Tag Archives: Panetta

Micah Zenko on the need for accountability

Posted on May 18, 2013 by

Leon Panetta had unique and unprecedented access into U.S. targeted killing programs as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (February 2009–June 2011) and secretary of defense (June 2011–February 2013). As Daniel Klaidman revealed last year, one procedural change … Continue reading →

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Panetta, outgoing Secretary of Defense: drone war must be ongoing

Posted on February 4, 2013 by

Outgoing Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has insisted that the U.S. needs to keep its covert drone program in place. Panetta served as CIA director between 2009 and 2011, during which time the intensity and severity of strikes in Pakistan … Continue reading →

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The Predator Empire Spreads its Wings to Nigeria

Posted on November 21, 2012 by

Leon Panetta , the current U.S. Secretary of Defense, told influential  Washington think tank ‘Center for a New American Security’ that the fight against al-Qaeda would take U.S. Special Forces and ever-more drones to geographically-dispersed regions of the planet that … Continue reading →

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Defense secretary openly refers to CIA’s drones

Posted on October 9, 2011 by

Speaking to U.S. and NATO troops, first in Naples and later in Sicily, Panetta twice referred to the Predator drones he controlled in his previous job as CIA director. It was a rare on-the-record confirmation of the agency’s use of … Continue reading →

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Escalation of Shadow Wars and Black Ops under Panetta

Posted on June 19, 2011 by

At his Thursday confirmation hearing to become secretary of defense, CIA Director Panetta made a broad case for expanding the U.S.’ already extensive shadow wars. Now that bin Laden is dead, “we’ve got to keep the pressure up,” Panetta urged … Continue reading →

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Troops in Iraq Beyond 2011 Pullout

Posted on June 9, 2011 by

Leon Panetta, outgoing CIA Director and incoming Secretary of State, said that Iraq will request the presence of US troops beyond the agreed withdrawal deadline of December 31st, 2011. The exact scale of the retain force is unknown, and will … Continue reading →

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