Washington: Defense Secretary Leon Panetta made a safe choice and elevated the head of Pentagon acquisition to serve as his deputy. Ash Carter will lead the Pentagon’s enormously difficult efforts to cut the budget without gutting America’s military capabilities.

The nomination of Carter, who has won consistent praise from defense lawmakers for his oversight of the Joint Strike Fighter program and other major defense programs, was announced by the White House this afternoon. The deputy defense secretary runs the Pentagon day to day, oversees major acquisition decisions and serves as the department’s top finance officer. Keep reading →