Hearing Of The House Armed Services Committee - Threat Posed By al Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula and Other Regions
Statement
Hearing Of The House Armed Services Committee - Threat Posed By al Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula and Other Regions
Statement of Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee Chairman Adam Smith
"Today, the Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee will meet to discuss the threat posed by al Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula and other regions. I want to thank our witnesses for lending their expert opinions on this important subject. They all have extensive experience in this arena and I look forward to hearing their thoughts.
"The focus of the hearing will be to receive an update on the status of al Qa'ida as a threat to the United States at home and abroad. Though we can count many tactical successes against al Qa'ida in the battlefield, the organization consistently reconstitutes itself through aggressive strategic communication. This enables the group to leverage its affiliates across the globe to carry out attacks on its behalf and we must constantly be improving and evaluating how we respond to this threat.
"Al Qa'ida continues to target our transportation industry and last December we witnessed a grim reminder of their intent to harm us on our own soil. Its affiliate in Yemen made a strategic decision to engage us not in their region, but above our skies. We cannot take that threat lightly. While we can respond accordingly, it is imperative that we keep our finger on the pulse of all potential safe havens of al Qa'ida and ensure we are adjusting our policies appropriately.
"The Department of Defense has a large role to play in engaging our enemies abroad, but it will take a confluence of U.S. agencies to confront the root causes of terrorism. Indeed our colleagues in the State Department, USAID, Treasury, and others all have important roles to play in our struggle against radical ideologies.
"I thank the witnesses and look forward to hearing from them on how we can more effectively tackle this critical challenge."
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