Author: Press Trust of India
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: September 9, 2007
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/story/215245.html
Washington, September 8 : Criticising the
Bush administration for its counter-terrorism policies, Democratic Presidential
candidate John Edwards today said he would invade Pakistan to eradicate terror
cells if there were actionable intelligence and the US-ally refuses to act.
"I want to be clear about one thing.
If we have actionable intelligence about imminent terrorist activity and the
Pakistan Government refuses to act, we will," Edwards said at a campaign
rally at Pace University in New York.
Maintaining that the US has not used every
available tool in the book to pressurise countries like Pakistan to shut down
terror camps, the 2004 vice-presidential candidate said, "We ought to
use our tremendous tools - diplomacy, arm sales, trade, foreign aid - to get
states to shut down terror cells.
"The recent national intelligence estimate
found that al-Qaeda had established a safe haven in the northwest tribal areas
of Pakistan," he said, adding we have given Musharraf Government billions
of dollars of aid in last several years, yet they have done little to get
control over these areas.
Edward, a former Senator from North Carolina,
also said that future American aid to Pakistan should be provided on the progress
by made it, which includes strengthening the reach of police forces and working
more effectively with tribal leaders and their members to ensure their acceptance
of the government.
