Defense secretary james mattis and general joseph doneford were on capitol hill this week testifying on President Trumps new military strategy in afghanistan and discussed the need to remove terrorist safe havens in other parts of the globe. It ran three hours. Committee will come to order. Committee welcomes secretary of defense and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff today for a hearing on afghanistan and south asia. The secretary had had previously indicated he would be back to discuss the approach to the region once it is decided and thats the topic for today. I understand there are many issues facing the department and this committee but in the interest of time and focus i want to encourage members to confine their questions to todays subject. The United States officially launched Operation Enduring freedom on october 7th, 2001, just about exactly 16 years ago. Approximately 2,400 American Service members have lost their lives in the conflict. Another 20,000 or so have been wounded. As this administration formulates its policies, the American People and members of congress have basic questions such as does American National security still warrant our military presence in afghanistan . Do we have a strategy to succeed or one to avoid failure . How is this administrations approach different from previous approaches . And can we ever be successful in the face of afghan corruption and afghans due plisty. Both secretary mattis have considerable personal experience with this conflict and i believe theyre as authoritative as anyone in helping provide answers to our questions and to chart the way forward. But these fundamental issues do need to be discussed openly for the American People and for those who have sacrificed over the last 16 years. Thats the reason were here today. Mr. Smith. Thank you, mr. Chairman and i think the chairman raised all of the questions that need to be raised. This is obviously a very, very difficult part of the world. We clearly have National Security interests in how afghanistan is governed and pakistan as well, going back to 2001 when they allowed al qaeda to have safe haven to plot and plan terrorist attacks against the u. S. , including 9 11. Making sure we dont return to those day sz clearly in our National Security interests. What is not as clear is how we do that and the cost of our current effort. Afghanistan is a difficult place to govern and one of the things that concerns most people in the country is we understand its a fragile situation. Weve been hearing that for, as the chairman mentioned, 16 years. If were there for another 20, i envision whos ever sitting in those seats at that point would have the same conversation. How do we get to the point where we can reduce our commitment in afghanistan so it is not an open ended commitment and a blank check. He said that in his remarks when he ruled out the strategy. Absent from that is what that meant and how we would go about achieving that very worthy goal and i think thats my biggest question and the second question to that would be while granting there are risks and pointing throughout are risks in staying there. So what happens under two different scenarios because it would be great if we were able to bring our troops home and commit our troops elsewhere and the longer we stay, the less its going to move us towards the positive outcome that we want. So are we envisioning a pro longed steal mate where we cannot leave because if it we do it will get worse or do we think we can get to the point where we go beyond pro longed stalemate and im paraphrasing one of the questions the chairman asked. I appreciate both of our witnesses being here and obviously their Tremendous Service to our country. With that, i yield back. Again, mr. Secretary, general, thank you for being here. Well turn the floor over to you. Ranking members smith, distinguished members of the committee, im here before you following the tragic event in las vegas. The drmnt of defense remain alert to law enforcements assessment of events. You, on this committee are keenly aware of the complex and volatile security environment our country faces today. Russia continues to invest in a full range of capabilities designed to limit our ability to project power erode u. S. Influence and undermines transatlantic alliance. And weakening our position in the indopacific region, even as we work to find common grund in confronting north koreas provocative actions. The International Community is reflected by the two latest unanimous sanctioned resolutions. Is focussed on the destabilizing threat posed by north korea and kim jonguns relentless pursuit of nuclear and ballistic capabilities. The Defense Department supports fully secretary tillersons efforts to find a diplomatic solution but remains focussed on defense of the United States and our allies per President Trumps orders. In the middle east iran continues influence across the region. While we continue to make gains against the terrorist enemy in syria, iraq and elsewhere, in afghanistan we have faced a difficult 16 years. General nicholson, our nato and u. S. Field commander with troops from 39 nations has blunted the terrorist offensive moves in afghanistan. Nato strikes in support of the improving Afghan Security forces and disarray among various enemy groups have caused the taliban to expend resources, constrain their movements and lim thet talibans ability to conduct major offenses. Beginning last month and for the first time in this long fight, all six Afghan Military cores are engaged in offensive operations. During these recent months, there have been fewer civilian casualties as a result of coalition operations, although regrettably taliban high profile attacks on civilians continue to murder the innocent. While the taliban continues to see provingsal centers, they have generally been forced into decentralized small scale ambushes in the use 06 improvised explosive devices. Importantly the rate of afghan National Security force casualties has reduced from last year. As you know i just returned last week from a trip to india and afghanistan and can report that general nicholson and the nato team are holding the line. Forecasts of a significant taliban offensive remain unfulfilled. Violence and progress do coexist in afghanistan but the uncertainty in the region and the nato campaign has been replaced by certainty due to the implementation of President Trumps new Southeast Asia strategy. Its been welcomed almost uniformly by leaders in the southyishau nation. We must always remember were in afghanistan to make america safer and insure that south asia cannot be used to plot net transnational attacks against the u. S. Homeland or our partners and allies. Our goal is a stable and secure south asia. A political settlement in afghanistan is only possible if they get report of our conduct of terrorism. Based on the Intelligence Community analysis and my own evaliation, i am convinced we have sent ourselves from this region to our ultimate peril. Our new conditionsbased approach has set the stage for regional and Afghanistan National change. Our new strategy vigorously approved and reviewed by President Trump is quote r 4 plus s unquote, which stands for regionalize it, realign it, reinforce it and reconciliation coupled with sustaining it. The first r, to regionalize it recognizes chal 7gs exist beyond afghanistan and adopts a geographic framework with a holistic comprehensive view. India, pakistan, iran, russia and china were considered at the outset rather than focusing only on afghanistan and inintroducing external variables late in our strategic design. My visit last week to india was in part to thank them for their continued generous Development Support in afghanistan. We also discussed ways to expand our collaboration to improve longterm regional stability and security. We will firmly address pakistans role. Natos damajds need to be heard and embraced. The second r to realign signified were shifting our main effort to allow more advisors who can provide training and support at the battalion and brigade level. The fighting will continue to be carried out by our afghan partners. But oured a vdsvers will accompany Tactical Units to bring nato support to bare when needed. This is combat duty for our troops but they remain in the lead for the fighting. We have now approximately 11,000 troops in afghanistan along side 6 thousand,800 from nato and Coalition Partners and 320,000 afghan National Security forces. From these numbers you can see the Afghan Forces remain the main number. And were supporting them, not suplanting or substituting our troops for theirs. The third r is reinforced and thats in our addition of 3,000 u. S. Troops arriving to help natos advisory effort to afghan troops currently without. Natos secretary general and i together toured afghanistan last week, sending a meslk of the nato coalitions unity. Hes reaching out to our allies to inhad crease their troop levels. 15 nations have signalled they will increase their support. The uncertainty now having replaced uncertainty, were looking to our partners to provide more troop and financial support. The last r is reconcile. And thats the desired outcome from our military operations. Convincinging our foes that coalition is committed to a conditions based outcome. We intend to drive hitters and those who will see were not in this our goal is a stabilized afghanistan achieved through an afghan led, afghanowned Peace Process. War is prince pale a matter of will and the International Community is making clear it will stand along side the afghans for the fight. As we have shifted to a conditions based strategy, not time based or troop number focussed, ambiguity has been removed. The elements of the strategy are a tangible demonstration of our resolve. All this will be carried out by, with and through our afghan partners and within the coalition framework, assuring this campaign is fiscally and militarily sustainable. Our afghan partners fight most effectively where nato and Partner Advisors are along side them. As the president said to the United NationsGeneral Assembly in new york afghans are determined to fight. No one should mistake our will to defend our country. Im heartened and impressed by the International Reception to our strategy. Im confident well see heightened levels of support in the months ahead. As nato general said last week in kabul, this is about making sure afghanistan doesnt once again become a safe haven for International Terrorists and the best way is to enable afghans to have defense Security ForcesStrong Enough to do that. Were already starting to see the psychological impact of this new strategy both militarily in the field as well as through the Afghan Governments commitment to reform. The president recognizes that fighting corruption and accelerating institutional reform are critical to success. The recently launched u. S. Afghan compact out lying more than 200 measurable bench marks for reform, demmen straights our shared emphasis on these goals. Our south asia strategy reinforced that the only path to peace and political legitimacy is through a negotiated settlement it is time for the taliban to be forced tootoo recognize they cant kill their way to power nor provide refuge or support to those who would do us harm. I want to close by recognizing the need to maintain the closest possible dialogue with congress and specifically this committee. Imposed the greatest inhibiter to our defense. Without relief from the bca caps, our air, land and sea fleet will continue to erode our path to modernization will be short changed and our technological competitive advantage lost. I trust ill sayour support as we address today pft complex and increasingly volatile National Security environment. Thank you. Thanks for the opportunity to join secretary mattis. In recent months our commander in afghanistan described the current condition in the country as a stalemate. Secretary mattis has testified were not winning. The situation has developed since the nato mingsz afghanistan transitioned to the advisory effort. Since 2015 weve acampanied and cysted afghan troops at the tactical level but limpeted to the army core and institutional level. We also reduced the aviation, artillery and intelligence support provided to the Afghan Forces. This construct did not provide afghan conventional forces with the support they needed to succeed in combat operations. My military assessment is we drive down our kaurm bat support for the Afghan Forces too far and too fast. As a result the taliban inflicted significant casualties on the Afghan Police while we lost momentum. Last spring secretary mattis conducted the department to conduct a Detailed Analysis to identify the root causes for the afghanistan, any directive we provide targeted solutions. Informed, they developed and approved a new operational approach to break the stalemate and bolster afghan capabilities. It supports the broader strategy by expanding our advisory efforts to the tactical level, and enhancing authorities. We believe these adjustments will im3r50u6rb theability of the afghans to conduct operations, defend critical terrain and afghan casualties. The emphasis on providing effective support to the afghans so they can secure their own country. Going forward, well support the president pfsz efforts for the Afghan Forces, reducing less effective units. Well also continue to develop a capable, sustainable Afghan Air Force and finally enhance and expand our own operations in the region. It will have our most senior, capable leaders advising at the Decisive Point. The specifically for the afghan to take the fight to the enemy. As we implement the strategy, were also tackling corruption, the single greatest road block to congress. Our objectives are clear and achievable. The first is we feet isis and al qaeda in afghanistan and insure others are unable to launch attacks against the homeland, u. S. Citizens or our allies. Capable of managing the rezijal violence. Support president s effort to insure key population and Economic Centers are secure and will provide an enduring counterterrorism. Al tool protect our shared interest in south asia. As secretary tillerson husband recently outlined, its to have them understand they will not win a battle field victory, so theyll enter a afghanled Peace Process to end it. I appreciate it, sir. I guess i want to basically have one question. I was directed by this editorial in the Washington Post august 9th. It says in theory it has been to train an afghan army that can fight al qaeda, the taliban and Islamic State and withdraw. After 16 years its not surprising many people think that strategy has failed. In fact, it hasnt really been tried and then he goes through a brief history of our efforts or lack of efforts of deadlines, of not meeting commitments and so forth and concludes by saying that much of the rush to failure has been washington driven. And so i guess i would like each of you to comment on the extent to which you have the lack of stability in commitment, funding as we begin the ninth Consecutive Year under a cr. To what extent those washington driven aspects have contributed to a afghanistan not being as successful so far as we would like it to be . War is primarily a matter of willpower and what we have to demonstrate based on where the situation is at this time is an implacable will the International Community and that means America First among all of them is going to stand by this effort and that has to do with standing by surtden policies, by the Afghan Military, standing by budgets that give predictability so we keep our own military strong. Its all part of setting a cohesive framework within which we can achieve tangible results and not face what Ranking Member smith is concerned with, a prolonged stalemate. When you set timelines, youre telling the enemy what you will not do. When you set troop caps, youre saying what you wont do and i believe right now the most important thing is to let the enemy know theyre not going to win and thats because we now have over 300,000 Afghan Forces in the field that through some very severe fighting have earned our support as we try to drive this towards an end of this war, towards reconciliation. Chairman, you and many members of the committee have visited afghanistan multiple times. Hedging behavior by the taliban, regional actors, in particular pakistan. One of the primary drivers of that hedging behavior, which was inhibiting us in actually making progress was a