Pakistan's action against terror havens key to success in Afghan: Pentagon

Pakistan's action against terror havens on its soil would decide the outcome of America's war against terrorism in Afghanistan as it remains "central" in the efforts to diminish militant groups like al-Qaeda, the Pentagon has said.

Pentagon, however, like US President Barack Obama and secretary of state Hillary Clinton was not willing to come up strongly in open against Pakistan - given the leverage it holds - and instead preferred to continue with its toned down "need to do mantra" for Islamabad.

"Pakistan is central to our efforts to defeat al-Qaeda and prevent its regeneration in the region," US under secretary of defence for policy, Michele Flournoy said at a news briefing.

"Over the past year, our relationship with Pakistan has improved substantially through continued robust counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency cooperation, increased civilian and military assistance, and a long-term partnership that is anchored in our improved understanding of Pakistani strategic needs.

"However, in order to ensure that our gains against core al-Qaeda are durable, we must continue to make progress to eliminate sanctuaries for extremist networks," she said.

Flournoy said over the past year, the US has made great strides against core al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan in the border region.

Al-Qaeda senior leadership in the tribal regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan are under more pressure than at any point since they fled Afghanistan nine years ago.

"We remain relentlessly focused on Pakistan-based al-Qaeda because of the strategic nature of the threat they pose and, in particular, the group's continued pursuit of large-scale attacks against the West and its influence on global terrorism. Our posture and efforts to counter these threats will continue unabated," she said.

"Sanctuary is a strategic advantage for the Taliban, for al-Qaeda, for this syndicate of groups, and we do have to work together with the Pakistanis to diminish that over time," Flournoy said.

Vice-chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, General James Cartwright said he sees this sanctuary issue and then the extremist groups that are associated with it, particularly those that come back across the border into Afghanistan, as one of the strategic vulnerabilities and one of the key issues that the US has to address.

"Now, there are any number of ways that we can address it, from unilateral US activities, to unilateral Pakistani activities inside Pakistan, to partnering between the two of us, which is really what we seek," he said.

"The question is, as we go through time, can we build the confidence? Because the ideal way here is Pakistan's a sovereign country, Pakistan handling Pakistan's challenges, but those challenges being a contribution to our activities rather than potentially a detriment," Cartwright said.

The Pakistanis have realized the threat inside their country, he said.

"What you're bringing up is that threat is not necessarily the same threat that is focused on Afghanistan, in all cases. So are we seeing the ability to go after this threat in the coordination and the cooperation? I think we are," he said.

"Do we have the exact same end states all of the time? No. The Pakistanis clearly are focused on the threats to their country first and then those that we are concerned about on the other side of the border. But is the coordination and the cooperation improving? Yes, daily and measurably. So I'm relatively positive there, but I still count this as a strategic vulnerability," he said in response to a question.

"They've been interdicting. We have been interdicting. We have been working with the Pakistanis to interdict cross-border operations, both in the east and in the south. Is it enough? Not yet. But it is in fact turning in a direction and accelerating in a measurable pace that, while we would want more, it is definitely starting to have an effect," he argued.