US Defense Secretary Panetta Flies To Asia To Discuss Emerging Threats

DEPARTING WAVE
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta boards a U.S. Air Force E-4B National Airborne Operations Center aircraft at Joint Base Andrews, Md., before departing to visit with defense leaders and U.S. troops stationed in the Asia-Pacific region, Oct. 21, 2011. Panetta will be visiting Indonesia, Japan and South Korea on his first visit to Asia as head of the department. DOD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jacob N. Bailey DOD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jacob N. Bailey

On His First Trip To Asia As Pentagon Chief, Panetta Faces Touchy Issue Of Marines On Okinawa -- Washington Post/AP

WASHINGTON — Leon Panetta is making his first trip to Asia as defense secretary. He will visit Indonesia, Japan and South Korea.

Panetta departs Friday and stops first in Bali, Indonesia, to attend a meeting Sunday of defense ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Topics expected to be discussed include relations with China — which is not a member of that group.

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More News On US Defense Secretary Panetta Traveling To Asia

Pentagon chief on first trip to Asia -- AP
Pentagon Chief Panetta Plans Asia Talks on Deterring Threats -- Bloomberg Businessweek
On his first trip to Asia as Pentagon chief, Panetta faces touchy issue of Marines on Okinawa -- Newser

My Comment: China, North Korea will be on his mind, but I will also expect him to travel to Afghanistan to meet the troops .... and maybe Iraq in view of today`s announcement from President Obama that US troops will be out of Iraq by the end of this year.