Hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee - Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2005

Federal News Service

HEADLINE: HEARING OF THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE

SUBJECT: DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION REQUEST FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005

CHAIRED BY: SENATOR JOHN WARNER (R-VA)

WITNESSES: ADMIRAL THOMAS B. FARGO, COMMANDER, UNITED STATES PACIFIC COMMAND; GENERAL LEON J. LAPORTE, COMMANDER, UNITED NATIONS COMMAND AND REPUBLIC OF KOREA/UNITED STATES COMBINED FORCES COMMAND; GENERAL JAMES T. HILL, COMMANDER, UNITED STATES SOUTHERN COMMAND

LOCATION: 106 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C.

BODY:
SEN. JACK REED (D-RI): Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

Iraq has become a drain on land forces of considerable scope. We've talked about the Marines that have been deployed from Okinawa. The 25th Division has significant deployments into Southwest Asia.

In addition, I assume that there are items of equipment that are in high demand, such as airlifters and other pieces of equipment. And beyond the unit, there are a huge demand for Special Forces, special operators. Can you comment, Admiral Fargo and General LaPorte, the effect in the Pacific of this commitment in Iraq? Do you have areas where your troops-you have less forces; you obviously have less forces today-but that they're draining your ability to respond?

ADM. FARGO: Well, certainly, Senator, we have less forces that are specifically based in the Pacific; as you point out, the deployment of the 25th Infantry Division to both Iraq and Afghanistan in this rotation, as well as the Marines. But, of course, we source forces for all of our efforts globally, from the entire capacity, really the immense capacity of the United States military. And that's precisely what we're doing in these cases.

And as I mentioned earlier to Senator Levin's comment, we do have the ability to achieve comparable effects with other forces other than ground forces, such as the air that's provided by both the Navy and the Air Force, who are largely reset.

So I think that, based on what we have available in our evaluation of the risk, we're in an adequate posture right now.

SEN. REED: General LaPorte.

GEN. LAPORTE: Senator, your concern is a concern that we need to stay focused on. I will tell you, the forces resident to the peninsula have been minimally affected by the Iraqi operation. We continue to be trained and ready.

I work very closely with Admiral Fargo in terms of the reinforcing forces. And we have exercised those reinforcing forces globally, not just in simulation but in real-life movements of those forces.

I'm confident that we have the capability as a nation to reinforce the Korean peninsula if required.

SEN. REED: Admiral Fargo, you pointed out that the administration is pursuing a diplomatic approach to the North Korean nuclear situation and that the military stands by as a complement or an exclamation point, if you will, to their diplomatic efforts.

The North Koreans seem to be intransigent, non-cooperative. Might that be a result of their simply looking around the Pacific and seeing the 25th in Southwest Asia, the Marines from Okinawa now in Southwest Asia, even though you do have considerable air power? Is that a-I guess the question would be do you think our military posture is complementing effectively this diplomatic initiative?

ADM. FARGO: Senator, what I've seen is that the North Koreans are complaining about our presence. As General LaPorte just mentioned, we just finished up our annual exercise, RSO&I and Foal Eagle/Freedom Banner on the peninsula. As General LaPorte mentioned, we used forces that were sourced globally for some of those efforts. We have maritime forces, a carrier strike group and an -- (inaudible) -- strike group that was fully involved in that effort. And we rotate forces into the Pacific on a regular basis from the continental United States that maintain a very level and deterrent posture. And the response we've gotten out of the North Koreans is one of they noticed that, and in some cases they object to it.

SEN. REED: General LaPorte?

GEN. LAPORTE: Senator, I would only add that my command is a combined command, of both ROK and U.S., and the ROK military is an extremely capable military force. They are well trained, well equipped, well led, and highly motivated. So, the U.S. and ROK alliance together complement and allow us to, first of all, accomplish our deterrent mission, and second of all, they'd be ready to fight tonight if required.

SEN. REED: Thank you. General Hill, following up in SOUTHCOM, there's been stories about the drain of special operators from the active forces for private employment and other endeavors, and also, obviously, the demand in Southwest Asia for these special operators. Your Colombia operations seem to have a particular, you know, rationale for additional special operators. Will you find a problem filling these additional slots that you requested?

GEN. HILL: No sir. I-and in context to the whole OPTEMPO/PERSTEMPO issue, which I am very sensitive to, not only just for Iraq but other operations, most of the requirements and many of the requirements that I'm going to fill in terms of upping from 400 to-as we see it in 2005 about 726 people max, are short-term. They'll be mostly filled from forces already assigned to me or from headquarters assigned to me. Some special forces operations, but in many (regards ?) not special operations forces.

SEN. REED: Thank you. Admiral Fargo, the Philippines has been a source of concern. Can you comment upon the situation now with the JI and their Abu Sayyaf operatives? What's the situation?

ADM. FARGO: Well, Senator, as you know, from the outset the Philippine government has been-has provided superb support on the war on terrorism. They do have significant concerns, as we do, abut the Abu Sayyaf Group and the Jemaah Islamiyah. As you know, the ASG-the Abu Sayyaf Group-was really pretty much a hostage-for-ransom group that operated in the Southern Philippines, in the archipelago. President Arroyo has recently stated that the Jemaah Islamiyah, the JI, is their top threat and concern.

The Philippines has made some progress against the ASG. There were reports this weekend of the arrest of four to six ASG members and the recovery of some number of explosives. We're still trying to corroborate those reports.

The JI are a regional concern. The region-the countries of this region in Southeast Asia have cooperated very thoroughly-and I mean the Philippines, and Indonesia, and Thailand, and Singapore-to arrest or detain some 200 JI members. But I think we need to be concerned about the JI. I'm concerned about the potential for JI training in the Philippines, and certainly our goal and our effort with the armed forces of the Philippines is to provide them the intelligence and the training and the advice so that they can develop a long-term and sustainable counterterrorist capability to deal with these threats.

SEN. REED: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you very much, Senator. The senator from Alabama.