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Panetta: Anti-U.S. violence leveling off
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, right, walks with the Commander of U.S. Forces Japan, Lt. Gen. Salvatore A. Angelella, after his arrival in Yokota Air Base on the outskirts of Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012. / AP Photo/Larry Downing
(AP) ABOARD A US MILITARY AIRCRAFT - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says the turmoil raging across the Muslim world is likely to continue into the days ahead, but he says the violence expected by the U.S. appears to be leveling off.
He said the Pentagon has "deployed our forces to a number of areas in the region to be prepared to respond to any requests that we receive to be able to protect our personnel and our American property."
He declined to provide more details on reports that the military may be moving additional military forces so they can respond to unrest in any of a number of regions of concern.
"I think our approach right now is to not do anything until we've been requested to do it by the State Department," Panetta told reporters traveling with him to Asia. But he noted that, "I think that we have to continue to be very vigilant because I suspect that ... these demonstrations are likely to continue over the next few days, if not longer."
Protests by furious Muslims erupted in countries around the world in recent days, with some spawning violence and even deaths over an anti-Islam video shot in California that denigrates the Prophet Muhammad. In places like Libya, Sudan and Tunisia, protesters stormed U.S. embassies, and an American fast food restaurant was burned in Lebanon.
In response, the Pentagon dispatched elite Marine rapid response teams to Libya and Yemen, but a team deployed to Khartoum on Friday was turned back when the Sudanese government objected.
Asked about Sudan's decision, Panetta said host countries have the right to reject such military deployments.
"My understanding is that they felt that they could provide sufficient security to be able to protect our embassy and our personnel there," said Panetta. "And you know, in many ways, as all of you know the primary responsibility for protecting embassies rests with the host country."
Known as a fleet antiterrorism security teams, the units were sent in response to violent protests in Khartoum where protesters tried to climb the walls of the U.S. Embassy, setting off a battle with police.
The Navy also moved two warships to positions off the coast of Libya. The two destroyers are largely meant as a show of force, but they carry Tomahawk missiles and can also be available for evacuations or other missions as needed.
The intensity of the anti-American fervor initially caught U.S. leaders by surprise, but in the last several days the Obama administration has deployed military units to shore up security in hotspots, and used diplomacy to call for calm and urge foreign governments to protect American interests in their countries.
It also has been unclear how much of the violence was spontaneously triggered by the film and how much of it was spurred on by anti-American militants using it as a tool to grow and enrage the crowds.
The al-Qaeda affiliate in Yemen praised the killing of the U.S. ambassador in Libya in an online statement Saturday and called for more attacks to expel American embassies from Muslim nations.
Chris Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya, was killed Tuesday along with three other Americans, as violent protesters stormed the consulate in Benghazi. President Barack Obama has vowed that the attackers would be brought to justice, but has also stressed that the U.S. respects religious freedom.
The protests were set off by a low-budget, crudely produced film called "Innocence of Muslims," which portrays Muhammad as a fraud, a womanizer and a child molester. A 14-minute excerpt of the film, which is both in English and dubbed into Arabic, has been available on YouTube, although some countries have cut access to the site.
Panetta was traveling to Asia, where he will visit Japan, China and New Zealand.
His visit comes amid escalating tensions in the region including tussles over several disputed islands in the East China Sea. It is Panetta's third trip to the region in the last 11 months, reflecting the Pentagon's ongoing effort to put a greater military focus on the Pacific region.
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In the Old Testament, God ordered the Israelites to "take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites" (Numbers 31:2). Deuteronomy 20:16-17 declares, "However, in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them...as the LORD your God has commanded you." Also, 1 Samuel 15:18 says, "Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out."
Our silent message to Iran, go ahead when you're ready, wipe Israel off the map.
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Actually, they've said the "REGIME" of Israel. While I think Iran's government is as criminal as Israel's, and that Amheddinijad or whatever his name is is a nutcase, they were discussing the government.
Is there anywhere else on the earth that war is as problematic as the Middle East? No. If it weren't for these wars and squabbles the world would be a pretty peaceful place. Why don't we just solve this one day. All it would take is one day and this crap would be over forever.
What do they want - a refund? Not a one of them bought a ticket to see it!
The last time we used a bomb was Hiroshima's "Little Boy" gravity bomb was about 12-15 kilo tons of TNT. Today's entire Operation Castle nuclear test series are from 48,200 kilo tons of TNT. Arabia, all Arabia, you might want to review the pictures of Hiroshima and then think about how much bigger these things are today. Look at the pictures and just imagine. http://www.google.com/search?q=after+pics+hiroshima&hl=en&biw=893&bih=442&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=wXFTUOy-Osex0QH0ioHgBA&ved=0CB4QsAQ
Yes what you did to our twin towers in New York city was bad, but just imagine what a power 4 thousand times stronger than these pictures will do to you.
FOUR THOUSAND TIMES WORSE THAN LITTLE BOY
These weren't outsiders affiliated with Al Qaida.
These were regular mainstream Muslims acting like Muslims!
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So why do you hate all Muslims, rather than just the extremists?
You didn't even bother following the actual Tweets out of Iran, Egypt, etc, during the Arab Spring, did you? Those people are rebelling against their OWN governments.
There were 241 American soldiers killed in the Beirut bomb attack under Reagan, and the ONLY real response Reagan had was to withdraw the soldiers.
There were 241 American soldiers killed in the Beirut bomb attack under Reagan, and the ONLY real response Reagan had was to withdraw the soldiers.
"the AK47 " to do their bidding
They believe in Nothing except their God given right to KILL fellow humans
I stand Corrected!
so just who are the people who produced, financed, directed and performed in this lethal bit of hate and what were their motives? acts like this are not protected by freedom of speech anymore than screaming fire in a crowed movie theater. people can get injured and killed as a result namely in this case the american ambassador to libya.
actions have consequences. those who perpetrate them should be held accountable. the only benefactors here are the israelis so guess who's behind it. disgusting.