Pakistan and the United States should make concerted efforts to bridge the trust gap between them which has the potential of diluting the common objective of combating terror and not indulge in "blame game", Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Friday.
In a scathing indictment of Pakistan for continuing to host terrorist safe havens within its borders, United States Senator Carl Levin, chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, took strong issue with senior Pentagon officials.
"The first lesson from the Indian ASAT is just the simple question of why did they do that. And the answer should be, I think to all the committee looking at it, is that they did that because they are concerned about threats to their nation from space," US Strategic Command Commander General John E Hyten told members of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday.
In its annual threat assessment presented before the Senate Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing on Tuesday, the US intelligence community said the expanded military posture by both India and China along the disputed border elevates the risk of armed confrontation between the two nuclear powers that might involve direct threats to US persons and interests and calls for America's intervention.
'The Senators were playing safe, not angering either the pro-India lobby or the pro-Pakistan lobby, but perhaps more importantly, the military-industrial complex -- the most powerful lobby of all -- which the majority of Senators are beholden to in terms of largesse to their campaign coffers.'
Senator John McCain, who is one of the most influential American lawmakers when it comes to foreign policy, said "the emergence of a strategic partnership with India has been one of the most consequential bipartisan successes of recent US foreign policy."
American Senator John McCain, ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee and erstwhile presidential nominee, has said he is aware that the Obama administration is working very hard to help resolve the Kashmir imbroglio, sans any US mediation of the issue between India and Pakistan.
Describing Iran as the 'most significant threat' to regional stability, a top American commander has accused Tehran of carrying out clandestine activities in more than a dozen countries including India.
Republican Senator and former US presidential candidate John McCain on Wednesday suggested greater cooperation between New Delhi and Islamabad to fight terrorism following the Mumbai attacks, which he called the "9/11 of India".
Terrorist safe havens inside Pakistan, providing shelter to terrorist outfits like the Taliban and the Haqqani network, is a serious problem, a top US general nominated to be the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan said.
The current impasse in ties between India and Pakistan is unlikely to end soon given the fragile government in Islamabad, which is overshadowed by powerful military which heavily influences policies on Kashmir and Afghanistan, a top Pentagon official has said.
While stressing that bilateral talks between India and Pakistan are key to reducing heightened tension in the region, United States Central Command Chief General David Petraeus has warned that any Mumbai-type terror strike in India will certainly 're-ignite' hostility between the two nuclear powered nations.Testifying before the US Senate Armed Services Committee, General Petraeus said any significant terror strike in India will severely dent efforts to reduce tension.
Noting that the military action by the coalition forces has significantly degraded the ability of the Libyan regime to defend itself, United States Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said the people themselves would throw Muammar Gaddafi out of power.
Although Pakistan faces an 'existential' threat from terrorists within its borders, many of its leaders are still hung up on India as that country's principal enemy, the chief of United States Central Command has informed the US Congress.This observation was made by Army General David Petraeus, who was addressing the Senate Armed Services Committee to sell President Barack Obama's comprehensive strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, which he unveiled last week.
"There are elements in Pakistan that have not yet been the focus of the Pakistani counterinsurgency efforts," Gen Petraeus said in reply to a query raised by Senator Claire McCaskill, who expressed concern over the inability of Pakistan authorities in taking "substantial action" against the LeT.
The statement by Lt General Michael Maples, Director, Defence Intelligence Agency of the US Army, in his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee comes a day after the State Department said Pakistan needs to do more in bringing the perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attack to justice.
Overriding strong objections from Islamabad, the United States has conveyed to Pakistan that missile strikes to take out high value militant targets inside its territory would continue. This decision of the new US administration was made known by the Defence Secretary Robert Gates in his testimony before the Senate armed services committee, where he also outlined that Pentagon was preparing to send two more army brigades to Afghanistan.
Al Qaeda has increased its reach: US officials
The United States has made it clear to India that it is "discouraging" it from proceeding with its acquisition of S-400 missile defence systems from Russia but Washington will have to weigh "important geostrategic considerations" while taking a decision on growing calls for a presidential CAATSA waiver to New Delhi, President Joe Biden's nominee for Coordinator for Sanctions Policy has told lawmakers.
The insurgents are pushing Iraq towards the brink of a civil war but the Iraqi government and the military could still prevent it with strong international backing, the generals said.
"Musharraf has got a situation at home where there is a certain amount of sympathy in some places for, if not Al Qaeda, then certainly for the people who are more inclined to Islam."
One Congressmen said the Uri terror attack along with the bombings in New York and New Jersey "demonstrate our need to continue to work together through our" counter-terrorism partnership to defeat terrorism.
The White House will soon be presented a number of options on Iraq and one of them from the Pentagon will suggest that the US adopt the 'go big' strategy.
Mattis attracted controversy in 2005 when he said 'it's fun to shoot some people'.
Pakistan has briefed the United States on the progress it made during military operations against terrorists in North Waziristan costing $1.3 billion (Rs 8080 crore) and sought America's help in defraying part of it.
The statement comes Days after Trump sought Imran Khan's help in the Afghan peace process.
Mattis said the Trump administration is being very clear and firm in what it expects from Pakistan.
The nomination of Esper, who is currently serving as the Secretary of the army and previously served as a vice president for government relations at the Raytheon Company, comes days after Patrick Shanahan withdrew his nomination from the top Pentagon position.
Over the last few weeks, bipartisan support for India against China has been increasing.
India skipped the Belt and Road Forum in May this year due to its sovereignty concerns.
Taliban failed to honour Doha accord, never renounced Al-Qaeda: US general Mark Milley
There is growing acceptance of the idea in the international community that engaging the Taliban government is a far better approach than ostracising it, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Congressional report estimated Pakistan's nuclear warheads to be between 110-130.
The US, in coordination with allies and partners, continued to forcefully respond to Russia's "unjustified, unprovoked and premeditated" invasion of Ukraine by imposing sanctions on Putin and Lavrov.
The US has already imposed sanctions on Turkey for the purchase of a batch of S-400 missile defence systems.
Mattis applauded India's efforts to promote stability in the South Asia region, said Pentagon Spokesperson
Trump said he was "not satisfied" with the response of Riyadh over Khashoggi's death.
Admiral Philips Davidson, Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, also told the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday that China's recent activities along the Line of Actual Control have opened India's eyes to what cooperative effort with others might mean for their own defensive needs as he observed that New Delhi, in the very near term, will deepen its engagement with the Quad.
A decision on this could be taken before Christmas, which might not necessarily result in a formal announcement as that could be delayed till the next year, people familiar with her thinking process said.
The defence secretary was responding to a question from Congressman Joe Wilson, a friend of India in the Congress who, of late, has been critical of India deciding to take an independent position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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