Pakistan and U.S. soothe tensions
Last Updated on Monday, 18 April 2011 19:28 Monday, 18 April 2011 19:08
A meeting designed to soothe tensions between Pakistan and the U.S. went relatively smoothly with both sides keen to emphasise their 'solid relationship.' CIA Director Leon Panetta hosted Lieutenant General Ahmed Shuja Pasha, Chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency in Pakistan. Pakistan is worried about what it sees as a loss of sovereignty from American drone strikes on al-Qaeda targets in Pakistan. America is worried funds destined for Pakistan are finding their way to al-Qaeda and suspects that some within the ISI are secretly helping al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
U.S. officials told Reuters that Pakistan wanted America to cut the number of drone strikes and limit them to high value targets. But America refused, insistent that the strikes were fulfilling their objective and had killed senior commanders within the al-Qaeda and Taliban structure. Pakistan is also worried that civilian deaths from the strikes are stoking sympathy for the Taliban and fuelling their takeover of remote areas in the north of the country.
Pakistan is al-Qaeda's objective
Relations have recovered somewhat after they sunk to a new low last year in the wake of CIA contractor Raymond Davis shooting dead two Pakistani men. Davis claimed they were trying to rob him, but people in Pakistan were livid when Davis walked free from jail after America paid the families $2.3 million in blood money. America says Davis should have had diplomatic immunity.
Pakistan has been a key battleground in the war against the Taliban and al-Qaeda The Taliban are keen to overthrow the government and have taken control of the more isolated northern parts of Pakistan. A major government offensive last year pushed them out of more densely populated areas.
Drone strike kills al-qaeda planner in Pakistan
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Prime Minister of Pakistan Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani emphasised in an interview that if Pakistan failed in the fight against terrorism, America would also fail. He told media that, “By now the US is convinced that we are part of the solution to terrorism but not a part of the problem...Terrorism has neither boundaries nor ideology, it is meant only to destabilise. It has no support in Pakistan because it works for a foreign agenda and is sponsored from abroad."
