Leon Panetta: I’d Like the CIA to Take a Look Whether Iran Was Involved in the U.K. Air Base Attack Before We Take Any Military Action

EXCERPT:

PANETTA: “Well, again, I’m a believer that you’ve got to determine the facts. You have to determine what the truth is. And at this point in the game, there’s always a great deal of speculation on all sides as to what took place, particularly when the world is confronting terrorism in the Middle East and the United States and Israel are at war with Iran. A lot of conclusions can be jumped to. But prior to any kind of military action, I think it is incredibly important that intelligence, particularly from the CIA and Mossad and the other intelligence agencies that are involved, be able to substantiate the facts as to who was involved, what was the intent, and whether or not this is a terrorist act, whether or not the events that took place in Britain were, in fact, a terrorist act. For Britain to indicate that there’s some intelligence to that effect, that’s important. But, again, I would want the CIA to take a very close look at that intelligence before justifying any kind of military action.”