White House Was Eager to 'Rid Itself of Iraq'

Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta is criticizing the White House for not making a deal with Iraq's leadership in 2011 to keep U.S. troops in that country.

As a result, he warned Iraq could now become a new haven for terrorists to plot attacks against the United States.

In his new book Worthy Fights: A Memoir of Leadership in War and Peace, Panetta says he and others believed the president's White House team wanted to get rid of the Iraq issue.

"Those on our side viewed the White House as so eager to rid itself of Iraq that it was willing to withdraw rather than lock in arrangements that would preserve our influence and interests," he writes.

Panetta said he also believes a small contingent of American troops could have helped the Iraqi government deal with al Qaeda terrorists in that country.

Panetta's book is scheduled to be released Oct. 7.