US officials are loath to discuss the secretive CIA program, the source of
sharp tensions between Washington and Islamabad. Drones have killed scores
of what the US government says are al-Qaeda suspects in Afghanistan,
Pakistan and Yemen.
This week, Mr Obama aide John Brennan insisted that the missile strikes were
legal, ethical, proportional and saved US lives.
On Tuesday, the Pentagon warned that insurgent sanctuaries in Pakistan and
corruption posed “long-term and acute challenges” to security in
Afghanistan.
Mr Crocker urged Pakistan to take action against safe havens and prevent
cross-border attacks by the Taliban.
“I hope Pakistanis will take a look at this agreement and say ‘Wow, the
Americans are not going to cut and run this time. We don’t need to hedge our
bets, we don’t need to put up with these guys any longer’ and either take
control of them or press them into the reconciliation process.”
Source: AFP