Petraeus defends Pakistan's efforts

[S_O_C_O_M]

Petraeus defends Pakistan's efforts​

August 15, 2010

Gen. David Petraeus defended the United States’s support for Pakistan during an interview that aired Sunday, praising that government’s efforts to crack down on terrorist sanctuaries as polling shows Americans are increasingly skeptical of an official but wobbly ally.

Appearing from Kabul on NBC News’s “Meet the Press,” the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan praised Pakistan’s targeting of Taliban leadership over the past 18 months in the Swat Valley.

“But there are areas that they have not dealt with, and North Waziristan is certainly one of those,” Petraeus said, adding that “the Taliban leads from Pakistan”

During the pre-taped interview, echoing conventional Washington wisdom, NBC’s David Gregory told Petraeus that Pakistan is “a country that the United States pays billions of dollars to, and yet some of that money is going to aid and abet insurgents and terrorists who are killing our troopers.”

Petraeus pushed back.

“Well, I don't know that I would buy that yet,” he said. “I mean our money goes to the security side, to the Pakistani Army, and the economic assistance goes to various elements of society and to the Pakistani government directly.”

Petraeus said Pakistan’s government could not deliver Osama bin Laden.

“Well, I don't think anyone knows where Osama bin Laden is,” he said. “And the fact that it took him four weeks to get a congratulatory message out or a message of condolence in say, in the course of the last year or so, when we’ve seen these, indicates literally how far buried he is, probably in the very, very most remote and mountainous region.”

Nonetheless, the general said bin Laden’s capture would still be a boon.

“He remains an iconic figure,” Petraeus said, “and I think capturing or killing Osama bin Laden is still a very, very important task for all of those who are engaged in counterterrorism around the world.”

Petraeus defends Pakistan's efforts - POLITICO Live - POLITICO.com

 

[SMC]

Pakistan is “a country that the United States pays billions of dollars to, and yet some of that money is going to aid and abet insurgents and terrorists who are killing our troopers.”

Head buried in the sand. Why the hell would US be giving us aid and selling if F-16s if we were helping the Taliban. These people can never think for themselves and have their thinking done for them by someone else. Fortunately (or unfortunately for some), the US government doesn't buy these conspiracy theories.

 

[muse]

The Americans think this is the winning strategy when it comes to relations with Pakistan - from one side of their mouths they acuse and charge and from another side of their mouth, they defend Pakistan - This is what US policy makers call, a "complex relationship" - others just call it duplicity.

The question arises why does a power like the US find the need to be duplitious? Is it that her policy and that of her "major non-NATO ally" are not in accord? What about US policy does it appear, is not acceptable to what the US calls her own, "ally"?

 

[nanmun]

It's more like carrot and stick policy. They know that they have to show very high incentive for Pakistan to shift its fundamental strategy.

US needs to maintain a long, never ending stream of money with payments at equal intervals to Pakistan.

Given the bad situation of US, there would be no wonder if the US government goes bankrupt because of Pakistan

 

[muse]

US needs to maintain a long, never ending stream of money with payments at equal intervals to Pakistan

Why?

They know that they have to show very high incentive for Pakistan to shift its fundamental strategy

What is this "strategy" and Why does it need to change?

there would be no wonder if the US government goes bankrupt because of Pakistan

So, it's not any US policy to blame for bankrupting the US, not the trillion dollar wars not the financial slight of hand - rather Pakistan will have bankrupted the US ?