Livewire Panetta Apologizes For Photos Showing Soldiers Posing With Dead Afghans by David Taintor 04.18.12 | 9:01 am 1 Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Wednesday apologized for the photos published by the LA Times showing U.S. soldiers posing with dead Afghans. The “foolish” behavior was “unacceptable,” Panetta said. Via Reuters. Send Tips David Taintor is a New York-based senior editor who oversees breaking news coverage. He previously worked at NBC News.