STATEMENT BY
GENERAL TOMMY FRANKS
UNITED STATES ARMY
FORMER COMMANDER, CENTRAL COMMAND
BEFORE THE
HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE
UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM
JULY 10, 2003
Mr. Chairman and members of
the Committee, I am honored to appear before
you today. Since we last met here together,
much has taken place in the Central Command
area of responsibility. We have removed a
brutal regime in Iraq and have begun to help
Iraq build its new future. Our forces have
continued to help Afghanistan make strides
towards independence, and have continued to
help the Afghan people develop their nation
while continuing to seek and destroy
terrorists and their networks all across the
Central region. I look forward to
discussing these important subjects with you
and to your questions.
Let me begin by bringing you
a message from the more than 281,000 US and
Coalition troops that I have been privileged
to command. That message is thank you.
Throughout both Operation Iraqi Freedom and
Operation Enduring Freedom, our forces in
the field have been blessed to serve
civilian leaders who set clear military
objectives and then provide our men and
women in uniform the tools they need to
win. On their behalf, let me thank you for
all that you continue to do for the troops.
As you know, earlier this
week General John Abizaid took the reins of
command at CENTCOM. He is a principled
leader and soldier who has been tested under
fire, and I am confident about the future of
CENTCOM under his leadership.
I would like to begin today
by recognizing the Coalition nations whose
contributions of forces, equipment, and
economic support have signaled a worldwide
commitment to eradicate terrorism. Over the
past twelve months, the Coalition has been
steadfast. Today there are 63 nations
represented at Central Command's Tampa
headquarters.
We have built a force in the
CENTCOM Area of Responsibility (AOR) to help
achieve our objectives in Operation Iraqi
Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom--to
deny terrorists the use of weapons of mass
destruction (WMD), and to bring terrorists
to justice and dismantle their terrorist
networks. We have also established a more
visible and viable presence in the Horn of
Africa (HOA) in order to combat terrorism
and promote stability. Work in the Central
Region is underway, but as I will discuss in
the sections ahead, the environment within
the region remains challenging. Securing US
interests and ensuring regional stability
will involve risks and will require
continuing commitment of resources.
USCENTCOM Area
of Responsibility (AOR)
Our AOR encompasses 6.4
million square miles, from Egypt and Jordan
to the Horn of Africa, the Arabian
Peninsula, Pakistan in South Asia, and the
Central Asian states as far north as
Kazakhstan. It includes the waters of the
Red Sea, the Northern Indian Ocean, the
Persian Gulf, and the key maritime choke
points of the Suez Canal, the Bab el Mandeb,
and the Strait of Hormuz. The area is home
to more than 500 million people,
representatives of all the world's major
religions and at least 18 major ethnic
groups. National economies produce annual
per capita incomes varying from a few
hundred dollars to tens of thousands of
dollars. CENTCOM's AOR includes
dictatorships, absolute monarchies, failed
states, democracies and governments in
transition toward democracy. Humanitarian
crises, resource depletion and overuse,
religious and ethnic conflicts, demographic
challenges and military power imbalances
that generate social, economic, and military
volatility characterize this area. These
factors are particularly significant given
the geographical and economic importance of
the region where natural resources provide
extraordinary economic opportunities.
However, they also give rise to a range of
socioeconomic problems and rivalries. Some
states have compensated for their lack of
mineral wealth through the industry of their
people. However, other nations have not
generated the will, resources or
organization to move ahead. These factors
will not be easily or quickly overcome and
signal additional challenges in the future.
In the past two years,
USCENTCOM has been at the leading edge of
the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). The
Command is engaged with U.S. and coalition
forces both in Afghanistan and Iraq. Our
commitment remains strong as our leaders and
troopers work to bring security throughout
the region.
On the ground in Iraq today,
our troops are conducting ongoing
operations, combining Civil Military
Operations with direct military action to
seek out and bring to justice leaders of the
fallen regime. Our priorities include
forming and training police, security
forces, and the New Iraqi Army; improving
the infrastructure; supporting the
establishment of local government and
providing emergency medical care and other
humanitarian assistance. Much dangerous
work remains to be done, but millions of
Iraqis have freedoms today which four months
ago were only a dream.
Our troops are working
closely with Ambassador Jerry Bremer and his
civilian team to provide the tools he needs
to be successful. Progress is being made,
and our country is justifiably proud of all
that has been accomplished.
OPERATION
IRAQI FREEDOM - LESSONS LEARNED
Decisive combat in Iraq saw a
maturing of joint force operations in many
ways. Some capabilities reached new
performance levels. From a Joint
Integration perspective, our experience in
OPERATIONS Southern and Northern Watch, and
Enduring Freedom helped to develop a joint
culture in our headquarters and in our
components. These operations helped to
improve joint interoperability and improve
our joint C4I networks as joint force
synergy was taken to new levels of
sophistication. Our forces were able to
achieve their operational objectives by
integrating ground maneuver, special
operations, precision lethal fires and
non-lethal effects. We saw for the first
time integration of forces rather than
deconfliction of forces. This integration
enabled conventional (air, ground, and sea)
forces to leverage SOF capabilities to deal
effectively with asymmetric threats and
enable precision targeting simultaneously in
the same battle space. Likewise, Special
Operators were able to use conventional
forces to enhance and enable special
missions. Operational fires spearheaded our
ground maneuver, as our forces sustained the
momentum of the offense while defeating
enemy formations in open, complex, and urban
terrain.
We saw jointness, precision
munitions, C2, equipment readiness, state of
training of the troops, and Coalition
support as clear "winners" during OIF.
That said, we also identified
a number of areas which require additional
work. Fratricide prevention suffered from a
lack of standardized combat identification.
Units in theater arrived with seven
different combat ID systems, and our
commanders were forced to overcome these
shortcomings "on the fly". Deployment
planning and execution were cumbersome, and
need to be improved to meet the operational
demands of the 21st Century. And, Coalition
information sharing must be improved at all
levels. Finally, human intelligence and
communications bandwidth are also areas
which will require continuing focus.
OPERATION
ENDURING FREEDOM - LESSONS LEARNED
In Afghanistan, Coalition
forces continue to deny anti-coalition
elements sanctuary while disrupting their
ability to plan, target, rehearse and
execute operations. This is accomplished
through active combat patrolling from secure
fire bases and forward operating bases (FOB)
in order to promote stability, enhance the
legitimacy of the Interim Transitional
Government of Afghanistan (ITGA), and
prevent the re-emergence of terrorism.
During OEF, we saw a number
of functional areas and capabilities that
reached new levels of performance. In some
areas, improvements were made prior to
Operation Iraqi Freedom. For example the
DoD/CIA synergy which worked well during OEF
was built upon the integration of liaison
officers in each of our headquarters which
facilitated teamwork and paid great
dividends in Iraq.
Also, we continued to
leverage coalition strengths as new
Coalition members were added. "The mission
determines the Coalition; the Coalition does
not determine the mission."
Advanced technologies
employed during OEF were also critical. The
command and control of air, ground, naval,
and SOF from 7,000 miles away was a unique
experience in warfare as our forces achieved
unprecedented real time situational
awareness and C2 connectivity. We learned
that precision-guided munitions represent a
force multiplier. Low collateral damage
during both OEF and OIF was a fundamental
factor in achieving our objectives. Early
in OEF we saw the need for an unmanned
sensor-to-shooter capability to support
time-sensitive targeting (TST). The armed
Predator demonstrates great potential and
will be a high payoff system in the future.
Blue Force Tracking and enhanced C4I systems
increase lethality and decrease response
time, and also represent transformational
technologies. We will continue with
development of Global Hawk as an unmanned,
high-altitude, long loiter time, beyond
line-of-sight multi-sensor UAV, and will
work to incorporate laser designation and
delivery of precision weaponry from that
platform.
The integrated common
operating picture (COP) was a very powerful
tool. Tracking systems were previously
Service unique. Workarounds were developed
for OIF, but there is a need to develop one
integrated, user-friendly, C4I architecture
that captures blue and red air, ground and
maritime forces.
Strategic lift and tanker
aircraft availability were stretched during
OEF and OIF. These forces are critical to
rapid future force projection and we must
enhance this vital capability in the years
ahead.
Combined and joint training
of our forces was also a key factor during
OEF and was carried over into OIF. Our
military forces are the best-prepared forces
in the world and I thank the members of
Congress for providing assets and funding to
train these wonderful fighting men and women
to give them every possible advantage.
Finally, our ability to take
action in OEF was predicated on "Strategic
Anchors," one of which was "Cooperative
Security" relationships, which paid high
dividends in basing, staging and over flight
rights during recent crisis.
Regional
Concerns
Iraq
Although security continues
to improve, portions of Iraq are now, and
will remain for some time, dangerous. The
term "stability operations" does not infer
that combat actions have ended. Military
forces are still required to set conditions
that enable progress. As we move forward,
the composition and size of our forces will
change to match emerging requirements.
Factors that influence our force mix will
include Coalition force contributions,
threat, and success in fielding Iraqi police
forces, security, and the New Iraqi Army.
Integration of Coalition
forces is a major near-term effort. The
United Kingdom and Poland are committed to
leading Divisions in Southern Iraq, and many
partner nations have offered forces to fill
those units. Deployment of those forces has
already begun. We continue discussions with
India and Pakistan. At this moment, 19
Coalition partners are on the ground in
support of military operations in Iraq, with
deployment pending for 19 additional
countries. An additional 11 nations are
conducting military to military discussions
with respect to possibly deploying forces to
Iraq in support of stability and security
operations.
At this point some 35,000
police have been hired. This fills about
half of the requirement nationwide.
Throughout the country, many of these law
enforcement officers are conducting joint
patrols with U.S. military forces, and we
will ultimately transition responsibility
for security and stability to the Iraqis.
In the near-term, we must build upon the
momentum we have generated in this area.
Creation of the New Iraqi
Army is moving forward. The plan envisions
three divisions located near Mosul, Baghdad,
and Basrah to provide territorial defense
and conduct stability operations. In the
first year, the goal is to field
approximately nine battalions. Initially,
Iraqi forces will focus on performing
security functions at fixed sites, convoy
security, and border control. As it
develops, this force will work with
Coalition forces to contribute to stability
and security throughout Iraq.
Underlying all security
functions is the need to continue
humanitarian assistance and the conduct of
civil-military operations to improve the
quality of life for the Iraqi people. In
this regard, our regional allies have been
invaluable. Neighboring nations have
provided hospitals, medical supplies, water,
food, and expertise in beginning the
rebuilding process. The fact that there has
been no humanitarian disaster in Iraq; no
widespread outbreak of disease, hunger,
refugees or displaced persons; or any of the
other predicted consequences of war is due,
in large part, to the generosity of our
allies. The CPA and Coalition forces will
continue to work in concert with
international and non-governmental agencies
to reverse the result of years of neglect by
a brutal regime.
Afghanistan
Our efforts in Afghanistan
have given the Afghan people a chance to
break the chain of violence, civil war, and
poverty that many have endured their entire
lives. Our Coalition has made considerable
progress over the last 18 months, but much
remains to be done. The average Afghan now
enjoys basic freedoms, a higher quality of
life, and prospects for a better future. A
Loya Jirga to ratify a new Constitution will
be held this fall and national elections are
scheduled for next summer. President
Karzai's transitional government continues
to develop as he works to expand its
authority beyond Kabul. Security and
stability are the keys to President Karzai's
success. Since 1 May, our primary focus has
shifted to stability operations. A stable
and secure environment enables
reconstruction. U.S. Civil-Military
Operations forces have completed more than
150 projects and nearly 300 more are
underway. To date, these projects have
improved drinking water, medical care,
transportation, communications, irrigation,
and agriculture throughout the country. To
further our reconstruction efforts and to
help foster stability, Provincial
Reconstruction Teams (PRT) are working in
Bamian, Konduz, and Gardez. A fourth U.K.
led team will soon deploy to Mazar-e-Sharif,
and other PRTs are being planned for future
deployments to additional provinces.
A critical step toward
stability in Afghanistan is building the
Afghanistan National Army (ANA). The U.S.
is leading this effort, supported by five
Coalition partners. To date, three brigades
of professional Afghan soldiers have been
fielded; we project ANA strength of
approximately 8,500 soldiers by Dec 03.
Horn of Africa
Several countries in the Horn
of Africa responded positively to President
Bush's call for support against worldwide
terrorism. However, these states are
challenged to conduct successful
anti-terrorism campaigns. Over 21 million
people remain at risk of starvation in the
region. Long-term conflicts have
intensified the debilitating effects of
natural disasters, especially drought. This
forces the dislocation of affected
populations seeking food, medical care, and
safety. Existing governments find
difficulty meeting the needs of their
populations, creating an environment
hospitable to terrorist cells and
trans-national threats.
USCENTCOM has addressed these
issues by standing up a Combined Joint Task
Force in Djibouti. This Task Force provides
a forward presence; trains counter-terrorism
forces; and supervises a number of
humanitarian assistance efforts to enhance
security, improve public health and combat
famine. These initiatives are key elements
of our Security Cooperation strategy. Close
cooperation with interagency and
international aid organizations facilitates
a regional approach to the humanitarian
effort and maximizes the effects of our
efforts.
The Horn will require a
long-term commitment of resources to achieve
stability, thereby setting conditions that
will make it less hospitable to
terrorists.
Iran
Iran has long pursued a goal
of regional hegemony through modernization
of a regionally capable military force, the
development of
weapons of mass destruction (WMD),
and the use and promotion of terrorism as an
instrument of foreign policy.
Tehran perceives itself
encircled by the
U.S.
The enmity and abiding mistrust of the U.S.
government is implacable among Iran's
ruling hard-liners furthering security
concerns. Iran's principal security
objectives remain unaltered with the fall of
Baghdad, namely the survival of the Islamic
state and the preservation of Iranian
independence, with the secondary goal of
expanding Iranian influence in the Persian
Gulf, Central Asia, and the broader Islamic
world. Iran's national security policies
appear focused on maintaining political
stability and internal security, expanding
diplomatic and economic relations,
establishing WMD and long-range missile
forces backed up by unconventional warfare
capabilities and maintaining a robust
terrorism apparatus.
Shifts in regional security
relationships are expected as a result of
the formation of a stable and productive
post-war Iraq. Of course, those
realignments and perturbations extend beyond
Iraq's borders and will be of concern to
Iran.
Following the ouster of the Saddam regime in
Iraq, Iran has mounted an increasingly
sophisticated and multi-faceted influence
campaign that will prove persistent in its
focus to create an anti-Coalition,
predominantly anti- U.S., sentiment among
Iraqis.
Just as complex is
deciphering
Iran's
dual-track foreign policy and often
contradictory public statements. Iran's
efforts to promote itself as a responsible
member nation of the international community
are in direct contrast with its
long-standing covert and public support to
radical resistance groups and terrorists as
well as its failure to meet its
Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
obligations.
The Iranian regime's
proclivity for violence through terrorism,
in concert with its past support of
terrorism and an established pattern of
developing nuclear and other WMD and missile
programs, will continue to be of concern.
Gulf States
Transnational terrorists
remain throughout the Gulf region. Violent,
anti-Western ideology appeals to some
segments of the populace, due in part to the
increasing failure of regional governments
to meet the basic needs of the people. As
populations increase, regional governments
struggle to provide adequate education,
housing, infrastructure, and jobs. Closed
political systems are only just beginning to
reform. Regional politics and long-standing,
hard-line stances concerning the
Palestinian-Israeli situation exacerbate
regional instability.
However, there are also
hopeful signs. Many of the Gulf countries
are moving toward a more representational
government. Bahrain and Qatar have begun
municipal elections; Oman continues working
toward opening its economy and political
system; and Saudi Arabia has begun efforts
to change the educational system, privatize
state industries, and open a domestic
dialogue on other needed social reforms.
Substantive improvements will require a
long-term, determined effort.
The Gulf States have stepped
up their antiterrorism efforts in response
to 9/11 and the May attacks in Saudi
Arabia. On-going efforts include increasing
law enforcement, stemming the flow of
illegal financial support, tracking
personnel movements, and monitoring
terrorist activities. While their
cooperation is extensive, these governments
continue to prefer working behind the
scenes.
Militarily, the Gulf States
continue to perceive a long-term threat from
Iran. In a show of support for Operation
IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF), the Gulf States, for
the first time, deployed the Peninsula
Shield force in defense of Kuwait.
Outstanding OIF basing and access support
from the Gulf States demonstrates tangible
results of our active security cooperation
programs. They understand that our
"footprint" in the region is likely to
change, and each state continues to advocate
security cooperation with the U.S.
While most citizens are
relieved that the Iraqi regime has been
removed, opinions differ on Coalition
activities and what type of Iraqi society
will eventually emerge. Regional
governments are looking to the CPA to ensure
Iraq does not become segmented. Gulf
leaders look forward to lucrative trade and
economic relations with a rebuilt Iraq.
South and
Central Asia
Pakistan's support has been fundamental to
our success in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
President Musharraf has committed
substantial national resources against
terrorism to include arresting a number of
Al Qaida leaders, freezing the financial
accounts of known terrorists and banning
fundraising to support Kashmiri militancy.
He has pursued these actions despite ongoing
tensions with India and significant domestic
pressure, and
he continues on a path toward democracy and
sustained economic development. The US has
expressed gratitude and solidified his
political position by lifting sanctions and
granting economic assistance. CENTCOM will
continue to support our mil-to-mil
relationship and build closer security
cooperation with Pakistan.
The Central Asian States
remain dedicated partners in the Global War
on Terrorism. Each country declared its
support for the US immediately after the
attacks of 9/11. All offered to host U.S.
personnel and equipment. Bases established
in the Central Asian States have been
critical to the success of our operations in
Afghanistan. The defeat of the Taliban and
the removal of Al Qaida from Afghanistan
have enabled the Central Asian States to
refocus their attention on internal
development. We will continue working with
our Central Asian partners to prevent the
resurgence of terrorism, and the Department
of State and the Bureau of Customs and
Border Protection will continue to improve
their capacity to secure their borders
against the flow of illegal narcotics.
WMD
Proliferation
The proliferation of
technologies related to weapons of mass
destruction (WMD) and long-range delivery
systems continues to be a significant
concern in the Central Region. As some
nations and international extremist groups
pursue chemical, biological, radiological,
and nuclear capabilities, some regional
allies will seek to offset such threats by
pursuing strategic weapons of their own,
thus perpetuating the proliferation cycle.
Security cooperation is our best hedge
against this possibility.
Iran continues to pursue WMD.
Its nuclear programs are under the
continuing scrutiny of the International
Atomic Energy Agency, and its chemical
weapons stockpile and probable biological
weapons program are of concern.
In South Asia, the missile
and nuclear race between Pakistan and India
is also troubling. Both states continue to
develop advanced missiles and the risk of
miscalculation leading to escalation remains
of concern.
We face a severe threat in
the potential for chemical, biological,
radiological or, less likely, nuclear
attacks by terrorists. Documents found
(during the exploitation of
suspect
WMD sites in Afghanistan) indicated the al-Qaida
terrorist network had explored methods for
producing toxins and was seeking to
establish a biological warfare capability.
Terrorists will continue to seek WMD
capabilities as their need for more
sensational attacks intensifies. The
extensive press coverage of the October 2001
anthrax mail attacks highlighted
U.S. vulnerabilities and exacerbated
an already dangerous situation in the
Central Region, where many extremists are
based and exploring such capabilities.
Terrorism and
Counterterrorism
Over the past year, the
Global War on Terrorism has been marked by
major achievements. Multiple terrorist
operations sponsored by al-Qaida and
affiliated extremists have been disrupted;
and many terrorists, including high-ranking
operational planners, have been captured.
Al-Qaida has proven unable to reestablish
the extensive training infrastructure it had
earlier instituted in Afghanistan. The
dispersal of its leaders and cadre from
Afghanistan continues to impede al-Qaida's
ability to accomplish timely and secure
communications exchanges.
Nevertheless, al-Qaida has
responded to our counter-terrorism
initiatives; in this context, several
lesser-known personalities have emerged and
this has translated into strikes such as the
May 2003 bombings of multiple housing
complexes in Riyadh. So far, these attacks
have focused on "soft" targets; however, al-Qaida
retains an interest in striking larger, more
spectacular targets.
Counterterrorism operations
against al-Qaida, U.S. victories in Iraq and
Afghanistan, and the persistent conflict
between Israel and the Palestinians have
generated pressure throughout the USCENTCOM
AOR. Jihadist groups and disgruntled
individuals constitute another important
source of potential terrorist threats.
Given this setting, we are constantly
working to identify vulnerabilities and
refine our force protection measures.
Security
Cooperation Overview
Our success in gaining
basing, staging and over-flight rights for
ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM and our
influence in the region are directly related
to an active security cooperation program.
USCENTCOM's program builds relationships
that promote U.S. interests, build allied
and friendly nations' military capabilities,
and provide U.S. forces with access and en
route infrastructure. Prosecution of the
GWOT requires continued fiscal and political
investment in these vital programs. I would
like to highlight a few dividends of our
approach.
The FY03 supplemental
appropriation of $908M in FMF is currently
enabling the training of a professional
Afghan National Army and allowing Pakistan
to restore its military forces.
Additionally, long-standing partners such as
Jordan are increasing their interoperability
through FMF-funded purchases. Continued
investment in security assistance allows
USCENTCOM to improve the capabilities of
friendly nations by enabling them to provide
for their own security.
International
Military Education and Training (IMET)
remains a low-cost, high-pay off investment
that helps shape the security environment.
Courses offered under IMET provide military
members of regional states an opportunity to
attend courses in U.S. military institutions
such as Command and Staff Colleges and
Senior Service Schools. IMET participation
by students from the Central Region supports
Congressionally-mandated initiatives:
providing exposure to the U.S. concepts of
military professionalism, respect for human
rights, and subordination to civilian
authority. The Counter Terrorism
Fellowship, a new DoD appropriation, enables
us to provide flexible course offerings to
several nations who are key partners in the
GWOT.
Conclusion
The Global War on Terrorism
is underway. The precision, determination,
and expertise of our military forces and our
Coalition partners brought about the
liberation of Afghanistan and Iraq in
lightning speed with minimum bloodshed.
However, these two nations have only taken
only the first steps toward freedom, and
United States and our Coalition partners
must be there to support the whole journey.
While we have accomplished
much, the potential for terrorist acts and
other setbacks remains very real.
Afghanistan has a new government, a new
army, and with Coalition support the nation
is making great strides towards long term
stability. In Iraq, Saddam Hussein's regime
was destroyed and regime supporters are
being rooted out. Our focus has changed
from military destruction of a regime to
providing security and humanitarian
assistance to the Iraqi people, while
helping to establish a representative form
of Government. Decisive combat operations
have been completed, but much work remains.
I am very proud of each and
every one of the men and women who continue
to serve selflessly and tirelessly in the
execution of our mission from Egypt to
Kazakhstan, from the Suez to Pakistan,
regardless of the uniform of service they
wear or the nation from which they come. I
thank the Congress and the American people
for the tremendous support you have given
them.
I would be pleased to take
your questions.
