Posted on 02/01/2013 5:15:19 PM PST by Sub-Driver
Panetta: Iranian Threat Spreads By JULIAN E. BARNES and ADAM ENTOUS
In an exclusive interview with the Wall Street Journal Thursday, outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta sited illicit arms trafficking by Iran for what he called a "dangerous escalation" of tensions. WSJ's Julian Barnes shares his take-aways from the exit interview.
WASHINGTON—Defense Secretary Leon Panetta accused Iran's paramilitary force of an intensified campaign to destabilize the Middle East by smuggling antiaircraft weapons to its militant allies.
Iran's export of so-called manpads—antiaircraft missiles that can be carried by a single person—represent what Mr. Panetta called a dangerous escalation.
"There is no question when you start passing manpads around, that becomes a threat—not just to military aircraft but to civilian aircraft," Mr. Panetta told The Wall Street Journal in an interview describing shifting threats to the U.S. as he prepares to leave his post. "That is an escalation."
Western officials have long worried about the spread of such weapons and the risk they pose to airline passengers as well as to military helicopters and jets. Recent U.S. intelligence pointed to new efforts by Iran to smuggle manpads, but few shipments had been intercepted before Jan. 23, when Yemen, aided by the U.S., intercepted a boat carrying the weapons.
"It is one of the first times we have seen it," Mr. Panetta said.
U.S. investigators said evidence indicated the missiles were supplied by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Tehran's paramilitary force.
Iranian officials didn't respond to requests for comment about distributing weapons to regional allies.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Why do I get the feeling this is all a cover for
Bengazhi. Those “manpads”, I would be willing to bet
that some of them came from US.
He’s finally saying this as he walks out the door. It does no good.
Heaven help us when Hagel takes over, cuz his thinking is 180* from this.
S/B OBLIVIOUS
So Panetta is gone, and in his place we’ve got Senator Know-Nothing.
I have to wonder whether these latest Iranian sourced manpads have any capability against US Predator and Reaper drones...
The Russians and Chinese are always trying to stretch the US forces thin and blunt US power projection. What better way than to develop and deploy a new manpad capable of taking down a Predator drone to the Iranians and their proxies and to the Taliban?
Do Predator drones have counter-manpad capabilities other than spotting and eliminating enemies on the ground with manpads before they can fire? I am sure that such capability is classified.
A Look at Iran
http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html
I hate Iran, sure, but his ruse is blatantly obvious:
The Obama-directed CIA transferred about 18,000 MANPADS out of Libya to the very worst actors imaginable, probably changing the safety of global commercial aviation for over 10 years. Two hits from common MANPDADS, and even a 747 will probably come down.
NOW they’re simply blaming it all on Iran: “IRAN DID IT...!”
They’re laying down this marker here because they believe more and more that they gave MANPADS to the WRONG PEOPLE.
This is their tar baby, and they don’t want the blame —very simple.
,,,outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta sited [sic] illicit arms trafficking by Iran for what he called a "dangerous escalation" of tensions... accused Iran's paramilitary force of an intensified campaign to destabilize the Middle East by smuggling antiaircraft weapons to its militant allies... so-called manpads -- antiaircraft missiles that can be carried by a single person -- represent what Mr. Panetta called a dangerous escalation.Tip o' the iceberg to ya, laddie.
So, Hillery, you going to the funerals of all the civilians who are going to die from the Bengazi smuggling? Or are you going to run for President with the funds gained from the "transactions"? I do wonder how much money a Manpad goes for in the illegal arms market. My bet is Al-Queda paid quite handsomely for the weapons from Lybia.
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