Ash Carter, former defense secretary under Obama, dies at 68 [View all]

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Last edited Tue Oct 25, 2022, 12:54 PM - Edit history (2)

Source: CNN Politics

Washington CNN -- Ashton Carter, who served as President Barack Obama's final defense secretary, has died, his family said. He was 68. Carter, who led the Defense Department from February 2015 to January 2017, suffered a "sudden cardiac event" on Monday night in Boston, his family said in a statement. He is survived by his wife, Stephanie, and his children, Ava and Will. In leading the Pentagon, Carter oversaw the final years of US involvement in Afghanistan under Obama's presidency and US efforts to combat the rise of ISIS in the Middle East, which included the deployment of US troops.

His tenure also saw efforts to expand the available roles of women in combat as well as lifting a ban on transgender people being able to serve openly. Taking over from Chuck Hagel, who was forced out as defense secretary in November 2014, Carter was immediately tasked with addressing the rise of ISIS, which by then had taken significant territory in Iraq. Although Obama had made withdrawing US military forces from Iraq a key priority of his foreign policy, he ultimately recommitted US troops to the country to deal with the terrorist group.

"It's necessary but not sufficient to destroy ISIL in Iraq and Syria because this is where it began and is what I have called the parent tumor of the cancer," Carter, using another term for the group, told reporters during a visit to Baghdad in 2016. "Like cancer, ISIL has spread to ... other places and it also threatens our homelands," he said then. Under Carter's leadership, all US military combat positions were opened up to women, and in 2016, the Pentagon lifted a ban on out transgender people being able to serve.

Having studied the issue for almost a year, he said at the time that the decision was "a matter of principle." "We don't want barriers unrelated to a person's qualification to serve preventing us from recruiting or retaining the soldier, sailor, airman or Marine who can best accomplish the mission. We have to have access to 100% of America's population," he said. "Although relatively few in number, we're talking about talented and trained Americans who are serving their country with honor and distinction," he said. "We want to take the opportunity to retain people whose talent we've invested in and who've proven themselves."

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/25/politics/ashton-carter-dies/index.html

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Article being updated.

Last update -

Washington CNN -- Ashton Carter, who served as President Barack Obama's final defense secretary, has died, his family said. He was 68.

Carter, who led the Defense Department from February 2015 to January 2017, suffered a "sudden cardiac event" on Monday night in Boston, his family said in a statement.

He is survived by his wife, Stephanie, and his children, Ava and Will.



This story is breaking and will be updated.

Original article -

Washington CNN -- Ashton Carter, who served as President Barack Obama's final defense secretary, has died, his family said on Tuesday. He was 68.



This story is breaking and will be updated.

Former U.S. defense secretary Ash Carter dies - statement

Reuters

WASHINGTON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Ash Carter, a former U.S. defense secretary during Barack Obama's administration, died on Monday evening after a sudden cardiac event at the age of 68, his family said in a statement on Tuesday.

Carter, who served during the final two years of the Obama administration, helped oversee the launch of a military strategy that would drive back the Islamic State military group in Syria and Iraq, and ultimately defeat the organization.

Since leaving public service, Carter led the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard's Kennedy School.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/former-us-defense-secretary-ash-carter-dies-statement-2022-10-25/