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Mullen cites Pakistans reversal of Taliban gains, says reducing Pakistan-India tensions vital
WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (APP): Pakistan has reversed the Taliban territorial gains through a series of military operations, Chairman U.S. Joint Chiefs Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said Tuesday at a Congressional hearing, where he also advocated Washingtons help toward resolving India-Pakistan tensions for South Asian stability.
The top American military officer, however, warned that the Afghan Taliban were gaining influence in Afghanistan and security situation in the region remained serious.
Mullen also urged a long-term U.S. commitment to Pakistan as he appeared with Defense Secretary Robert Gates to testify on President Barack Obamas 2010-11 requests for $ 192 billion for Afghanistan and Iraq wars in th next year and a half.
The 2011 budget, proposed by President Obama on Monday, also calls for substantially raising security assistance for Pakistan to $ 1.2 billion in 2011 fiscal year, beginning October 1, 2010.
South Asian security tensions and political dynamics significantly impact our objectives in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The longstanding animosity and mistrust between Pakistan and India complicates regional efforts, Mullen told the Senate Armed Services Committee in a prepared statement.
Yet, he stated, India and Pakistan must both be our partners for the long term.
Mullen described bilateral military relationships an essential component in a wide array of cooperative activities. We must recognize this and address it as part of our policy, he added.
He called for supporting moves to improve trust between the two South Asian nuclear powers.
While we acknowledge the sovereign right of India and Pakistan to pursue their own foreign policies, we must demonstrate our desire for continued and long-term partnership with each, and offer our help to improve confidence and understanding between them in a manner that builds long-term stability across the wider region of South Asia.
As part of our long-term regional approach, we should welcome all steps these important nations take to regenerate their back channel process on Kashmir.
On Pakistans fight against militants, Mullen, who has made several visits to the country, lauded the efficacy of Islamabads actions.
The Tehriki-Taliban Pakistan (the Pakistan Taliban) showed itself to be a bold and audacious enemy of the Pakistani people, ruthlessly seizing control of Swat in late spring. Nine Pakistani military operations against the Taliban that began last March have reversed their territorial gains.
Pakistans ongoing military operations against extremists in these areas are critical to preventing al Qaeda and associated groups from gaining ground, he stressed.
Mullen cited some successes against Taliban and al-Qaeda along the border region but observed the threats to our national security from al Qaeda and affiliated movements based in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region remain real and persistent. He said the security situation there remains serious.
We require a stable and reasonably secure Afghanistan and Pakistan - inhospitable to al Qaedas senior leadership, capable of self defense against internal extremist threats, and contributors to regional stability, he said and expressed support for increased focus on the region under President Obamas strategy.
Increasing U.S. focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan confirmed the border region to be al Qaedas center of gravity, he claimed and predicted a tough fight in the months ahead in Afghanistan.
It also showed the situation to be more dire than previously understood. The Afghan-Talibans post-2005 resurgence produced a widespread paramilitary, shadow government and extra-judicial presence in a majority of Afghanistans 34 provinces.
He said President Obamas strategy that includes deployment of thousands of additional troops in Afghanistan has set conditions to reverse Afghan-Taliban gains by strengthening Kabuls security and governance capacity. He foresaw a hardwork in Afghanistan in the year ahead.
Setbacks marked much of 2009, but with a new leadership team, appropriate resources, improved organization, and a better strategy, we are confident of success against al Qaeda and the Taliban. Success will not come easily or swiftly, but we will succeed. The hardest work to achieve our regional aims remains ahead of us, especially in 2010-11.
Associated Press Of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency ) - Mullen cites Pakistans reversal of Taliban gains, says reducing Pakistan-India tensions vital
WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (APP): Pakistan has reversed the Taliban territorial gains through a series of military operations, Chairman U.S. Joint Chiefs Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said Tuesday at a Congressional hearing, where he also advocated Washingtons help toward resolving India-Pakistan tensions for South Asian stability.
The top American military officer, however, warned that the Afghan Taliban were gaining influence in Afghanistan and security situation in the region remained serious.
Mullen also urged a long-term U.S. commitment to Pakistan as he appeared with Defense Secretary Robert Gates to testify on President Barack Obamas 2010-11 requests for $ 192 billion for Afghanistan and Iraq wars in th next year and a half.
The 2011 budget, proposed by President Obama on Monday, also calls for substantially raising security assistance for Pakistan to $ 1.2 billion in 2011 fiscal year, beginning October 1, 2010.
South Asian security tensions and political dynamics significantly impact our objectives in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The longstanding animosity and mistrust between Pakistan and India complicates regional efforts, Mullen told the Senate Armed Services Committee in a prepared statement.
Yet, he stated, India and Pakistan must both be our partners for the long term.
Mullen described bilateral military relationships an essential component in a wide array of cooperative activities. We must recognize this and address it as part of our policy, he added.
He called for supporting moves to improve trust between the two South Asian nuclear powers.
While we acknowledge the sovereign right of India and Pakistan to pursue their own foreign policies, we must demonstrate our desire for continued and long-term partnership with each, and offer our help to improve confidence and understanding between them in a manner that builds long-term stability across the wider region of South Asia.
As part of our long-term regional approach, we should welcome all steps these important nations take to regenerate their back channel process on Kashmir.
On Pakistans fight against militants, Mullen, who has made several visits to the country, lauded the efficacy of Islamabads actions.
The Tehriki-Taliban Pakistan (the Pakistan Taliban) showed itself to be a bold and audacious enemy of the Pakistani people, ruthlessly seizing control of Swat in late spring. Nine Pakistani military operations against the Taliban that began last March have reversed their territorial gains.
Pakistans ongoing military operations against extremists in these areas are critical to preventing al Qaeda and associated groups from gaining ground, he stressed.
Mullen cited some successes against Taliban and al-Qaeda along the border region but observed the threats to our national security from al Qaeda and affiliated movements based in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region remain real and persistent. He said the security situation there remains serious.
We require a stable and reasonably secure Afghanistan and Pakistan - inhospitable to al Qaedas senior leadership, capable of self defense against internal extremist threats, and contributors to regional stability, he said and expressed support for increased focus on the region under President Obamas strategy.
Increasing U.S. focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan confirmed the border region to be al Qaedas center of gravity, he claimed and predicted a tough fight in the months ahead in Afghanistan.
It also showed the situation to be more dire than previously understood. The Afghan-Talibans post-2005 resurgence produced a widespread paramilitary, shadow government and extra-judicial presence in a majority of Afghanistans 34 provinces.
He said President Obamas strategy that includes deployment of thousands of additional troops in Afghanistan has set conditions to reverse Afghan-Taliban gains by strengthening Kabuls security and governance capacity. He foresaw a hardwork in Afghanistan in the year ahead.
Setbacks marked much of 2009, but with a new leadership team, appropriate resources, improved organization, and a better strategy, we are confident of success against al Qaeda and the Taliban. Success will not come easily or swiftly, but we will succeed. The hardest work to achieve our regional aims remains ahead of us, especially in 2010-11.
Associated Press Of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency ) - Mullen cites Pakistans reversal of Taliban gains, says reducing Pakistan-India tensions vital
