“The U.S. is within reach of strategically defeating al Qaeda. If we go after them, I think we really can defeat al Qaeda. I think we have them on the run, and now is the moment — following what happened with bin Laden — to put maximum pressure on them, because I do believe that if we continue this effort we really can cripple al Qaeda as a threat to this country. Is it going to take some more work? You bet it is! But I think it’s within reach.” —An optimistic Leon Panetta in Afghanistan, for his first visit there as Secretary of Defense. [CBS]
