Adam Smith

The basic notion that political freedom is the way to govern a country and to govern the world is being eroded.

I do not agree that that conflict necessarily has to be military.

Russia is the big issue. Not the only, but the big issue in the European Command [EUCOM], and how we counter their increasingly aggressive behavior.

I think the ideal outcome here is that we figure out a way to work with Russia.

They are undermining the basic tenets of what we stand for, which is political freedom and economic freedom.

In confronting this, diplomacy is enormously important, which means that the State Department is enormously important there.

We are barely on the playing field at this point.

For all the acquisition reform, I mean, that is really what we have to do.

We all thank Joe Courtney for that, by the way.

I think that is absolutely crucial, and the only way I can see us avoiding that because the reason we get into this trap is because of the briefings that come our way to say, okay, you are building this thing, but my gosh, the Russians are…

I really encourage members to take an active interest in prototyping.

I think going at the F-35 would be a good way to do it.

What acquisition reform doing to help us avoid, and we all have our favorite examples, but if we could go back to 1997, we would not build the F-35 the way we are currently building it.

I agree substantially with your remarks.

You have a really crazy mix.

I want to follow up on the West Africa question.

I am interested in how we can replicate that a little bit better in West Africa.

Our military relationship with countries like Ethiopia and Kenya and Uganda and others is very important to building the strong relationship we need.

I think you gave an excellent summary of the situation within AFRICOM, why this testimony is so important.

There is great promise, as it is a rapidly growing population and a rapidly growing economy.

I think it is a very important part of our national security picture that does not get as much attention as it should, in my opinion.

I think, you know, that tendency towards this nationalistic drive could potentially undermine the most thing that China should be trying to do, and that is figure out how to feed 1.4 billion people.

I think that is a very important part of it as well.

Is it going to be for good or is it going to be for ill?

The more friends we have in Asia, I think the better able we are going to be able to nudge China in a more positive direction.