The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff has called for a new strategy in Afghanistan which will deny militants bases across the border in Pakistan.SCREW ZARDARI.
Adm Mike Mullen said he had asked for a "a new, more comprehensive military strategy for the region that covers both sides of that border".
The US must work closely with Pakistan to "eliminate [the enemy's] safe havens", he told Congress.
Pakistan insists it will not allow foreign forces onto its territory.
"There is no question of any agreement or understanding with the coalition forces whereby they are allowed to conduct operations on our side of the border," said Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.
A surge of US attacks in Pakistan's border region over the past week has prompted outrage from the government and army.
Now stating it as a strategy will only add to the pressure on Pakistan's new President, Asif Ali Zardari, as he grapples with the militants, the BBC's James Coomarasamy reports from Washington.
UPDATE: THE NYTIMES CATCHES UP. EXCERPT:
A second senior American official said that the Pakistani government had privately assented to the general concept of limited ground assaults by Special Operations forces against significant militant targets, but that it did not approve each mission.ROUND UP HERE.
How could Mullen make claims like this for the record if it was not really being supported by the Pakistanians (at least under the radar)...Since the recent elections just happened and that's about the same time the raids into Pakistan started, at least the first reported about...it must mean that the Pakistan Gov. is ok with this but doesn't want to admit it.
ReplyDeleteI will keep up with these actions, I hope that it is like I described.
Why is the Pakistani military protesting.
ReplyDeleteOr, is that just disinformation?