Jim Inhofe

General Milley, you testified that the readiness goal for Army BCTs is roughly 66 percent.

It is another challenge.

I appreciate the fact that you are doing it. We do not have the credibility out on the stump to talk about this.

North Korea is it for two primary reasons. One, it is run by a mentally deranged guy that no one can predict.

I am sure we are trying to keep from having that happen again.

We need to get a broad range of skills and experience here.

If we want to be more agile, then the reality is that we are going to have to push decision authority down.

It has to come from somewhere.

Exquisite integration across multiple components of not only the Defense Department, also the United States Government, as a key challenge to confronting growing threat.

I look at some of the results, some of the problems that you have, and I have to question as to whether or not it is adequately staffed.

This is a new threat that was not there before, and I agree with that, and I am concerned about that.

We are in jeopardy now. Now we are at about 80 ships.

Unfortunately, the U.S.-flagged international commercial fleet and Mariner pool has shrunk over time.

Increasing the security capacities and capabilities, collectively and compatibly, of our allies and partners in the region.

China is rapidly building a modern, capable military that appears to far exceed its stated defensive purpose or potential military needs.

Assuring our allies and partners of unwavering U.S. commitment.

We must continue to maintain our presence and enhance our qualitative military advantages in order to defeat China in any future armed conflict.

They are a peer competitor in the Indo-Asia-Pacific, and I deal with them from that perspective.

Based on the ruling of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), we should also cease referring to China's 9-dash line as 'so called'; it is 'illegal,' pure and simple.

We should not refer to them as 'reclaimed.' China created them by destroying the fragile ecosystem and pouring concrete.

We must continue to fly, sail, and operate in close proximity of these artificial features and overfly these features in accordance with international law.

Strengthening our military capacity can successfully deter conflict and coercion, and will enable us to respond decisively when needed.

A fully-militarized South China Sea will only serve to enable China to more aggressively pursue these ends.

The best way to promote security and healthy civil-military relations in Thailand is to engage more, not less, with the Thai leadership.

The United States commitment to Thailand when I spoke at the opening ceremony of Exercise Cobra Gold