Washington, December 01: In a blunt warning to Pakistan, US President Barack Obama has said its use of terror groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba to advance policy goals “cannot continue”, making it clear that Washington may be impelled to use any means at its disposal to rout insurgents if Islamabad cannot deliver.
Obama’s warning is contained in a letter to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, delivered by National Security Adviser James L Jones earlier this month. It names LeT among five extremist groups on which the US wants resolute Pakistani action.
The letter also holds out carrots for Pakistan in terms of expanded strategic partnership, including additional military and economic cooperation, and an offer to help reduce Indo-Pak tensions, the Washington Post reported on Monday.
While India has been seeking to expose Pakistan for using terrorism as an instrument of state policy over the Kashmir issue, this is probably the first time that the idea finds a pointed mention in a presidential communication from Washington.
Obama is slated to announce on Tuesday night a major troops surge for Afghanistan, but there is a clear recognition here that without concerted Pakistani action, there can be no meaningful progress in the anti-terror operations.
Besides LeT, the Obama letter has called for closer collaboration against the Al Qaeda, the Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani network and the Pakistani Taliban organization known as Tehrik-e-Taliban.
Obama has stressed that ambiguity in Pakistan’s relationship with any of these terror outfits could no longer be ignored.
–Agencies–