U.S not in favour of direct military intervention in Pakistan: Mike Mullen

Washington, Jan 7(ANI): Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen has said that there would be no direct military intervention of the United States in countries like Pakistan or Yemen, where Al-Qaeda seemed to have established its bases.

Mullen, however, said that they would continue to use "actionable intelligence" to target Al-Qaeda hideouts.

"For a big part of the next couple of years, the United States will be focussed on the execution of the Afghanistan and Pakistan strategy that President Barack Obama announced on December 1," The Dawn quoted Mullen, as saying.

Mullen further that countries like Pakistan and Yemen were sovereign states and the United States respected their sovereignty.

"It is a sovereign country and we all recognize that. So we are going to continue to support the Yemeni government in the execution of their strategy to eliminate these terrorists," Mullen said.

He also emphasized that Pakistan's importance in the war against extremists is crucial.

"I've been to Pakistan one time before I took this job over, and I just made my 14th trip over the last couple of years just to give you an indication of the need to understand, the need to be there, the need to try to see challenges through other people's eyes and not just take the American view from here in Washington," Mullen said. (ANI)