Washington D.C. —U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly Tuesday highlighted his recent travel to Iraq, Kuwait, South Korea, and China. Donnelly, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee and as Ranking Member on the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, met in each country with foreign officials, U.S. military leaders, and diplomatic personnel. Donnelly also met with Hoosier service-members stationed overseas. Donnelly went on the fact-finding trip to discuss efforts to combat ISIS in Iraq and the threat posed by North Korea to the U.S. and our allies.
Donnelly said, “As I work to address the issues most important to Hoosiers, my first and foremost priority in the Senate is to protect our country and the people who live here. This trip provided an important opportunity to meet with key leaders in Iraq, South Korea, and China to discuss two of the most significant national security threats we face today – ISIS and the North Korean regime – and how we can strengthen strategic partnerships to keep our nation safe.
“In Iraq, I met with U.S. military commanders and Iraqi partners about our current strategy to counter ISIS. The coming months will be a critical test of will and capability for Iraq’s security forces to turn the tide against ISIS. While I was encouraged to see progress on priorities like engaging with Sunni tribes and restoring strong leadership to Iraq’s military, the fall of Ramadi in May was a stark reminder of how far they have to go. Our American forces and coalition partners will play a critical role in conducting air strikes and training Iraqi forces, but it is absolutely essential that Iraqis – Shia, Sunni, and Kurd alike – unite against their common enemy in ISIS.
“As ranking member of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, I traveled to South Korea and China to talk about the threat posed by North Korea. In South Korea, I spent time with some of the more than 30,000 U.S. troops stationed on the peninsula, including Hoosier servicemembers. We visited the border and discussed North Korea’s nuclear program and missile development and testing. These men and women stand shoulder to shoulder with their South Korean partners in a constant state of readiness to keep our country safe from one of the most dangerous regimes in the world. I discussed this same threat with China’s military leadership in Beijing. Despite clear differences of opinion on many pressing security challenges, we shared concerns about North Korea’s provocative nuclear tests and missile launches and explored the potential for expanded collaboration addressing Kim Jong-un’s destabilizing actions in the future.
“In the days and months ahead, in my role on the Senate Armed Services Committee, I will continue working to address the serious, ongoing national security threats facing our country and benefit from the insights gained on this fact-finding mission.”
Highlights of Donnelly’s trip included:
KUWAIT
- Offered condolences to national officials and families impacted by the recent ISIS bombing at the Grand Mosque.
IRAQ
- Visited the U.S. Combined Joint Operations Center in Erbil and met with U.S. military and diplomatic leadership in Baghdad, including U.S. Ambassador Stu Jones and Lieutenant General James Terry, Commander of the Combined Joint Task Force, Operation Inherent Resolve.
- Met with Government of Iraq officials, including Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi.
- Met with Kurdistan Regional Government President Masoud Barzani, Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani,and other Kurdish officials.
- Met with Sunni tribal leaders from Anbar Province.
SOUTH KOREA
- Met with Hoosier servicemembers and U.S. military and diplomatic leaders, including U.S. Ambassador Mark Lippert and General Curtis Scaparrotti, Commander of U.S. Forces Korea, United Nations Command and Republic of Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command.
- Visited the Korean Demilitarized Zone and U.S. military installations, including Yongsan Army Base and Osan Air Base.
- Met with the South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo.
CHINA
- Met with U.S. Ambassador to China Max Baucus, former U.S. Senator for Montana.
- Met with Rear Admiral Li Ji, Deputy Director, Foreign Affairs Office, Ministry of National Defense, People’s Republic of China and other Chinese military leaders.
Click HERE for an album of photos from Senator Donnelly’s trip.
