Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta speaks at the Center for National Policy awards dinner at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., June 21, 2012, where he received the Edmund S. Muskie Distinguished Public Service Award for continued dedication to public service. The award honors Muskie, who died in 1996, for his service in the Navy, as governor of Maine, as U.S. senator and as U.S. secretary of state. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo
Strikes On Al Qaeda Leave Only "Handful" Of Top Targets -- Reuters
Nearly one year ago, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta predicted the strategic defeat of al Qaeda was within reach if the United States could kill or capture up to 20 leaders of the core group and its affiliates.
In an interview on Thursday with Reuters, Panetta disclosed that only a "small handful" of the individuals on that original list remained on the battlefield and that Saudi Arabia - the birthplace of late al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden - was reporting a drop-off in recruitment.
"We've not only impacted on their leadership, we've impacted on their capability to provide any kind of command and control in terms of operations," Panetta said.
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My Comment: I guess targeted assassinations work. There is still one big fish left, and I am going to be surprised if one day he ends up facing a SEAL team or a drone strike.
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