>> again, i will defer to the secretary and president and joe dunford on that, but bill mcraven -- >>o i'm asking? >> bil bill mcraven's opinion is we absolutely need to be on the front lines with them. this is a serious national security issue and in order to deal with it we are going to have to put young men and women at risk again and boots on the ground. >> rose: boots on the ground. >> absolutely. and i think we need to put boots on the ground as far forward as we need to, in partnership with iraqis and our coalition. we need to go into syria and raqqa in order to get after isis, i believe we need to do that. >> rose: because isis is that kind of threat. >> because isis is that kind of threat. >> rose: i want to clearly understand it, taking advantage of your experience in iraq and afghanistan as well, that we need to use military force that we have within our command to stop isis. >> we do. >> rose: it's that serious a threat. >> that is serious. it is absolutely that serious. i mean, you know, in my 37 years when i look back on the threats we have had to deal with, i see, you k

joe dunford is the kind of officer marines want to follow. sed armor inserts in his flak jacket until every marine under his command was already issued a pair. that story says more than any of us ever could about the character and leadership of this great man. humble, strong, centered, always faithful to his people and mission. wielding the operational acuity of a battle-hardened commander and the strategic wisdom of a statesman. we saw that clearly during joe's time leading u.s. and allied troops as the nato isaf commander. we saw his compassion in handwritten condelences sent to families of the fallen. we saw his tenacity in the way he managed dealing with president karzai. and we saw his skillfulness in transitioning security responsibility to afghan forces. during that time, all that time, and over the past 14 years, in two complex, all-consuming wars in iraq and afghanistan, our marines and all our service members performed spectacularly. today the marine corps is at the center of a great strategic transition in our military. emerging fro

earlier this week you heard secretary ash carter and general joe dunford discuss recommends da recommendations to defeat isis. fewer than 50 u.s. operations to go to northern jar where they will help local ground forces. >> are they going to be fighting in iraq? >> that's the part of the release that's not gotten enough attention. there's already 3500 troops on the ground in iraq. the white house has been reluctant to say they are in combat. today in addition to the special oerter field delta force and rangers, the president is also deploying 810 wart hogs and f-15 jet fighters and say is taking to the iraqi prime minister about a special oerngss task force. that task force is based in northern iraq. they call the changes long overdue. he said it's too little too late. he says quote, i do not see a strategy for success. he says the administration is trying to avoid a disaster while the president runs out the clock. >> live for us at the pentagon. thank you. for more on this retired general for the institute of war fox news military analyst. you heard what some critics are saying about the spec

well, you're a good man, joe dunford. as i depart i do so with great confidence that you and ellen are in the right place at the right time and at the right time for our nation. thanks to you both for taking on yet another challenging task for our nation. speaking of challenging tasks, there is a sense today that america's future is fraught with uncertainty and that the fabric that binds us is being mightily tested. however, i believe in absolute confidence of who we are and what we stand for. our nation and its armed forces remain the world's foremost symbols of strength, of hope and of freedom. the generation that is now blessed to serve will do its duty and will ensure that our nation remains strong. i thank god for sustaining me for these 41 years, and i pray that he keeps us all strong. it has been my privilege to wear the cloth of our nation. to all who will continue to serve after me, i ask only this in parting. make it matter. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >>> ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. at this time we

craven: i defer to the secretary and the president and joe dunford. absolutely, we need to be on the front lines. this is a serious, national security issue. to deal with it, we need to put young women and men at risk again. boots on the ground. we do that as far forward as we need to in partnership with the iraqis and the coalition. i believe we need to do that. charlie: isis is that kind of threat? mr. craven: is that kind of threat. charlie: define it. mr. craven: we're looking at the influence they have on the levant. the region at large. it is not just syria. as they move into iraq, you begin to pressurize lebanon. you pressurize jordan. , itll that pressure builds is a second and third order effect that if you do not deal with it in syria and iraq, the pressure on lebanon and jordan could cause the entire area to tumble. it is not just the fact that it is a safe haven. it is the impact that isis will have on the region. you are already seeing how it is creeping into the area of turkey and libya. charlie: it seems to me that you are saying, takin

taking aggressive action from what i have seen in the texts from secretary carter and chairman joe dunford. we could not be better served and to have those gentlemen where they are. ash carter is a terrific public servant. for the american people to recognize we have two of the finest in senior positions in the military and the part of the defense is terrific. now we have to be able to devise a strategy that is more than just the word can edit, the drone strikes and airstrikes. that is clearly a component of how you have to deal with isis. recognizing that isis in iraq, we are going to need to partner with iraqi soldiers. and we need to get out and have boots on the ground. we knew to be true partners with them as they begin to root out isis in iraq. fighting on the front lines are providing services? mr. mcraven: i will defer to the secretary and the president on that. we absolutely need to be on the front lines. this was a serious national security issue. in order to deal with that we are going to have to put young men and women at risk. i think we need to put boots on the ground as far

defense secretary ash carter and chairman of the joint chiefs general joe dunford leave for asia this friday. deirdre? deirdre: jennifer, thank you so much. fox news's jennifer griffin. from the south china seas to others, ones that contain russian submarines, some u.s. intelligence officials are concerned about close russian submarines with undersea data cables. they carry almost all global internet communication. retired colonel bob mcbegins necessary is with me -- mcguiness. r they in the position to attack cables in times of tensions and conflict? >> certainly using a different type of warfare than they did during the cold war. the cables are all over. we depend on them for internet access. commerce flows $10 trillion aday across these cables. if you want to go after a power you are not comfortable with, look for vulnerabilities. cables, certainly cyber. certainly what we've seen in places like crimea. the russians have develop ad hybrid type of car fair that -- warfare that takes advantage of every single one of our capabilities. anti-access missiles like the chinese developed. r

. >> reporter: general joe dunford says he would recommend embedding u.s.raqis to reinforce operational and strategic success in the same way that delta force operators became embedded with the kurdish forces during the hostage raid last week that freed 70 prisoners. >> talking to the commanders on the ground, i believe we'll have an opportunity to reinforce iraqi success in the days ahead. we've developed a variety of options to do that. >> reporter: the defense secretary said the pentagon expects to boost the scope and intensity of coalition air campaign against the islamic state. the hearing got testy when senator mccain asked about plans for a no-fly zone in syria. >> it's not a new issue. >> it is not a new issue. it is a substantial military undertaking. >> so it seems to me you should have a position on it. >> we have analyzed it, we have presented the -- >> so you do not support, you do not agree with general petraeus and secretary clip congress to -- clinton? >> we do not have a con concept of operations for a no-fly zone. >> after all these years?

campbell on the ground in afghanistan hitting all the right marks, doing the right job, and general joe dunford just took over as chairman of the joint chiefs. he was commander on the ground up until last year. i think we have the right men at the right time doing the right things to actually, i think, get us a win out of the situation. jenna: mike, when you talk to combat veterans sometimes describe what they're reading of the president -- this was earlier today before this announcement -- as a band-aid on a gaping chest wound. they really don't feel that 10,000 troops is going to make a difference and don't like the fact they are in the same role of just training and doing some counterterrorism. what about that number of 10,000? is it really enough to make a difference, and has our mission so far in those efforts been successful enough to want to invest and continue them? >> well, first of all, jenna, thanks for having me on. i agree with the colonel. i think there were a lot of good things we heard from president obama today. the policy, i think, that he announced is generally correct. i tho

i think that's what you see, in and out with the entry of general joe dunford, and i know he's relookingre strategy from soup to nuts. i think you're going to see a strange in strategy for the better. >> and earlier, colonel francona, when we spoke earlier, you said, this is not necessarily a change in strategy, but a change in tactics. further explain the difference between the two. >> the strategy is what you want to achieve. and that's to degrade and defeat isil. that's been the strategy all along. but how do you do that? and i think we're constantly evolving, how we're attacking this problem. and i think the realization in washington, and i think tony's right, it's because general dunford has made some real solid advice to the president and said, you've got to get a handle on isis in syria. and that was going to require boots on the ground. because, air strikes can only do so much when they're not controlled by american troops on the ground. and i think we're going toward that. so i think this is a positive move. but we're just changing the tactics of what we've been trying to do all

he's not taking the advice, once again, of the recommendation of 10,000 to 11,000, which is what joe dunfordmended. and now we're looking at half that. >> but it seems like, i mean, just like any problem that you ignore, it becomes more costly as time goes on. so, 5,500 troops now. i mean, there's no guarantee that that will be the maximum number needed. i mean, if we short-change the force now, doesn't that suggest we're going to need to send many more in the future? >> well, he had to do something, because he did not want the iraq outcome to happen in afghanistan. he now sees what happened, the precipitous withdrawal, what the troops still call the obama bug-out in december 2011, when they pulled out of iraq in 30 days. he can't afford to do that if he's going to have any legacy whatsoever. so, he's going to gaffe it off on to his successor with 5,500 troops on the ground, which by the way, means very little can be done in offensive operations. those troops are going to be conventional and special operations units. they're going to remain at bases in kabul, in bagram, kandahar and jalalaba

seems to me the appointing of fighting joe dunford as chairman of the joint chiefs of staff is already really ought to do is dispatch a carrier strike group and a marine ground task force to the mediterranean region and tell vladimir putin to get the hell out of the way. >> i don't think they'll do it. but i think you're right. colonel, always good to see you. thank you, sir. >>> coming up tonight on "hannity." >> i stand and i march with hillary. i believe in her future, her vision, i believe in her policies. i believe in equal rights for men, women. >> why do i suspect she probably doesn't know any of hillary's policies? anyway, she got a ringing endorsement, hillary did, from hollywood a-lister katy perry this past weekend. but do voters care when liberal celebrities support a candidate? we'll debate that next. i accept i'm not 22. i accept i'm not the rower i used to be. i even accept i have a higher risk of stroke due to afib, a type of irregular heartbeat not caused by a heart valve problem. but i won't accept is getting out there with less than my best. so if i can go for someth

this is the first time for me appearing before this committee alongside chairman joe dunford. am grateful to joe for answering mine and the president's call to step down from what every marine knows is to becomeosition chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. thank you. i'm glad to have him near today. before i return to the subject of the hearing i want to reiterate as i have said consistently and continue to believe, washington needs to come together behind a multiyear budget deal supports our defense strategy. the troops and their families, and all elements of american's national security and strength. significant progress was made on this overnight and i'm looking forward to reviewing the details. i welcome this major positive developments and apply the members of this committee for what you are doing to help us get there. ae middle east presents kaleidoscope of challenges. actions everywhere our and strong military posture are guided by what is in america's interest. that is our north star. amid the complexity and uncertainty those interests are to determine aggression, ofld

>> well, again i will defer to the secretary and the president and joe dunford on that but bill -- >>ill -- >> we absolutely need to be on the front lines with him. i mean this is a serious national security issue. and in order to deal with it we are going to have to put young men and women at risk again and put boots on the ground. >> boots on the ground? >> absolutely. >> he also says the united states needs to stay engaged in afghanistan. he calls the war against isis and the taliban a generational fight. >>> in iowa a school bus driver is behind bars accused of assaulting a special needs student. video of the incident is disturbing. other students with cell phones recorded the violent confrontation on thursday in the back of the crowded bus. elaine quijano is here with how the students spoke up. >> reporter: according to kids on the bus the is a-year-old special needs student was not following the instructions of the driver. when the student said something inflammatory to the driver and allegedly threw something at him, the driver stopped the bus. gracy foster grabbed her cell pho

>> again, i'll defer to the president and the secretary and joe dunford. bill mcraven's opinion is we need to absolutely be on the front lines with them. this is a serious national security issue. in order to deal with it, we are going to have to put young men and women at risk again, put boots on the ground. >> mcraven also says the united states needs to stay engaged in afghanistan. he calls the war against isis and the taliban a generational fight. >>> an iowa school bus driver is behind bars this morning, accused of assaulting a special needs student. video of the incident is disturbing. other students with cellphones reported the violent confrontation thursday in the back of the crowded bus. elaine quijano is here with ow those students spoke up. >> reporter: good morning. cordi according to kids on the bus, when the student said something inflammatory to the driver, the driver stopped the bus. >> get up here. >> reporter: gracie foster grabbed her cellphone and started recording the violent confrontation after driver robert scarborough stopped the bu

this is the first time for me appearing before this committee alongside chairman joe dunford. am grateful to joe for answering mine and the president's call to step down from what every marine knows is to becomeosition chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. thank you. i'm glad to have him near today. before i return to the subject of the hearing i want to reiterate as i have said consistently and continue to believe, washington needs to come together behind a multiyear budget deal supports our defense strategy. the troops and their families, and all elements of american's national security and strength. significant progress was made on this overnight and i'm looking forward to reviewing the details. i welcome this major positive developments and apply the members of this committee for what you are doing to help us get there. ae middle east presents kaleidoscope of challenges. actions everywhere our and strong military posture are guided by what is in america's interest. that is our north star. amid the complexity and uncertainty those interests are to determine aggression, ofl

defense secretary carter, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, general joe dunford on capitol hilling. expect them to get grilled about all of this. by all accounts, no decisions have been made. it will be up to president obama to decide whether he wants to take the military to this next step. >> okay, barbara, please keep us posted as you talk to your sources there. >>> meanwhile, the u.s. leveling a potential challenge to china in the contested waters of the south china sea. an american destroyer passing within 12 nautical miles of those artificial islands that are built by china. official in beijing calling the maneuver quote illegal. cnn's chief national security correspondent jim sciutto is live for us in washington. what do we know, jim? >> well, the u.s. would like to make these trips routine to demonstrate that in their view, these are not chinese waters, these are international waters. those man-made islands are not territory, they are illegal. but they're seen as anything but routine by china, as the equivalent of sailing with a chinese naval ship within 12 miles of new y

on tuesday, i will also appear before congress alongside chairman joe dunford.de an opportunity to discuss in more detail the execution of the counter isil strategy and how to pursue the next phase of the coalition campaign. one final note. i know that each of you is waiting for the civilian casualty result of general campbell on kunduz. my staff and i are in frequent contact with general campbell. his team completes their initial report. we want to get this done and i want him to get it done but we wanted to get it done absolutely right. and remember, the more complete report will come from the so-called 15-6 which is the expanded military investigation. i want the answers to the questions and those investigations. accountability is part of our obligation to those who died in kunduz. and it must inform everything we do here at the department of defense. and with that, i'll take a few questions here. >> mr. secretary, on your comments about the -- the prison mission, the rescue mission, you said that the people there faced imminent mass execution, that their gra

this is the first time for me appearing before this committee alongside chairman joe dunford, who was just in region last week, as was noted. i'm grateful to joe for answering my and the president's call to step down from what every marine knows is a higher position, namely commandant of the marine corps to become head of chief of staffs and thank you for confirming joe. i'm glad to have you here with me today. before i turn to the subject of today's hearing i want to reiterate as i've said consistently since march and continue to believe that washington needs to come together behind a multiyear budget deal that supports our defense strategy. the troops and their families and all elements of americans' national security and strength. i understand significant progress was made on this overnight, and i'm looking forward to reviewing the details. but i welcome this major positive development and applaud the members of this committee for what you're doing to help us get there. the middle east presents a kaleidoscope of challenges, but there, as everywhere, our actions and strong military

first time for me, appearing before this committee along with chairman dunford who was in the region last week. i grateful to joer answering my call and the president's call to step down from what every marine knows is a higher position, coming down from the marine corps to be joint chief of staff. thank you to this committee for confirming joe. i'm glad to have you with me today. before i turn to the subject of today's hearing, i want to reiterate as i've said consistently since march, and continue to believe, washington needs to come together behind a multi- year budget deal that supports our defense strategy, the troops and their families and all elements of american's national security. i understand significant progress was made on this overnight and i'm looking forward to revealing the details. i welcome this major positive development and applaud the members of this committee for what you are doing to help us get there. the middle east presents a kaleidoscope of challenges. they are, as everywhere our actions and strong military posture are guided by what's in america's interest. that's our north star. ami