UPDATED 7:47 AM EST, January 17, 2013
VICENZA, Italy (AP) — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says he doesn't understand why anyone outside the military needs assault weapons or armor-piercing bullets.
During a visit with U.S. troops in northern Italy on Thursday, Panetta defended President Barack Obama's sweeping gun control package.
A soldier asked Panetta what steps the Obama administration was going to take to deal with attacks in schools that "don't have to do with tearing apart our Second Amendment."
