I will start with some good news well, first of all, i will start with thinking our witnesses for being here and thanking them for their service to our country. Further service to the country. Both served their country in various capacities for a long time, not an easy thing to do. I appreciate that and look forward to continuing to work with you. Unlike last year, we have a budget agreement, and last year we spend a lot of time talking about how difficult it is to run while anything in the government but certainly the department of defense without Appropriations Bills in a timely manner. Last year we were off by 3. 5 months, Something Like that thats better than drifting into the next year. We did get appropriation bills done by december of last year which gives some predictability to the department i think that is enormously important. This year we hope to come a little closer to october 1 certainly on the authorizing bill that also the appropriation bill but most importantly, we hav
Thank you very much for coming. We are very pleased to have paul with us here this evening and was reported from the Los Angeles Times and writing about Foreign Policy with the pentagon and the state department and other important assignment along assignments it with that paper four years ago. As one of those journalistic pros on National Security affairs. To have that knowledge of National Security. And then ryan crocker. Of how senior skills state Department Officers and those intelligence communities like iraq and syria and pakistan olivia one libya to combat terrorism. Have declineo testify. We will be in conversation here with someone else who knows the way around atheir way around thn and state department but as an insider. He spent 29 years in the navy specializing in Public Affairs and rose to become the navys top spokesman and chief spokesman for the department of defense. After retiring from the military in 2015 with the rank of rear admiral, he shifted to the state departmen
In washington over several decades he wrote about National Security and foreignpolicy on both the pentagon and state department and he held other important assignments for the times before leaving the paper about four years ago. Paul was seen as one of the journalistic prose in this cityy on the National Security affairs and in his new book he applies his Extensive Knowledge of americas National Security establishment to highlight the valuable role played by some veteran diplomats. He singles out for in particular, ryan crocker, and patterson and Chris Stevens. How significant officers these days folks work with our military and intelligence communities in such countries of afghanistan, iraq, serious, pakistan and libya to combat terrorism and manage the challenging situations. At a time when the u. S. Diplomatic corps is being downsized and disparaged, pauls book is a reminder of the vital contributions made by some of the state departments finest, the risks they sometimes had to take
Contracted report for the commission on chinas expeditionary capabilities. Were really looking forward to that. At james, he specializes in emerging technologies, threat assessment, forecasting and data science. Much of his work analyzes chinas Armed Forces Modernization and u. S. Longrange strategic planning. Before joining james he was an extra Research Assistant for Yale University department of medical science where he did research on chinas naval modernization. Mr. Peltier has a master of arts in International Science from university of chicago. Good political real school. We will next year from kevin mccauley. Hes an independent analyst and was formally the scene Intelligence Officer for the soviet union, russia, china and taiwan during his 31 years in the u. S. Government. Hes senior china analyst for the armys National Ground Intelligence Center and he served on Advisory Board and working groups supporting the intelligence community, the National Intelligence council and the u.
Thanking them for their service to our country. Both have served our country in various capacities for a long time. Not an easy thing to do. I respect and appreciate that work. I look forward to continuing to work with you. The good news i want to start with is unlike last year we have a budget agreement. And last year we spent a lot of time talking about how difficult it is to run anything in the government but certainly the department of defense without Appropriations Bills in a timely manner. Now, last year we were off by i dont know 3. 5 months, Something Like that, but thats better than drifting into the next year. We did get Appropriations Bills and an authorizing bill done by december of last year which gives some predictability to the department. I think thats important. This year we hope to come a little bit closer to october 1st. Certainly on the authorizing bill, but also in the appropriations bill. Most importantly, we have a budget number. And hopefully we can get that pre