Bravo, the dog who knows the Pentagon's secrets

Bravo, outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's faithful golden retriever, knows every nook and cranny of the Pentagon and has accompanied his master at countless high-level meetings.

Though not as well known as the first family's Portuguese water dog, Bo, Bravo has been privy to the country's most sensitive military secrets.

"Bravo sat in on almost all of the meetings involving the operations against bin Laden. And you know, to this day, he hasn't told a damn soul what happened," Panetta, who was CIA chief before becoming defense secretary, quipped last fall at an encounter with reporters.

Bravo, Panetta said two weeks ago at his retirement ceremony, "is definitely not a leaker. At least according to that definition of the word".

The dog's name evokes both the second letter of the phonetic alphabet used in international air and sea communications and an Italian exclamation meaning "well done", a nod to Panetta's heritage.

The canine confidant has been an almost permanent presence at Panetta's side throughout the California native's tenures at the CIA and the Pentagon.

At his retirement event, Panetta recalled the wry advice of President Harry Truman: "if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog".

--IANS/EFE
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