Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that reports about the U.S.running out of weapons from the Iran war have put the country in a very weak position when dealing with Russia and other countries that don’t like the U.S.
Panetta talked to CNN on Friday after a report suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin might attack a U.S.
friend soon to see if NATO countries stand together.
“I think we should treat this intelligence seriously as a real threat to NATO,” Panetta said.
“We need to respond, but right now, because our missile systems and weapons are low, the U.S.is in a weak spot.”
“So, let’s talk about that,” started CNN anchor Omar Jimenez.
“Because earlier this week, CNN reported that the U.S.military has used almost 80% of its missile defense systems.And senior military leaders said the Pentagon’s weapons supply is at a dangerous low.”
“What do you think this means, not just for the U.S.
being able to defend its own bases, but also for defending its allies?” Jimenez asked.
“Well, it shouldn’t have happened,” Panetta said.
“No matter what excuses you want to use, it shouldn’t have happened.And I know the secretary blamed the deputy secretary and others, but honestly, the responsibility is on him.”
Panetta continued:
It’s poor planning to wind up with your stockpile of key weapons being depleted. And what we’ve been doing is throwing a lot of these missiles, at Iran. We’ve been using them in the Middle East to try to protect some of our Middle Eastern allies. We’ve provided some for Ukraine. And the problem is, we now realize that 80% of our THAADs are down, and our patriots were down almost more than one half…and our stingers were down with all of our critical missile systems at a time when there is a real threat, not only to having to perhaps having to renew our attacks in Iran because of failed negotiations, but also dealing with the threat from Russia, and very frankly, dealing with the threat from China as well, should Xi decide to go into Taiwan. So, this is a dangerous moment for the United States to have the these reduced stockpiles of key weapons at a time when these threats are all real.
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