Thread by @jseldin

#ISIS down "less than a single square mile” in #Baghuz #Syria, @CENTCOM Cmdr Gen Joseph Votel to tell #HASC in prepared remarks

“Reduction of the physical caliphate is a monumental military accomplishment, but the fight against #ISIS and violent extremism is far from over” @CENTCOM’s Votel warns #HASC, calling evacuation of #Baghuz “calculated”

“Observations by our men & women on the ground highlights that the #ISIS population being evacuated from the remaining vestiges of the caliphate largely remains unrepentant, unbroken & radicalized” per @CENTCOM’s Gen Votel

“What we are seeing now is not the surrender of #ISIS as an organization but in fact a calculated decision to preserve the safety of their families & preservation of their capabilities” per @CENTCOM’s Gen Votel

#ISIS "taking their chances in camps for internally displaced persons, or going to ground in remote areas and waiting for the right time for a resurgence” per Gen Votel

#ISIS "now widely dispersed & disaggregated organization that includes leaders, fighters, facilitators, resources & toxic ideology” per @CENTCOM’s Votel

“This is a serious generational problem that if not handled properly will sow the seeds of future violent extremism” @CENTCOM’s Votel warns #HASC in prepared testimony

Despite concerns about #ISIS insurgency in #Syria, US "will continue our deliberate withdrawal of forces & capabilities as directed by the President” per @CENTCOM’s Gen Votel

US in #Syria will "retain a residual force on the ground to continue our mission and safeguard our interests” per @CENTCOM’s Votel "These details are being developed now”

"The caliphate is just about wiped out" per #HASC Chair @RepAdamSmith "But #ISIS is still a presence in that region as are other transnational terrorist threats"

"We need a consistent policy that our allies can rely on" per @RepAdamSmith "It is problematic when we make dramatic altering decisions in what seems like a blink of an eye, in a presidential tweet"

"It's not that I don't think we need to get to the point where we reduce our troop presence in #Syria & #Afghanistan. It's just not something we should do in that ad hoc a manner" per @RepAdamSmith

"It's worth just stopping for a second & reflecting on the significant progress that has been made against certain terrorist networks" per #HASC's @MacTXPress "2014 doesn't seem that long ago but #ISIS controlled an area the size of #GreatBritain"

"In #Afghanistan, the president's South Asia Strategy is working” @CENTCOM Cmdr Gen Joseph Votel tells #HASC

Efforts by @US4AfghanPeace "show there is a path to progress” per Votel “But there is much left to do to move toward our end state of reconciliation btw the Government of #Afghanistan and the #Taliban”

“Our military efforts are focused on supporting the Afghan security forces and providing Amb Khalilzad the maximum military pressure and leverage to support his diplomatic efforts” per Gen Votel

#ISIS has been battered, per @CENTCOM's Votel but “what we are seeing now is not the surrender of #ISIS as an organization but a calculated decision to preserve the safety of their families & preservation of their capabilities”

“Observations by our men & women on the ground highlight that the #ISIS population being evacuated from the remaining vestiges of the caliphate largely remain unrepentant, unbroken & radicalized” per @CENTCOM’s Gen Votel "We will need to maintain a vigilant offensive"

In #Syria, "We will continue our deliberate withdrawal of forces & capabilities as directed by the President” per @CENTCOM’s Gen Votel

.@CENTCOM Cmdr Gen Joseph Votel calls #Yemen cease-fire “fragile” and “promising” but that it's "increasingly challenging to implement”

"We also remain steadfast in reminding the #Saudi-led Coalition partners of their obligations under the Laws of Armed Conflict” per @CENTCOM’s Gen Votel

"Against the backdrop of these conflicts is the #Iranian regime" per @CENTCOM's Votel "Their efforts are not limited to the support they provide to the #Houthis"

#Iran "strive to be a regional hegemon and use malign influence, qualitatively & quantitatively expanded capabilities, and facilitation & support to multiple proxies to exert pressure, threaten other countries in the region, supplant US & western influence" per Gen Votel

#Iran "remains the long-term de-stabilizing factor in this region" per @CENTCOM's Gen Votel

"Persistent pressure on #alShabaab, #ISIS, and #alQaida-associated groups remains necessary to prevent the destabilization of African nations" per @USAfricaCommand's Gen Thomas Waldhauser at #HASC

"US strategic interests on the continent cannot be solely advanced through the use of military force alone" adds @USAfricaCommand's Gen Waldhauser

"The most important use of the US military tool on the African continent is when our engagements emphasize relationships, capacity building and professionalism" per @USAfricaCommand's Waldhauser

"This will look very much like an insurgency" @CENTCOM Cmdr Gen Joseph Votel says of #ISIS' next move "We will see low level attacks. We'll see assassinations. We'll see #IED attacks..."

#Iraq|i & Kurdish officials in #Iraq, as well as @CJTFOIR, have said #ISIS is already doing that there

"What our focus has to be is working w/our partners on the ground as we're doing fairly effectively in Iraq right now" per Gen Votel

"My assessment of the #Iraq|i security forces right now is that they are doing a pretty good job of keeping pressure on the remnants of #ISIS" per @CENTCOM's Votel "In some cases they are doing this unilaterally & in other cases they are doing this w/our assistance"

What is different...they have been well-supported by their civilian gvt" per Gen Votel, calling former PM @HaiderAlAbadi "an extraordinary wartime leader"

"Good leaders emerged on the Iraqi side who helped them orchestrate this campaign"

"They certainly have more that needs to be done. It needs to be a more inclusive force" per @CENTCOM's Gen Votel "It needs to include more Sunnis. It needs to include more Kurds in it, and we are working towards that"

"We are going to need to address Popular Mobilization Forces," adds Gen Votel "But I am very confident in the current military leadership we see in #Iraq"