Dana Rohrabacher

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. And, again, I appreciate the leadership you and the Ranking Member are demonstrating by this hearing today, and the leadership you have taken in this job.

I would like to make sure that we go on the record--or at least I am on the record--as pointing out that many of the things that we are blaming North Korea for... can be traced back to the influences of Beijing on their policies.

What I call it is we were given the hug a Nazi, make a liberal theory, and it didn't work.

Just a note; we were also told that with more trade with China, by bringing them into a close economic relationship with the United States, that we would have democratization.

Have they been successful. You're basing it on them; have they been successful in their predictions in the past?

I think what we see now is a regime in China that is politically just as oppressive that its ever been.

Do you actually know what's in the TPP, because----

Do any of you disagree with Mr. Mulloy's assessment that there's nothing in the TPP that will bring that down?

Well, we may get what some wish for; a confrontation with China, but keep in mind these little islands, islets, rocks that are the excuse, even if we win, they're not ours.

We were told by the International Trade Commission that permanent most favored nation status for China would add $1 billion to our trade deficit.

It's I think known that I'm a hawk on these trade issues with China. I'm also a dove on the military issues.

First and foremost, thank you, Mr. Chairman for holding this hearing, and with these five very informative witnesses.

I believe if you want to gain favorable trading status with the United States and your neighbors, you must at least adhere to a minimal standard of respecting the basic rights of your own citizens.

Because we're not even permitted to know exactly what it's in the TPP.

This whole idea that we can't prioritize and stand behind our friends is a problem.

We have war trying to placate the people who are not our best friends in Iraq at the expense of the Kurds.

I don't think you have been successful at it.

I have no problem saying it. And that is the primary enemy for the security of our people.

I think that today we should set the priority, which is who is our primary enemy, who is the primary threat to the well-being and security of our people.

Are we going to withhold any of that $500 million in aid that we are proposing until they let Dr. Afridi go?

We have left the most heroic person in this effort, Dr. Afridi, the heroic individual who helped us bring to justice Osama bin Laden.

This is something that requires a great deal of soul-searching as to where to draw the line.

We think it would be better for them and everybody if they would be... a little less thin-skinned about criticism.

I conclude just by saying that we have got to work together.

It is not really better to have a country that just thumbs their nose at anything in the West.