Leon Panetta, sworn in as the 23rd defense secretary at 8:45 this morning, pledged in a statement that he will protect the readiness and superiority of U.S. armed forces even as the Pentagon's budget is pared back.
“Even as the United States addresses fiscal challenges at home, there will be no hollow force on my watch,” Panetta said in a message to the Defense Department published soon after he took the helm.
As Secretary of Defense, I will do whatever is necessary to protect America and to meet the needs of the men and women who serve in harm's way, and the families who support them. Even as the United States addresses fiscal challenges at home, there will be no hollow force on my watch. That will require us all to be disciplined in how we manage taxpayer resources. Throughout my career in public service -- as a member of Congress, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, White House Chief of Staff, and, until yesterday, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency -- I have focused on achieving that balance. I will continue that approach at the Pentagon. We must preserve the excellence and superiority of our military while looking for ways to identify savings. While tough budget choices will need to be made, I do not believe in the false choice between fiscal discipline and a strong national defense. We will all work together to achieve both.
Among Panetta's near-term challenges is continuing the Comprehensive Defense Review launched this spring by his predecessor, Robert Gates, to identify options for how to cut nearly $400 billion from planned national security spending over the next dozen years.
The new defense secretary, who until yesterday was the director of the CIA, plans to travel around the world to meet with troops and commanders.
As your leader, I will ensure that our nation continues to have the best-trained, best-equipped, and strongest military in the world – a force prepared to confront the challenges that face us. As CIA Director, I saw first-hand the tremendous capabilities of our military, and I was always impressed by the professionalism and patriotism of the men and women of the Armed Forces.
Our nation is at war. We must prevail against our enemies. We will persist in our efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and ultimately defeat Al Qaeda. The successful operation that killed Osama Bin Laden -- a mission that showcased American military strength and precision -- is a major step toward that goal. As we begin the transition in Afghanistan, we must remain committed to working closely with our Afghan and international partners to ensure that it never again becomes a safe haven for Al Qaeda and its militant allies. As we continue our transition out of Iraq, we must cement a strategic relationship with the Iraqi government, one based not solely on our military footprint there but on a real and lasting partnership. It is in America's interests to help Iraq realize its potential to become a stable democracy in a vitally important region in the world, and to reinforce that responsibility for the future security of Iraq must belong to the Iraqis themselves.