U.S. Defense Secretray Panetta In Afghanistan, Says Defeat Of Al Qaeda 'Is Within reach'

Leon E. Panetta takes the oath of office as the 23rd defense secretary 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

Panetta: U.S. ‘Within Reach’ Of Defeating al-Qaeda -- Washington Post

KABUL – The United States is “within reach” of defeating al-Qaeda and is targeting 10 to 20 leaders who are key to the terrorist network’s survival, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said in his first trip to Afghanistan since taking charge at the Pentagon.

Panetta, who led the CIA until June and oversaw the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, strongly endorsed the Obama administration’s increasingly aggressive campaign to hunt down al-Qaeda leaders in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia. He hinted of more to come, saying he would redouble efforts by the military and the spy agency to work together on counterterrorism missions outside the traditional war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Read more ....

More News On Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's Surprise Visit To Afghanistan

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta Arrives in Afghanistan on Surprise Visit, Says U.S. Within Reach Of 'Strategically Defeating' al Qaeda -- ABC News
Fresh From The CIA, Panetta Lands In Afghanistan -- NPR
New Pentagon chief Panetta pays surprise visit to Afghanistan -- Xinhuanet
US Defense Chief Panetta in surprise visit to Kabul -- AFP
Transition Key to Success in Afghanistan, Panetta Says -- U.S. Department of Defense
Panetta in Kabul: Al-Qaeda Defeat ‘Within Reach’ -- Bloomberg
Panetta says U.S. is 'within reach' of defeating Al Qaeda -- L.A. Times
Panetta: We have al Qaeda 'on the run' -- CNN
US defense chief says al Qaeda defeat "within reach" -- Reuters
Panetta: Strategic Defeat Of Al-Qaeda Within Reach -- Radio Free Europe