The Senate Armed Services Committee has voted to advance the nomination of former Boeing executive Patrick Shanahan to become the next deputy defense secretary, despite Chairman John McCain's (R-AZ) initial reluctance. Shanahan, to help his cause, sent McCain a revised version of his written answers to advance policy questions on Russia, the Middle East and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. He ran afoul of McCain during his June 20 confirmation hearing when, according to McCain, he "ducked"...
