By Alan Silverleib, CNN
June 9, 2011 1:19 p.m. EDT
Leon Panetta, head of the Central Intelligence Agency, will replace Defense Secretary Robert Gates if confirmed.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Washington (CNN) -- Defense Secretary nominee Leon Panetta asserted Thursday that the United States and its allies have made "great progress" in the nearly decade-long war in Afghanistan, but warned that recent gains are "fragile and reversible."
He refused to indicate how fast the U.S. military should start any withdrawal from Afghanistan. The rate at which troops should be withdrawn should be "conditions-based," he said.
Greater progress needs to be made, particularly in terms of Afghan self-governance, so that ultimately officials in Kabul "can take responsibility for that country," he added.
The ultimate goal in Afghanistan, he stressed, is to ensure "sufficient stability" in that country so it can never again be a safe haven for al Qaeda or other extremist elements.
Panetta, currently head of the Central Intelligence Agency, made his remarks during his Pentagon confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Obama administration officials have said U.S. troops will start withdrawing from Afghanistan in July, and that a military handover should be completed in 2014. While the war remains largely unpopular within the United States, conservative critics have complained that a firm withdrawal timeline will undermine U.S. efforts.
Aside from the war in Afghanistan, Panetta's confirmation hearing touched on a wide range of topics, including NATO's engagement in Libya, the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, the global fight against terrorism, and Pentagon budgets in an age of fiscal austerity.
Senators from both sides of the aisle offered effusive praise for the 72-year-old nominee, who pledged to be a "tireless advocate for our troops and their families."
"This is a time of historic change," Panetta said. "We are no longer in the Cold War. This is the Blizzard War -- a blizzard of challenges that draws speed and intensity from rapidly developing technologies and the rising number of powers on the world stage."
"Despite the times we live in, there is reason to be confident," Panetta told the committee. The recent operation that killed Osama bin Ladin "has given us the greatest chance since 9/11 to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda permanently. We must keep up the pressure."
Panetta called the U.S. relationship with Pakistan, the site of bin Laden's hideout, "difficult" but "critical." While Pakistan has proven to be a safe haven for extremists, a positive relationship with authorities in Islamabad is vital to the mission in Afghanistan, he warned.
Close ties with Pakistan are also critical due to the necessity of securing that country's nuclear arsenal, he noted.
On Libya, Panetta expressed optimism that, if NATO operations continue, strongman Moammar Gadhafi will be forced from power.
"We have seen the regime weaken significantly. We have seen the opposition make gains," he said. "I think there are some signs that that if we continue the pressure, if we stick with it, that ultimately Gadhafi will step down."
He agreed, in response to a question from the committee's chairman, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, that the use of controversial enhanced interrogation techniques such as waterboarding during President George W. Bush's administration "crossed the line."
Panetta also warned of a "strong likelihood" that "the next Pearl Harbor could be a cyber attack."
"We are now the target of increasing attacks that go after our (computer-based) systems," he said.
Panetta, virtually certain to be confirmed, has been described as the consummate Washington insider. He took over at the CIA in February 2009, and previously served as chief of staff to President Bill Clinton between 1994 and 1997. Prior to that, the California Democrat served as director of Clinton's Office of Management and Budget, a position requiring mastery of tricky fiscal situations and an understanding of the federal government's sprawling bureaucracies.
Panetta also served in the House of Representatives from 1977 to 1993, a period in which he established deep congressional ties. His friendships and institutional knowledge of Capitol Hill, observers believe, will be critical in terms of helping to mold congressional opinion and balance Pentagon priorities against growing deficit fears.
"I am very aware that we must be highly disciplined in how we spend the taxpayer's precious resources," Panetta said Thursday. "I do not believe that we have to choose between strong fiscal discipline and strong national defense. We owe it to our citizens to provide both."
If confirmed, Panetta would replace retiring Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who has led the Pentagon since December 2006. President Barack Obama has nominated Gen. David Petraeus, currently head of the NATO International Security Assistance Force and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, to replace Panetta at the CIA.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/06/09/panetta/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
June 9, 2011 1:19 p.m. EDT
Leon Panetta, head of the Central Intelligence Agency, will replace Defense Secretary Robert Gates if confirmed.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- The Senate Armed Services Committee questions the defense secretary nominee
- Panetta, 72, refuses to say how quickly the U.S. military should withdraw from Afghanistan
- Panetta says any military withdrawal should be "conditions-based"
- Panetta addresses a range of topics, including Libya, Iraq, and Pentagon fiscal constraints
Washington (CNN) -- Defense Secretary nominee Leon Panetta asserted Thursday that the United States and its allies have made "great progress" in the nearly decade-long war in Afghanistan, but warned that recent gains are "fragile and reversible."
He refused to indicate how fast the U.S. military should start any withdrawal from Afghanistan. The rate at which troops should be withdrawn should be "conditions-based," he said.
Greater progress needs to be made, particularly in terms of Afghan self-governance, so that ultimately officials in Kabul "can take responsibility for that country," he added.
The ultimate goal in Afghanistan, he stressed, is to ensure "sufficient stability" in that country so it can never again be a safe haven for al Qaeda or other extremist elements.
Panetta, currently head of the Central Intelligence Agency, made his remarks during his Pentagon confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Obama administration officials have said U.S. troops will start withdrawing from Afghanistan in July, and that a military handover should be completed in 2014. While the war remains largely unpopular within the United States, conservative critics have complained that a firm withdrawal timeline will undermine U.S. efforts.
Aside from the war in Afghanistan, Panetta's confirmation hearing touched on a wide range of topics, including NATO's engagement in Libya, the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, the global fight against terrorism, and Pentagon budgets in an age of fiscal austerity.
Senators from both sides of the aisle offered effusive praise for the 72-year-old nominee, who pledged to be a "tireless advocate for our troops and their families."
"This is a time of historic change," Panetta said. "We are no longer in the Cold War. This is the Blizzard War -- a blizzard of challenges that draws speed and intensity from rapidly developing technologies and the rising number of powers on the world stage."
"Despite the times we live in, there is reason to be confident," Panetta told the committee. The recent operation that killed Osama bin Ladin "has given us the greatest chance since 9/11 to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda permanently. We must keep up the pressure."
Panetta called the U.S. relationship with Pakistan, the site of bin Laden's hideout, "difficult" but "critical." While Pakistan has proven to be a safe haven for extremists, a positive relationship with authorities in Islamabad is vital to the mission in Afghanistan, he warned.
Close ties with Pakistan are also critical due to the necessity of securing that country's nuclear arsenal, he noted.
On Libya, Panetta expressed optimism that, if NATO operations continue, strongman Moammar Gadhafi will be forced from power.
"We have seen the regime weaken significantly. We have seen the opposition make gains," he said. "I think there are some signs that that if we continue the pressure, if we stick with it, that ultimately Gadhafi will step down."
He agreed, in response to a question from the committee's chairman, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, that the use of controversial enhanced interrogation techniques such as waterboarding during President George W. Bush's administration "crossed the line."
Panetta also warned of a "strong likelihood" that "the next Pearl Harbor could be a cyber attack."
"We are now the target of increasing attacks that go after our (computer-based) systems," he said.
Panetta, virtually certain to be confirmed, has been described as the consummate Washington insider. He took over at the CIA in February 2009, and previously served as chief of staff to President Bill Clinton between 1994 and 1997. Prior to that, the California Democrat served as director of Clinton's Office of Management and Budget, a position requiring mastery of tricky fiscal situations and an understanding of the federal government's sprawling bureaucracies.
Panetta also served in the House of Representatives from 1977 to 1993, a period in which he established deep congressional ties. His friendships and institutional knowledge of Capitol Hill, observers believe, will be critical in terms of helping to mold congressional opinion and balance Pentagon priorities against growing deficit fears.
"I am very aware that we must be highly disciplined in how we spend the taxpayer's precious resources," Panetta said Thursday. "I do not believe that we have to choose between strong fiscal discipline and strong national defense. We owe it to our citizens to provide both."
If confirmed, Panetta would replace retiring Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who has led the Pentagon since December 2006. President Barack Obama has nominated Gen. David Petraeus, currently head of the NATO International Security Assistance Force and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, to replace Panetta at the CIA.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/06/09/panetta/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
