Ironing Out Differences

The Defense Department remains committed to ironing out its differences with the Pakistani military, said Pentagon spokesman George Little. “We want to maintain a relationship with Pakistan that’s grounded in common interests, to include going after terrorists that threaten both countries,” Little told reporters Tuesday. “There are differences from time to time in the relationship with Pakistan, as there are in any partnership. Those differences have been made public, and we continue to discuss [them] in private.” Although there have been tensions between the two countries for some time, the relationship soured even more after May’s US raid into Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden. Outgoing Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee last week, that chief among US concerns is “the impunity with which certain extremist groups are allowed to operate from Pakistani soil.” (AFPS report by Cheryl Pellerin)