Updated on
Summary
U.S Joint Chief of Staff Michael Mullen says that U.S will respond to any attacks on American citizens in Pakistan while U.S Secretary of Defense Robert Gates believes Pakistan is the biggest challenge of all which U.S faces currently. In an interview with a foreign newspaper in Washington Gates maintained that Pakistan had been considering India its biggest foe but now it realized the extremism in tribal areas was the greatest threat to its stability. He opined that this situation was created after Pakistan called off its troops from the western border but now it was taking appropriate action against extremists. US Secretary added that Pakistan was a close aide of America and its campaigns against Taliban and Al-Qaeda would be supported in the western areas. Gates stressed Pakistan had an important role in victory or defeat in Afghanistan, adding that it was US top priority to make Afghanistan safe. On the other hand, US Joint Chief of Staff Michael Mullen in the interview said if any attack was planned on America from tribal areas of Pakistan, U.S would retaliate. He claimed that terrorist had made safe heavens in tribal areas where plots to attack western countries were hatched. Pakistan knows if American interests are attacked from these areas, U.S will strike back, Mullen concluded.
