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TechnoratiPakistan Warns Petraeus Against Missile Strikes
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistan warned a top U.S. general Monday that frequent missile strikes on its territory risk inflaming anti-American sentiment.
![[US Army General David H. Petraeus, seen in October in Washington, DC. A Defense Ministry statement said Mukhtar told Petraeus, Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Richard Boucher and others in the entourage that the missile strikes from drones "generate anti-America sentiments as well as create outrage and uproar among the people."(AFP/Getty Images/File/Jonathan Ernst)]](http://www.commondreams.org/files/article_images/petraeus1103.jpg "petraeus1103.jpg")
Gen. David Petraeus met with Pakistan
Defense Minister Ahmad Mukhtar as part of his first international trip
since taking over U.S. Central Command on Friday.
The visit indicated how crucial the U.S. considers Pakistan's support in the fight against Islamist extremists, especially those in its neighbor Afghanistan. But it also comes amid Pakistani calls to halt U.S. missile strikes on suspected militant targets on its soil.
A Defense Ministry statement said Mukhtar told Petraeus, Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Richard Boucher and others in the entourage that the missile strikes from drones "generate anti-America sentiments as well as create outrage and uproar among the people."
The U.S. wants Pakistan to do more to crack down on insurgents who use pockets of its northwest region as sanctuaries from which to plan attacks on U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, where violence is running at its highest levels since 2001.
The missile strikes in the border region indicate U.S. impatience with Pakistani efforts.
Washington is suspected in at least 17 missile strikes in Pakistan since August. Despite repeated Pakistani condemnations, the strikes have continued.
In September, a U.S. ground assault in a tribal region in Pakistan's northwest spurred outrage in Pakistan and prompted a flurry of diplomatic activity. There have been no reports of additional ground assaults since.
Acting U.S. Embassy spokesman Wes Robertson declined to provide specifics on Petraeus' agenda for security reasons. However, he also is expected to meet with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan's army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.
At the Defense Ministry, officials also briefed Petraeus on Pakistani military operations against insurgents in its border regions. According to the statement, both sides "stressed the need for enhanced cooperation to eliminate the scourge of terrorism."
Another topic that could come up during the general's trip is negotiations with the Taliban. Pakistani and Afghan leaders have vowed to seek talks with elements of the militant movement.
Petraeus, previously the top U.S. commander in Baghdad, has indicated support for efforts to reach out to members of the Taliban considered moderate enough to cooperate with the Afghan government.
Meanwhile, Zardari was scheduled to arrive Tuesday in oil-rich Saudi Arabia to request a deferral on oil payments and other possible support, the Foreign Ministry said. Another potential topic: negotiating with the Taliban.
Nuclear-armed Pakistan needs billions in outside assistance to avoid defaulting on its international loans. The impoverished nation of 170 million people is hampered by high inflation, chronic power outages and a sinking currency.
Analysts said Zardari's visit could yield some temporary relief, but that he was unlikely to return with a package that would render moot politically unpopular IMF aid.
12 Comments so far
Show AllGrappa
Violence begets violence. Our attacking another sovereign nation will simply create the need for revenge. There are no winners in war except the profiteers.
"I don't think he's a Bush puppet. I believe he's a very good soldier. Maybe our best General officer. And he works for the boss we elect."
Reading this from an above post makes it abundantly clear why it's so easy to get "our boys" to allow themselves to be "hustled" into invading and murdering their "christian" way across the planet.
the vindictive, spoiled little lush, dubya, outed an active CIA mole, fired or demoted two or three REAL soldiers that wouldn't tell the sheeple what he wanted them to and someone says the above.
Sir,..Do you know WHY those who know call the "very good soldier" General BETRAYUS? because he whistles what ever tune Bush tells him to.
Also, it's amazing how easily you lemmings can be drawn away from the ROOT of this all....The SWINE lied this country into murdering for his "base".
I hope he's tried, has his fortune confiscated, is convicted and publicly executed so we can all see our commander in chief wet his pants and scream like a little girl as he's dragged up the stairs to the gallows.
You can follow the conventional line put out by Move.on, but they aren't much. Mudslingers usually aren't.
Petraeus will have to step very carefully when dealing with Pakistan, as most any American military action in Pakistan merely aids the Taliban's cause, and might even accomplish an even rarer feat, uniting the mutually hostile peoples of Pakistan against an outsider (which is usually done by India).
funny thing is.....
they bomb people in Syria, they invade Irak, they shoot missiles into Pakistan, they invade Afghanistan, threaten Iran......
but the ONE and MAJOR exporter of global islamic terrorism is deliberately ignored: Saudi Arabia
it's like getting a person with a broken leg on your hands and treat him for mazels, cancer, aids, the flu, common cold, alcoholism, arthritis, all the time ignoring the broken leg.....
and the media is complicit: they too have a radio silence on Saudi Arabia.
the world largest training center of fundamentalist Wahabi imams, Jihadi's, Al Quaida cells, smuggled bombs and suicide bombers.
Its a good point.
US Army General David H. Petraeus is about the best we have in the military, he is also the best bet to get our kids out of Iraq and Afganistan faster and safer than anyone.
Whoa ! He's nothing but a Bush puppet who replaced the general who just happened to point out about the truth about Iraq. And if Obama's going to keep that puppet, I fail to see how we'll get out of our LOSERS' status? :(
Frederick
I don't think he's a Bush puppet. I believe he's a very good soldier. Maybe our best General officer. And he works for the boss we elect.
Remember during the beginning of the occupation there was one area that was making progress, cooperating with the local Iraqi and asking them what they wanted to do. Repairing services, restoring water use, etc. That was Petraeus.
I believe he is our best bet. He is the one that suggested talking to the Taliban. Obama would be crazy to fire this guy in my opinion. Hope I'm right.
As if Betrayus will even listen ! He's just a Bush puppet !
gosh, its so calm in iraq.. i wonder if anti-usa iraqi interests should be waiting til after the elections? do you think iraq might be considering strengthening its anti-USA resources while waiting-it-out? meanwhile, our troop-focus navigates toward afghanistan.. the war in afghanistan is just likely beginning its "long forever" phase, and obama will preside over this if he is foolish enough to want to prove he is a war president, not a liberal, as he may feel forced "politically" to choose at some point. soon thereafter, any significant "new" problems emerging from iraq, would be enough to sink us across-tha-board, so to speak, as resources would have to be re-focused toward iraq. in short, obama best look toward balanced solutions in afghaneeestan and pakeeeestan, or we'll be heading for fugly. just my lowly systemsanalyst point of view.
Has Petraeus found the balls to eat at the Messhall in Mosul? Not likely.
His specialty seems to be lack of security for the troops. No doubt he will see to it that the billets and messhalls it Pakistan are unsafe as well.