CNews WASHINGTON: The United States is "ready, willing and able" to conduct joint combat operations with Pakistani troops against insurgents in Pakistan if Islamabad agrees, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said.
Gates said he was not aware that Pakistan has requested additional US military assistance but said it was part of an ongoing dialogue.
"First of all, we remain ready, willing and able to assist the Pakistanis and to partner with them to provide additional training, to conduct joint operations, should they desire to do so," he said.
Asked at a press conference whether joint operations meant US combat troops fighting with Pakistani troops against Al-Qaeda in the tribal areas, Gates said, "If the Pakistanis wanted to do that, I think we would."
Gates' comments were the most direct yet by Washington about US willingness to send US combat troops to Pakistan as part of an intensified counter-insurgency effort in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.
Use of US troops in Pakistan is a highly sensitive issue with the Pakistani military. President Pervez Musharraf warned earlier this month that unilateral US action in its territory would be treated as an invasion.
"They clearly have the right to decide whether or not forces from another country are going to operate on their soil," Gates said. "We will continue the dialogue. But we would not do anything without their approval."
Gates said most of the discussion with the Pakistanis so far has involved increased counter-insurgency training rather than joint combat operations.
"I mean, you're not talking about significant numbers of US troops for the kinds of things, if you're talking about going after Al-Qaeda in the border area or something like that," he said.
"So, in my way of thinking, we're talking about a very small number of troops, should that happen. And it's clearly a pretty remote area. But, again, the Pakistani government has to be the judge of this," he said.
Gates said he was not aware that Pakistan has requested additional US military assistance but said it was part of an ongoing dialogue.
"First of all, we remain ready, willing and able to assist the Pakistanis and to partner with them to provide additional training, to conduct joint operations, should they desire to do so," he said.
Asked at a press conference whether joint operations meant US combat troops fighting with Pakistani troops against Al-Qaeda in the tribal areas, Gates said, "If the Pakistanis wanted to do that, I think we would."
Gates' comments were the most direct yet by Washington about US willingness to send US combat troops to Pakistan as part of an intensified counter-insurgency effort in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.
Use of US troops in Pakistan is a highly sensitive issue with the Pakistani military. President Pervez Musharraf warned earlier this month that unilateral US action in its territory would be treated as an invasion.
"They clearly have the right to decide whether or not forces from another country are going to operate on their soil," Gates said. "We will continue the dialogue. But we would not do anything without their approval."
Gates said most of the discussion with the Pakistanis so far has involved increased counter-insurgency training rather than joint combat operations.
"I mean, you're not talking about significant numbers of US troops for the kinds of things, if you're talking about going after Al-Qaeda in the border area or something like that," he said.
"So, in my way of thinking, we're talking about a very small number of troops, should that happen. And it's clearly a pretty remote area. But, again, the Pakistani government has to be the judge of this," he said.
