Pakistan Will Win War Against Extremists: Barrack Obama
Sunday, June 21, 2009 at 10:18 am
WASHINGTON: US President Barrack Obama has ruled out sending American troops to Pakistan to hunt down top al-Qaeda leadership and expressed confidence that the Pakistani government and military would win war against extremists.
In an interview, the American president also expressed confidence in the Pakistani government ability to safeguard the nuclear weapons. “I have confidence that the Pakistani government has safeguarded its nuclear arsenal. It’s Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.”
When asked was Pakistan strong enough to win war against extremists, Obama said: “ I have confidence in Pakistani people and the Pakistani state in resolving differences through a democratic process and to isolate extremists. Dating back to Jinnah, Pakistan has always had a history of overcoming difficulties. There’s no reason why it can’t overcome those difficulties today.”
To a question about pushing Pakistan into the military operation in Waziristan, Obama said nobody could or should push the Pakistani government. The Pakistani government was accountable to the people of Pakistan.
“I think the Pakistani government and the people of Pakistan recognize that when you have extremists who are assassinating moderate clerics like Dr Naeemi, when you have explosions that are killing innocent women and children, that can’t be the path for development and prosperity for Pakistan. And so there’s been a decision that’s made that we support, that the Pakistani military and the Pakistani government will not stand by idly as extremists attempt to disrupt the country.”
But, he added, ultimately these were decisions to be made by the Pakistani government and the Pakistani people.
About any plan to visit Pakistan, he said, “I would love to visit. I had Pakistani roommates in college who were very close friends of mine. I went to visit them when I was still in college; was in Karachi and went to Hyderabad. Their mothers taught me to cook.” He said he could cook keema and dal.
He said he had a great affinity for Pakistani culture and the great Urdu poets. He said: “So my hope is, is that I’m going to have an opportunity at some point to visit Pakistan.”
To a query about Pak-India dialogue and Kashmir issue, the US president ruled out mediation between Pakistan and India, and said: “We can’t dictate to Pakistan or India how they should resolve their differences, but we know that both countries would prosper if those differences are resolved.”
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