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Testimony of Ryan Crocker House Committee on Armed Services
Testimony of Ryan Crocker House Committee on Armed Services Hearing on Afghanistan November 20, 2020 Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Thornberry, it is an honor to appear before you today to discuss the critical issue of the US military mission in Afghanistan and the peace process. Our military has been in Afghanistan almost two decades. After this length oftime, it is important to recall the reasons for our intervention. It was in response to the most devastating attacks on US soil since Pearl Harbor. Those attacks came out of Afghanistan, perpetrated by al-Qaida which was hosted and sheltered there by the Taliban. We gave the Taliban a choice: give up al-Qaida. and we will take no action against you. The Taliban chose a swift military defeat and exile over abandoning their ally. Why is this of any significance today? Because, after nearly two decades, the Taliban leadership sees an opportunity to end that exile and return to power, largely thanks to us. And its links to al-Qaida, the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks, remain very strong. Mr. Chairman, I appear before you today not as a scholar but as a practitioner. At the beginning of January 2002, I had the privilege of reopening our Embassy in Kabul. It was a shattered city in a devastated country. The Kabul airport was closed, its runways crate red and littered with destroyed aircraft. The drive to Kabul from our military base at Bagram was through a wasteland of mud, strewn with mines. Nothing grew. Kabul itself resembled Berlin in 1945 with entire city blocks reduced to rubble. -
TNSR Journal Vol 2 Issue 4 Book Final.Pdf (12.61Mb)
Texas National Security Review Texas T E R R A I TERRA INCOGNITA N C O G N I T A Volume 2 Issue 4 Volume Print: ISSN 2576-1021 Online: ISSN 2576-1153 MASTHEAD TABLE OF CONTENTS Staff: The Foundation Publisher: Executive Editor: Associate Editors: 04 Wars with Words? Ryan Evans Doyle Hodges, PhD Galen Jackson, PhD Francis J. Gavin Van Jackson, PhD Editor-in-Chief: Managing Editor: Stephen Tankel, PhD William Inboden, PhD Megan G. Oprea, PhD The Scholar Editorial Board: 10 More Significance than Value: Explaining Developments in the Sino-Japanese Contest Over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands Chair, Editorial Board: Editor-in-Chief: Todd Hall Francis J. Gavin, PhD William Inboden, PhD 38 The Collapse Narrative: The United States, Mohammed Mossadegh, and the Coup Decision of 1953 Gregory Brew Robert J. Art, PhD Kelly M. Greenhill, PhD John Owen, PhD Richard Betts, PhD Beatrice Heuser, PhD Patrick Porter, PhD 60 The City Is Neutral: On Urban Warfare in the 21st Century John Bew, PhD Michael C. Horowitz, PhD Thomas Rid, PhD David Betz and Hugo Stanford-Tuck Nigel Biggar, PhD Richard H. Immerman, PhD Joshua Rovner, PhD Philip Bobbitt, JD, PhD Robert Jervis, PhD Brent E. Sasley, PhD Hal Brands, PhD Colin Kahl, PhD Elizabeth N. Saunders, PhD Joshua W. Busby, PhD Jonathan Kirshner, PhD Kori Schake, PhD The Strategist Robert Chesney, JD James Kraska, SJD Michael N. Schmitt, DLitt Eliot Cohen, PhD Stephen D. Krasner, PhD Jacob N. Shapiro, PhD 90 Thinking in Space: The Role of Geography in National Security Decision-Making Audrey Kurth Cronin, PhD Sarah Kreps, PhD Sandesh Sivakumaran, PhD Andrew Rhodes Theo Farrell, PhD Melvyn P. -
WTH Is Going on with the Retreat from Afghanistan? Amb. Ryan Crocker On
WTH is going on with the retreat from Afghanistan? Amb. Ryan Crocker on withdrawal, and the consequences for US national security Episode #115 | September 1, 2021 | Danielle Pletka, Marc Thiessen, and Amb. Ryan Crocker Danielle Pletka: Hi, I'm Danielle Pletka. Marc Thiessen: I'm Marc Thiessen. Danielle Pletka: Welcome to our podcast, What the Hell Is Going On? Marc, what the hell is going on? Marc Thiessen: I've never been more disgusted in my life with what's happening with what America is doing than I am right now watching the last planes leaving Kabul, leaving behind American citizens, thousands of Afghans who risked their lives to help us, the blood of 13 dead Americans and hundreds of Afghan civilians. It is the most shameful thing I have witnessed in my entire career in Washington. I'm shifting between absolute abject pain and rage as I watch this happen. Dany, what are your thoughts? Danielle Pletka: It is the worst thing in the world that a country like ours, we've suffered defeats, we've made mistakes, we've done terrible things. Never, I hope willfully, but by mistake, we've done terrible things. And we have betrayed allies before. We've not done enough for people who need us. We've let down the Kurds in Iraq, we've let down the Syrian people, but we have never actually gone in and rescued a group of people who in turn sacrificed all for us and for our security as Afghans did, because make no mistake, we were not in Afghanistan for the Afghan people. -
The Terrorism Trap: the Hidden Impact of America's War on Terror
University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 8-2019 The Terrorism Trap: The Hidden Impact of America's War on Terror John Akins University of Tennessee, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss Recommended Citation Akins, John, "The Terrorism Trap: The Hidden Impact of America's War on Terror. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2019. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/5624 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by John Akins entitled "The Terrorism Trap: The Hidden Impact of America's War on Terror." I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Political Science. Krista Wiegand, Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Brandon Prins, Gary Uzonyi, Candace White Accepted for the Council: Dixie L. Thompson Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) The Terrorism Trap: The Hidden Impact of America’s War on Terror A Dissertation Presented for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree The University of Tennessee, Knoxville John Harrison Akins August 2019 Copyright © 2019 by John Harrison Akins All rights reserved. -
The Iran Nuclear Deal: What You Need to Know About the Jcpoa
THE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE JCPOA wh.gov/iran-deal What You Need to Know: JCPOA Packet The Details of the JCPOA • FAQs: All the Answers on JCPOA • JCPOA Exceeds WINEP Benchmarks • Timely Access to Iran’s Nuclear Program • JCPOA Meeting (and Exceeding) the Lausanne Framework • JCPOA Does Not Simply Delay an Iranian Nuclear Weapon • Tools to Counter Iranian Missile and Arms Activity • Sanctions That Remain In Place Under the JCPOA • Sanctions Relief — Countering Iran’s Regional Activities What They’re Saying About the JCPOA • National Security Experts and Former Officials • Regional Editorials: State by State • What the World is Saying About the JCPOA Letters and Statements of Support • Iran Project Letter • Letter from former Diplomats — including five former Ambassadors to Israel • Over 100 Ambassador letter to POTUS • US Conference of Catholic Bishops Letter • Atlantic Council Iran Task Force Statement Appendix • Statement by the President on Iran • SFRC Hearing Testimony, SEC Kerry July 14, 2015 July 23, 2015 • Key Excerpts of the JCPOA • SFRC Hearing Testimony, SEC Lew July 23, 2015 • Secretary Kerry Press Availability on Nuclear Deal with Iran • SFRC Hearing Testimony, SEC Moniz July 14, 2015 July 23, 2015 • Secretary Kerry and Secretary Moniz • SASC Hearing Testimony, SEC Carter Washington Post op-ed July 29, 2015 July 22, 2015 THE DETAILS OF THE JCPOA After 20 months of intensive negotiations, the U.S. and our international partners have reached an historic deal that will verifiably prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. The United States refused to take a bad deal, pressing for a deal that met every single one of our bottom lines. -
Washington, DC June 1, 2016 Dear Mr. President, We Are Writing, As
Washington, DC June 1, 2016 Dear Mr. President, We are writing, as Americans committed to the success of our country’s Afghanistan mission, to urge that you sustain the current level of U.S. forces in Afghanistan through the remainder of your term. Aid levels and diplomatic energies should similarly be preserved without reduction. Unless emergency conditions require consideration of a modest increase, we would strongly favor a freeze at the level of roughly 10,000 U.S. troops through January 20. This approach would also allow your successor to assess the situation for herself or himself and make further adjustments accordingly. The broader Middle East is roiled in conflicts that pit moderate and progressive forces against those of violent extremists. As we saw on 9/11 and in the recent attacks in Paris, San Bernardino, and Brussels, the problems of the Middle East do not remain contained within the Middle East. Afghanistan is the place where al Qaeda and affiliates first planned the 9/11 attacks and a place where they continue to operate—and is thus important in the broader effort to defeat the global extremist movement today. It is a place where al Qaeda and ISIS still have modest footprints that could be expanded if a security vacuum developed. If Afghanistan were to revert to the chaos of the 1990s, millions of refugees would again seek shelter in neighboring countries and overseas, dramatically intensifying the severe challenges already faced in Europe and beyond. In the long-term struggle against violent extremists, the United States above all needs allies—not only to fight a common enemy, but also to create a positive vision for the peoples of the region. -
Congressional Record—House H2574
H2574 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE May 19, 2021 Sewell (DelBene) Wilson (FL) Young (Joyce NAYS—208 Ruppersberger Slotkin (Axne) Wilson (SC) Slotkin (Axne) (Hayes) (OH)) (Raskin) Waters (Timmons) Aderholt Gohmert Moolenaar Waters Wilson (SC) Rush (Barraga´ n) Young (Joyce Allen (Barraga´ n) (Timmons) Gonzales, Tony Mooney (Underwood) Wilson (FL) Amodei (OH)) Gonzalez (OH) Moore (AL) Sewell (DelBene) (Hayes) The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Armstrong Good (VA) Moore (UT) question is on the resolution. Arrington Gooden (TX) Mullin f Babin Gosar Murphy (NC) The question was taken; and the Bacon Granger Nehls NATIONAL COMMISSION TO INVES- Speaker pro tempore announced that Baird Graves (LA) Newhouse TIGATE THE JANUARY 6 ATTACK the ayes appeared to have it. Balderson Graves (MO) Norman Banks Green (TN) Nunes ON THE UNITED STATES CAP- Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Mr. Speak- Barr Greene (GA) Obernolte ITOL COMPLEX ACT Bentz Griffith er, on that I demand the yeas and nays. Owens Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Bergman Grothman Palazzo The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Bice (OK) Guest Palmer Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution ant to section 3(s) of House Resolution Biggs Guthrie Pence 409, I call up the bill (H.R. 3233) to es- 8, the yeas and nays are ordered. Bilirakis Hagedorn Perry tablish the National Commission to In- Bishop (NC) Harris Pfluger The vote was taken by electronic de- Boebert Harshbarger Posey vestigate the January 6 Attack on the vice, and there were—yeas 216, nays Bost Hartzler Reed United States Capitol Complex, and for 208, not voting 5, as follows: Brady Hern Reschenthaler other purposes, and ask for its imme- Brooks Herrell Rice (SC) diate consideration. -
US Foreign Policy in Pakistan
Claremont Colleges Scholarship @ Claremont CMC Senior Theses CMC Student Scholarship 2015 U.S. Foreign Policy in Pakistan: Bringing Pakistan Into Line with American Counterterrorism Interests Henry E. Appel Claremont McKenna College Recommended Citation Appel, Henry E., "U.S. Foreign Policy in Pakistan: Bringing Pakistan Into Line with American Counterterrorism Interests" (2015). CMC Senior Theses. Paper 1117. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/1117 This Open Access Senior Thesis is brought to you by Scholarship@Claremont. It has been accepted for inclusion in this collection by an authorized administrator. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE U.S. FOREIGN POLICY IN PAKISTAN: BRINGING PAKISTAN INTO LINE WITH AMERICAN COUNTERTERRORISM INTERESTS SUBMITTED TO PROFESSOR JENNIFER TAW AND DEAN NICHOLAS WARNER BY HENRY E. APPEL FOR SENIOR THESIS FALL 2014/SPRING 2015 APRIL 27, 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements..........................................................................................................5 Abstract............................................................................................................................6 1 – Introduction...............................................................................................................7 Organization..........................................................................................................8 2 – Realism, The Filter Effect and the U.S. Foreign Policy in Pakistan...................12 -
Congressional Record—Senate S1432
S1432 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 25, 2019 a second staff person to accompany him or letter signed by 58 former national se- nancial Intelligence from 2011 to 2015 and as her on the dais he or she must make a re- curity officials, who served under Re- Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence quest to the Chairman for that purpose. publican and Democratic administra- Agency from 2015 to 2017. RULE 8. COINAGE LEGISLATION l. Eliot A. Cohen served as Counselor of the tions, criticizing President Trump’s U.S. Department of State from 2007 to 2009. At least 67 Senators must cosponsor any declaration of a national emergency to m. Ryan Crocker served as U.S. Ambas- gold medal or commemorative coin bill or build a wall on our southern border be sador to Afghanistan from 2011 to 2012, as resolution before consideration by the Com- printed in the RECORD. U.S. Ambassador to Iraq from 2007 to 2009, as mittee. There being no objection, the mate- U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan from 2004 to EXTRACTS FROM THE STANDING RULES OF THE rial was ordered to be printed in the 2007, as U.S. Ambassador to Syria from 1998 SENATE RECORD, as follows: to 2001, as U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait from RULE XXV, STANDING COMMITTEES 1994 to 1997, and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon JOINT DECLARATION OF FORMER UNITED from 1990 to 1993. 1. The following standing committees shall STATES GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS be appointed at the commencement of each n. Thomas Donilon served as National Se- We, the undersigned, declare as follows. -
Czech-American Relations: a Roadmap for the Future
DECEMBER 2014 POLICY PAPER CZECH-AMERICAN RELATIONS: A ROADMAP FOr tHE FUTURE JOHN K. GLENN | Policy Director, U.S. Global Leadership Coalition BRUCE P. JACKSON | President, Project for Transitional Democracies LUKáš KovANDA | Economic Consultant A. WESS MITCHELL | President, CEPA CAMERON MUNTER | Professor of International Relations, Pomona College TOMáš PoJAR | Vice President for International Relations, CEVRO Institute Jiří SchneiDER | Senior Fellow, Prague Security Studies Institute ALEXANDR VONDRA | Director, Prague Centre for Transatlantic Relations (CEVRO Institute) POLICYR PAPE CZE CH-AMERICAN RELATIONS: A ROADMAP FOr tHE FUTURE FROM MASARYK TO HAVEL: coup d’etat in February 1948 were East, nothing was possible but every- A DESIRE TO BRING A PIECE just bitter consequences of Yalta. thing mattered; in the West, everything of AmeriCA HOME Thus, U.S. postwar policy towards the was possible but nothing mattered. region was shaped by realpolitik and After 1989, Czech and American On July 4, 1928 a bronze statue of consisted of defense commitment to policymakers have acted exactly in Woodrow Wilson was erected in front of Western Europe and a recognition of opposite: like everything mattered and the Prague main rail station. It was more Soviet sphere of influence in the East. everything was possible. than just a tribute to Wilson’s foreign That was a bitter pill to Hungary in The U.S. response to the 1990s policy and its support for the Czech and 1956 and to Czechoslovakia in1968. euphoria was quick and positive. Slovak right for their self-determination. However, the American engagement in Firstly, they focused on economy. In It also showed a remarkable Jeffersonian the half of Europe largely contributed to 1990, they supported Czechoslovakia inspiration at the cradle of Czechoslo- the victory of the West in the Cold War. -
Talking to the Taliban 2011 – 2012: a Reflection
Talking to the Taliban 2011 – 2012: A Reflection BY MARC GROSSMAN hen then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asked in early 2011 if I would become the United States’ Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan (SRAP) – after the W sudden death of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, the first SRAP – she described the foundations Ambassador Holbrooke had laid to manage one of the most challenging tasks facing the nation. Secretary Clinton also said that she wanted to continue the experiment: having the SRAP organization prove that the “whole-of-government” philosophy – the idea that the United States must employ expertise and resources from all relevant parts of government to address the nation’s most important challenges – was the right model for 21st century diplomacy.2 The SRAP team brought together experts from across the U.S. Government (and included several diplomats from NATO countries) to develop and implement integrated strategies to address the complex challenges in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the region. Among the first things I learned when I arrived at my desk in February 2011, was that an allied government had put the United States in contact with someone who seemed to be an empowered representative of the Taliban, the Afghan insurgent group which the United States had removed from power in 2001, but which had ever since kept up a deadly war against Afghans, Americans and our allies, friends and partners.3 The contact was preliminary, but many in the White House and on the SRAP team hoped that this connection might open the door for the conversation everyone knew would be required if there were ever to be peace in Afghanistan: Afghans talking to other Afghans about the future of Afghanistan. -
The Role of the Tobacco Trade in Turkish-American Relations, 1923-29
University of Richmond UR Scholarship Repository Master's Theses Student Research 12-1988 The oler of the tobacco trade in Turkish-American relations, 1923-29. Robert Carey Goodman Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.richmond.edu/masters-theses Recommended Citation Goodman, Robert Carey, "The or le of the tobacco trade in Turkish-American relations, 1923-29." (1988). Master's Theses. Paper 540. This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Research at UR Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of UR Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Role of the Tobacco Trade in Turkish-American Relations, 1923-29 by Robert Carey Goodman III Candidate for the Master of Arts in History University of Richmond, 1987 Thesis Director: John D. Treadway This study of the tobacco trade between Turkey and the United States provides new perspectives on two major themes in Turkish-American relations between 1923 and 1929: the effect of Turkish nationalism on American interests in Ataturk's Turkey, and the effort to restore Turkish- American diplomatic ties broken during World War I. The marked rise in American cigarette consumption after World War I made the tobacco trade a crucial link between Turkey and America because it required the importation of aromatic tobacco. During the Turkish Republic's first decades, the value of American tobacco imports from Turkey exceeded the value of all American exports to that country. The tobacco trade survived Turkish nationalism and unsatisfactory diplomatic relations because of the financial benefits it brought to both states.