Waqas 48 Posted May 22, 2009 WASHINGTON: The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen said on Thursday he was concerned that the US troop build up to roust insurgents from Afghanistan could further destabilize Pakistan. However speaking to the Foreign Relations Committee, Mullen said the military planning was under way to try to avoid that. Mullen said he believed the upcoming increase of 21,000 US forces in Afghanistan “is about right” for the new strategy of trying to quell the insurgency and speed up training of Afghan security forces. He was responding to Senator Russ Feingold, a Democrat who said he was concerned the build up might push the militants into the already troubled Pakistani regions and “end up further destabilizing Pakistan without providing substantial lasting” improvement in Afghanistan. “I share your concern,” Mullen said. “Your point about insurgents going particularly into Balochistan, but particularly across that border ... we all share the concern for that,” Mullen said. “Where I’m comfortable is at least planning for it and having some expectation will allow us to address that,” Mullen said. Officials were working to avoid it, and he thought they could, Mullen said, adding: “Pakistan is further away from being totally destabilized than a lot of people realize.” Besides that, Mullen said he did not know of “any other way to provide for the security” needed in Afghanistan outside of sending more troops. U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman said that Al Qaeda and Taliban coordination has intensified and Al Qaeda Headquarters was now in Pakistan. He said Pakistan’s nuclear arsenals were safe, as Pakistan’s political and military leaderships were sincere in its protection. He stressed on strengthening Pakistan’s security situation in a bid to raise civil infrastructure. He said that assistance to Pakistan army in its war against terrorism would be provided and frontier corps capability would also have to be increased. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
