Joe Wilson Questions Marco Rubio About How To Help Anti-Authoritarian Georgians

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At today's House Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) questioned Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Transcript

00:00Representative Wilson from South Carolina.

00:02Thank you, Chairman Brian Mass, for your leadership holding this hearing at a very critical time

00:06where dictators with rule of gun are invading democracies with rule of law.

00:10And my sympathy for the Connolly family, as I always cherish my friendship with who I call Mr. President Jerry Connolly.

00:18Mr. Secretary, congratulations on your success on behalf of the American people

00:23to implement the policies of President Donald Trump.

00:26...giving Syria a chance, which was welcomed by a standing ovation in Riyadh, which was so historic.

00:34And now the progress that you've made, instead of billboards, electronic billboards of the dictator Assad,

00:40they've been replaced by billboards praising Donald Trump and praising the crown prince.

00:47What an incredible change in six months to go from dictator to a potential of democracy.

00:52With that in mind, I have concerns that there could be efforts to undermine.

00:58And so will you be working in every way to have full executive authorities to carry out the President's orders

01:05rather than a phased approach?

01:07In addition, can we lift the specific export controls on Syria?

01:13Yeah, well, as you know, the sanctions in Syria are largely based on a statute, the Caesar Act.

01:17And so that allows the President to do rolling waivers, I believe, six months at a time.

01:22So the goal is ultimately to make enough progress so that Congress will permanently repeal those.

01:27In the interim, what we want to make sure is that the sanctions relief that we're providing

01:30allow our partners in the region to begin the aid flow that they want to do without running afoul of the sanctions.

01:36So that's what we're focused on executing, even as we speak.

01:39There was a meeting on it yesterday.

01:40It's an execution today as well.

01:42Well, again, thank you for your leadership and insight to see how quickly that should have been done.

01:47I'm also grateful for the strong position of the Trump administration

01:50in regard to the anti-American Georgian dream regime in the Republic of Georgia.

01:55They rigged the election in Georgia on October 26.

01:59They've criminalized association with America.

02:01They kicked out American companies blocking trade and mineral access to the middle corridor,

02:06selling Georgia to the Chinese Communist Party.

02:08They've repeatedly smeared President Trump and American leadership.

02:13With that in mind, I'm really grateful that actually with the Rondelli Foundation,

02:19there's been a report just released indicating the control by the Chinese Communist Party now in the Republic of Georgia.

02:26And I'd like to provide this for the record.

02:30Additionally, for 200 consecutive days, freedom-loving Georgians have heroically taken to the street,

02:36embracing themselves in American flags and carrying posters to the president.

02:41Under your leadership, what will be done to help the State Department impose real cost

02:47on the anti-American Georgian dream on behalf of the people of Georgia?

02:52Well, going back to what I said earlier in my opening statement,

02:56the goal of the United States is our national interest.

02:58So we will look at that and say,

03:00is it our national interest to have an anti-American government governing an important part of the world

03:04and if not, we'll take appropriate actions to impose costs on that government.

03:08That's currently under review and we're looking for options and additional options.

03:11I have no announcement today specifically on what we plan to do yet,

03:14but I can tell you that that is something that's being discussed.

03:16And again, a great example of why we're going to look to our regional bureaus

03:20and our local office on the ground there to provide us guidance

03:23as to what are the measures that the government, the anti-American government, would be most responsive to.

03:28And it's so refreshing to get your response.

03:31And additionally, another issue is Kurdistan, the regional government of Iraq.

03:36And they have recently signed an agreement with American oil companies for the exploration

03:42and for the development of the oil capabilities, billions of dollars in northern Iraq.

03:48But sadly, the regime in Tehran has impacted Baghdad

03:54and is actually controlling the actions of Baghdad.

03:57And so Iran is intruding in trying to stop the agreements.

04:01What is being done to promote freedom for the ability of Kurdistan and regional government

04:08to really support the people of Iraq?

04:11Well, we first have made clear that the linchpin of our approach towards Iraq

04:14is that autonomy that the Kurdish population has in that part of the country.

04:19And part of that is allowing them the economic lifeline that allows them to prosper and succeed.

04:24The Iraqi officials have expressed an interest in a closer, better relationship with the United States.

04:28And we've explained to them that the core to that is respect for the companies that are operating in that country,

04:33from our country operating within Iraq.

04:35Also, respect, as I said, for the autonomy of the Kurds.

04:38And third is the Iranian influence.

04:40And the Iranian influence has continued to grow, unfortunately, in some sectors of their elected government

04:45and poses a grave danger to the United States, including in the form of pro-Iran Shia militias

04:51who have in the past struck against the United States

04:53and have expressed interest in doing so again in the future.

04:56That's unacceptable, and that has to be addressed.

04:58Congratulations on your success. I yield back.

05:00Cheers.

05:01Cheers.

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