Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Mullen: Safe haven in Pakistan allowed taliban to grow stronger

No sh*t. The aid, training, information given to the taliban by the ISI didn't hurt either. Press Trust of India

Washington, Jun 16 (PTI) Taliban against whom US-led forces are fighting in Afghanistan grew "more effective" in the last three years because they had "safe haven" in the tribal areas of Pakistan to "rest" and "train" before returning to fight, US' top military commander has said.

Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the military offensive launched by the Pakistan army has helped obstruct the Taliban's "flow to Afghanistan".

"For the last three years... The violence level has gone up. They have also become much more effective because they have had a safe haven in which to reside in Pakistan so they can train there, they can rest there and then they can return to the fight in Afghanistan," Mullen said in a podcast.

Despite objections by former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on the term 'Af-Pak', Mullen said Afghanistan and Pakistan are part of the same war theatre and are both linked.

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