US Asks More From Pakistan In Terror War

WASHINGTON: The Obama administration was supported in Pakistan to intensify its fight against the Taliban and Al Qaeda, the report said Sunday.

Citing unnamed sources, The New York Times reported that General James L. Jones, national security adviser to Obama, was sent to Islamabad with a letter to Pakistani President, Asif Ali Zardari.

“His (President Obama) message, they said, was that the new American strategy could work only if Pakistan has extended its control beyond the militants to attack their cities and the security forces and went after groups using havens in Pakistan to plan and carry out attacks against U.S. troops in Afghanistan as well as networks of support to al Qaeda, “the report said.

In the letter, the paper reported, Obama said he expected Pakistan to do more to fight extremists threaten Pakistan and Afghanistan.

“General Jones also gave Obama a letter to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, in which Obama said he expects Zardari to meet the institutions of political and national security of the nation in a united campaign against extremists that threaten Pakistan and Afghanistan, said an official briefed on the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks are confidential, “the report said.

Obama is expected to announce an increase of troops in Afghanistan along with the clear limitation of U.S. goals for the war after his return from Asia later this week. The announcement is expected to be just before or just after the Thanksgiving holiday on November 26. The post-holiday schedule appears more likely, despite criticism from the political right is that Obama is taking too long to announce his next move.

Tags: Pakistan, Terror War, US Asks