Post Reply 
 
Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
‘US to hit militant safe havens in Pakistan’
09-11-2008, 06:45 AM
Post: #1
‘US to hit militant safe havens in Pakistan’
WASHINGTON: Defence Secretary Robert Gates and Adm Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, conceded before the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee on Wednesday that the US military was not winning the fight against an increasingly deadly insurgency in Afghanistan, saying it would revise its strategy to combat militant safe havens in Pakistan.

Mullen said he was "looking at a new, more comprehensive strategy for the region" that would cover both sides of the border, including Pakistan's tribal areas. "These two nations are inextricably linked in a common insurgency that crosses the border between them," Mullen said. "We can hunt down and kill extremists as they cross over the border from Pakistan but until we work more closely with the Pakistani government to eliminate the safe havens from which they operate, the enemy will only keep coming."

Robert Gates said the United States' relationship with Pakistan is not confined to anti-terrorism assistance alone but it is much broader in range and takes into account the interests of Pakistani people.

He cited Washington's plans for massive economic assistance for Pakistan and said it would bolster the confidence of the new government in the United States having a long-term commitment to the South Asian country.

"We are in this to help Pakistan over the long-term and it is not just a relationship based on military relationship that is focused on the border with Afghanistan but it is much broader and has the interests of Pakistani people in mind," Gates told the House Armed Service Committee.

The top Pentagon leader said the United States has a multi-year package for economic development of Pakistan. "A broader kind of assistance package that helps the Pakistani people, I think will not only give their new government the confidence that we have a long range plan in mind in terms of partnering with them but that it is multi-faceted and is not just focused on the military fight," he stated.

Gates said the Pakistan military and the government were focused on the instability in the border region and it was critical to continue to work with the new Pakistan government. Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman Joints Chiefs of Staff, said the United States will sustain relations with Pakistan over the long haul.

Defence Secretary Robert Gates and Adm Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee success in Afghanistan would require more civilian effort beyond the military fight. "Frankly, we're running out of time," Mullen said. "I'm not convinced we are winning it in Afghanistan. I am convinced we can," he said, offering a sober assessment nearly seven years since the US-led forces toppled the Taliban after the Sept 11, 2001 attacks.

The officials said the West should do more to help Afghans with new investments in roads and other infrastructure, education and crop assistance. "These are the keys to success in Afghanistan," said Mullen. "We cannot kill our way to victory." He said Afghanistan badly needed a national security force supported by local leaders. Gates supports an Afghan government proposal to double the size of the country's army by creating an active-duty force of 122,000 troops by 2014.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=17166
Quote this message in a reply
Post Reply 


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread: Author Replies: Views: Last Post
  Final Stages of Quetta Safe City Project Signal Progress in Counterterrorism and Poli LRE-Azan 0 109 01-19-2024 06:47 PM
Last Post: LRE-Azan
  Islamabad Safe City Project to be launched Salman 0 4,886 03-22-2014 06:06 PM
Last Post: Salman
  German investment in Punjab power projects safe: Shahbaz Salman 0 4,687 10-06-2012 11:15 PM
Last Post: Salman
  NAB to probe Safe City project Salman 0 4,916 09-13-2012 12:31 PM
Last Post: Salman
  Leh bridge safe for another 20 years: experts Salman 0 3,767 07-23-2012 12:29 PM
Last Post: Salman
  DHA is safe, that’s what you think Lahore_Real_Estate 0 2,850 02-20-2012 01:26 PM
Last Post: Lahore_Real_Estate
  Obama praises Pakistan's anti-militant push Lahore_Real_Estate 0 3,101 05-13-2010 12:54 PM
Last Post: Lahore_Real_Estate
  Pak Atomic Assets are Safe... LRE 0 3,279 04-11-2010 11:27 PM
Last Post: LRE
  Safe Pakistan, Afghanistan is US aim: Obama Lahore_Real_Estate 0 3,442 04-10-2010 10:24 AM
Last Post: Lahore_Real_Estate
  Safe use of cosmetics Naveed Yaseen 0 2,789 10-16-2009 07:50 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Islamabad: F-9 park becomes safe haven for robbers and muggers Naveed Yaseen 0 3,870 10-09-2009 06:18 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  What is ear wax? Safe ear hygiene practices regarding ear wax Naveed Yaseen 0 2,909 09-26-2009 06:13 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Tide turns in Swat: Hundreds of armed villagers patrol former militant strongholds Naveed Yaseen 0 3,050 09-26-2009 05:38 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Keep seniors with dementia safe at home Naveed Yaseen 0 2,826 09-08-2009 05:29 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Keeping children safe on the playground Naveed Yaseen 0 3,054 08-14-2009 07:19 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Keep kids safe around pets Naveed Yaseen 0 2,755 07-24-2009 07:46 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Wrongly advertised ‘militant’ banker pursuing PhD Naveed Yaseen 0 2,230 06-17-2009 06:35 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  Kayani co-pilots F-16 targeting militant hideouts Naveed Yaseen 0 3,281 06-16-2009 05:39 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen
  FM stations to be launched to counter militant propaganda LahoreEstate 0 2,817 06-15-2009 04:40 AM
Last Post: LahoreEstate
  Stay safe at the amusement park with children Naveed Yaseen 0 2,658 06-04-2009 07:42 AM
Last Post: Naveed Yaseen

Forum Jump:


User(s) browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)