Zardari says war against militants started much before 9/11

Washington, May 11 (ANI): Responding strongly to critics of his administration in the United States, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari said on Sunday that the war against extremists and militants in the tribal badlands had begun much before the 9/11 strikes across America.

"It's a war of our existence," Zardari told NBC News's Meet the Press.

"We've been fighting this war much before they attacked 9/11," he added.

He also rejected the notion that Pakistan is on the brink of collapse and added that his country is merely one front in the global struggle against terrorism.

"I consider the philosophy of Taliban as threat to the world, not just to Pakistan and your country, but I feel it's a larger threat. I think we need to find a strategy where the world gets together against this threat, because it's not Pakistan specific, it's not Afghanistan specific," Zardari said.

"I think the world needs to understand that this is the new challenge of the 21st century and this is the new war, and we've all got together," he added. (ANI)