My overall worldview has never changed: that America has and must maintain the strongest military in the world, that we must lead the international community to confront threats and challenges together, and that we must use all tools of American power to protect our citizens and our interests.

And this - this board was - was impanelled in 1951. And it's gone through ups and downs in how the secretaries have used it. But I have put a premium on that advisory board.

(The) chain of command has failed over the years, obviously, for a lot of reasons.

There has to be a reason and objective (to air strikes). What does it do to move the effort down the road for a political conversation?

This current government in Iraq has never fulfilled the commitments it made to form a unity government with the Kurds, the Sunnis and the Shia. We have worked hard with them within the confines of our ability to do that but we can't dictate to them.

I am fully supportive of 'open service' and committed to LGBT military families.