The Pentagon’s top two leaders avoided directly answering whether they trust Russia, as Moscow and Washington negotiate a possible intelligence-sharing agreement over Syrian strikes.
“We’re not interested in a transaction focused on trust,” Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joe Dunford told reporters Monday. “There will be specific procedures and processes in any transaction we might have with the Russians or we might have with the Russians that would account for protecting our operation security.”
The question came up the same day the political world focused on Russia’s purported role in hacking into email servers belonging to Democratic National Committee staffers. Asked specifically for a reaction to the news, Defense Secretary Ash Carter referred to the FBI, which Monday launched an investigation into the theft.
On the intel-sharing agreement, which is being negotiated by Secretary of State John Kerry, Carter reiterated that it would be based on aligned interests, not trust.
“Our interests are quite clear. Our interests are to see a political transition promoted, number one, and that puts an end to violence in Syria and gives the Syrian people back a government and a life that they deserve,” Carter said. “And second, the defeat of extremism there and in Iraq. So those are the U.S. interests. And to the extent that Russia can align with U.S. interests, we work with them as has been the case in Iran, North Korea and other places where U.S. and Russian interests have aligned.”
