Opening Statements

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) delivered the following opening statement at a hearing on the U.S. Military Posture and National Security Challenges in the Greater Middle East and Africa. 

Chairman Rogers' Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

Today, we continue our posture hearings with CENTCOM and AFRICOM.

For 47 years, the Iranian regime and its proxies have murdered Americans, attacked our allies, and terrorized the Middle East.

On October 7, 2023, the world saw exactly what Iran’s terror network was capable of when Hamas carried out the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

The lesson is clear: Iran can never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. And President Trump is committed to ensuring that never happens.

Last summer, Operation Midnight Hammer delivered a destructive blow to Iran’s nuclear program. And Operation Epic Fury shattered the regime’s ability to shield that program with its conventional forces.

Despite the criticism, there should be no confusion about what this operation set out to achieve:

• Destroy Iran's ballistic missile and drone capabilities.
• Cripple Iran's navy.
• And dismantle Iran's defense industrial base to prevent it from projecting power outside its borders. 

The results were decisive.

To quote Admiral Cooper’s written statement, “In 38 days, we rolled back 40 years of Iranian military investment.”

• More than 85 percent of Iran’s ballistic missile, drone, and naval defense industrial base has been damaged or destroyed.
• The regime’s ability to stockpile ballistic missiles and long-range drones has been set back by years.
• Iran’s air force is no more.
• Over 90 percent of Iran’s traditional Navy has been sunk.
• And Iran is now far less capable of sustaining terrorist proxies like Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Hamas.

This operation also demonstrated the unmatched professionalism, lethality, and courage of the American warfighter. Every American should take pride in what our forces accomplished under extraordinarily demanding conditions.

And we must honor the 13 brave Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

Operation Epic Fury also demonstrated the enduring strength of America’s alliances and partnerships.

That begins with Israel, a model ally that fought alongside the United States throughout this campaign. Our Gulf partners and Jordan provided critical access, basing, and overflight support.

So too did our NATO allies. Almost without exception, our NATO allies opened their bases and airspace to support this mission. That access was critical to sustaining an operation of this scale.

But this conflict also reminded us who our friends are not. China and Russia reportedly assisted Iran during this conflict. That should concern every American.

Any effort by our adversaries to help Iran rebuild its military must carry consequences. And while Operation Epic Fury has concluded, pressure on the Iranian regime continues.

I want to hear more from Admiral Cooper about how CENTCOM’s current posture, including the blockade of Iranian ports, is supporting diplomatic efforts by increasing pressure on what remains of the regime.

My understanding is that damage to Iran’s oil infrastructure and the loss of millions of dollars in daily revenue are imposing severe economic costs on Tehran. That pressure matters because not only must Iran never obtain a nuclear weapon, but it must also never be allowed to dominate the Strait of Hormuz.

China is watching closely to see whether the United States will defend freedom of navigation, protect global commerce, and respond decisively to aggression. We must not falter in our resolve.

At the same time, we must not forget that areas of the Middle East and Africa remain hotbeds for terrorism. It’s imperative that we continue hunting ISIS, al-Qaeda, al-Shabaab, and other terrorist groups before they can threaten the homeland.

I want to hear from both commanders about how they are working with regional partners to keep terrorists on the run.

The successful operation over the weekend targeting the second-in-command of ISIS in Nigeria demonstrated once again that terrorists have no refuge from the United States military and our partners.

General Anderson, to sustain that pressure, I want your assessment of whether AFRICOM has the necessary resources.

I look forward to hearing from all our witnesses today.