Congressional Testimony: Defeat of ISIS an American Victory
Wed., Jan. 17, 2018
CPOST's Director Dr. Robert Pape testified before Congress on Jan 17. on the role that American strategy played in the defeat of ISIS and the challenge of securing lasting peace and securtity now that the group's territorial sanctuary in Iraq and Syria has been liberated. Dr. Pape addressed the National Security Subcommittee for the US House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform alongside three other witnesses, including Dr. Sebastian Gorka, former Deputy Assistant to President Trump.
In his testinomy, Dr. Pape argued that the victory over ISIS was an American victory, the fruit of a consistent strategy employed by both the Obama and Trump administrations and carried out by the US military in conjunction with regional and local allies. The Trump Administration's decision to escalate air attacks during the final push to overthrow the group in Syria, linked to a significant increase in local civilian collateral casualties, comes at a cost, Dr. Pape warned. These unintended casualties nevertheless have provided powerful images for ISIS's well-oiled video propaganda machine to inspire future fighters and terrorists. To secure the peace, Dr. Pape argued, the United States must continue to play an active role in the region, working with allies and local partners to undercut the grievances that breed support for groups like ISIS.