President Obama has nominated Ashton Carter, the Pentagon's former No. 2 civilian, to succeed Chuck Hagel as defense secretary, noting that he is a "reformer who has never been afraid to cancel old or inefficient weapons programs." Carter, who also previously served as the Pentagon's acquisition chief, stepped down as the deputy defense secretary on Dec. 4, 2013. "I think it's fair to say in your one-year attempt at retirement from public service you failed miserably," Obama said during a...
