Strategic Ally: ‘Relationship with Pakistan important’
Says Pakistan needs to do more against Haqqani network. Nato routes hurts foreign military sales.
WASHINGTON:
US Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey says the United States’ relationship with Pakistan is the most complex, yet an important one.
In remarks made at an event on Tuesday at the National Press Club, General Dempsey said that they need a positive relationship with Pakistan not merely because of Afghanistan.
“It (Pakistan) sits in an extraordinarily important geostrategic location, you know, in a very challenging part of the world. It’s got - you know, it’s got a - it’s got huge internal challenges that could have caused it to fail, and no one believes that a failed Pakistani state is - would be a good thing for the world, let alone the region.”
Dempsy said that ISAF Commander General Allen, CENTCOM Commander General Mattis and he are engaged in trying to restore and reset the relationship with Pakistan. Since 9/11 there have been nearly 44,000 deaths in Pakistan, related to a war against terrorists. “And so this relationship is worth the effort. But we’re in a pretty low point right now.”
Published In The Express Tribune, June 22nd, 2012.
US Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey says the United States’ relationship with Pakistan is the most complex, yet an important one.
In remarks made at an event on Tuesday at the National Press Club, General Dempsey said that they need a positive relationship with Pakistan not merely because of Afghanistan.
“It (Pakistan) sits in an extraordinarily important geostrategic location, you know, in a very challenging part of the world. It’s got - you know, it’s got a - it’s got huge internal challenges that could have caused it to fail, and no one believes that a failed Pakistani state is - would be a good thing for the world, let alone the region.”
Dempsy said that ISAF Commander General Allen, CENTCOM Commander General Mattis and he are engaged in trying to restore and reset the relationship with Pakistan. Since 9/11 there have been nearly 44,000 deaths in Pakistan, related to a war against terrorists. “And so this relationship is worth the effort. But we’re in a pretty low point right now.”
Published In The Express Tribune, June 22nd, 2012.