Senate confirms Pentagon chief

Most Republicans back Obama’s defense nominee.

Ash Carter was confirmed 93-5 in the Republicancontrolled Senate,

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday confirmed President Barack Obama’s choice to run the Pentagon, handing Ash Carter the unenviable task of steering the military as the United States confronts Islamic State militants, conflict in Ukraine and other worldwide threats.

The overwhelming bipartisan vote in the Republican-controlled Senate was 93-5.

Voting against the nomination were Republican Sens. Roy Blunt of Missouri, Mike Crapo and Jim Risch of Idaho, Mark Kirk of Illinois and John Boozman of Arkansas.

Carter will replace Chuck Hagel, the former Republican senator who had a rough relationship with Obama’s insular group of national security advisers.

Carter will be Obama’s fourth defense secretary in six years, joining a line of succession that began with Robert Gates and included Leon Panetta and Hagel.

Obama welcomed the bipartisan vote and Carter’s return to the national security team.

One of Carter’s first tasks will be helping to win support for Obama’s call to Congress for new authority to use force against the Islamic State extremists. Republicans and Democrats have reacted negatively to Obama’s draft proposal, criticizing both its limitations and vagueness.

In endorsing the 60year-old Carter, Republicans expressed little hope that he would have better success in working with Obama’s inner circle than Hagel did. The former Republican senator and Vietnam War veteran was often the outsider, and he announced in November he was stepping down.

The president’s relationship with the Pentagon has often been strained.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., chairman of the Armed Services Committee, alluded to the divide between the White House and Pentagon, saying he had “sincere hope and, sadly, little confidence that the president who nominated Dr. Carter will empower him to lead and contribute to the fullest extent of his abilities.”