENTLEVELSOFEFFORT,ANDTHUSDIFFERENTSTRATEGIES.

WHICHEVERSTRATEGYISCHOSEN,WESHOULDBERETICENTINTELLINGOUR
ADVERSARIESINADVANCEANYTIMELINETHATGOVERNSUSORWHICHOFOUR
CAPABILITIESWEWILLNOTEMPLOY.SPECIFICALLYIFTHISTHREATTOOURNATIONIS
DETERMINEDTOBEASSIGNIFICANTASIBELIEVEITIS,WEMAYNOTWISHTOREASSURE
OURENEMIESINADVANCETHATTHEYWILLNOTSEEAMERICANBOOTSONTHEGROUND:
IFABRIGADEOFOURPARATROOPERSORABATTALIONLANDINGTEAMOFOURMARINES
COULDSTRENGTHENOURALLIESATAKEYJUNCTUREANDCREATEHAVOC/HUMILIATION
FOROURADVERSARIES,THENWESHOULDDOWHATISNECESSARYWITHOURFORCESTHAT
EXISTFORTHATVERYPURPOSE.THEU.S.MILITARYISNOTWARWEARY,OURMILITARY
DRAWSSTRENGTHFROMCONFRONTINGOURENEMIESWHENCLEARPOLICYOBJECTIVES
ARESETANDWEAREFULLYRESOURCEDFORTHEFIGHT.

PROPERLYUSEDAMIXOFOURTROOPSCANHELPSETTHECONDITIONSFORTHE
REGIONALFORCESTHATCANCARRYTHEBULKOFTHEFIGHTINGONTHEGROUND.HALF
HEARTEDORTENTATIVEEFFORTS,ORAIRSTRIKESALONE,CANBACKFIREONUSAND
ACTUALLYSTRENGTHENOURFOESCREDIBILITY,REINFORCINGHISRECRUITINGEFFORTS
WHICHAREALREADYSTRONG.IDONOTNECESSARILYADVOCATEAMERICANGROUND
FORCESATTHISPOINT,BUTWESHOULDNEVERREASSUREOURENEMYTHATOUR
COMMANDERINCHIEFWOULDNOTCOMMITTHEMATTHETIMEANDPLACEOFHIS
CHOOSING.WHENWEACTITSHOULDBEUNEQUIVOCAL,DESIGNEDTOENDTHEFIGHTAS
SWIFTLYASPOSSIBLE.WHILENOONEISMORERELUCTANTTOSEEUSAGAININCOMBAT
THANTHOSEOFUSWHOHAVESIGNEDLETTERSTOTHENEXTOFKINOFOURFALLEN,IF
SOMETHINGISWORTHFIGHTINGFORWEMUSTBRINGFULLSTRENGTHTOBEAR.

WHENONESIDERESORTSTOBARBARITYAGAINSTOURFELLOWAMERICANSAND
TEARSUPTHERULEBOOKABOUTPROTECTIONOFTHEINNOCENT,THENTHEMORALCHOICE
ISOBVIOUS.THEONLYQUESTIONSLIEINOURWISECHOICEOFACOALITIONSTRATEGYAND
FULLRESOURCINGBYAMERICAIFWEWANTTHESAMECOMMITMENTBYOURALLIES.AS
PRIMEMINISTERCAMERONHASSAID,TRUESECURITYWILLONLYBEACHIEVEDIFWEUSE
ALLOURRESOURCES....

WITHOUTFIRMACTIONTHISPOISONWILLSPREAD.THEGEOGRAPHYOFTHE
GLOBALIZEDWORLDDOESNOTPERMITUSTOLOOKAWAYASIFTHISISNOTOURPROBLEM.
GEOPOLITICALREALITIESMUSTBECONFRONTEDANDTHEENEMYOFOURENEMYMAY
STILLREMAINOURENEMY,SOTHECONSTRUCTIONOFANINTEGRATEDMIDEASTSTRATEGY
TOINCLUDECONFRONTINGTHEISLAMICSTATEWILLNOTBESIMPLE.BUTTHATISNOW
OURDUTYTOOURSELVESANDTOTHEWORLDTHATOURCHILDRENWILLSOONENOUGH
INHERIT.WITHOUTEXAGGERATINGTHEISISTHREATWEMUSTBRINGOBJECTIVEPURPOSE
ANDSTRONGHEARTTOTHISFIGHTTODETERMINEWHICHVALUESWILLGOVERNOUR
FUTURE.WITHBOTHTHEPOWERTOINSPIREASWELLASTOINTIMIDATE,AMERICA
SHOULDNOWBRINGBOTHTOBEARWITHFIRMLEADERSHIPANDROBUSTRESOURCES.
VACILLATIONORTENTATIVEAMERICANMOVESABSENTANINTEGRATEDREGIONAL
STRATEGYWILLNOTWORKTOSUSTAINTHECIVILIZEDINTERNATIONALORDERINTHEFACE
OFBARBARIANS.DELAYCANONLYCOSTUSASTHEENEMYGROWSSTRONGER;FAILURETO
ACTMULTIDIMENSIONALLY,DECISIVELYANDINCONCERTWITHALLIESCANONLYLEAVEUS
VULNERABLETOFUTUREENEMYATTACKS.

THANKYOU.