July 10th, 2011
11:13 AM ET

U.S. Defense Secretary Panetta in Iraq

United States Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has arrived in Baghdad, his first trip to Iraq since taking over the Pentagon.

The visit comes within days of Panetta, the former head of the CIA, saying that the U.S. is "within reach of strategically defeating al Qaeda." He made that statement on Saturday, shortly before landing in Afghanistan.

"I think we have them on the run," he said. "I think now is the moment, now is the moment following what happened with bin Laden to put maximum pressure on them because I do believe that if we continue this effect that we really can cripple al Qaeda as a threat to this country."

In Afghanistan, Panetta met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Gen. David Petraeus, currently head of the NATO International Security Assistance Force and U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Panetta was sworn in less than a month ago.

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Filed under: Afghanistan • Iraq • World
soundoff (18 Responses)
  1. RUFFNUTT

    he is looking for the last of the "power stones" china found one yesterday... the last rumored power stone was suppose to be in iraq, somewhere...

    July 10, 2011 at 11:18 am | Report abuse |
  2. Mmmmm

    China is just a fat geisha girl...give her our dog tags and a t-shirt for her pillow to cry on at night before we hit da door... Brits are still sipping tea wondering where did the queen go wrong.

    July 10, 2011 at 11:32 am | Report abuse |
  3. michaelfury

    “There’s a picture of the World Trade Center hanging up by my bed and I keep one in my Kevlar [flak jacket]. Every time I feel sorry for these people I look at that. I think, ‘They hit us at home and, now, it’s our turn.’ I don’t want to say payback but, you know, it’s pretty much payback.”

    http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/payback/

    July 10, 2011 at 12:17 pm | Report abuse |
  4. michaelfury

    "The less obvious but perhaps more important question that should occur to people is: When did the lying begin? That is, if our political leaders were willing to tell and repeat unabashed lies despite the knowledge that those lies would result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, what would they not do? What similar lies have they told in the past to achieve their goals and would our own understanding change dramatically if we knew the truth?"

    – Kevin Ryan

    http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2011/02/28/what-would-they-not-do/

    July 10, 2011 at 12:23 pm | Report abuse |
  5. one cheek sneak

    We are still at war with Iraq? Let me know when its over. I'm gonna go take a b.m.

    July 10, 2011 at 12:38 pm | Report abuse |
    • Mmmmm

      Alright cheeks, get the crap outta here...and take your pet turd withya...no passing gas on the way out!!!

      July 10, 2011 at 12:51 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Jazzzzzzzz

    Well well, look who's here. He he. LOL.

    July 10, 2011 at 2:06 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Mad Hatter

    Well I've been lied to by the GOP my whole life.

    July 10, 2011 at 2:35 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Mad Hatter

    We've been lied to by the GOP for generations. Great great grandfathers included.

    July 10, 2011 at 2:38 pm | Report abuse |
    • Product Placement

      Correction: We've been lied to by all of them. You lied to me, and you really like tea parties, so quit the games. This comment was brought to you by White Rabbit shovels.. Perfect for following horses at the parade, or beating someone over the head who you disagree with.. White Rabbit shovels can. E found at your local Ace, or Home Depot.

      July 10, 2011 at 7:11 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Jay Horn

    Well well ive been lied to by the whole Democrat Party.

    July 10, 2011 at 2:46 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Product Placement

    As long as Saddam isn't Sodomizing anymore.. This comment was brought to you by Master Lock Chasti ty Belts, not to be confused with Master of Puppets Chasity belts, or Chas Bono.. Both are hazardous to your health.

    July 10, 2011 at 7:15 pm | Report abuse |
  11. RUFFNUTT

    More right-wing bravado from this Panetta jerk about Al Qaeda "being on the run". In fact, Al Qaeda has been "on the run" since 2001 and even before that. And almost nobody knows whether or not those clowns who call themselves "Seal Team 6" actually slaughtered bin Laden or someone who looks like him back on May2. A lot the right-wing thugs in Washington never tell us!!

    July 10, 2011 at 10:30 pm | Report abuse |
    • George Patton

      Well said, RUFFNUTT. Now the right-wing thugs are trying to grab up credit for what's been going on for years. Even 9/11 was most probably an inside job at least in part since Al Qaeda itself had neither the sophistication nor the resources to pull it off on their own!

      July 11, 2011 at 9:50 am | Report abuse |
  12. leeintulsa

    Well, they tell us, some just refuse to believe. Most of the time, things really are as simple as they appear. I believed, then when al qaeda confirmed, considered it a done deal.

    July 10, 2011 at 11:32 pm | Report abuse |
  13. about G.M. Settlement

    Remember the G.M. blow up trucks that Panetta screwed us on. people drove old trucks cause we couldnt afford new ones. G.m. Knew there was a problem. Punetta settled for them to pay 4 some psas. Its almost 20yrs havent seen em. How much did leon keep?

    July 11, 2011 at 2:28 am | Report abuse |
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