Defense Secretary Nominee Supports Arming Ukrainian Military
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Tom Williams/CQ Roll Cal(WASHINGTON) — Ashton Carter, the nominee to be the next Defense secretary, said at his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday that he is inclined to providing lethal arms to Ukraine’s beleaguered military.
He also told the committee that the important thing after defeating ISIS is to maintain a “lasting defeat” so the organization does not re-emerge in the future.
Carter has faced little criticism from members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who are expected to speedily refer his nomination to a full Senate vote.
When asked by committee chairman Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., if he favored providing defensive arms to the Ukrainian military fighting Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, Carter said, “I very much incline in that direction.”
He added that “we need to support the Ukrainians in defending themselves.”
Carter couldn’t specify what types of weapons should be considered but said, “I incline in the direction of providing them with arms, including to get to what I’m sure your question is, lethal arms.”
Carter’s comments would be in line with that of other senior Obama administration officials, including current Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. Multiple senior U.S. officials have confirmed to ABC News that Gen. Philip Breedlove, NATO’s military commander, has been the strongest advocate in providing the Ukrainian military with defensive weapons.
Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to discuss the issue with Ukrainian leaders when he visits Kiev on Thursday.
A think tank report issued earlier this week by prominent former U.S. officials — including Michele Flournoy and James Stavridis — urged the Obama administration to provide Ukraine with counter-battery radars that could target incoming artillery fire, counter-jamming equipment and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Carter said he supports the administration’s strategy against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, but that the key thing after ISIS is defeated is ensuring a “lasting defeat.”
“I say lasting, because it’s important that when they get defeated, they stay defeated,” said Carter.
He pointed to the need for ground forces like Iraq’s security forces and the Syrian opposition force to be trained in Syria to keep ISIS from re-emerging as a threat.
When asked by Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., if ISIS was the greatest threat in the Middle East, Carter said there was a dual threat to the region posed by both ISIS and Iran.
“I hesitate to say ISIL only, because in the back of my mind is Iran, as well,” said Carter. “So I think that we have two immediate, substantial dangers in the Middle East. One is ISIL and one is Iran.”
Carter also said that he was willing to consider the administration’s drawdown of 10,600 military trainers from Afghanistan over the next two years.
He described the drawdown as “a plan” that can be revised if needed and “if I’m confirmed, and I ascertain as the years go by that we need to change that plan, I will recommend those changes to the president.”
During a break in the hearing, McCain told reporters he expected Carter’s nomination to be voted quickly out of his committee for a full Senate vote.
Hagel left Washington Wednesday for Brussels, where he will attend a gathering of NATO defense ministers. The trip is expected to be one of his final official acts as Defense secretary since he resigned in late November.
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