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`U.S. forces can pursue militants crossing into Pakistan'

Washington: U.S. forces have the authority to pursue Taliban and Al Qaeda militants fleeing into Pakistan from Afghanistan, a top American commander has said.

At a hearing on Afghanistan at the Senate Armed Services Committee, Gen. Douglas Lute, Director of Operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, however, indicated that a similar action cannot be taken if the militants are operating deep inside Pakistan. Asked whether Islamabad has given permission for the hot pursuit of militants across the border, Gen. Lute replied, "No, actually the answer is no."

"Each commander under U.S. authority has a responsibility and an obligation to protect his forces and is free to strike against those demonstrating either a hostile act, sort of caught in the act, or demonstrating hostile intent. And the judgement here is on behalf of the on-scene commander," the top Pentagon official said. "So, if those conditions are met in Afghanistan - hostile act or a hostile intent - and the enemy in the course of this action attempts to flee across the border, and if this action is continuous, so it's not two or three days later, but it's the same action, then we have all the authority we need to pursue, either with fires or on the ground, across the border," Gen. Lute said.

"If they demonstrate hostile intent - so, for example, if just across the border.... we do not have to wait for the rockets to be fired. They have demonstrated hostile intent and we can engage them,'' responded Gen. Lute.

Pak. envoy's warning

Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Mehmud Ali Durrani has warned that American pressure to do more in the war against terror could undermine President Pervez Musharraf and destabilise the country. ``We are telling Americans that Pakistan is your friend. We want to help you,'' he told the BBC.

He said the recent U.S. threats to cut off military aid to Pakistan could create major problems. In January, the Democrat-controlled U.S. House of Representatives passed a measure effectively linking all future military sales to the country's performance in fighting the war on terror. It is under study. — PTI

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