WASHINGTON, 28 February 2007 — The White House is expressing its support for President Gen. Pervez Musharraf even as Vice President Dick Cheney presses Pakistan to crack down on extremists along its lawless border with Afghanistan.
US lawmakers and Bush administration officials are eager to see Musharraf’s government make stronger efforts against militants said to be using Pakistan as a base for attacks on US forces in Afghanistan. But the White House also wants to defend Musharraf, a crucial US ally who has been targeted by extremists.
Last month, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that would withhold US military aid until President George W. Bush has certified that Pakistan had made every effort to counter militant operations in his country and secure the long Afghan frontier.
It was unclear when the bill might be considered by the Senate. Lawmakers are locked in a fierce debate on the direction of the war in Iraq. Democrats, who control Congress, are making efforts to force Bush and his Republican allies to change the war’s course.
When pressed by reporters, White House spokesman Tony Snow refused on Monday to criticize directly Musharraf’s efforts to fight terror, despite Cheney’s trip to Pakistan to secure more help.
“President Musharraf is committed to winning this, and we are committed to working with him in this war on terror,” Snow said. He spoke of Pakistan working on “being more effective at going after the bad guys” and “the importance of making even greater progress against Al-Qaeda, against the Taleban.” Still, Cheney’s visit with Musharraf on Monday was an effort to press for Pakistan to help counter a spike in extremism in the region. Musharraf’s office said Cheney spoke of US fear of terrorists regrouping and urged stronger efforts to counter the threat.
Musharraf, according to his office, insisted his forces already have “done the maximum” possible.
A report by two experts with the Center for Strategic and International Studies said the United States has given Pakistan more than $10 billion in the five years since the Sept. 11 attacks but there is little accountability for how the money is spent and it has afforded Washington little leverage over Islamabad.
