Overnight Defense: War measure would ban 'enduring' ground troops

THE TOPLINE: The White House's request of a war authorization from Congress against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) will include a ban on "enduring" ground troops in combat operations, according to lawmakers and aides. The language, which would authorize action for three years, will specifically ban "enduring offensive ground operations" – wording intended to win over both congressional Republicans who oppose a ban of ground troops in combat and Democrats who fear mission creep. But it is unclear whether the language will pass muster with Democrats, who argue that a war authorization should not allow for ground troops in combat. Senators note that the exact language will be worked through in hearings after the authorization is unveiled. "It'd be interesting to know exactly what that 'enduring' means. But I have to see it," said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. White House officials were on Capitol Hill briefing members about the emerging language on Tuesday. It's possible the authorization could be sent to Congress on Wednesday. The new request does not call for a repeal of the 2001 authorization for use of force (AUMF) against Al Qaeda and associated forces, but would repeal a separate authorization from 2002 used for the war in Iraq. There are no restrictions on what geography the new authorization would apply to, an aide said. CARTER GETS GREEN LIGHT: The Senate Armed Services Committee voted unanimously Tuesday in favor of Ashton Carter's nomination for secretary of Defense. Carter, 60, is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate soon, perhaps as early as Wednesday. Carter, a former deputy Defense secretary, faced no opposition to his nomination, unlike current Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, whose confirmation vote on the committee split along party lines. In a sign of Carter's popularity, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) requested a voice vote, so he could go on record as backing his nomination. Carter, 60, testified last week that he was "inclined" toward arming Ukraine and would be open to modifying the drawdown in Afghanistan, if conditions were to worsen there. "We face diverse threats, from barbaric terrorist groups like ISIS to brazen Russian aggression, and we need someone who can capably assess these challenges. I look forward to working with Dr. Carter to address these complex threats and protect our national security interests," Wicker said. If confirmed, Carter would be President Obama's fourth Defense secretary, following Robert Gates, Leon Panetta and Hagel. OBAMA WARNS PUTIN: President Obama warned Russian President Vladimir Putin in a call that Moscow could face more severe penalties if it continues to provide separatists operating in eastern Ukraine with troops, weapons and financing. The phone call came days before discussions planned later this week between envoys from Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France to discuss a multilateral solution to the ongoing security crisis. "President Obama underscored the rising human toll of the fighting and underscored the importance of President Putin seizing the opportunity presented by the ongoing discussions between Russia, France, Germany, and Ukraine to reach a peaceful resolution," the White House said in a statement. Senior members of the administration and Capitol Hill lawmakers have pushed for giving lethal weapons to Ukraine's military, but international leaders have warned such provisions could escalate the conflict. ISIS HACKS MILITARY SPOUSES: Hackers claiming to be members of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) apparently hacked into the Twitter account of a military spouse and threatened other spouses and their children. The hackers, calling themselves the "Cyber Caliphate," claimed they are waging a "Cyber Jihad." "While your president and your husband are killing our brothers in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan we're coming for you," said one message that was posted to the account. The account is owned by the spouse of a U.S. Marine, and is used to promote her nonprofit that advocates for military spouses. The group is also suspected of hacking Newsweek's Twitter feed. One message from the hackers threatened first lady Michelle Obama, who has advocated on behalf of military spouses. "Bloody Valentine's Day #MichelleObama! We're watching you, your girls and your husband! #CyberCaliphate," the message said. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: -Dem whip urges quick vote on war powers -Freshman senator: 'Savages' detained at Gitmo -Air Force defends 'Warthog' stats -Rubio: Iran 'confident' of its position in talks -Air Force deploys 12 Warthogs, 300 airmen to Germany Please send tips and comments to Kristina Wong, kwong@thehill.com, and Martin Matishak, mmatishak@thehill.com. Follow us on Twitter: @thehill,@kristina_wong, @martinmatishak