U.S. Will Not 'Walk Away' From Iran's Insurgent Arming

BAGHDAD — A blunt and frustrated U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta expressed exasperation Monday with Iraqi indecision on whether it wants U.S. troops to stay next year. He threatened stronger U.S. action to stop Iranian-supplied weapons from killing Americans as they prepare to depart.

"military gave reporters a rare look at samples of what they described as improvised rockets and other devices that have been used to target Americans in Baghdad"To reinforce the message of concern about Iran, the U.S. military gave reporters a rare look at samples of what they described as improvised rockets and other devices that have been used to target Americans in Baghdad. Iranian influence in Iraq is a key issue – diplomatically as well as militarily – for Washington as it prepares to pull out its remaining 46,000 troops. Before meeting with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani to push for a decision on a post-2011 U.S. troop presence, Panetta told American soldiers that the Iraqis need to act swiftly on two matters critical to their future security: naming a defense minister and deciding whether Iraqi forces need U.S.

help longer than originally planned. "Damn it, make a decision," Panetta said, adding that while Washington is getting frustrated it also recognizes that Iraq's democracy is in its infancy. On his first visit to Iraq since succeeding Robert Gates as Pentagon chief July 1, Panetta flashed a more candid, unconventional style than his predecessor. His language was more colorful, too, sprinkling in a few curse words as he gave troops a pep talk and fielded their questions about U.S. policy.

"Iranian influence in Iraq is a key issue – diplomatically as well as militarily – for Washington as it prepares to pull out its remaining 46,000 troops"As he has on every stop on his first overseas trip, which began last Friday, Panetta made prominent note Monday of his role as CIA director in putting together the plan that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in May. He referred to the former al-Qaida leader as "that son of a bitch." Panetta appeared to slip on the politics of the Iraq war, which was started by the Bush administration in March 2003 on grounds that then-ruler Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. Some in the Bush White House also suggested a Saddam link to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S. by al-Qaida – a connection that President Barack Obama and other Democrats have called wrong and unproved.

Panetta told the troops he is firmly focused on ensuring that al-Qaida never again is able to attack the U.S. homeland. "The reason you guys are here is because on 9/11 the United States got attacked," he said. Story continues below