Testimony at Armed Services Hearing Casts Doubt on U.S. Strategy in Fight Against ISIL in Syria
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following video of her exchange with the commander of U.S. Central Command Gen. Lloyd Austin III during a full committee hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee this morning. The hearing, which focused on U.S. military operations to counter ISIL, revealed an ongoing lack of progress in training Syrian rebels.
Two months ago, Defense Secretary Ash Carter reported to the committee that the Obama administration hoped to train a few thousand rebels within the year. In her questions today, Senator Fischer cited a recent report from Foreign Policy magazine of a scaled back presence in the area, which General Austin confirmed as being “a small number, and the ones that are in the fight is—we’re talking four or five.”
Click on the video above to view the exchange as well as the full transcript below:
SEN. FISCHER: General Austin, when [Secretary] Carter was here before this committee in July, he testified that there were only about 60 Syrian fighters that had been trained in our ‘train-and-equip’ program and reinserted. We’ve heard reports about the attacks on those individuals when they were reinserted back into Syria. Can you tell us what the total number of trained fighters remains?
GEN. AUSTIN: It’s a small number, and the ones that are in the fight is — we’re talking four or five.
FISCHER: A New York Times report on September 6 indicated that among the lessons learned from that experience was that these fighters should be returned to Syria in larger numbers than the 60, obviously larger than the four or five that are there. Do you agree with that?
AUSTIN: I agree with that, Senator. Whenever that’s possible, it is in our best interest to make sure that we have an element that can protect itself and also can go in and combine efforts with other elements that are on the ground.
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I used to enjoy this blog, but its obviously just turned into a stage for republican politics. Thank God Dewey is at least still on here.
Would like to see something about Blue Hill Today.
Anonymous, I am surprised that you say you used to enjoy this blog, I don't remember you writing to say that before. When there was a Democratic legislator from Nebraska this blog posted Ben Nelsons columns and news releases. At this time all the legislators are republican, so..... The blog, since it's inception has been open to any respectful comments or contributions from it's readers. If you have been a follower you have seen how forthcoming the readers have been. The administrators of the blog do not and have never received any remuneration for their contributions to the blog. You may have also noted that there are no popup bothering you as you read. There are almost no ads, the blog has not been monetized at all. It was assumed that the only readers of this blog were those who deemed it worthwhile.
If the content is not what you are looking for that is what it is. Cancel your subscription? Change the content by contributing?
I am glad you enjoy Dewey's column. I do too. It is good of him to send it to us so that we can share it here. I think there are several readers who read the blog just for his contribution.
The administrators of this blog have offered to turn it over to anyone who would like to take it. No one is interested. Take it or leave it. It is just what it is.
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