<i>NATO commander optimistic on Afghan-Pakistan cooperation</i>
Kabul The commander of the NATO force in Afghanistan, U.S. Army Gen. Dan McNeill, said at the weekend he was optimistic about stronger cooperation between Kabul and Islamabad in the fight against extremism.
"I am encouraged that for the first time in a while I see opportunity for greater cooperation amongst the neighbors than perhaps has existed for a while," McNeill told AFP in an interview Jan. 27.
The Islamic neighbors have been bickering about a Taliban-led insurgency in Afghanistan with Kabul saying the rebels have hideouts in Pakistan's tribal areas and Islamabad should do more to root them out.
McNeill said recent meetings between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his Pakistani counterpart Pervez Musharraf appeared to have been "more fruitful than any other meetings than in the past."
"I believe that they both have come to the realization that neither wishes or wants on his neighbor something he would not want on himself," the McNeill said.
Pakistan was last year hit by a wave of suicide attacks, similar to those in Afghanistan, which killed about 800 people and were carried out by pro-Taliban fighters and al-Qaida.
Islamabad seemed to have realized "that they had a growing issue in the federally administrated tribal areas that could be described correctly as an insurgency and they seem now to be cueing up to take it on," the general said.
"I think they also know that they need a maximum adjustment in their force perhaps in training and equipping to be able to prosecute this fight the right way."
McNeill said he understood from comments from Musharraf "that they could need some help." U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said last week that Pakistan had not requested U.S. military assistance but this was part of an ongoing dialogue and Washington was "ready, willing and able" to conduct joint operations with Pakistani troops.
Source: defensenews.com
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