WASHINGTON, DC -- Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) today held the first Senate Armed Services Committee hearing of the 114th Congress.  The committee’s opening hearing focused on national security threats around the globe and featured a pair of former national security advisers, Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski and Lieutenant General (ret.) Brent Scowcroft.

Dr. Brzezinski served as national security adviser under President Jimmy Carter and is counselor and trustee at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).  General Scowcroft, a West Point graduate who served as national security adviser under Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush, is currently the president of the Scowcroft Group.

“I commend Chairman McCain for calling this hearing as part of a series of hearings to look at the national security challenges we face and how we may best respond to those challenges.  This hearing and those that follow will provide us an opportunity to hear from leading experts, retired military commanders, and key leaders in our country and I welcome a chance to take this broad perspective and learn from their world view,” said Reed.

“The number and breadth of these challenges seems unprecedented,” Reed continued.  “From Russia's aggressive and destabilizing actions in Europe to the breakdown of nation states in the Middle East and the rise of non- state actors like al Qaeda and ISIL -- that threaten the integrity of states throughout the region, to Iran's continued pursuit of a nuclear weapons program, and the proliferation of risks associated with that.  To the growing assertiveness of China, both regionally and globally, and to cyber threats from North Korea and other maligned actors.  We must be very thoughtful and deliberate in our approach to responding to each of these issues.”

During the hearing, General Scowcroft and Dr. Brzezinski gave their opinion that it would not be wise for Congress to rush to adopt additional sanctions at this point because doing so could undermine the negotiations aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear program.

Dr. Brzezinski and General Scowcroft also cautioned that the Syrian opposition groups that oppose the Assad regime may lack popular support to provide effective leadership in their own country.

General Scowcroft noted: “I wouldn't rule out that at some point we can get some support for resolving the most difficult situation from the Russians.  They have a big stake in Syria.  And it seems to me that somewhere there is a possibility that we could have a cease-fire and Assad maybe steps aside.  And we would agree that Russia would play an important role with us in resolving it.  I think it's in -- among terrible choices it's one we ought to examine.  And the Russians have made a few comments in the last few days that they might be interested.”

The Armed Services Committee’s next hearing in this global challenges series will be held on January 27 and will feature testimony from a trio of retired high ranking military officials: General James N. Mattis (Ret.), Former Commander, United States Central Command; General John M. Keane (Ret.), Former Vice Chief Of Staff Of The Army; and Admiral William J. Fallon (Ret.), Former Commander, United States Central Command.

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