Panetta signs order to send Patriot missiles, U.S. troops to Turkey

A U.S. soldier stands next to a Patriot surface-to-air missile battery at an army base in Morag, Poland, May 26, 2010. / AP

Updated at 5:30 a.m. Eastern

INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has signed an order to send two U.S. Patriot missile batteries to Turkey, along with about 400 troops to secure and operate them along the country's southern border with Syria, he told CBS News on Friday.

The deployment, confirmed by Panetta to CBS Radio News correspondent Cami McCormick aboard a flight from Afghanistan to Turkey, is part of a NATO effort to help shield Turkey from any missiles fired by Syria, and it came as the defense chief said for the first time that previous intelligence indicated the Syrian regime was "very serious about potentially using" chemical weapons.

CBS News correspondent David Martin was told by senior officials last week that monitoring of roughly two dozen bases where President Bashar Assad is believed to have chemical weapons stored indicated the regime had begun preparing the materials, including sarin gas, for use. Satellites had seen trucks moving among the bunkers where the weapons and agents are believed to be stored. U.S. officials told Martin the evidence was strong, but circumstantial -- not definitive.

Friday was the first time Panetta himself had addressed the specific intelligence indicating Syria's chemical weapons preparations, telling McCormick, "we had intelligence they (Syrian forces) were in fact beginning to assemble the weapons for the use of sarin gas."

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"Once you start mixing the material for that, the next step then is ultimately to use those weapons," said Panetta. "The fact that they took that step is a clear indication that they were very serious about potentially using them."

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Panetta: No new signs Syria prepping WMD

The defense chief said on Tuesday, however, that the intelligence indicating the preparation of Syria's chemical weapons had, "really kind of leveled off," and that there had not been "anything new indicating any aggressive steps to move forward in that way."

Panetta told McCormick on Friday that his remarks earlier in the week did not reflect a reassessment of the previous intelligence, only that there have been no new indications the regime is planning to take that "next step."

Under the NATO agreement, the U.S., Germany and Netherlands will also deploy Patriot batteries. The New York Times reports the three nations will send two batteries each, for a total of six, and they will be under NATO's command. The newspaper says the batteries are scheduled to be operational by the end of January.

Earlier this month, NATO Secretary General Fogh Rasmussen told reporters, "Patriots are effective as interceptors against chemical weapons."

CBS

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has said NATO's decision to send the missiles to Turkey is meant to send a clear message to Syria that Turkey is backed by its allies.

Clinton said the Patriots are solely for defensive purposes. But she says Damascus should take the move as further evidence of the resolve of the U.S. and its allies.

NATO is concerned that Syrian President Bashar Assad could order that missiles be fired into Turkey if his regime's position weakens enough as the civil war in his nation continues.

[SouthernBuckeye]

I think having Turkey as an Allie is great. It allows our country to stage and build up troops to defend freedom in other countries. Remember the Moto " Freedom and Justice For All " I think it's a great idea at sending patriots in to protect the freedom of the Turkish people. The Turkish government has sent troops in areas of conflict with NATO before, so they do stand by NATO. Having an Arab country as an Allie shows that they know where the fire-power in the world is at and I'm sure they are proud to be part of it. It is the truth about France though,always scared to stick their neck out when situations arise over in that part of the region. Many people don't relize that troops have been that area for quite some time before now.

[quincytodd]

Another exercise in stupidity. It seems like France or another one of our useless NATO allies could take the initiative for one time, but no! Why do we Americans have to do everything? This is completely senseless!

[only1victor]

Perhaps were getting ready for that nasty Iran thing.

[mitch0927]

Back the truck up and come on home. Let these a$$holes fend for themselves. We have more important things to do than get into everyone's mess.

[braydengulliver]

So many of you people say not to send anyone into Turkey, and the thing is that next to none of you know of the 2,000+ troops that are sitting 60 miles from that same border. Things are getting increasingly hostile here, and this additional security not only protects the border and a city with thousands of innocent lives, it defends our troops that are within spitting distance of Syria. Mothers, fathers, husbands, and wife's with next to no protection on this base. So tell me again how it's a bad idea to get some help over here? It will sure help me sleep better at night knowing there is a lesser chance of my dorm getting hit by Syrias chemical weapons.

[braydengulliver]

So many of you people say not to send anyone into Turkey, and the thing is that next to none of you know of the 2,000+ troops that are sitting 60 miles from that same border. Things are getting increasingly hostile here, and this additional security not only protects the border and a city with thousands of innocent lives, it defends our troops that are within spitting distance of Syria. Mothers, fathers, husbands, and wife's with next to no protection on this base. So tell me again how it's a bad idea to get some help over here? It will sure help me sleep better at night knowing there is a lesser chance of my dorm getting hit by Syrias chemical weapons.

[Sugarluvit]

What's more important first?! Let's not forget Benghazi, and the US Marine being held captive in Mexico!

[IPonUall2]

The former US Marine is under arrest for carrying a shotgun in Mexico.
First of all, while Mexican people are mostly a good group, some still remember the War of American Agression, when the US stole 1/2 of Mexico and deported many Mexican Americans in a mad rush to claim their lands illegally.
They have a name for the soldiers wearing green fatigues....
Gringo.
The Mexican economy is the future of America, it's corporately controlled and as corrupt as Washington.
As a matter of fact, it was probably easier to corrupt than the US., by the same people that have corrupted Washington.

[varigdc10]

NATO is North Atlantic Treaty Organization, this means countries touched by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean to the North and countries reasonably close to that body of water such as certain European countries. How did Turkey ever became a NATO member as they are nowhere near the North Atlantic and thousands of miles to the East and inland?

[esnation]

The U.S. Netherlands and Germany to each send two missle batteries.
Four hundred troops to operate them.
O.K. that's six batteries and (assuming we supply ALL the troops...
Let's see that's four hundred divided by six equals; sixty six point (roughly seven) troops per battery. 400/6=66.66666.
First question: How many troops to screw in a light bulb?
Second question: Where will they find that three-quarter of a troop per battery? Will that be a General? or a politician?
Final question: Are these things run by treadmill?

[MarielLynne]

Who are the Syrian rebels? They may be much worse than Assad. Just look at the mess in Egypt. I don't think that we know who we are supporting. A few stray missiles into Turkey is not a matter of concern or anything that the Turks cannot handle themselves, so why is Obama involved?

[Turbidite]

"1962 United States (MACV); sends first "military advisors" to Vietnam"....sound familiar?