Report: Leon Panetta Was The Source Of The Leak That Revealed The Navy SEAL Unit That Killed Osama Bin Laden

Leon E. Panetta, right, takes the oath of office as the 23rd U.S. secretary of defense during a Pentagon ceremony, July 1, 2011. Defense Department General Counsel Jeh Johnson administered the oath in the secretary’s office. DOD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jacob N. Bailey

Report: Leon Panetta Revealed Classified SEAL Unit Info -- Politico

Former CIA Director Leon Panetta revealed the name of the Navy SEAL unit that carried out the Osama Bin Laden raid and named the unit’s ground commander at a 2011 ceremony attended by Zero Dark Thirty filmmaker Mark Boal, according to a draft Pentagon inspector general’s report obtained by a watchdog group.

Panetta also disclosed classified information designated as “top secret” and “secret” during his presentation at the CIA awards ceremony, says the draft IG report published Wednesday by the Project on Government Oversight.

The report does not make clear whether Panetta was aware that Boal was present at the ceremony, held under a tent at the CIA complex on June 24, 2011. “Approximately 1300” people from the military and the intelligence community were on hand for the event, according to a CIA press release issued the following week.

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Update: Leon Panetta gave Hollywood exec top secret info on Bin Laden raid's SEAL unit, leader -- Examiner

My Comment: When Valerie Plame was revealed to be a CIA employee .... wall to wall coverage from the press for months/years. Naming the unit that killed Osama Bin Laden and hence making every soldier in SEAL Team 6 a marked man by Al Qaeda hit squads .... little if any coverage from the press.

U.S. Defense Secretary Panetta: European Defense Cuts And U.S. Budget Gridlock Are Jeopardizing NATO's Effectiveness

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta holds a press conference after participating in two days of meetings with NATO defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Feb. 22, 2013. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett

Defense Cuts Jeopardize NATO's Effectiveness, Panetta Warns -- Reuters

European Defense cuts and U.S. budget gridlock are jeopardizing NATO's effectiveness, outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned on Friday.

Leaving his last NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels, Panetta joined those warning of the effects of deep Defense cuts in many Western countries and said it would be an "irresponsible act of political dysfunction" if the U.S. Congress permitted sweeping across-the-board Defense cuts to take place.

Many NATO governments have responded to economic crisis and budget pressures by slashing Defense spending, creating a growing gulf between U.S. and European military capabilities.

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My Comment: Panetta is right .... but no one is listening to someone who will be out of Washington (and retired) in the next week or two.

US Defense Secretary Panetta Wants To Quit And "Get The Hell Out Of Washington"

LAST LOOK

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, his wife, Sylvia, and their dog, Bravo, walk through crowds of cheering Defense Department workers and military members on the secretary's last day at the Pentagon, Feb. 14, 2013. Panetta is stepping down as the 23rd defense secretary. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Successor In Limbo, Defense Chief Pines For Pentagon Exit -- Reuters

(Reuters) - With his successor's fate unclear, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta publicly pined for retirement on Thursday, saying he was packed up and ready to take his wife, Sylvia, home for Valentine's Day and "get the hell out of here."

But the man nominated to replace the 74-year-old Panetta, former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, faces stiff opposition from Senate Republicans who are threatening to hold up his confirmation vote - potentially delaying Panetta's retirement plans.

Panetta, longing to return to his California walnut farm after four years as Pentagon chief and CIA director, has repeatedly said goodbye to Pentagon and Washington officials in recent days, something he hoped he was doing once and for all at a ceremony on Thursday.

Still, he couldn't be sure.

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Update #1: Pentagon chief wants 'to get the hell out of town' -- Global Post/AFP
Update #2: Panetta: Being allowed to retire from Pentagon job would be a great Valentine’s Day present -- Washington Post/AP

My Comment: Leon Panetta has already indicated that he will stay until Chuck Hagel is nominated .... but with his successor's nomination now in doubt (or at least delayed) .... he may find himself staying in Washington longer than what he had expected.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Panetta To Keep Security Detail During Retirement

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta testifies on the Defense Department’s response to the attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya, during a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, D.C., Feb. 7, 2013. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

Panetta To Keep Security Detail In Retirement -- CNN

Outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will have a full detail of security agents assigned to him for the foreseeable future after he leaves office, an administration official confirmed to CNN Wednesday.

Federal security personnel will be assigned to Panetta due to concerns about potential future threats against him both as a result of his time as CIA director and secretary of defense, the official said.

"This is the guy that killed Osama bin Laden," the official noted. "He'll have guys with him for some time to come."

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My Comment: He headed the agency that found and killed Osama Bin laden .... so yeah .... having a security detail for the next few years is probably a good thing.

U.S. Secretary Of Defense Panetta Gives His Last Press Conference

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta sits down for his last press briefing before the end of his tenure as the 23rd secretary at the Pentagon, Feb. 13, 2013. During the briefing, Panetta offered a reflective and candid view of his time in the office. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett

Panetta: "We Can't Just Sit Here And B***h" -- CBS

In what he presumed to be his final press briefing as defense secretary, Leon Panetta today slammed Congress for failing to work with the executive branch and putting the nation's security at risk.

"Often times I feel like I don't have a full partnership with my former colleagues on the Hill in trying to do what's right for this country," Panetta told reporters. "I don't pretend we always make the right decisions, [but]... what I look for is members willing to work with us. We need to look for solutions. We can't just sit here and b***h... We have got to solve real problems facing this country."

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More News On U.S. Secretary Of Defense Panetta's Last News Conference

Panetta on Sequestration: ‘We Can’t Just Sit Here and Bitch’ -- Defense News
Panetta: ‘We Can’t Just Sit Here And Bitch’ -- TPM
Panetta: World is watching U.S. on budget -- CNN
Strong Defense Rests on Strong Congress, Panetta Says -- US Department of Defense
Panetta: Congress hurting itself and U.S. image with continuous squabbling -- Kansas City/McClatchy News
'Too much meanness' in US political life: Panetta -- AFP
Panetta makes ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ reference -- Washington Post

President Obama Thanks Leon Panetta For His Service At His Farewell Ceremony

President Barack Obama hugs Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta during the armed forces farewell tribute to honor him on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., Feb. 8, 2013. Panetta is stepping down as the 23rd defense secretary. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Obama Pays Tribute To Leon Panetta At The Pentagon Chief’s Farewell Ceremony -- Washington Post

President Obama paid tribute Friday to outgoing Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, hailing him for presiding over victories against terrorists and the expansion of opportunity in the U.S. armed forces.

In a speech at Fort Myer, Va., for the “Armed Forces Farewell Tribute” to Panetta, the president called the Pentagon chief “a man who hasn’t simply lived up to the American dream but has helped to protect it for all of us.”

He told Panetta, who served as CIA director before taking the helm at the Pentagon, “Your leadership of the CIA will forever be remembered for the b lows that we struck against al-Qaeda” and for “delivering justice to Osama bin Laden.”

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More News On Leon Panetta's Farewell Ceremony

Obama says farewell to defense chief as successor awaits vote -- Reuters
Obama thanks Panetta for service, warns against military budget cuts -- NBC
Panetta Thanks Troops at Farewell Ceremony -- Wall Street Journal
President Obama Bids Farewell to Leon Panetta -- ABC News
Obama hails Panetta in farewell ceremony -- Politico
Obama praises Panetta in send-off -- UPI
Panetta gets a send-off but he's not yet out the door -- CNN
Defense Secretary Panetta's Tenure Spanned Social Changes, World Strife -- PBS

Outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Panetta Warns Of Impending Defense Budget Cuts

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta speaks to students at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Feb. 6, 2013. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

In Farewell Remarks, Panetta Rails Against Congress, Sequestration -- CBS

In his final days as defense secretary, Leon Panetta today railed against a Congress he decried as increasingly "callous" in its approach to governing, and warned that an ongoing "pattern of constant partisanship and gridlock and recrimination" in Washington would gravely threaten America's national security, economy, and military readiness.

Panetta, in remarks at Georgetown University this morning, outlined the nation's major global defense challenges - from cyber attacks to ongoing instability in the Middle East and North Africa - and laid out the U.S. strategy for managing and meeting those challenges.

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More News On Outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Panetta's Remarks On Sequestration

Speech by U.S. Defense Secretary Panetta (full text) -- US Department of Defense
Panetta Warns of Dire Consequences to Military From Budget Cuts -- New York Times
Panetta warns of degraded military readiness from spending cuts -- CNN
Panetta warns against spending cuts -- UPI
Panetta Urges Congress to End Gridlock -- US Department of Defense
Panetta Warns Sequestration Threatens National Readiness -- US Department of Defense
Panetta hits budgets cuts, congressional inaction -- Washington Times
Panetta: New Cuts Could Hinder U.S. Ability To Meet Crises -- Defense News
'Dysfunction' in Congress puts US at risk: Panetta -- AFP
Defense Cuts Threaten ‘Readiness Crisis,’ Panetta Says -- Bloomberg

My Comment: As farewell speeches go this one was average, but he leaves during the time when budget cuts are going to completely redefine and reshape the U.S. military.

U.S. Defense Secretary Panetta: Budget Cuts Will Make The U.S. A 2nd-Rate Power

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta stands with Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence Michael G. Vickers for the national anthem at the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence 10th anniversary celebration dinner Dec. 3, 2012, at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Va. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Panetta: Cuts Could Make U.S. A 2nd-Rate Power -- Army Times/USA Today

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned Friday the United States would become a "second-rate power" if Congress and the White House fail to reach a budget deal that would avoid an extra $500 billion in military budget cuts over the next 10 years.

The Army would be forced to slash its ranks by an additional 100,000 soldiers over 10 years if the process called sequestration went into effect, Panetta said in an interview with USA TODAY. That reduction would be in addition to the 80,000 soldiers it plans to shed over the next five years to a force of about 490,000. The Marine Corps will drop about 20,000 troops under the current plan, which calls on the Pentagon to reduce spending by $487 billion over the next decade.

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My Comment: His remarks are too little and too late.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Panetta`s Remarks At Kings College

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta speaks at Kings College in London, Jan. 18, 2013. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Panetta Calls For More Agile NATO With Wider Strategic Focus -- Reuters

LONDON (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta called on Friday for NATO to reinvent itself as a more agile alliance with a broader outlook embracing the Asia-Pacific and able to respond to new threats from Islamic militancy.

Panetta said as the alliance winds down the Afghanistan war and cuts defense spending to fit shrinking budgets, it would still face challenges from Islamist militants as well as countries like Iran and North Korea.

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More News On U.S. Secretary of Defense Panetta`s Remarks At Kings College

Transcript: Remarks by Secretary Panetta at King's College London -- US Department of Defense
Panetta: NATO Needs to Join U.S. Rebalance to Asia-Pacific -- Defense News
Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta warns of ‘complex set of threats’ faced by US and Europe -- Scotsman
Panetta Urges New Focus for NATO -- US Department of Defense
Panetta warns Europe cooperation now key -- British Forces News
Panetta Calls for Cooperation on Security -- Wall Street Journal
Leon Panetta calls for 'relentless pressure on al-Qaida' -- The Guardian
Panetta: Terrorists 'Will Have No Place to Hide' -- US Department of Defense

U.S. Secretary of Defense Panetta Comments On Algeria 'Terrorism' And Syrian Chemical Weapons

Exclusive: Leon Panetta On Algeria 'Terrorism' And Syrian Chemical Weapons -- ABC News

The United States will take "all necessary and proper steps" needed to deal with the ongoing hostage situation in Algeria, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told ABC News' Martha Raddatz in an exclusive interview, although he cautioned that American officials fear the information coming out of the African country is "pretty sketchy."

Panetta also provided new details about Syria's mixing of chemical weapons in December and the clearest explanation yet of the Obama administration's red lines if the Assad regime uses the weapons against its own people.

Panetta was interviewed by Raddatz as he traveled to visit U.S. Army soldiers in Vicenza, Italy. The defense secretary is on a European trip that he has characterized as his final trip overseas while in his post.

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My Comment: Nothing new .... but one can tell that he is more worried about Syria than what is happening in the Algerian hostage crisis.

Is U.S. Defense Secretary Panetta's Last Trip Business Or Pleasure?

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta meets with Afghan Defense Minister Besmillah Khan Mohammadi during a visit to the Pentagon, Jan. 9, 2013 DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett

European Vacation? Pentagon Defends Final Panetta Trip To Allies -- E-Ring/Foreign Policy

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta next week will make his final trip abroad, a dream swing through Madrid, Lisbon, Rome and London, prompting reporters to ask: Is there a national security need or is this a junket?

Tony Capaccio, of Bloomberg, invoked Panetta’s Italian-American heritage to press the Pentagon spokesman in Tuesday’s briefing to give a military or strategic reason for the high-cost visit of a defense secretary and his “entourage” to Rome.

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Update: Panetta Plans Visit to 4 European Allies -- Defense News

My Comment: This is a pleasure trip.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's Comments Sum Up Washington Perfectly

From CBS: Defense Secretary Leon Panetta today said as he steps down from his Cabinet post, he will return to his family and walnut farm - "a different set of nuts," he joked to President Obama.

An Interview With U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta

Mark Mann

What I've Learned: Leon Panetta: Secretary of Defense, 74, Arlington, Virginia -- Cal Fussman, Esquire

Panetta served eight terms in Congress and later became President Clinton's chief of staff. He was director of the CIA from 2009 through 2011, a period that included the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Interviewed November 9, 2012

Italians are romantics, and my mother taught me the value of beauty and the appreciation for life. She really wanted me to be a concert pianist. That's always been with me, because every time I sit down and play Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven, and Schubert, I think of her.

I sat down with the president yesterday, and we were talking about the election. I told him, "What the American people voted for was the fact that they trust your judgment. They don't always agree with you, but they trust the fact that you're a straight shooter and that you really do want to do what's in the interest of the country." Look, I've seen the president in the Situation Room and policy meetings where you really get the sense that the questions he's asking are never about What's in the interest of my political ass? It's: What's in the interest of the country? And that has always given me a sense of comfort. When a president asks that question, then even though he might come out in the wrong place, even though he might make the wrong decision, he's got the best measure for how you can best help people.

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My Comment: He sounds like a man who wants to retire and leave the public spotlight.

U.S. Secretary Of Defense: America Has Not Abandoned The Middle East

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta conducts a news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai after their meeting in Kabul, Afghanistan, Dec 13, 2012. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

US Can Walk And Chew Gum At The Same Time -- Leon Panetta, Gulf News

Even as America rebalances towards the Asia-Pacific region, it will retain a significant presence in the Middle East to deter aggression and promote stability.

The US military has entered a period of historic change after more than a decade of war, following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. America has ended the war in Iraq; it is implementing an effective transition and drawdown in Afghanistan; and it has seriously weakened Al Qaida’s leadership in the fight against terrorism.

As a result of these efforts and the reality of budget constraints, the US has developed a new defence strategy for the 21st century — one that emphasises agility, technology and force projection. The US has begun to focus on the challenges and opportunities of the future and it is clear that many of them lie in Asia.

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My Comment: The U.S. may not be abandoning the Middle East .... but they are certainly retrenching. And with massive defense budget cuts on the horizon .... I (and almost every pundit outside of the U.S.) just do not see the U.S. having the presence and influence that they use to have .... whether it is in the Middle East, Asia, or elsewhere.

Panetta Jokes About Petraeus

 

 Question About David Petraeus Gets A Laugh From Leon Panetta -- CNN 

"You've got to be kidding me." That's how Secretary of Defense and former CIA Director Leon Panetta first responded when asked about David Petraeus's sudden and unceremonial departure from the CIA. The question was asked during an event Tuesday at the National Press Club. "As the former head of the CIA, please explain why Gen. Petraeus was forced to resign, rather than a lesser punishment," an unidentified audience member asked. As soon as the question was asked, Panetta laughed and said, "You've got to be kidding me." He continued: "In this town, with that kind of e-mail, do you think he could have survived as director of the CIA? I don't think so."

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My Comment: And Panetta is 100% right.

U.S. Defense Secretary Panetta Addresses Future Of The Military

 

Panetta Outlines A Busy Future For The U.S. Military -- Defense News

In a wide-ranging speech delivered at National Press Club in Washington on Dec. 18, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta presented a vision of the future that includes a very active role for the U.S. military in a post-Afghanistan world, even as the Pentagon shrinks its end strength and tightens its fiscal belt. Panetta—whose potential replacement may be announced as early as this week—said that the Pentagon has learned the lesson of past postwar draw-downs, “when deep across-the-board cuts hollowed out the force, and left the military demoralized and unready to carry out the missions assigned to it. Instead, we have set priorities and made tough decisions to build the force of the future,” he said.  

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More News On U.S. Secretary of Defense Panetta's Speech At The National Press Club In Washington  

Panetta cites budget woes, Afghan war progress -- AP
 ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Threatens Defense Strategy, Panetta Says -- US Department of Defense
Panetta: For sake of troops, Congress must act on "fiscal cliff" -- CBS
 Panetta Cites Budget Woes, Afghan War Progress -- ABC News
Panetta outlines busy future for military -- Air Force Times
DOD chief Panetta fires back at sequestration, outlines the future of a 'leaner, more efficient' fighting force -- al.com Panetta plays troop card to press DC on budget deal -- Foreign Policy
 Panetta: Military Will Still Be Able to Fight Multiple Wars -- National Defense
Panetta Cites Turning Point in Afghanistan -- Voice of America
Leon Panetta cites turning point in Afghanistan war -- Politico/AP
Panetta Promises Cuts to Military Brass -- Military.com
 Panetta: Troop pay may be on the table in future budget cuts -- Human Events

U.S. Defense Secretary Panetta Will Still Be Staying At His Job For The Short Term

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta meets with Southeast Asian defense ministers at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, in Siem Reap, Cambodia, Nov. 16, 2012. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Panetta Tells VOA He Won't Step Down Right Away -- Voice of America

U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta indicated in an interview with VOA that he does not plan to immediately step down following President Barack Obama's re-election.

Although Panetta has said in the past he did not intend to serve throughout Obama's second term, he said Thursday there are tasks ahead that he wants to tackle, so he will confer with the president later on when he'll resign. He said among other things, he wants to deal with the threat of severe budget cuts, called sequestration, that could happen next year if Congress does not act.

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My Comment: He will leave once sequestration has been resolved, and laying the groundwork to manage it's impact the US defense budget

Will Leon Panetta Remain As US Secretary Of Defense?

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta conducts a press conference during his flight to Perth, Australia, Nov. 12, 2012. Panetta participated in Veterans Day ceremonies in Hawaii Nov. 11, before continuing on a six-day trip to Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo

Panetta Says He Will Stay in Washington to Meet Challenges -- US Department of Defense

BOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, Nov. 12, 2012 – Amid speculation that he will excuse himself from President Barack Obama’s second-term national security team, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said today his immediate goal is to finish the job he began in 2010.

“It’s no secret that at some point I’d like to get back to California,” Panetta told reporters traveling with him on his fourth official trip to the Asia-Pacific region. “It’s my home.” The secretary and he and his wife, Sylvia, founded the Panetta Institute for Public Policy there in 1997.

But in Washington, Panetta said, he is grappling with defense issues that range from looming spending cuts and budget issues to long-term planning in Afghanistan, “and the president and I are working very closely to make sure that we meet those defense challenges.”

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More News On Comments From Leon Panetta That He May Continue To Stay In Washington As US Secretary Of Defense

Will he stay in job? Pentagon chief says: "Who the hell knows?" -- Chicago Tribune/Reuters
Panetta on staying as Pentagon chief: 'Who the hell knows?' -- AFP
Panetta will remain defense secretary ... at least for now -- The Patriot
Panetta not to quit Obama Cabinet right now -- Economic Times
Post-Election Change at Pentagon? -- Defense News

My Comment: Considering who they are thinking of replacing him with, I hope that Panetta remains for another 4 years. But .... he will probably be leaving after a deal is done to avoid sequestration .... or if it happens, he will stay to sort out the mess. After that .... it's back to California and taking time to enjoy a different life away from the spotlight.

The Panetta Doctrine?

The Panetta Doctrine -- Jonah Goldberg, NRO

The secretary of defense in his best grown-up voice says:

“(The) basic principle is that you don’t deploy forces into harm’s way without knowing what’s going on; without having some real-time information about what’s taking place,” Panetta told Pentagon reporters. “And as a result of not having that kind of information, the commander who was on the ground in that area, Gen. Ham, Gen. Dempsey and I felt very strongly that we could not put forces at risk in that situation.”

It seems obvious that Panetta is trying protect Obama from responsibility for the administration’s Benghazi response. I don’t think that works. The decision to outsource the call is still a presidential decision.

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Update #1: 'The Panetta Doctrine?' Americans on their own if attacked -- Rick Moran, American Thinker
Update #2: Former Delta Operator on "The Panetta Doctrine" or also known as "The Dumbest Shit I Ever Heard!" -- Black Five

My Comment: When I heard the above remarks I also rolled my eyes .... but this is what happens when you have a leadership that is risk- averse mindset and who are afraid of repeating a disaster like this one.

U.S. Secretray Of Defense Panetta: U.S. Consulate Attack Was Terrorism

Defense Secretary Says Benghazi Assault Was Planned Terror Attack -- CNN

The assault on the diplomatic office in Benghazi was clearly a planned assault by terrorists, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said Thursday.

"As we determined the details of what took place there and how that attack took place, it became clear that there were terrorists who planned that attack," Panetta said.

Panetta's comments are the most definitive to date by an administration official that the Benghazi assault was planned. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said on September 16th that the attack "began spontaneously" as a protest against an anti-Muslim film that "spun" from there. Last week, testifying to Congress, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center said, at that point, there was no indication of "significant" plotting.

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More News On US Secretary Of Defense Panetta's Comments On The US Consulate Attack In Libya

Panetta: Terrorists behind attack on US in Libya -- Boston.com/AP
Libya assault was planned, 'terrorist' attack: US -- France24/AFP
Terrorist group killed U.S. ambassador in Libya-Panetta -- Reuters
Panetta says Libya attack was pre-planned by terrorists -- Washington Examiner
Panetta: Libya Attack the Work of Terrorists -- National Journal

My Comment: Panetta's comments are brief ... and to the point. This is the approach that the White house should have taken a few days after the attack .... not the spin and conflicting stories about YouTube videos and a spontaneous mob that decided to attack the consulate.