The unilateral action by the US troops to hit targets inside Pakistan can not only alienate Pakistanis from the US but might also prove detrimental for the entire region. The Nato has clearly distanced itself from the US strikes inside Pakistan borders, saying it would not take part in the proposed US strategy of conducting raids from Afghanistan against suspected Taliban and al Qaeda militants.
A defence analyst, Talat Masood, told APP that Nato's statement on not to attack inside Pakistan represents a wise thinking on behalf of the organisation. He said that Nato had taken a categorical position over the issue, which the United States was not bound to follow.
He expressed concern over the United States' possibility of taking initiative on its own as it did in Iraq and Afghanistan, and said that it could prove detrimental not only for Pakistan but also for peace of the entire region. Another news analyst, Rasool Bux Raees, however, expressed concern over the strikes by the US against suspected targets inside Pakistan. He said that Nato being an independent organisation did not mean to tow the US policies on attacks against militants. "Nato is not involved in this war as much as the United States is," he added.
He did not agree with the impression that President Bush's interest in expanding the ambit of war to Pakistani areas was in pursuance of the electoral agenda for presidential candidate, John McCain. He said that Bush was being briefed by military administration on the issue, and it had nothing to do with the US election.
When asked if US could take initiative of striking Pakistani areas without the support of Nato, Raees said, "It could be a solo flight, but would severely hurt the feelings of Pakistan and Afghanistan for not been taken them into confidence." He said that though the US needs Nato for military and technical assistance, it does not completely rely on it to conduct raids.
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