"My view is that when I sit down with my counterpart in Israel, we are unified in our view with regards to Iran. We're unified in the position that they should not obtain a nuclear weapon, (and) we're unified in our position that we have to bring every bit of pressure on them to change their ways."
"The more we are working together, the more unified we are in the effort against Iran, the better off we will be in convincing Iran that there is no room here for them to do anything other than to back away from the nuclear program they are engaged in."
Panetta will inspect the U.S.-funded Iron Dome anti-missile system while in Israel.
Again according to the Defense Department's account of his position while on the way to Tunisia, "Peaceful, democratic change has taken place since the Arab Spring, but Syria, Iran and extremism in general have continued to pose challenges."
That is, Panetta's mission is to recruit America's Tunisian, Egyptian, Israeli and Jordanian military allies to confront Syria and Iran.
The Pentagon's website cited an unnamed senior Defense Department official affirming that "Panetta plans to lay out the roadmap for the future military-to-military relationship between the United States and Tunisia." He was quoted asserting that "The military has played a positive role in Tunisia and we want that to continue."
During the press conference aboard the aircraft taking him to Tunisia, Panetta explained what Washington understands to be both the means and the ends of so-called democracy promotion in stating, "The United States continues to support efforts to strengthen Tunisia's democracy, and DOD [the Department of Defense] will play an important role in that effort."
In Egypt Panetta will meet with newly installed President Muhammad Mursi and Defense Minister Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi - "Panetta has been in constant touch with Tantawi since former President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown" - who led the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces from February 11, 2011 to June 30, 2012.
In Israel he will consult with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
Then he will hold talks on bilateral military cooperation with King Abdullah in Jordan. According to the above-cited Pentagon official, "Syria will obviously be a topic of conversation, as the Jordanians are on the front line of that."
As with his visits earlier this year to South America and Asia, Panetta's trip to North Africa and the Middle East has a concrete objective: To solidify military ties with states bordering or near the remaining handful of nations in the world not enmeshed in the Pentagon's global network.
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