...into a full scale regional war. Courtesy of topix.net http://www.topix.net/content/cbs/3779121165218499220015415865321534211736
Diplomats Call For Pushing Pakistan kdka.com President Bush <http://www.topix.net/news/george-bush> today starts a series of meetings with the leaders of Pakistan <http://www.topix.net/world/pakistan> and Afghanistan <http://www.topix.net/world/afghanistan>. The stepped-up diplomacy comes as violence increases in Afghanistan, where 339 Americans have died since the 2001 invasion. Mr. Bush meets first with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. Next week, he will confer with Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai before inviting both men to the White House <http://www.topix.net/us>. "The meeting will provide the three leaders an opportunity to discuss further cooperation in enhancing the trilateral relationship," White House press secretary Tony Snow said in a written statement. President Bush portrays Musharraf as an ally in the war on terror and he recently praised Pakistan's cooperation with the U.S. "They know the stakes about dealing with a violent form of ideological extremists," Mr. Bush said. "I view President Musharraf as somebody who would like to bring al Qaeda to justice." But a veteran U.S. diplomat says "a more realistic position" is needed. Former Ambassador Peter Thomsen, Special Envoy to Afghanistan during the first Bush administration, told CBS News the U.S. should put more pressure on Musharraf. He says Pakistan is "playing fireman and arsonist as it tries to have it both ways in Afghanistan and in the war on terror." Another veteran U.S. diplomat, Teresita C. Schaffer, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia <http://www.topix.net/world/asia>, says the meetings could send a firm message to Pakistan. Musharraf must "make clear within his own system that it is not acceptable for the intelligence services to continue in close relations with their old friends in the Taliban," Schaffer, Director of the South Asia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told CBS News. Musharraf has disputed U.S. and Afghan government complaints that he is not doing enough to crack down on militants operating in the rugged border area. The search for Osama bin Laden <http://www.topix.net/who/osama-bin-laden> is also expected to be a prime topic for the meetings. Former Ambassador Thomsen is convinced Musharraf and his intelligence and military commanders know where bin Laden is hiding. "The Pakistani military intelligence and the generals know exactly where he (bin Laden) is and they could inform us and we could do the job," Thomsen said. Yet Musharraf is very sensitive about any foreign military activity in his country. Thomsen also blames elements in Pakistan for the resurgence in Taliban-inspired violence in Afghanistan. He says Pakistani intelligence "fosters the Islamist jihadist infrastructure" along the Afghan-Pakistan border." As NATO dispatches more troops to Afghanistan, Thomsen warns, "war is going to continue to tear Afghanistan" as long as jihadists "spew out unlimited manpower" from Pakistan. Thomsen suggests the U.S. put pressure on Pakistan. He says the administration should "be less complimentary of Pakistan" and by threatening to put Pakistan on the State Department's list of terror-sponsoring nations, we would get the attention of Musharraf and his commanders. --30--
