dr. carter was confirmed as defense secretary, excuse me, as deputy secretary of defense in october of 2011 after serving as undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics since principle of 2009. dr. carter's a very lauded and longtime, well known defense official to most of you, and i'd like, if possible, to have a few questions after he finishes with his remarks. and, please, direct those questions to the subject at hand, if you would, please. let's give a big national press club welcome to secretary ashton carter. secretary? [applause] >> thank you, gene. and thanks for the opportunity to be here once again at the press club. one month ago it was now, secretary hagel gave a speech at the national defense university that described the major strategic and budgetary challenges that, and choices -- and also opportunities -- that we as a defense enterprise face. and be i'd like to pick up -- and i'd like to pick up where he left off in the one of what will undoubtedly be a series of discussions that extend over the spring and summer as we in the defense department with the congress

dr. carter was confirmed as defense secretary, -- excuse me as deputy secretary defense in october of 2011all of serving his expwrurnd secretary for logistic since april of 2009. he is a lotted and long time well known defense official to most of you. and i would like if possible to have a few questions after he finishes with his remarks and, please, direct those questions to the subject at hand, if you would, please. let's give a big national press club welcome to secretary ashton carter. [applause] thank you, gene, and thank you all for the opportunity to be here once again at the national press club. one month ago, secretary hagel gave a speech at the national deference university that described the major strategic and budgetary challenges, choices, and opportunities that we as a defense enterprise face. i would like to pick up where he left off, in what one of what will undoubtly be a series of discussions that extend over the spring and summer as we in the defense department, with the congress, work together to try to put stable and solid foundation under the strategic transition that

. >>> joining us now former national security adviser for president carter, dr.from jetblue yesterday and he said he read your book, that every sentence was like a paragraph and that he had to read it three times. >> good p. he is trying to memorize it? >> he was just trying to understand it. he thought it was important. >> so talk about what you just saw the president's approach on syria. what does he need to do moving forward? >> i think he has to bear in mind the fact that we are watching as sectarian war. not struggle for democrats but the sectarian war and really a war in a region that is volatile. the name of the game, i think, is to preserve some degree of american influence without american becoming the chief practi proceed twe have to keep that thing in mind. if we can fashion something with the russians, that is all to the good. if we can't fashion something with the russians, then we can support what we call democratic opposition which is the least flungs of the groups engaged in violence so we keep some degree of influence. my warning is don't plunge

with us now is former national security adviser for president carter, the proud father of mika and author of "strategic vision." dresentative of california, and now can the scholars foundation is jane harman. more fascinating than my jokes at mika's signing event, the struggle is between forces funded and armed by outside sponsors notably saudi arabia, qatar and iran. also participating is foreign religious groups not directly controlled by the sponsors and american involvement -- against the u.s. and post danger that the conflict would spill over into the neighborhood and set jordan, iraq and lebanon on fire. we hear a crisis in jordan and spill over. >> even doing nothing wright means we are not involved in it and not paying the price for it because if we become involved we will be one of the potential practici -- what we have to face is this simple fact. this is not a struggle for democracy. she a struggle between sunnis and shiites and special national interests of neighbors involved. unless we can go in with overwhelming force and settle the problem, it's better not to go in and tiddly winks suggestion we do

washington, former national security adviser for president carter and author of "strategic vision, america and the crisis of global power" dra's speech on thursday was the most important statement on counter-terrorism policy since 2011 attacks while a menace turning point in post 9/11 america. >> basically agree. i think after the 9/11 attack, we formulated a reaction which had excessive focus on jihadist terrorism, which, by implication, meant islamic terrorism. i think we have to get away from sectarian definition of terrorism. >> what was the importance -- talked about the president's drone poll sichlt it's a policy that's been controversial, though very popular with the public. how do you believe the president framed a drone debate moving forward. >> on the whole i was rather favorably impressed by his judgments and his prudential approach. we need a drone campaign. we need to strike occasionally when others strike at us from asylums, from protected areas. we have to be able to respond but we have to do it prudentially. drones are useful instruments. >> richard haass, president on council of foreign relations said it wa