Bush Says U.S., Pakistan Collaborating and Strategizing Against Extremists

Welcomes Pakistan and India's discussions aimed at resolving Kashmir dispute

President Bush said he and the Pakistani government share a joint interest in bringing members of al-Qaida, including Osama bin Laden, to justice and he welcomed discussions between Pakistan and India aimed at resolving long-standing issues between the two countries, such as the dispute over Kashmir.

Speaking at the White House September 22 with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, the president said he had received "a very interesting briefing" from the Pakistani leader concerning his country's strategy to "strengthen governance and to promote economic development" in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas, where al-Qaida and Taliban members are believed to be located.

Musharraf said contrary to some media reports, the recent deal reached between his government and tribal elders in North Waziristan "is not to deal with the Taliban; it is actually to fight the Taliban," and is part of a "holistic approach" aimed at fighting terrorism in the tribal areas of Pakistan.

Musharraf said the deal signed by the tribal elders prohibits al-Qaida and Taliban activity in the tribal areas and across Pakistan's border with Afghanistan, adding that, "I know that [President Bush] is satisfied with that deal. And maybe this shows the light or the way forward for bringing peace to the region." (See related article.)

Bush said he has had a close working relationship with the Pakistani leader for more than five years, and that when Musharraf "looks me in the eye and says the tribal deal is intended to reject the Talibanization of the people and that there won't be a Taliban and there won't be al-Qaida, I believe him."

He added that the two countries are collaborating and strategizing together to bring bin Laden and other al-Qaida leaders to justice.

"We're on the hunt together. It's in the president's interest that al-Qaida be brought to justice. And it's in our interests. And we collaborate and we strategize and we talk a lot about how best to do this," he said.

Echoing Bush, Musharraf said there is "total coordination at the intelligence level between the two forces, there is coordination at the operational level, at the strategic level, even at the tactical level. So therefore, we are working together, and when the situation arises, we need to take the right decision to strike."

Musharraf affirmed the strength of the broader U.S.-Pakistani relationship and cooperation in the War on Terror.

"Bilaterally, we reinforced our desire to have this relationship on a long-term basis, broad-based, and a strategic relationship. ... It has its political and diplomatic aspects, which we reinforced, and then our desire to fight terrorism and succeed against terrorism," he said.

Bush also welcomed discussions in Havana between Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying it is "an indication that there is desire at the leadership level" to solve the long-standing problem of Kashmir.

The president said the United States wants to help the two countries in their efforts, as well as to help Israel and the Palestinians find a resolution to their dispute, and offered to be actively involved or to step aside, depending upon the parties' desires. But he said the United States cannot force an agreement for either conflict.

"We can help create the conditions for peace to occur. We can lay out vision. We can talk to world leaders, and we do. We can provide aid to help institutional building so that a democracy can flourish. But ultimately peace, long-standing peace, depends upon the will of leaders," Bush said.

Asked about international Muslim anger at the United States, as well as at the Vatican following Pope Benedict's comments on Islam, Bush repeated that the United States "respects Islam," and has many Muslim citizens living in peace and equality as "proud Americans."

He said many in the Muslim world are subjected to "unbelievable propaganda" directed against western countries and moderate Muslims that is designed to inflame passions and incite violence and "create conditions where terror is justified." He called on Muslims to stand up to it.

"America respects Islam," Bush said. "We don't respect people who kill in the name of Islam to achieve political objectives like the terrorists do."

Bush cited the $500 million worth of U.S. assistance in the aftermath of Pakistan's 2005 earthquake as an indication of U.S. intentions. (See U.S. Response to the Earthquake in South Asia.)

"[O]ur nation was proud to support you, Mr. President, because we care when we see people suffering," he told Musharraf.

Extremists "love to say" that the War on Terror is a war against the faith of Islam. "I can't think of anything more false," Bush said, and called on Muslims around the world to "reject the extremist propaganda that is spreading in many cases absolute lies about the intentions of the United States."

Source: U.S. Department of State

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