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Hey from Hart 216, where CENTCOM head Votel is appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee right now, likely for the last time.
You can see where ranking member Jack Reed is going to go today—in his opening statement, he talks ISIS capabilities and "contradictory statements" from POTUS, Bolton and others on Syria withdrawal that he says "underscore that this decision was anything but thoughtful."
Votel: "The conditions-based South Asia strategy is working." But, he says, while diplomatic efforts led by Khalilizad have had "recent progress," U.S. mission is not done.
Votel: "U.S. ground forces will depart Syria in a deliberate and coordinated manner, while we consult with allies and partners" on ongoing stabilization efforts. "Details are being developed now" — with an eye towards preventing a resurgence of ISIS.
Votel: "We should expect that [ISIS] will attempt to attack us and regenerate themselves and we will continue to put pressure on them to prevent that." But he says he expects the caliphate to be completely defeated by the time the U.S. draws down.
Context: apnews.com/ef61f70bdb7444…
On Yemen and KSA:
Reed asks Votel about how CENTCOM intends to keep pressure on ISIS and Syria, and what a drawdown in Afghanistan might look like. To both, Votel says he would prefer to speak in closed session. Suspect we might be getting a lot of this today...
Votel offers that "Pakistan in my estimation has played a more helpful, constructive role in helping us move forward towards this objective [resolution in Afghanistan]."
Wicker asks to have Crocker op-ed entered into the record about the Afghanistan deal being a "surrender." This is what he is referring to: washingtonpost.com/opinions/i-was…
Votel: "Khalilzad's efforts are done w knowledge of the gov of Afghanistan. They are aware of & have supported our efforts to get this process started." Says ultimately discussion must be Afghan-Taliban. NB: there's been reports of concern in Ghani gov that it's being cut out.
Under questioning from Wicker, Votel is now defending Afghanistan government's involvement in the talks. Says that US is "very, very early in the process" of Khalilzad "attempting to create a framework." ...
..."We clearly recognize that [the Afghan government] have to be part of this solution and must be in negotiation aspects of this, but I do recognize also that gov of Afg. is being consulted, they're being kept informed of the work we are doing to move forward on these talks."
Shaheen says she shares Wicker's concerns about the lack of participation by the Afghan government in the Khalilizad negotiations.
Votel: "We have not authorized KSA/UAE to retransfer equipment to other parties on the ground in Yemen...In some of these cases, we have look more closely at allegations to see what happened." Notes partners are sometimes overrun and lose weapons that way. cnn.com/interactive/20…
Cotton: "I would observe there's lots of empty bed space at Guantanamo Bay." OKAY IF YOU'RE GONNA OBSERVE THAT THEN CAN SOMEONE PLEASE ASK VOTEL WHAT DOD CURRENTLY THINKS ABOUT THE LEGAL FEASIBILITY OF SENDING AN ISIS FIGHTER TO GTMO
k I'm done yelling back to regularly scheduled programming but just saying I have questions and although I'm told 'what to do with all the SDF-held fighters' is an issue getting a lot of attention at the highest levels I'm still waiting for some answers!!
Heinrich asks Votel if military mission in Iraq has shifted from ISIS to Iran. Votel: "It has not, Senator."
Votel downplays concerns re Iraqi politicians' response to Trump's comment about "watching" Iran from Iraq. Says he thinks Iraqi gov recognizes US relationship/concerns with Iran. Reiterates military mission remains focused on ISIS—which is why US is invited by Iraq to be there.
.@CENTCOM's Gen. Votel says he was not aware that Trump would declare a withdrawal from Syria: "I was not aware of the specific announcement. Certainly we were aware that he had expressed a desire and intent" to get out. But, he says: "I was not consulted."
This isn't a big surprise — it's certainly how it appeared — but it's still fairly mind-boggling to think that the top commander in the region was not consulted about announcing a withdrawal from a country for which he is responsible.
Ernst is asking about the role of special operators in CT and capacity building in the CENTCOM AOR. This is something lawmakers have been raising questions about under the NDS for a while now: defenseone.com/politics/2018/…
Votel says bills for fuel, flight hours to KSA have been given to Saudi coalition and he expects them to be refunded. KSA has "given us every indication they intend to" reimburse the U.S. He says he hasn't been notified of any other instances where the U.S. hasn't been repaid.
Blumenthal pressed Votel on whether U.S. special operators can do the job as well from Iraq as they can from Syria. Votel acknowledges "it's always best to be with your partner" but "we can achieve the objectives we're focused on" from a remote location.
Full quote: "It’s always best to be with your partner—I think that’s optimum—but I think we have demonstrated in a variety of different areas through some level of remote location, we can achieve the objectives we’re focused on."
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AL TANF QUESTION!! cc @laraseligman Purdue wants to know what the rules of engagement are for U.S. garrison there and whether it is being considered as a longer-term installation.
Votel says disposition of Al Tanf is "a key part of the ongoing planning that we have going [for withdrawal]" & declines to detail publicly. But: "Our reason for being at Al Tanf is principally driven by our defeat ISIS mission. That is what has brought us there & kept us there."
Votel says that CENTCOM still sees "routine traffic" from ISIS near Al Tanf, calling it "a very good operational location from that standpoint." But, he says, it has a "derivative value" from being on "a principle line of access and communication that Iran would like to exploit."
Votel: "As we move forward, the disposition of Al Tanf will certainly be something that we consider very, very carefully as we look at our overall withdrawal plans."
Votel of the Syria withdrawal: "I am not under pressure to be out by a specific date and I have not had any specific demands put upon me." He says withdrawal is neither time-based nor conditions-based, CENTCOM is just executing Trump's orders in a deliberate way.
Senior DOD officials have been pressed repeatedly since Trump announced the withdrawal on the timeline. Various reports have offered shifting and sometimes conflicting accounts. So this is significant.
Kaine: If the U.S. where to change its definition of the mission in Iraq to watching Iran, wouldn't it be important to get Iraq to agree?
Votel: We are in Iraq at invitation of the government, so yes I agree.
Votel: We are in Iraq at invitation of the government, so yes I agree.
If you're curious why Votel is getting a lot of questions about this today, here's why: nytimes.com/2019/02/03/us/… 
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That's it for the public hearing. Closed session starts at 2:15.
