Pakistan Warns Trump Against Unilateral Moves to Defeat Taliban, Al-Qaeda In Country
Source: Newsweek Magazine
BY JACK MOORE ON 12/29/17 AT 5:42 AM
Pakistan has warned the United States and President Donald Trump against taking unilateral military action in the country against extremist groups, after warnings from top officials in the president's administration and the American leader himself.
Vice President Mike Pence said in a speech during a trip to Afghanistan earlier this month that Trump had issued a warning to Pakistan and cautioned that there was much for the country to lose if it aided extremist groups in any way. "As the president said, so I say now: Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with the U.S., and Pakistan has much to lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists," Pence said.
Relations between the U.S. and Pakistan have been fraught since it came to light that Osama bin Laden, the former Al-Qaeda leader and mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, was in hiding at a safe house in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad before the infamous U.S. Special Forces operation to kill him in 2011. Islamabad rejected the accusation that it could have been aiding extremist groups and was not doing enough to help Washington.
"We have sacrificed a lot. We have paid a huge price both in blood and treasure. We have done enough, and we cannot do any more for anyone," Pakistani military spokesman Major-General Asif Ghafoor said Friday, according to Al-Jazeera.
Read more: http://www.newsweek.com/pakistan-warns-trump-against-unilateral-moves-defeat-taliban-al-qaeda-country-763685
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