Front Page   

India has the right to protect itself: Obama

Chicago: U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has said that he expected Islamabad to fully cooperate with New Delhi in the investigations into the Mumbai terror attacks, and India, like other sovereign nations, has the right to “protect” itself. “My expectation is that President [Asif Ali] Zardari of Pakistan, who has already said that he will fully cooperate with the investigation, will follow through with that commitment,” he said on Monday echoing the remarks of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice earlier in the day.

Asked if India had the right to “take out” high-value targets inside Pakistan with or without the permission of Islamabad, as he espousing in regard to the U.S. under his presidency, he said: “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’s taking place in South Asia right now. I think it is important for us to let the investigators do their jobs and make a determination in terms of who was responsible for carrying out these heinous acts.”

Introducing his new Cabinet members, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Mr. Obama said his administration would remain steadfast in support of India’s efforts to catch the perpetrators of the deadly strikes and bring them to justice.

Voicing confidence that his team would help make a new beginning for American national security, he said the advisers met to discuss the Mumbai situation and some of the challenges that the U.S. would face in the future.

Mr. Obama said Americans stood with the people of India “in this dark time” after the Mumbai attacks and asserted that his incoming administration was “absolutely committed to eliminating the threat of terrorism.” — PTI

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Pranab rules out military action
Pakistan offers “joint investigating mechanism”
No decision yet on Deshmukh
Coast Guard detains seven Pakistanis
Key test for India-U.S. intelligence ties
Take action against LeT founder, says India
Cama staff rose to the occasion
Terrorists came from Pakistan: Mumbai police chief
Defend Pakistan’s honour: all-party meet
Over 72 per cent polling in Mizoram
Train blast kills 3 in Assam
“Can the father of a brave soldier ever falter in the face of tragedy?”
Regrettable, says Karat
Navy chief upset with electronic media
Rail terminal was the worst-hit in attack
Emotional adieu to Holtzbergs, other victims
Pawar to decide on Patil’s replacement
Commandos did the utmost: Israel
‘Tulpan’ bags Golden Peacock at IFFI
Move to screen Panorama films in different places
Thai Premier unseated
India has the right to protect itself: Obama
Economists call for deep reforms of global financial system
England sends a security expert
AIADMK MLA’s election declared void
Body-swap illusion tricks the mind in study
Patient photos aid doctors reading scans
Medical discovery opens new vistas
More tapes, records from Nixon years made public
Some travellers skip India plans
Mullaperiyar dam unsafe: panel chief
Abhaya was hit with an axe: CBI
Death sentence for ‘Chemical Ali’
Woman to be sent to U.S. under Arogyasri
Show of solidarity
Extra vigil now at the Capital’s borders
Bangalore’s major firms, hotels beefing up security
e-mails sent to Karachi from Tiruvuru
Deora did not violate poll code: EC
Menon in Washington
Confusion over building approvals ends
Terrorists’ SIM cards possibly from Kolkata

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu