the reality is i go to joe dunford for that every day anyway. so as a practical matter, i've got to have that. and i depend upon his professional military advice and his being in constant contact. that is the role i want to make sure i clarify and strengthen. i don't think that was as a parent of people back in the day. but the world -- was apparent to people back in the day. but the world has changed. john: let me ask you about the power geometry in the pentagon. nobody questions the primacy of the secretary. but then there's the question of how important and how powerful is the chairman, how important and how powerful are the service chiefs, how important and powerful are the combatant commanders. what is your view about the right balance of this power challenge? secretary carter: i look to each of them. i don't personally or institutionally look to them -- they have a hosting responsibilities but i look to the whole crowd. let me give you an example. this afternoon, i will be going with the whole gang, all the chiefs and secretaries and senio

the reality is i'm looking to joe dunford for that every day any way. so as a practical matter i've got to have that. i depend on his professional military advice and his being in constant contact integrating across them, but that's the role i want to make sure i clarify and strengthen. i don't think that was as apparent to people back in the day but the world has gotten more integrated and we need to get more integrated, too. >> nobody questions the primacy of the secretary. but then there's the question of how important and how powerful is the chairman. how important and how powerful are the service kwheefs. how important and powerful are the combatant commanders. what is your view of the right balance of this geometry? >> i look to each of them. i don't personality -- and we look at -- they have different principipaiplipal responsibilit. let me give you an example. this afternoon, i'll be going with the whole gang, all the service chiefs, service secretaries, seen yrs, civilians, over to meet with the president. spend the afternoon with him, have din

this is the first time we have heard from ash carter and general joe dunford since they traveled to iraqre frustrated at inability to defeat isis in power centers of mosul and raqqa, the capital of isis in syria. despite training a year for the iraqi army, the army has nod made any advances on mosul, iraq's largest city. vice president joy biden arrived in baghdad, sign of growing concern about the pace of isis. gregg: can you exactly explain what the vice president is doing in iraq? reporter: the surprise visit by vice president biden is designed to shore up support for iraq's prime minister who is under threat from political opponents including the firebrand shiite cleric muqtada al-sadr who staged protests in baghdad last week. the white house wants to bolster the iraqi prime minister. there has been some good news from iraq. the number of foreign fighters joining isis has been drastically reduced thanks to the deadly effects of us air strikes. major general fighter gersten, head of the u.s. coalition says the number of fighters joining isis by 90% past year. fighters used to enter ir

greater benefit from the advice of chairman from general colin powell and desert storm to general joe dunford. this year as goldwater-nichols turns 30, we can see the world has changed since then. instead of the cold war and one clear threat, we face a security environment that's dramatically different over the last quarter century. it's time we consider practical updates to this critical organizational framework while still preserving its spirit and intent. for example, we can see in some areas how the pendulum between service equities and jointness may have swung too far. as in not involving the service chiefs enough in acquisition decision making and accountability. or where subsequent world events suggest nudging the pendulum further as in taking more steps to strengthen the capability of the chairman and joint chiefs to support force management, plan, and execution across the combatant commands. particularly in the face of threats that cut across regional and functional combatant command areas of responsibility, as many increasingly do. with this in mind, last fall i asked d.o.d.'s deput

now, as a practical matter everybody knows i look to joe dunford to do that, i think it's worth writing it down. because there will be others who come along later and it's important to clarify that that is a requirement of the president and the secretary of defense on will make other chairman of the joint chiefs of staff in today's world. >> i have a couple of questions. and by the way, i don't know who's collecting but i could use any additional britain's. a couple questions about the battle against isil. there have been some very encouraging press reports recently about the momentum in the field against isil, and yet also it's a metastasizing threat. we do share with us how you are currently looking at this? >> we've got to get these guys eating come and visit as possible -- beaten, and as soon as possible. we are looking for every opportunity we can take to do that. of course our overall strategic approach is not only, not just to defeat isil but to keep them defeated, which means you also to look ahead to the next stage and who's going to keep the peace afterwards, which is why we t

how difficult is it for ash carter and joe dunford to go before the senate armed services committee and not necessarily their beliefs? how hard is it for them to represent a president -- sandra: and then to get continued criticism from the likes of senator main, your father, who has not only recently, but all along the way that we've seen these gradual increases, your father has said it reminds him of the slow build-up in vietnam. that being said, what about the idea of what little strategy there is, these increases, and now 300 total troops, u.s. special forces over in syria. the continual ruling out of any ground forces and just, and advertising to the world what our strategy is rather or than holding our cards close to our vest. >> you're making the donald trump argument: this' exactly what he said. -- that's exactly what he said. p i can't believe this president tell everyone, hey, you're the enemy, and this is how we're going to attack you. that's what resonates with common folks. why do you tell the enemy, here's what we're going to do? harris: just so people aren't completely con

and so i looked at joe dunford for that every day anyway. so as a practical matter, i have to depend upon them and so the world has got more integrated as well and then there is the question of how important or powerful is the chairman, and the situation. >> welcome i look to each of them. so i know personally, i don't think institutionally. and so we have different principal responsibilities. i look to the whole crowd. and this afternoon i will be going with the whole gang. all of the service chiefs and service secretaries and then i will spend the afternoon and dinner with them. and we will spend the will they talk about everything and we have the contingency planning and the whole deal. and i have a whole bunch of complements, by the way. since i became secretary and since i have had to name almost all of the joint chiefs of staff and the combat commanders. people say you are a really great guy and i say, yes, you are correct. but i have something else to tell you. you'd say the same thing. because the dimensions are so deep. these are in

now the reality is, i look to joe dunford for that every day anyway. so as a practical matter, i'm -- i got to have that and i depend upon his professional military advice and his being in constant contact with all the coms and being ingrated across them. that's the role i want to clarify and strengthen. i don't think that was as apparent to people back in the day but the world has gotten more integrated so we got to get more integrated too. john: secretary, let me ask you. you've opened up this question about the power geometry in the pentagon. obviously the -- nobody questions the prime citycy of the secretary. but then there's the question of how important and how powerful is the chairman? how important and powerful are the service chiefs? how important and powerful are the combatant commanders? what's your view of the right balance of this power geometry? secretary carter: i look to each of them. i don't personally and i don't think institutionally we look at them to -- they have different principal responsibilities but i look to the whole crowd to

the chairman of the joint chiefs, general joe dunford weren't currently the dean is very wise to makece and guidance. it is critical to have the separation between civilian authority in the active-duty military. >> especially since this week there is a comment that we are not going to listen to donald trump if he tells to do something like carpet bombing or something that is not in step with what the military thinks is appropriate. >> the last thing the military wants to do is put a block between the american people in the military are between people who made the some point in the future. it's important to keep the separation. at the same time as we watch the current election process, politicians are saying things. people running for president saying things that may not be the best thing for the country or military. it's frustrating to people serving right now because they cannot have their voice heard about what is actually correct and that's why it's important to listen to the people of certain dedicated their lives to bolivia with a separate. great conversation. thanks so much. goo