US loosing patience with Pak, says Admiral Mike Mullen

Kabul, Aug 1: With the all-weather relationship between the United States and Pakistan going through some turbulent times, the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Admiral Mike Mullen has added insult to injury stating that the US was loosing its patience with Pakistan. The reason being Mullen's claim that Qaeda strongholds are still in existence there.

Mullen made the claim while he was addressing troops in Kabul. He was on an official visit to Afghanistan. He also alleged that tribal regions in Pakistan are harboring terror groups like the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and the Haqqani network.

He further added that the volatile Pak tribal areas near the Afghan border is the most worrisome. He stated that the terror operations have not subsided in spite of Osama Bin Laden's killing and that more attacks were being planned beyond the region.

He added, "Probably one of the things I've learned is that I'm a little bit more impatient and I'd like to see things happen more quickly. Their patience level is such that sometimes we would disagree on time frames and the need to move now, but again that's a choice they get to make with their own forces, it doesn't mean we don't continue to address these issues."

Mullen acknowledged that there have been many casualties among Pak troops as well as US ones, he said that unless Pakistan takes tangible actions against groups like the Afghan Haqqani network, the relationship between Washington and Islamabad could strain further.

OneIndia News