The United States on Tuesday asked Pervez Musharraf to launch a military offensive against militants hiding in a tribal border region with Afghanistan following the collapse of a 10-month peace accord.
"I think first and foremost we have to remember that some military action is necessary, and will probably have to be taken," Assistant Secretary of State for South and central Asian affairs Richard Boucher said.
He also said that the United States was prepared to help upgrade the Pakistan military, particularly its "frontier corps" that forms the bulk of the estimated 85,000 military forces in the tribal and border regions. Boucher spoke after a week of violence in North Waziristan. Boucher said Tuesday that Washington was less concerned about whether the agreement worked or not, pointing out that "it's the facts of what happens."
"There are elements in these areas that are extremely violent and are out to kill government people, out to kill government leaders, and will not settle for a peaceful way forward," he said.
"Whether it is through an agreement or through the imposition of government will or whatever, they remain the key: no Talibanization, no cross-border activity, no al Qaeda plotting and planning from the tribal areas," he said. "And we're going to help the government of Pakistan achieve that through whatever - all these different means that might be necessary," he said citing also joint US-Pakistan plans to develop the isolated areas.
Comments
Comments are closed.