WASHINGTON, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Washington is confident in the ability of the Pakistani military to contribute to the fight against al-Qaida and Taliban insurgents, U.S. officials said.
Washington links the Pakistani effort to control a spiraling insurgency in its tribal belt to broader success in Afghanistan as world leaders and top military strategists debate the best way to correct what was described earlier this year as a failing strategy.
U.S. and Pakistani collaboration in the region improved as the U.S. military focus shifted from the war in Iraq to Afghanistan. Washington passed a package aimed at boosting military and non-military aid to Pakistan, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently traveled to the region to discuss a broad range of policy issues.
Pakistan, for its part, is engaged in a sweeping military operation to take on Taliban and other insurgents scattered throughout the volatile tribal regions along the border with Afghanistan.
Ian Kelly, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, lauded the "real commitment" on the part of Pakistani authorities to address militants within its borders.
Asked by reporters whether Washington was confident that Pakistan could handle an insurgency in a porous border region, Kelly said the U.S.-Pakistani partnership gave credence to optimism.
"This is their effort, but we stand ready to support them, both on the military side, but also on the civilian side on reconstruction and economic assistance," he said.
