EX-C.I.A. Boss Says
"We Killed Bin Laden"
Heads Out To Kabul
The new Scretary of Defense, Leon Panetta (former C.I.A. director) arrived from his flight to Afghanistan, Saturday on his 1st visit to Kabul since he took over his position.
Panetta assumes the position, taking over the Pentagon in high style. After overseeing the CIA as director, he is given credit for aiding the agency in tracking down and killing Osman Bin Laden.
While flying to Afghanistan, he told reporters on board, he considers Al Qaida and their ilk to be on the run. "I was convinced in my prior capacity, and I am convinced in this capacity, that we are in reach of strategically defeating al-Qaida," Panetta said.
In the wake of the bin Laden raid, he said, the U.S. has identified between 10 and 20 key al-Qaida leaders in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia.
Officials at the Pentagon claim the number of Al Qaida members in Afghanistan could be less than 100.
Beginning with this visit, Panetta said, he hopes to open a new dialogue with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Panetta has met Karzai before in his previous job, but this is the first time the two will meet since Panetta was named secretary of defense. Panetta told reporters that he's one of several new people appointed by the Obama administration to oversee the war; Ryan Crocker is the new ambassador and Gen. John Allen will soon take over from Gen. David Petraeus as the new U.S. commander.
"I think that these are all individuals that have a good understanding of Karzai, and hopefully it can be the beginning of a much better relationship than we've had over the last few years," he said.
Panetta will meet with senior Afghan leaders and visit with U.S. troops serving in Afghanistan
