Topic: Ash Carter

U.S.-backed forces prepare to liberate Raqqa, the self-proclaimed capital of ISIS in Syria. Former Defense Secretary Ash Carter claims the U.S. is solely responsible for defeating the terror group, dismissing Russian involvement as a distraction intended to buttress the Assad regime.

The Obama administration moves toward requiring women to register for the Selective Service. The hosts discuss Marine Corps data suggesting that all-male units outperformed integrated units in physically demanding combat tasks, questioning the push for gender integration in front-line roles.

Russia Today reports on a bombing at a funeral near Kirkuk that allegedly killed numerous women and children, an event the mainstream U.S. media has not covered. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Ash Carter arrived in Baghdad to assess the Mosul offensive against ISIS.

During a debate, Hillary Clinton claimed there is a four-minute window between a presidential order and a nuclear launch. Defense Secretary Ash Carter refused to confirm if this information is classified, while the hosts question if Clinton was "ad-libbing" or revealing state secrets.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter stated at the Pentagon that the U.S. is prepared to do more to accelerate the defeat of ISIS in Iraq, anticipating the need for "additional authorities." This is interpreted as a push for a new Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) to replace the 2001 version. Carter indicated that President Obama is ready to approve expanded capabilities as commanders identify opportunities.

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter proposes a "talent exchange" program between the Pentagon and private companies like Amazon and FedEx. The hosts speculate that this is a strategy to recruit skilled engineers and hackers who might otherwise be disqualified from government service due to drug use or lifestyle choices.

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter discusses the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) and the legal justification for US operations in Syria. Carter admits he is "no lawyer" but claims his legal team has assured him that the intervention is justified under both domestic and international law. He argues that an official AUMF would primarily serve to show the troops that the country supports them.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced that the "Expeditionary Targeting Force" (ETF) is conducting operations in northern Iraq to capture ISIS leaders and intelligence. The Pentagon also detailed plans to use cyber warfare to "overload" ISIS networks. The hosts mock the terminology and the reporting style of CNN's Barbara Starr.

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter is confronted in a congressional hearing for failing to submit a formal plan to defeat ISIS by the February 15 deadline mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act. Carter claims the report is "imminent," but lawmakers argue he is in violation of the law. The hosts discuss the lack of consequences for administration officials who ignore statutory requirements.

General Daniel Allen and General John Paxton testify before the Armed Forces Appropriations Committee regarding military readiness and budget shortfalls. General Allen expresses discomfort with the "trajectory of the drawdown," while General Paxton uses the term "bench strength" to describe the lack of surge capacity in the Marine Corps. The hosts criticize the use of sports jargon and the Pentagon's inability to account for trillions of dollars in spending.

Seymour Hersh appears on "Democracy Now!" to discuss his latest reporting on the Pentagon's internal dissent regarding Syria. He criticizes the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Dunford, and Secretary of Defense Ash Carter for following the "party line." Hersh also labels the U.S. alliance with Saudi Arabia and Qatar a "farce" given their roles in funding extremist groups.

A new poll shows that for the first time in 20 years, a majority of Americans oppose a ban on assault weapons, citing a lack of confidence in the government's ability to stop attacks. Meanwhile, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman cracks down on the sale of realistic toy guns. In Iraq, Defense Secretary Ash Carter tells troops their fight is for "civilization against evil," which the hosts criticize as an empty insult to the complexity of the conflict.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter discussed the "metastasis" of ISIS into Libya and the need for further military action in the region. Carter's use of medical metaphors to describe the spread of terrorism is criticized as a rebranding effort to justify continued intervention. The discussion suggests that Libya is being prepared as the next major conflict zone under the guise of fighting ISIS.

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter fires his top military aide, Lieutenant General Ron Lewis, over unspecified allegations of misconduct. In a separate media critique, the hosts mock the editor of the New York Times for saying he would have given Edward Snowden a "back massage," which they interpret as a "groupie code" for more intimate favors.

The hosts deconstruct a clip of former Navy SEAL Chad Williams using the phrase "mighty men of valor." A listener analysis suggests this is neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) designed to garner Christian support for military action in Syria by using biblical terminology from the books of Judges and Chronicles.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter struggles to distinguish between "combat roles" and "advice and assist missions" during congressional testimony. Despite claims of no combat troops on the ground, Carter admits that U.S. forces are engaging in raids and "prosecuting the campaign" in ways that clearly involve active combat.

Senator Tim Kaine grills Ash Carter on the legal justification for ongoing military operations in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Libya, and Cameroon. Kaine argues that the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) is being stretched beyond its original intent to cover groups like Boko Haram that did not exist during the 9/11 attacks.

President Barack Obama announced a change in military strategy for Afghanistan, maintaining 9,800 troops through 2016 and 5,500 thereafter at bases in Kabul, Bagram, Jalalabad, and Kandahar. The decision marks a significant delay in the planned withdrawal of U.S. forces from the region.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized the U.S.-led coalition for operating in Syria without a UN Security Council mandate or the consent of the Syrian government. Lavrov pointed out the hypocrisy of the U.S. recognizing the Assad regime's legitimacy during chemical weapons disarmament but calling it illegitimate regarding counter-terrorism. U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter maintains that Russia's strategy is "tragically flawed."

Senator John McCain confirmed that Russian airstrikes have targeted groups funded and trained by the CIA, such as the Free Syrian Army. The hosts discuss the internal conflict between Department of Defense (DOD) backed groups and CIA backed groups in Syria. Ash Carter is noted as seeking new strategies for training local forces after previous failures.