Reply #19: (Defense Sec) Panetta makes 9/11 gaffe in Iraq

[Ichingcarpenter]

Source: AFP

Newly appointed US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta told American troops in Baghdad on Monday that 9/11 was the reason they were in Iraq, before he was quickly corrected by his spokesman.
"The reason you guys are here is because of 9/11. The US got attacked and 3,000 human beings got killed because of Al-Qaeda," Panetta told about 150 soldiers at the Camp Victory US base.
"We've been fighting as a result of that," he said.

SNIP

Doug Wilson, Panetta's spokesman, quickly jumped in after his boss, who just took office on July 1, made the statement.
"I don't think he's getting into the argument of 2002-2003," as the reason for the Iraq invasion, Wilson he told reporters, adding that his boss was "a plain-spoken secretary."

SNIP..

The new defence secretary also committed a faux pas in Afghanistan on Saturday, telling reporters the United States intends to keep 70,000 troops there until 2014.

Read more: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/panetta-makes-9-11-gaffe-iraq-153134925.html

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Good Grief!........He's senile.