Subject: Video Request: Corker SFRC Hearing
From: "Haxo, Chris" <[email-masked]>
To: Research_D <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 10 May 2016 10:05:15 -0700

http://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/watch?hearingid=DFDEA586-5056-A066-6089-D080B33DCC1B

He has a jab at people that think that ISIS can be dealt with quickly and more riffing on UN peacekeeper abuses.

Video begins at 16:15
*       As the world looks at ISIS, this committee will look at terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa.
*       Touts power Africa legislation
*       In the middle east, we react to terrorism and uproot of people
*       In Africa we have more diplomacy but there are still attcks
*       Boko Haram has declared allegiance to ISIS carrying out attacks in Nigeria
*       African corruption, Central Africa Republic, South Sudan, Congo
*       We have the chance to improve circumstances by leveraging long term goals
*       I want to better understand the issues, and understand the long term goals

44:00
*       Is the scale the same as the middle east?
o       Boko Haram is just as large the damage ISIL has done in the last year
*       Why does the world focus on the Middle East and not Africa?
o       ISIL comes from the same region as Al Qaeda
o       Boko Haram is consistently a top terrorist group
*       But for what reason?
o        To defeat ISIL you have to defeat their terrority, which brings a different sort of focus
o       Terrorist groups in Africa are less likely to attack the homeland
*       So, hitting areas where there has been a caliphate has been a priority, and middle eastern groups are seen as a greater threat to us. Correct?
o       Basically
01:05:00
*       When we work with corrupt government to counter terrorism, how does that work against US interests? Does it cause terrorists to harbor ill-will since we're working with these corrupt governments?
o       I think that the people of these countries want us to engage, by engaging we're raising issues with human rights, and moderate issues with their citizens

02:00:00 2nd panel

*       Cardin: Civil society is important. Can countries get a free pass for internal problems with they are working to stop terrorism
*       Cardin: We have focused on counter-terrorism too much not enough on good governance. It could be better to find a different way.
*       Corker: What Cardin just said, will that ever happen?
o       [laughs]
*       Corker: I think you answered with your laugh.
o       The best way is to go into and invest in communities, rebuilding the social contract

*       Terrorism issue is acute, but good governance is long term. Does not dealing with bad government cause issues with the US?
o       It does cause some issues with the young people, the activists. Africa is a young nation. We end up not making friends with the continent of the future.
*       So people become more likely to be interested in terrorism when the government is corrupt. There will be discussion of foreign aid in the presidential election. When people hear that the money is being misused, but on the other hand there is terrorism, stepping back as we debate fiscal issues, which may be debated more this election, can you explain to me why it is important to invest in this area?
o       Terrorism belongs to the whole international community and is rooted in bad governance, we must eradicate the root causes.
o       American lives are at stake too, there were embassy bombings in Kenya. "A stich in time is worth nine"
*       I think the that people want to deal with ISIS in a year or two are missing the long term, root causes, as is the case in Africa. I think there is a misunderstanding that terrorism can be dealt with quickly.
o       Dealing with terrorism "isn't instant coffee." Poor government mixed with social contract.
o       It is not an instant coffee battle

*       UN Peacekeepers: When this is happening, what does this do to populations feelings when the people working to keep peace are acting like this? Does it encourage terrorism? Sec General condemns it but doesn't take meaningful action. The Secretary General calling on other countries to stop is like US telling terrorists to stop, it doesn't mean anything. Prosecutions will end this
o       UN is working to coordinate to an effort. The UN cannot prosecute.
*       Hearing has given us a sense of the complexities, when groups leave vacuums and there is discrimination against different sects. Thank you.