Chairman Ros-Lehtinen on the hearing: “In the seven years since anti-Assad protests began, successive administrations have failed to implement a positive strategy for U.S. involvement in Syria, leaving it to others to define the battlefield. Tehran and Moscow have instead dictated the terms, supporting the murder of hundreds of thousands and exacerbating Syria’s humanitarian and political crises. With Secretary Tillerson recently laying out the administration’s vision for Syria, this hearing is an opportunity for members to hear expert assessments on the new strategy, evaluate the impact of Iranian, Russian, and Turkish activities on U.S. interests, and explore policy options for finally putting an end to Syria’s bloodshed and terror.”

Witnesses

The Honorable Robert Ford
Senior Fellow
Middle East Institute
(Former United States Ambassador to Syria)
[full text of statement]
[truth in testimony form]

Mr. Faysal Itani
Senior Fellow
Atlantic Council
[full text of statement]
[truth in testimony form]

Mr. Charles Lister
Senior Fellow
Director of Counter-Extremism and Counter-Terrorism
Middle East Institute
[full text of statement]
[truth in testimony form]

Mara Karlin, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of the Practice of Strategic Studies
School of Advanced International Studies
Johns Hopkins University
(Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Force Development)
[full text of statement]
[truth in testimony form]

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Hearing transcript (PDF)