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Pakistan, an international migraine: Albright

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Agencies Posted: Dec 02, 2008 at 1044 hrs IST
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Washington: Counting many elements, including terrorism and nuclear weapons, in Pakistan as causes of international worries, a former top US official has described the South Asian country as an "international migraine".

"...my own sense is Pakistan has everything that gives you an international migraine. It has nuclear weapons, it has terrorism, extremists, corruption, very poor and it's in a location that's really, really important to us. And now with this issue with India. So, I think that the current president and the current secretary of state, who's on her way to India right now, have a very big job ahead of them," said former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

"And I also do think that the next president and the secretary of state are going to have to pay a great deal of attention to that combination of issues, Pakistan, India and Afghanistan, that all fit together. That's very important to the United States," she added.

In the wake of current tension between India and Pakistan following the Mumbai Terror attacks, Albright said that Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari was trying very hard to deal with the issue.

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"...there's an agreement that the Pakistanis understand what the issue is. I think that if we have clear evidence and intelligence that is one part of this. And that is the Achilles' heel of everything, which is whether you have actual intelligence.

"...I think that he is their president and he is working very hard to try to get control over what is a very difficult place," she added.

Responding to a query on a remark made by President-elect Barack Obama, at his press conference in Chicago, in the wake of last week's terror attacks in Mumbai, the ex-official also endorsed the stand of the incoming US president.

"I think that what President-elect Obama said about the fact that every country, under the United Nations, has the right to defend itself, that is absolutely true. But it's also true that they are investigating everything right now and that it is not appropriate for those of us that are not in the Government to comment on this," Albright said on CNN's Situation Room programme.

"I think that sovereign nations obviously have a right to protect themselves. Beyond that, I don't want to comment on the specific situation that has taken place in South Asia right now," Obama had said when asked if India had the same right as he claimed his administration had in going after terror targets inside Pakistan with or without the permission of the government in Islamabad.

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View all Messages [ 5 ]
undue blame on pakistan by Umar on 2008-12-16 00:28:45.303849+05:30
We all are victims of terrorism. But there is a much bigger problem that is being overlooked and that is the poverty prevalent in both the countries, Once we increase the literacy rates and create more jobs the whole problem of terrorism is bound to fade away. To be very frank there is no comparison between India and Pakistan. India has a global focus due its size and manages to extract more support from the international community. On the contrary Pakistan, surrounded by hostile neighbours, lives in a mode of survival which sometimes forces it to adopt deft strategies to maintain a strategic balance in the region. As far as living conditions are concerned Pakistan fares better as it is not as densely populated as india or for that matter Northern India. The numbers might go in India's favour but an average Pakistani has a higher average standard of living
pakistan is tumor and cancer by abc on 2008-12-02 21:13:51.023523+05:30
pakistan is cancer
Taliban to Pakistan by varuna on 2008-12-02 19:39:05.193933+05:30
In a country where the Taliban threatens to take over the entire nation in a span of just a few months they are talking about India's civil war....that's got to be a joke.
Pakistan's 'internatinoal migraine' is treated by U.S. by rajmohan k on 2008-12-02 19:08:18.801827+05:30
And, this migraine is treated and supported by the U.S. Govt. Millions of dollars are regularly pumped to Pakistan by the U.S. in the name of relief and humanitarian purposes, which in turn is being used to purchase arms and ammunitions and distributed to Terrorists to terrorise India. This is a claim by U.S. senetors themselves. This is U.S. double standard!
Pakistan is an international migraine by SV Nagappa on 2008-12-02 13:00:31.558507+05:30
Majority of Pakistanis are so uneducated and so poor that they do not even have a bisc understaning of local issues leave alone global. Their leadership is busy rallying these people into a frenzy that they do not understand that such mob incitement leads to lawlessness in its own country which spills outside. Pakistan has failed to live in the international community as a democratic state due to its focus on getting muslim Kashmir back rather than developing its society. Pakistan is international clogged artery which needs immediate bypass. World community has to place sanctions on it to stop its soil being used for terrorism. Didnt the world do that to S. Africa to stop social terrorism of Aparthaid? Deplomacy has a place and so does punishment when negotiations are not working. Pakistani people are so removed from its leaders that there is a disconnect. Sanctions will hit the hip pocket nerve of the people who will wake up and expect better performance from their leaders.
        
May be we have to see ourself as well
by Shukla on 2008-12-02 14:26:35.224527+05:30
May be we have to see ourself as well.In one of our state confirm hindu extremsits who led to more division in us is rulling.Our ATS chief is killed by whihc only Hindu extremsists have gained not PAkistan.The terrorists we clamed to capture were the only one whose very clear picture were taken and incidently he was wearing orange Band in his hand.[we all knows whose symbol it is].But we will let our focus on Paksitan and these type of thing continue to happens.Think Broadly my Friends
        
Band is not hindu symbol.
by vbp on 2008-12-02 20:45:14.674386+05:30
Hindus wear orange threads on their hands; not bands. But, of course, you are just trolling.
        
True identity
by Kim on 2008-12-02 16:17:18.916119+05:30
We all knows (sic) you are a Pakistani. The orange band is just as bad a camouflage as your name Shukla.
        
strong action
by mohamed on 2008-12-02 17:20:48.405483+05:30
Pakistan is a corrupt country. India ,US and Israel should act together to wipe out the terrorists.
        
Pakipower
by Raja on 2008-12-02 17:08:52.398627+05:30
Indians are like Hens.When the cat comes to eat them they close their eyes and assume it has gone dark outside and the cat can't see.Indians wake up and do not close eyes on ur own internal issues.Your country is at the brink of civil war.
        
power
by ram on 2008-12-02 18:11:05.019583+05:30
Who said that the india under brink of civil war. Just ask IMf, they would cearly indicate and answer your query.
        
amazing
by z on 2008-12-02 20:52:17.561541+05:30
you guys are all a bunch of morons. In both of your countries, you have rampant corruption and disregard for authority. Pakistan is just as badly off as India. And don't throw the uneducated mark in there. Both of your countries have plenty of uneducated citizens.Both your countries suck. (I'm half indian, half pakistani, so don't throw allegiances at me, your politicians and military machines have made a fool of our race and our culture). Congratulations.
View all Messages [ 5 ]
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