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THE FRONTLINE OF CRISIS LIKE THIS ONE....AND HE KNOWS THE GRAVITY OF THIS SITUATION..... I GOT A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN WITH THE SECRETARY IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW THIS EVENING....AND I HAVE TO TO TELL YOU ...HE WAS SOMBER.. ALARMED AND WORRIED ABOUT WHAT MAY HAPPEN NEXT. I DON'T SEE THE END GAME. I DON'T SEE WHERE THIS IS HEADED EXCEPT TO THE LOSS OF COUNTLESS LIVES FORMER DEFENSE SCREATARY LEON PANETTA SAYS THE ESCALATION IN TENSIONS BETWEEN THE U-S AND IRAN WAS INEVITABLE AFTER A U.S. DRONE STRIKE KILLED IRANIAN GENERAL KASSEM SOLIMANI.... SOMETHING PANETTA SAYS PREVIOUS ADMISNTRATIONS CONSIDERED BUT ULTIMATELY REJECTED. THE REASON WE DIDN;T GO AFTE SOLIMANI IN THE PAST IS BECAUSE HER KNEW VERY WELL IT WOUDL LEAD TO RETAILIATION AND IT WOULD INCREASE THE CHANCES OF WAR IN THAT REGION AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED." THAT RETIALATION CAME TODAY AS IRAN LAUNCHED BALLESTIC MISSILES AT U-S BASES IN IRAQ. PANETTTA SAYS WAR WITH IRAN WOULD BE UGLY AND COSTLY...EVEN WITH THE UNITED STATES SUPERIOUR MILITARY MIGHT. WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IN THE 21ST CENTURY...IS THAT IT IS EASY TO GET INTO THESE WARS AND DIFFICULT TO GET OUT. AND PANETTA SAYS THE ARGUEMENT THAT THE ADMISNTRATION ACTE TO MAKE AMERICANS SAFER ...IN HIS OPINION DOESN'T HOLD UP. I SURE AS HELL DON'T FEEL SAFER AND I THINK MOST AMERICANS DON'T FEEL SAFER AS A RESULT OF WHAT HAPPENE DWITH SOLEMANI BECAUSE THE REALITY IS WE'RE ON THE BRINK IF WAR AND AS THAT REALIT SINKS IN...PANETTA OFFERS THIS ADVICE TO THE PRESIDENT..LAY OFF THE TWEETS AND LISTEN TO MILITARY ADVISORS .... #### SECRETARY PANETTA SAYS ONE OF TH HARDEST THINGS HE HAD TO DO AS DEFENSE SECRETARY WAS SEND YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN INTO HARMS WAY....AND HE'S HOLDING OUT HOPE THAT SOMEHOW IN THIS CASE WAR CAN BE AVOIDED.

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Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has been on the front line of crisis like the one the country is now facing with Iran and he knows the gravity of the situation.In an exclusive interview with KSBW hours after the Iranian strike, Sec. Panetta was somber, alarmed and worried about what may happen next. "I don't see the end game. I don't see where this is headed except to the loss of countless lives," said Panetta. Panetta says the escalation in tensions between the U.S. and Iran was inevitable after a U.S. drone strike killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Panetta said previous administrations considered but ultimately rejected.The reason we didn't go after Soleimani in the past is because her knew very well it would lead to retaliation and it would increase the chances of war in that region and that's exactly what has happened. That retaliation came Wednesday as Iran launched ballistic missiles at U.S. bases in Iraq. Panettta says war with Iran would be ugly and costly even with the United States superior military might."What we've learned in the 21st century is that it is easy to get into these wars and difficult to get out," said Panetta. Sec. Panetta refuted the argument that the administration acted to make Americans safer; in his opinion it doesn't hold up."I sure as hell don't feel safer and I think most Americans don't feel safer as a result of what happened with Soleimani because the reality is we're on the brink of war," said Panetta. As that reality sinks in, Panetta offered this advice to the president: lay off the tweets and listen to military advisers.Secretary Panetta says one of the hardest things he had to do as defense secretary was send young men and women into harms way. He's holding out hope that somehow in this case war can be avoided.