Ted Deutch

Thank you, Assistant Secretary Schenker.

Despite President Trump's bellicose rhetoric, Tehran has been able to launch attacks on international shipping and regional States.

While the Administration touts its maximum pressure policy, Iran continues to destabilize countries from Iraq to Yemen to Lebanon.

We still have lots of conversation about torture and abuse that they are suffering.

I also commend this administration for spearheading the maximum pressure campaign against Iran.

We would love to spend that right now. We have allocated $35 million.

Thank you very much. Thanks to both of you again for being here, and sincere thanks for your work in service to the country advancing American interests and admirably representing American values throughout the region.

Nearly 3 years into the Trump Administration, the United States faces a multitude of challenges in the Middle East.

We should do everything we can to prevent the torture of animals and take steps to hold accountable those who would engage in such horrific acts. The PACT Act is a significant Federal measure to help put an end to the abuse of animals. I…

But I just do not believe that anything or any policies that people put together is going to make any difference to this President.

We see sanctions as incentives to change behavior, which means that there has to be waivers or other Presidential decisionmaking involved.

Does the rapid removal of U.S. troops from northeastern Syria make a revival of ISIS more or less likely?

Does the withdrawal of U.S. troops make reducing and expelling Iranian influence from Syria more or less likely?

Does the removal of U.S. troops diminish or strengthen our ability to shape an ultimate political solution to the conflict?

We can just as quick as we did last time impose new sanctions under that Executive Order if we are not happy with the behavior of the Turks or anybody else that is covered in that very, very broad and very, very powerful sanctions…

Ultimately, if we had all these tools then the President either failed to utilize them or he simply rolled over for Erdogan.

First of all, we are concerned about very important military relations and very positive ones that we do have with Turkey.

I just--this picture just turned my stomach when I saw it, and I apologize if I gave you a tirade.

It was our advice that we not--that they not do what they did.

We know that Russians interfered in our 2016 election. We know that national security experts have warned that they will do it again in 2020.

We still have leadership with the Europeans and with international organizations to deny political recognition and international legitimacy to Assad and that still remains relevant today.

I agree, and on the issue of weaker States with more power, Ms. Stroul, how does providing Assad and Iran a freer hand in Syria undermine the Administration's maximum pressure policy that had been our policy and apparently continues to be…

We sit here at this moment, with Assad having slaughtered over 600,000 people, and almost 6 million refugees...

Most importantly, President Trump's irresponsible choice makes the American people less safe.

It seems to me the only real winners of our withdrawal are Russia, Iran, Turkey, and the Assad regime, in addition to the ISIS terrorists.