Ash Carter

We want a victory over ISIL that sticks.

Our strategy is to find, identify, and enable forces that can not only take territory, but hold territory.

Absolutely it is essential that we recognize that even though we, I believe this is absolutely true, are the center of the campaign, because there must be a military defeat of ISIL.

A political transition in Syria is essential to ultimately resolving the civil war there.

The most immediate danger, he says, is from lone wolves.

Lone-wolf attacks the most likely imminent threat to the United States.

Ten or fifteen years from now, the United States will likely be in a far stronger position with Iran further away from a nuclear weapon, and with the inspections and transparency measures in place that allow for stronger international…

The Department remains prepared and postured to bolster the security of regional partners, including Israel, to defend against aggression.

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is not an arms control agreement. It is a strong non-proliferation deal that cuts off all of Iran's pathways to a nuclear bomb.

The Department of Defense has no plans to cooperate with Iran directly on Syria or Iraq.

The Administration is fully aware of the threat posed by the Iranian ballistic missile program.

No. My testimony is that I can't speak for Saudi Arabia. I have spoken to Saudi Arabia.

Prime Minister Netanyahu was very clear, as he has been clear publicly in his opposition to the deal.

Well, I am, and I think we all need to be very concerned about their ballistic missile activities with or without this agreement.

The United States will maintain its ironclad commitment to Israel's qualitative military edge, or QME.

That deal is an important step, one brought about by the leadership of President Obama.

We will continue to meet our commitments to our friends and allies in the region, especially Israel.

We will continue to maintain our robust regional force posture, ashore and afloat, which includes tens of thousands of American personnel.

It is a good deal because it prevents Iran from getting a nuclear weapon in a comprehensive and verifiable way.

This new deal--when implemented--will place significant limitations on Iran that will effectively cut off its pathways to the fissile material for a nuclear bomb.

The Defense Department's primary responsibility with regard to the nuclear agreement is to ensure that the President has all military options available for any Iran contingency.

Any Iranian arms transfers to Houthis in Yemen, non-state actors in Lebanon (including Hizballah), and/or Iraqi Shi'a militias would violate relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

We're continuing full speed ahead--standing with our friends, standing up to ISIL, and standing against Iran's malign activity.

This is a good deal because it removes a continued source of threat and uncertainty in a comprehensive and verifiable way by preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.

The United States will fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, as U.S. Forces do all over the world.