i [H.A.S.C. No. 110–133] HEARING ON NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2009 AND OVERSIGHT OF PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED PROGRAMS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED TENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION FULL COMMITTEE HEARING ON BUDGET REQUEST FROM THE U.S. PACIFIC COMMAND AND U.S. FORCES KOREA HEARING HELD MARCH 12, 2008 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 45–824 WASHINGTON : 2010 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402–0001 HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES ONE HUNDRED TENTH CONGRESS IKE SKELTON, Missouri, Chairman JOHN SPRATT, South Carolina DUNCAN HUNTER, California SOLOMON P. ORTIZ, Texas JIM SAXTON, New Jersey GENE TAYLOR, Mississippi JOHN M. MCHUGH, New York NEIL ABERCROMBIE, Hawaii TERRY EVERETT, Alabama SILVESTRE REYES, Texas ROSCOE G. BARTLETT, Maryland VIC SNYDER, Arkansas HOWARD P. ‘‘BUCK’’ MCKEON, California ADAM SMITH, Washington MAC THORNBERRY, Texas LORETTA SANCHEZ, California WALTER B. JONES, North Carolina MIKE MCINTYRE, North Carolina ROBIN HAYES, North Carolina ELLEN O. TAUSCHER, California W. TODD AKIN, Missouri ROBERT A. BRADY, Pennsylvania J. RANDY FORBES, Virginia ROBERT ANDREWS, New Jersey JEFF MILLER, Florida SUSAN A. DAVIS, California JOE WILSON, South Carolina RICK LARSEN, Washington FRANK A. LOBIONDO, New Jersey JIM COOPER, Tennessee TOM COLE, Oklahoma JIM MARSHALL, Georgia ROB BISHOP, Utah MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO, Guam MICHAEL TURNER, Ohio MARK E. UDALL, Colorado JOHN KLINE, Minnesota DAN BOREN, Oklahoma PHIL GINGREY, Georgia BRAD ELLSWORTH, Indiana MIKE ROGERS, Alabama NANCY BOYDA, Kansas TRENT FRANKS, Arizona PATRICK J. MURPHY, Pennsylvania BILL SHUSTER, Pennsylvania HANK JOHNSON, Georgia THELMA DRAKE, Virginia CAROL SHEA-PORTER, New Hampshire CATHY MCMORRIS RODGERS, Washington JOE COURTNEY, Connecticut K. MICHAEL CONAWAY, Texas DAVID LOEBSACK, Iowa GEOFF DAVIS, Kentucky KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND, New York DOUG LAMBORN, Colorado JOE SESTAK, Pennsylvania ROB WITTMAN, Virginia GABRIELLE GIFFORDS, Arizona NIKI TSONGAS, Massachusetts ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS, Maryland KENDRICK B. MEEK, Florida KATHY CASTOR, Florida ERIN C. CONATON, Staff Director JULIE UNMACHT, Professional Staff Member AILEEN ALEXANDER, Professional Staff Member CATERINA DUTTO, Staff Assistant (II) C O N T E N T S CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF HEARINGS 2008 Page HEARING: Wednesday, March 12, 2008, Fiscal Year 2009 National Defense Authoriza- tion Act—Budget Request from the U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Forces Korea ..................................................................................................................... 1 APPENDIX: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 ................................................................................... 37 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2008 FISCAL YEAR 2009 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT—BUDG- ET REQUEST FROM THE U.S. PACIFIC COMMAND AND U.S. FORCES KOREA STATEMENTS PRESENTED BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS Hunter, Hon. Duncan, a Representative from California, Ranking Member, Committee on Armed Services ............................................................................ 2 Skelton, Hon. Ike, a Representative from Missouri, Chairman, Committee on Armed Services ................................................................................................ 1 WITNESSES Bell, Gen. Burwell B. (B.B.), III, USA, Commander, United Nations Com- mand; Commander, Republic of Korea-United States Combined Forces Com- mand; and Commander, U.S. Forces Korea ....................................................... 7 Keating, Adm. Timothy J., USN, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command .............. 4 APPENDIX PREPARED STATEMENTS: Bell, Gen. Burwell B. (B.B.), III ...................................................................... 83 Keating, Adm. Timothy J. ................................................................................ 41 DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD: [There were no Documents submitted.] WITNESS RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS ASKED DURING THE HEARING: Mr. Cummings .................................................................................................. 127 Mr. Forbes ......................................................................................................... 127 Mrs. Gillibrand ................................................................................................. 127 Mr. Sestak ......................................................................................................... 127 Mr. Skelton ....................................................................................................... 127 QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS POST HEARING: Mr. Reyes .......................................................................................................... 131 (III) FISCAL YEAR 2009 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZA- TION ACT—BUDGET REQUEST FROM THE U.S. PACIFIC COMMAND AND U.S. FORCES KOREA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, Washington, DC, Wednesday, March 12, 2008. The committee met, pursuant to call, at 1:17 p.m., in room 2118, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Ike Skelton (chairman of the committee) presiding. OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. IKE SKELTON, A REPRESENTA- TIVE FROM MISSOURI, CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES The CHAIRMAN. Today the committee will address the posture of the United States Pacific Command, or PACOM, as it is known, and one of its major sub-unified commands, U.S. Forces Korea. Our witnesses are Admiral Timothy Keating, commander of PACOM, and General B.B. Burwell Bell, commander of the United States forces in Korea. It is great to see both of you. We appreciate your being with us and your testimony. Admiral Keating, you were recently quoted as saying the readi- ness of our forces is affected by combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. You went on to add, we are at a higher risk state. And, Admiral, I suspect you were engaging in an understatement when you said that PACOM has only had to adjust its strategic plans a little bit since about 30,000 PACOM troops are deployed to the Central Command. This is just one signal that we are facing increased strategic risks due to our commitments in Iraq. There are a number of po- tential flash points in the world that could be called on to deal with, and there are some clear examples in the Asia Pacific region, spanning from the Korean peninsula and the Taiwan Strait of South and Southeast Asia. I would like to point out that in the last 31 years we have had 12 military engagements involving American forces. And if the fu- ture is anything like the past—— It appears that our involvement in Iraq has preoccupied us away from the Asia Pacific changing strategic landscape at a time when we should be proactively engaged on multiple fronts. We must be able to pursue opportunities for security cooperation with allies and partners in the region, ensure that our force posture will allow us to deter or confront any security challenge that might emerge. This is concerning when China just announced another double- digit increase in its military budget. The recent annual report on (1) 2 China’s military power details China’s continuing military mod- ernization, including missile buildup across from Taiwan. Moreover, there is still much we don’t know regarding North Ko- rea’s nuclear weapons capabilities. Tensions continue to flare across the East China Sea. Indonesia, the Philippines, continue to struggle against terrorism, and throughout much of Southeast Asia, the threat of terrorism and violence and instability remains extraordinarily high. And while we have been preoccupied in the Middle East, China and others have been expanding their influence in Latin America, Africa, as well as elsewhere around the globe. So we must maintain our focus on the Asia Pacific region and en- sure that we get our level of strategic risk back within acceptable limits. Our own actions may well influence the choices and actions of others. I am encouraged by recent Department of Defense agree- ments involving the U.S.-China defense hotline, research in Chi- nese archives on Korean War MIAs and POWs, and U.S.-China dialogue on nuclear policy and strategy. There has also been success in addressing terrorism in the Phil- ippines, and some policy movement over the last year within the six-party process of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. So I hope you will update us on the good work that you and your troops and your personnel are doing in the Asia Pacific area. As we begin our testimony, I turn to my friend, the ranking member, Duncan Hunter. I might point out, we will be having a series of votes as we have just finished a series and we undoubtedly will have it. We will do our very, very best to get through this as best we can. So let’s pro- ceed. Mr. Hunter. STATEMENT OF HON. DUNCAN HUNTER, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM CALIFORNIA, RANKING MEMBER, COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES Mr. HUNTER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thanks for having this hearing today. Very important hearing. Today we are going to receive testimony from two gentlemen who have traveled long distances to be with us. And Admiral Keating, we welcome your appearance before the committee for the first time in your current role as commander of the U.S. Pacific Com- mand. And I would also like to take this opportunity to commend PACOM and the sailors of the USS Lake Erie, USS Decatur and USS Russell for last month’s successful intercept of a