Contact: Josh Holly; 202.226.3988
Opening Statement of Congressman Todd Akin
Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee Hearing on the Role of the Department of Defense in Provincial Reconstruction Teams
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Todd Akin (R-MO), senior Republican on the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations, today released the following opening statement for the subcommittee’s hearing on the Department of Defense’s (DOD) role in Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT) in Iraq and Afghanistan:
“Today’s hearing is this subcommittee’s third public hearing on Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Iraq and Afghanistan. The focus of today’s hearing is on measuring the effectiveness of PRTs.
“While this subcommittee has studied the PRT concept– how an interagency team, comprised of civilian and military personnel works to extend the reach of the government into regional provinces and local areas – we have not investigated how the PRTs in Iraq and Afghanistan are performing. Measuring the PRTs, it would seem to me, is an art – not a science. As our witnesses’ testimony reveal each PRT faces a unique set of challenges that make it difficult to judge one against another. As a result, success in Ninewa Province in the northern region of Iraq may look entirely different from an effective PRT in Baghdad or Anbar province. The ethnic composition of a province, the relative permissiveness of the area, and the education and skills of the population are just a few variables that will shape the conditions and challenges a PRT will face and determine its potential for success. Thus, what may be a great success in one province may look like marginal progress when compared to another province. Nevertheless, as the Congress continues to fund PRTs it is our responsibility to assess the effectiveness of the project. I think both our witnesses have done an admirable job in completing this task.
“Also, we must keep in mind that the PRTs in Iraq and Afghanistan are alike only in name - - their respective missions are fundamentally different. Afghan PRTs focus on classic development projects, such as improving road networks, adding to the supply of electricity or water, and building schools and clinics. PRTs in Iraq, by contrast, place a stronger emphasis on capacity building rather than reconstruction. Capacity building is defined as mentoring and training in good governance with the emphasis on building and growing local and provincial government. I’m curious how this difference affects the way our respective witnesses measure the progress of PRTs. Moreover, I wonder if our witnesses would explain how they measure whether a PRT is improving the capacity of a province.
“Finally, as I’ve stated previously, PRTs, and the subject of stabilization operations generally, is critical to transitioning a local area from a combat zone to a business development zone or a quiet residential neighborhood. In my view, sufficient troop strength combined with increasing the number of PRTs is a formula we should continue to use to stabilize both Iraq and Afghanistan. The exact moment when a PRT’s work is done, however, is unclear as these countries will be in a perpetual state of improving governance and increasing economic development. I’d like our witnesses to comment on how they would determine when a PRTs work is done.”
###