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Defense Chief: Obama Likely to Be Out of Office Before Assad

Ash Carter gets caught in a senator's crosshairs.

ARLINGTON, VA - JULY 6:  (AFP OUT) U.S. From L,  Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter looks on as President Barack Obama delivers remarks after meeting with members of his national security team concerning ISIS at the Pentagon July 6, 2015 in Arlington, Virginia.  Obama announced the U.S. military is making progress against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. (Photo by Drew Angerer - Pool/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, VA - JULY 6: (AFP OUT) U.S. From L, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter looks on as President Barack Obama delivers remarks after meeting with members of his national security team concerning ISIS at the Pentagon July 6, 2015 in Arlington, Virginia. Obama announced the U.S. military is making progress against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. (Photo by Drew Angerer - Pool/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, VA - JULY 6: (AFP OUT) U.S. From L, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter looks on as President Barack Obama delivers remarks after meeting with members of his national security team concerning ISIS at the Pentagon July 6, 2015 in Arlington, Virginia. Obama announced the U.S. military is making progress against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. (Photo by Drew Angerer - Pool/Getty Images)

It was a good question, even if it was a bit of a trap set by an experienced lawyer with a knack for pulling information out of people who would rather prefer to stay silent.

It was a good question, even if it was a bit of a trap set by an experienced lawyer with a knack for pulling information out of people who would rather prefer to stay silent.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) — who is also running for the Republican nomination for president in 2016 — hit Defense Secretary Ash Carter with an uncomfortable question during the Pentagon chief’s testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. And Carter, who has never been a politician, answered honestly.

“What’s more likely?” Graham asked by way of slamming the White House for its policy of not doing more to oust the regime of dictator Bashar al-Assad in Syria. “President Obama leaves office in 2017, or Assad goes first?”

Carter got right to it. “Well, it — it’s certain that President Obama will leave,” he answered. After a bit of cross-talk, Graham decided that he wanted to hear that again. “Who leaves first, Obama or Assad?”

Maybe thinking better of his earlier certainty, Carter backtracked just a bit. “Well, I certainly hope it’s Assad.”

Hope, as they say, is not a strategy.

Photo credit: Drew Angerer – Pool/Getty Images

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