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Statement of Subcommittee Chairman Vic Snyder Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Hearing on A New U.S. Grand Strategy

July 31, 2008

"Good morning, and welcome to today's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations' hearing. This is the second in a series of hearings on a new grand strategy for the United States. Chairman Skelton has expressed his support for the subcommittee's work in this area and intends to hold a hearing in the fall at the full committee level with former Secretaries of Defense and State.

"At the subcommittee's first hearing on July 15th, the witnesses agreed that our two most important national security challenges were to regain our fiscal health and, as soon as possible, to establish a sound and comprehensive energy policy. While focusing on these two issues, they emphasized that at this time there is no existential threat to the nation. While the witnesses emphasized the importance of rebuilding the foundations of this country's power as the basis for its grand strategy, they also cautioned, that the world is too uncertain a place to afford the United States a 'breathing spell' while doing so. As we define our strategic vision, all said, we should pay greater attention to engaging our allies.

"The chairman of the full committee, Ike Skelton, has elevated the level of debate on national strategy in four recent speeches and he intends to continue this effort over the next several months. In his July 16th speech, 'The United States' Role in the World,' Chairman Skelton underscored our position as "the indispensable nation, not a world hegemon but an ever-present ally and arbiter acting around the world." Chairman Skelton elaborated in his subsequent July 24th speech, 'Our Role as the Indispensable Nation,' emphasizing that 'We should strive to be indispensable not because our wrath is feared, but because our strength is valued.'

"I hope the witnesses this morning can provide some insights on how the United States can address the competing demands of rebuilding the foundations of national power without abandoning a positive leadership role which the world still demands.

"Dr. Henry Kissinger noted in an April opinion piece that the global environment is going through an unprecedented transformation. Regional power is shifting; some large nation states, such as China and India, verge on global power status. Russia may already be there, again. Is their rise a challenge or an opportunity?

"Some of our traditional security arrangements may fade in importance as others take on new meaning. But nation states are not our only concern. It is clear that a number of trans-national issues will challenge us while others may provide positive potential. Terrorism and the proliferation of dangerous weapons are obvious examples of serious challenges, of course, but what about climate change, the fragility of increasingly connected world financial markets or the outbreak of pandemic disease?

"So, the time could not be better for us to hear the views of this distinguished panel of experts joining us today:

"Welcome to all of you and thank you for being here. After Mr. Akin's opening remarks, I'll turn to each of you for a brief opening statement. Your prepared statements will be made part of the record.

"On an administrative note, I'll remind our members that we will use our customary five-minute rule today for questioning, proceeding by seniority and arrival time.

"With that, let me turn it over to our ranking member, Mr. Akin, for any statement he would like to make."