Strikes to be with Pak consent: Obama
* US president rules out hot pursuit by US troops into Pakistan
* Says Islamabad needs to be held more accountable
WASHINGTON: Washington will strike Al Qaeda and Taliban targets in Pakistan after consulting with Islamabad, US President Barack Obama said in an interview aired on Sunday.
He said US troops would not go in hot pursuit of extremists across the Afghan border into Pakistan but demanded Islamabad hold up its end of the anti-terror struggle.
I havent changed my approach, Obama said in the CBS programme Face the Nation, referring to US missile strikes. If we have a high-value target within our sights, after consulting with Pakistan, were going after them.
But asked if he would send US troops on the ground into militant safe havens inside Pakistan, Obama stressed: No. Our plan does not change the recognition of Pakistan as a sovereign government.
We need to work with them and through them to deal with Al Qaeda, he said. But we have to hold them much more accountable.
The US president said the average Pakistani had begun to think over the last several years that this is somehow Americas war and they are not invested. What we want to do is say to the Pakistani people you are our friends, you are our allies. We are going to give you the tools to defeat Al Qaeda.
The US president said the focus of the war on terror against Al Qaeda had been lost over the last seven years, referring to his predecessor George W Bushs diversion of resources to Iraq.
We are going to make sure that they cannot attack US citizens, US soil, US interests, and our allies interests around the world. agencies
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan