Dr.Ashton B. Carter,60,won unanimous approval from the Senate Armed Services Committee to be the new Secretary of Defense with a 25-0 bipartisan vote.The nomination now goes to the full Senate for final approval-really a formality at this point.The graduate of Oxford University served as Deputy Secretary of Defense from 2011-2013.Before that,he held two other high level Pentagon posts,including Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs and chief weapons buyer.*
At his confirmation hearing last week,Dr.Carter laid out his views on a number of issues such as European security,India-US ties and Iran's nuclear program.I think that our strength in Europe is our alliance with NATO,he said.Another strength is of course our military strength.I understand we are adding forces in rotation as a deterrence to Russian adventurism.*
India,in my view,is destined to be a strategic partner of the US.I'm for hastening that.In the military and technical cooperation area,I think there's a great deal we can do with India.*
If Iran were to acquire nuclear weapons,that would be very grave because:
1.They might use them.
2.Their having them might influence others to acquire them.
They have the ambition to wipe Israel off the map.They have a long history of acting in a disruptive way.*
As to Russia,the little green men are part of the big Putin lie.The common sense is,he's violated Ukrainian sovereignty.It is,I am told, quite clear that Russia is in clear violation of the INF treaty by developing a new ground-launched nuclear missile.I think there are defensive and deterrent and counterforce steps we can take if they want to play that game.They need to be reminded it's a two-way street,Dr.Carter told the Senate Armed Forces Committee.*
Chuck Hagel is staying on as Defense Secretary until Dr.Carter's confirmation is completed.
Update:Dr.Carter was confirmed by the full Senate with a 95-3 vote on 12 February.
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