Panetta to Iraq leaders: "Make a decision"

BAGHDAD -- A blunt and frustrated U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta expressed exasperation yesterday with Iraqi indecision on whether it wants U.S. troops to stay next year. He also threatened stronger U.S. action to stop Iranian-supplied weapons from killing Americans as they prepare to depart.

To reinforce the message of concern about Iran, the U.S. military gave reporters a rare look at samples of what they described as improvised rockets and other devices that have been used to target Americans in Baghdad. Iranian influence in Iraq is a key issue, diplomatically as well as militarily, for Washington as it prepares to pull out its remaining 46,000 troops.

Before meeting with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani, Panetta told American soldiers that the Iraqis need to act swiftly on two matters critical to their future security: naming a defense minister and deciding whether Iraqi forces need U.S. help longer than originally planned.

"Damn it, make a decision," Panetta said, adding that while Washington is getting frustrated it also recognizes that Iraq's democracy is in its infancy.

On his first visit to Iraq since succeeding Robert Gates as Pentagon chief July 1, Panetta flashed a more candid, unconventional style than his predecessor. His language was more colorful, sprinkling in a few expletives as he gave troops a pep talk and fielded their questions about U.S. policy.

As he has on every stop on his first overseas trip, which began Friday, Panetta made prominent note yesterday of his role as CIA director in putting together the plan that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in May. He told the troops he is firmly focused on ensuring that al-Qaida never again is able to attack the U.S. homeland.

"The reason you guys are here is because on 9/11 the United States got attacked," he said.

Asked later to explain that remark, he said he was not talking about the rationale for the U.S. invasion of Iraq but rather the need to go after al-Qaida in Iraq once it developed a lethal presence in the country following the invasion.