Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Inhofe
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), today questioned witnesses at the annual posture hearing for United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) and United States Central Command (CENTCOM).
Witnesses included: General Stephen Townsend, Commander, AFRICOM; and General Frank McKenzie, Commander, CENTCOM.
Inhofe: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. General Townsend, as I said in my opening statement I want to talk more about the plight of the people of Western Sahara. Many of my colleagues may not be familiar with what they’ve been going through out there, but it’s nothing short of a tragedy. The fate of the Sahrawi people has been in limbo since Western Sahara was decolonized and the United Nations adopted a resolution calling for a referendum on self-determination Iin 1966 — that was 1966. More than five decades later, no referendum has been held, and their destiny has been subjected to broken promise after broken promise by the Moroccan government. Some of the administration believe Morocco is now serious about negotiating a mutually acceptable resolution in Western Sahara after blocking it for all these years. I couldn’t disagree more. Nothing I’ve seen from Morocco makes me think that they’re serious about the resolution, and that’s why I’m pleased that the Secretary has directed you to look at alternative locations for DOD exercises in Africa, like African Lion, in the coming years. I have more that we want to say about Western Sahara, but we’re pressed for time. So I’ll submit that in in writing.
General Townsend, I want to turn to Somalia. As you know, I opposed the last administration’s decision to pull nearly all of our troops out of Somalia and move them to Djibouti and Kenya, and pursue an over-the-horizon counterterrorism strategy. It increases risk and decreases our effectiveness. We’re seeing this play out on the ground in Somalia as things get worse and al-Shabaab gains strength. General Townsend, you’ve called the al-Shabaab our primary enemy in Somalia. Your quote was the “largest and most kinetically active al-Qaida network in the world.” I have two questions, General Townsend: Have you submitted a request to your chain of command to put DOD forces back in in Somalia on a full-time basis? And if the answer is yes, then when did you submit that request? And have you gotten any response yet from that request?
Townsend: Thanks, Ranking Member. All the characterizations you just relayed there about Somalia and the threat from al-Shabaab are correct. Respectfully, Senator, I have submitted advice to my chain of command, and my chain of command is still considering that advice, and I’d like to give them space to make that decision. And I can go into it in a bit more detail in closed session.
Inhofe: Thank you. Thank you very much. And General McKenzie, I don’t really have any further questions, but I do want to comment. It’s hard for me to believe that — I can see now why we’re not smiling and you are smiling. Apparently it’s going to be, I think, in two more weeks that you’ll be bailing out of here, and I wish you the best in your retirement. All right. Thank you.