Democrat's Presidential aspirant takes tough stance against Pakistan

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Washington, Aug 2 (UNI) Democratic Presidential contender Barack Obama adopted a tough stance against Pakistan, saying he would send US troops there itself to hunt down Al Qaeda targets without seeking President Pervez Musharraf government's permission and withhold economic aid, if it failed to eradicate terror operations.

Obama said, ''There are terrorists holed up in those mountains who murdered 3,000 Americans. They are plotting to strike again.

If we have actionable intelligence about high value terrorist targets and President Musharraf will not act, we will.'' Delivering a tough foreign policy speech, yesterday, the Democratic Senator said he would not seek Musharraf's permission to send troops inside Pakistan's borders to hunt down terrorists.

Obama also said he would make pulling US troops out of Iraq his first priority as a President.

He wanted the United States to shift its focus from the war in Iraq to a fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

He also criticised the Bush administration's Iraq policy, saying it had made the US more vulnerable to terrorist attacks, and has weakened the country's position in pressing Gen Musharraf to close down terrorist training camps within Pakistan.

Obama's speech also figured at the White House and State Department's press briefings.

While State Department Spokesman Tom Casey preferred ''to stay as far away from US presidential politics,'' White House Spokesman Tony Snow said the US remained committed to working with Gen Musharraf in going after suspected terrorist havens.

''We think that our approach to Pakistan is one that not only respects the sovereignty of Pakistan, as a sovereign government, but is also designed to work in a way where we are working in cooperation with the local government,'' said Snow.

The Illinois Democrat's tough stance comes after a rival candidate, New York Senator Hillary Clinton, who is also a contender for the 2008 Presidential elections, questioned his readiness to be commander in chief and termed him 'naive'.

Hillary Clinton last week labeled Obama naive for saying he would be willing to meet the leaders of Iran, Cuba, Syria, North Korea and Venezuela without preconditions in his first year in office.

UNI

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