‘This Is a Dangerous Moment for the United States!’ Leon Panetta Hits Panic Button Over Reports of Depleted Munitions

Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned that reports of U.S. munitions depletions from the Iran war leaves the country in an exceedingly vulnerable position when it comes to Russia and other unfriendly nations.

Panetta appeared on CNN Friday after a report saying Russian President Vladimir Putin could launch a limited attack on a U.S. ally in the near future to “test NATO unity.”

“I think we have to take this intelligence assessment as a real threat to NATO,” Panetta said. “And we’re going to have to respond. And right now, because our missile systems and our supply of weapons being down, this is a vulnerable period for the United States.”

“So, let’s talk about that,” began anchor Omar Jimenez. “Because CNN reported earlier this week that the U.S. military had exhausted nearly 80% of those…missile defense systems. And that senior U.S. military commanders had warned that the Pentagon’s munitions stockpile is dangerously low.”

“What do you assess that meaning, not only for the U.S. ability to respond to attacks on its own bases, but also attacks on allies?” Jimenez asked.

“Well, it should not have happened,” Panetta said. “I don’t care what excuses you want to use, it should not have happened. And I know that the secretary blamed the deputy secretary, blamed others, but frankly, the buck stops with him.”

Panetta continued:

It’s poor planning to wind up with your stockpile of key weapons being depleted. And what we’ve been doing is throwing a lot of these missiles, at Iran. We’ve been using them in the Middle East to try to protect some of our Middle Eastern allies. We’ve provided some for Ukraine. And the problem is, we now realize that 80% of our THAADs are down, and our patriots were down almost more than one half…and our stingers were down with all of our critical missile systems at a time when there is a real threat, not only to having to perhaps having to renew our attacks in Iran because of failed negotiations, but also dealing with the threat from Russia, and very frankly, dealing with the threat from China as well, should Xi decide to go into Taiwan. So, this is a dangerous moment for the United States to have the these reduced stockpiles of key weapons at a time when these threats are all real.

Watch the clip above via CNN.

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