Washington: Vice President Joe Biden has said
Pakistan has been an "unreliable ally" of the US in the war
against terror and asserted that it was in their interest to
cooperate more.
Biden, who spoke to CNN on the eve of the 10th anniversary
of the 9/11 terror attacks, said Pakistan has failed "on
occasion" when forced to choose between the US and al Qaeda.
The price of Pakistan's choices has been the "loss of life
of American soldiers in Afghanistan," he was quoted as saying
on the CNN website.
The interview is set to air later tonight.
Islamabad has "been very helpful in other times," he
added. "But it's not sufficient. They have to get better. We
need a relationship that is born out of mutual interest. And
it's in their interest that they be more cooperative with us."
"We are demanding it," he said.
The US-Pak relations had dipped to the lowest level since
the May 2 US military operation that killed al Qaeda leader
Osama bin Laden in Pakistan's garrison city of Abbottabad.
Pakistani authorities insist they did not know bin
Laden's location.
Despite troubles in Pakistan and elsewhere, the US is
"getting close" to bringing about an end to organised,
legitimised terrorist activities, Biden said.
"We have done great damage to ... al Qaeda," he said.
"Satellite organisations" have emerged in Somalia and
elsewhere, he said, but "they are less coordinated" and "less
capable."
"And we're relentless in pursuing them," he added.
As a result, Americans are safer today than they were a
decade ago, Biden asserted.
Regardless, the vice president cautioned that "there is
always a possibility of a lone wolf" attack within the US or
elsewhere.
"There's always a possibility of an incident occurring,
but I do not believe there's anyone right now capable of
putting together the kind of extremely complicated planned
operation that took place on 9/11," he said.
PTI
First Published: Monday, September 12, 2011, 23:45