Military Times reports that “members of the Senate Armed Services Committee blasted top Pentagon officials Thursday for what they see as inaction against resurgent Taliban forces in Afghanistan, weak responses to Iranian aggression, questionable progress in battling the Islamic State group and a too-passive approach to rebuilding the force for the fights of tomorrow.”  

“The comments came during Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s first appearance on Capitol Hill to defend the White House’s fiscal 2017 budget request, a nearly $583 billion plan that he defended as ‘meeting our needs.’”  

“But Republicans on the panel have criticized both the president and Pentagon for not pushing for more, to address training and equipment shortfalls identified by the services.”