‘Pak military admits extremism poses existential threat’

“One of the updates that the President got today was a discussion about our military cooperation with Pakistan and the recognition on the Pakistani military side that extremists in their country posed not simply a threat but an existential threat to them,” White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters at his daily news briefing yesterday.

For the past one year,the Obama Administration had been trying to convince Pakistan that it is violent extremism and not India that pose existential threat to them.

“They (Pakistan) have been working productively and cooperatively for more than a year now in assisting international efforts,and cooperating in an effort to rid that area of violent extremists,” Gibbs said.

“I don’t want to get into operationally what might or might not come next. But obviously the capture of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar (deputy of Mullah Omar),is a significant win,” he said when asked about the arrest of the top Taliban leader.

“Obviously the Pakistani government has confirmed that Mullah Baradar is in custody. I am not going to get into information that we are getting from those interrogations. I do think obviously this was the number two Afghan Taliban and the operational chief,and it’s a big success for our mutual efforts in the region,” Gibbs said.

He said Obama met with his national security team and chain of command for his regular update on Af-Pak.

The meeting began with a briefing on the situation in Pakistan from the US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson,including a discussion of the progress made in building a strong partnership with the Pakistani government and people on behalf of our mutual interests.

Patterson gave a robust update on both the governmental and military side of Pakistan,he said.

“The President then received a briefing from US Commander in Afghanistan General (Stanley) McChrystal on the status of the offensive in southern Afghanistan and from (US) Ambassador (to Afghanistan Karl) Eikenberry on our civilian efforts.

Both noted the leading role that the Afghan government and security forces are playing alongside the international community in the current offensive,” Gibbs said.

The White House Press Secretary said General McChrystal began in walking the President through an update of the situation in Marja.

“As you know,this was highly planned and orchestrated. The effort was shaped by Afghan forces and ISAF forces with those on the ground,which is a key in our efforts.

It’s clear that a lot of individuals with the Taliban decided that they did not want to stay in this stronghold and had left,” he said.

“Without getting into specifics,obviously the President heard from Ambassador Eikenberry and General McChrystal about our continued efforts at reintegration,assuming that,as always,there’s a renouncement of the violent extremists that they’re tied to,a renouncement of violence,and that they agree to uphold the Afghan constitution and Afghan laws.

Obviously that’s part of what’s going on in southern Afghanistan,in the Helmand province right now,” Gibbs said.