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Obama Nominates Ashton Carter To Lead Defense Department

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Ashton Carter, a former deputy defense secretary who is known as an academic and a policy wonk, is President Barack Obama's choice to replace Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel at the Pentagon.

If confirmed by the Senate, Carter would be the fourth secretary of defense to serve under President Obama, and he would face a number of challenges as he takes over.

The U.S. is ending the war in Afghanistan and is fighting what many believe is a war in Iraq and Syria against ISIS. All this is happening as budget cuts hit the Department of Defense.

NPR Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman joined Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson to discuss Ashton Carter and the challenges he would face.

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This segment aired on December 5, 2014.

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