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Highlighted section with Cotton's question about US response to Russian aircraft buzzing US ships and plans: COTTON: Thank you. Congratulations to you both on your nominations and General Robinson, to your Landmark nomination. I hope it will see speedy confirmation of your both. General Scaparrotti, I want to return to a question a few of the senators have addressed about Russian aircraft flying by, first, our ships and then one of our aircraft in northern Europe. I know that you're not aware of all the circumstances to specify a response. But does activity like that call for some kind of a response? SCAPARROTTI: Yes, sir, it does. It endangers our crew members, our ships. And it does require a response of some type. COTTON: Is that because with no response it emboldens Putin's Russia to probe even further? SCAPARROTTI: I think they need to understand what's acceptable. We're flying and sailing in international waters in the Baltic, for instance. And we have every right to do so. COTTON: Need that response be symmetrical must we fly by one of their ships or one of their aircrafts? Or could it be asymmetrical? For instance, dabble in showing up on the border of Ukraine and Russia. SCAPARROTTI: I would just say that as we look at what options we should keep everything on the table. COTTON: And that -- whatever the response may be, even if it's not a public response, Vladimir Putin needs to understand it is a response? SCAPARROTTI: Correct. Yes. COTTON: I want to turn to a topic we've discussed previously in your current role in Korea, cluster munitions and the coming ban on cluster munitions that have a dud rate below 1 percent. What is your understanding of how many cluster munitions in the inventory today failed to comply with that date's policy? SCAPARROTTI: Sir, I couldn't answer that accurately. I would just tell you that my experience with the munitions that I have in Korea that I would lose just about all of my clustering munitions for use that I have stockpiled today. COTTON: What is the Department of Defense's current policy or plan to address this problem? SCAPARROTTI: Today, there are studies ongoing and some assets available that in the future with programs of purchase that could begin to replace those. Some of those munitions don't have the same lethality as those that we had today, particularly against armor. And presently for those that are not envisioned, that are actually assets, we know that we could -- munitions we know we could build -- we don't have a plan that replaces them in the numbers that we need, and I would say that's true in Korea because I'm very aware of what our requirements are. COTTON: Is one of those possible solutions airbursting traditional so-called dumb bombs and using them as area targets? SCAPARROTTI: That's an option. COTTON: And is it -- would that be an option that lacks the kind of lethality against armor and artillery to which you... SCAPARROTTI: If you were to use -- if you were to use unitary munitions to replace a cluster munition, you'd have to fire three to five munitions in place of one. And so just logistically it creates a problem as well. We need to develop effective cluster munitions that meet the law and my recommendation would be that in the interim we've retained the cluster munitions that we have today. COTTON: Are you aware of any U.S. produced solution to this problem? SCAPARROTTI: I'd like to take that for the record. I'm aware of some solutions we're working -- when you say it's U.S. produced, I'm not exactly sure, you know, who is working on those products I'm aware of. It's probably best that we just -- I take that so I can also answer it in a classified form as well. COTTON: Thank you. This, obviously, of most famous concern on the border between North Korea and South Korea. Given Russia's recent probing, throughout eastern Europe and the Middle East, how important is this issue for you in the new job after confirmation? SCAPARROTTI: It's very important. I would point out that Russia has used cluster munitions in the Ukraine themselves. With great effect. COTTON: I thought so. Vladimir Putin and many other analysts in Russia often cite historical grievances for their activity in places like the Ukraine and to bolster themselves domestically. They cite three in particular. The collapse of the Warsaw Pact, the collapse and disintegration of the Soviet Union and then NATO expansion into those historically Russian-dominated territories. Do you think that that's a fair account for what's happened in the post- Cold War era? SCAPARROTTI: Well, sir, if I'm following you I would just say I think it's clear that Putin, I believe, I can't say it's clear, I believe that Putin's view is -- is that Russia is being constrained by the international norms. International norms established by the West and predominately the U.S. And it's from that view that he has, I think, set out deliberately to challenge those norms, to disrupt our international order, globally, wherever he has that opportunity. COTTON: Given that countries like Poland and Latvia and Lithuania and Estonia have all chosen freely to join NATO, do you think there's any truth to his claims that these are lands that are traditionally oriented towards the East? SCAPARROTTI: Well, he certainly claims that. But, as you know, we believe and many of these countries desire to be a sovereign nation and make their own choices the type of government they have. That's what we've traditionally supported as a part of our values and we're in support of today. COTTON: And a final claim he makes about NATO expansion is that this is an aggressive action towards Russia and could threaten their territorial integrity and sovereignty. Has NATO been investing lately in large scale rearmaments of the kind that would launch a massive land invasion of Russia? SCAPARROTTI: No, sir. And as you know, NATO, for nearly 20 years reached out to Russia with the idea that they could become a part of the security that NATO provides to all of Europe as a partner. And they've refused that hand at this point. COTTON: And to look at the claim from the other direction, has Russia been investing in massive defensive build ups, say, building paint ditches on its border with NATO or moving in other kinds of massive defensive weaponry to forestall this supposed NATO invasion of Russia? SCAPARROTTI: Their modernization of their forces is significant. It's developing incredible capability that we've seen on display with their first out of area deployment into Syria, for instance, and the weapons systems they deployed there. And then finally, if you look at the area access or denial, those areas A2/AD that they've established. I think there's ample evidence of that. COTTON: And I think based on the historical record as well as their own investments, it suggests to me that Vladimir Putin's narrative about the West is maybe another classic Russian campaign of (inaudible). Thank you. From: Yoxall, Collin Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2016 11:37 AM To: Research_D Subject: RE: Video Request: Tom Cotton at Senate Armed Services Committee Two things to flag: 1) Cotton ignored General Lori Robinson, who is up for command of North American Aerospace Command and Northern Command (responsibilities would include monitoring for missiles from Russia and North Korea and helping law enforcement along the border). He only noted her accomplishment at the beginning of his time and thanked her for her presence. The other senators have seemed to split their questions between the two, some 50/50, others 60/40, toward one or the other. General Robinson just made the Time 100<http://time.com/4301351/lori-robinson-2016-time-100/>, but that apparently does not merit questions from the junior Senator... 2) Cotton asked General Scaparrotti (up for European Command) about responses to the recent incidents where the Russian military has buzzed US Navy ships and planes. Cotton asked an appropriate response would by symmetrical (buzzing one of their ships or pushing their airspace) or asymmetrical (he suggested making a group of javelin anti-tank missiles appear on the Russian border). Scaparotti only said there has to be a response. Tom Cotton chairing... John McCain now chairing Cotton: want to return to Russian aircraft issue. Can you comment? Scaparotti: yes sir it demands a response. Not responding emboldens putin. Cotton: symmetrical or asyemtical? Should we buzz one of their ships or put javelin missiles on the Russian border? Scaparotti: we have to respond. Cotton: clustered munitions. What is your understanding on number of munitions that don't comply with the new policy? Scaparotti: cant answer accurately. In my experience, I would lose all my munitions in korea. Cotton: What is DoD's response to this problem? Scaparotti: there are studies on going. We can purchase replacements down the road but they don't have the lethality vs armor. We don't have a plan to replace what we need. Cotton: use of dumb bombs? Scaparotti: use unitary munitions but logistically its hard. Cotton: aware of US produce solutions? Scaparotti: would like to take that for the record. Would have take answer that would make that a classified answer. Cotton: how important is this in the new job? Scaparotti: very important to use, Russia used cluster mutiions in Ukraine. Cotton: Russians cites historical grivances to justify their actions. Is that a fair account post cold war? Scaparotti: I believe that putin sees Russia constrained by international norms and from that has gone out to challenge international norms. Cotton: given Baltic states decision to join NATO, can putin claim those nations are Russian leaning? Scaparotti: there choice. Cotton: has nato invested in arms to repel a Russian invasion of those countries? Scaparotti: no. NATO tried to reach out to Russia. They have refused. Cotton: has Russia invested in anti-NATO measures? Scaparotti: modernization of russina forces is significiant. Saw that in Syria. Cotton: seems that putin is practicing a classic campaign of disinformation. From: Yoxall, Collin Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2016 11:12 AM To: Research_D Subject: RE: Video Request: Tom Cotton at Senate Armed Services Committee Starting now From: Yoxall, Collin Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2016 10:32 AM To: Research_D Subject: Video Request: Tom Cotton at Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing has started Cotton appears to be chairing for McCain http://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/16-04-21-nominations_-scaparrotti-robinson Collin Yoxall Research Associate, DNC Office: 202-863-8126 X8126 Mobile: 334-703-1690 [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>