Washington: Accusing Pakistan of playing a "double game" in Afghanistan, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has warned Islamabad of serious consequences if it continued to back militants.
Talking tough on Pakistan, the former Massachusetts governor told New Hampshire voters last night that Pakistan is playing both sides in the war in Afghanistan - going after the Taliban within its borders in some cases and helping it in others.
"That`s unacceptable," Romney declared.
"It`s pretty straightforward to say, `Listen guys, you can`t play both sides of this game. You`ve got to decide if you`re with us or with them,`" Romney said during a campaign stop. "If you`re with them, that will have a very significant consequence. If you`re with us, that`s very good thing."
Romney did not elaborate on what the consequences might be. His comments were the toughest from any presidential candidate and marked a complete about turn from the positions he took in the last presidential race.
Romney in 2007 election run-ups was sharply critical of his then Democrat rival Barack Obama`s support for strong military action inside Pakistan on terror havens.
Romney, the Republican contender seeking to challenge Obama`s second term in the White House, also had a dig at the President for his remarks that American competition had gone soft.
"We have not gone soft. We have gone soft on the President too long. And it`s time to get hard on him," Romney said.
PTI