Yes, it's the usual tale of how well everything is going in the 'war on terror'. Remember John Reid saying that we would take over Afghanistan 'without a shot being fired'. At least he is cringing about that now. Panetta is still spinning this dross with his assertion yesterday that AQ is all but defeated. I remember that speech from the Pentagon talking heads in Iraq in 2005. We have made the point before - it's not 6 months down the line in Afghanistan, it's 10 years of abject failure. The Taliban is stronger than ever and, anyway, doesn't SecDef Panetta know that targeting insurgent key leaders and commanders is purported to have a radicalising effect on those who follow, even from a distance?
Panetta can sum up his military strategy in one word: counter-terrorism. Congress likes cheaper wars and this is why Panetta was fastracked into DOD - few love the MQ Reaper more than him. I've yet to see him demonstrate the military knowledge that would validate his promotion. Panetta is a pawn of Gates and Petraeus, and is very dangerous atop the Pentagon.
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