Panetta to Outline Views on Asia, Defense Budget to Committee

CIA Director Leon Panetta, nominated to replace outgoing Sec. of Defense Robert Gates

By Tony Capaccio

CIA Director Leon Panetta has promised to support improvements in the U.S. missile defense program if confirmed to succeed Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/Bloomberg

North Korea’s ballistic missile program, nuclear enrichment activities and 1 million troops are a “growing and direct threat” to the U.S., according to CIA Director Leon Panetta, nominated to succeed Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

“I intend to monitor the security situation closely and maintain the capabilities necessary to protect our interests, defend our allies and deter North Korea,” Panetta said in written answers to questions posed by the Senate Armed Services Committee in advance of his testimony today before the panel.

Op-Ed: Old Problems With New Start

R. James Woolsey, a foreign policy expert and former head of the Central Intelligence Agency, authored an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal. In his piece Woolsey stated that the Senate should not ratifiy the New START treaty unless three conditions were met; the administration commits to modernizing nuclear arsenal, make it clear that New START does not constrain missile defense and tightening up verification standards. Woolsey beliefs that if all these criteria are met, the New START treaty could be approved. This piece is the opinion of the authors and does not reflect MDAA’s view on the New START treaty.

Iran Keeping Nuke Options Open

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

According to the  CIA’s annual report to congress, Iran has expanded their nuclear infrastructure and uranium enrichment plan in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions.  The report specifically stated that Iran “continues to develop a range of capabilities that could be applied to producing nuclear weapons.”  The report also discussed that North Korea has the ability to produce strong nuclear weapons.

A newly released CIA report claims that Iran “continues to develop a range of capabilities that could be applied to producing nuclear weapons,” and despite their program having technical issues, they are “keeping the door open to the possibility of building a nuclear weapon,” the Washington Post reported Tuesday.

According to the annual CIA’s report to congress Iran expanded their nuclear infrastructure and uranium enrichment plan in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions, which since 2006 have required Teheran to cease the program.