Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Richard Holbrooke, special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, arrived late Monday for talks on Washington's sweeping new strategy to defeat al Qaeda and its allies. It is the first top-level visit since US President Barack Obama put Pakistan at the heart of the fight against al Qaeda, unveiling a new strategy nine days ago to commit thousands more troops and billions of dollars to the Afghan war.
"Pakistan is fighting a battle for its own survival," a statement issued by the presidency quoted Zardari as telling Mullen and Holbrooke during their talks. "The president said the government would not succumb to any pressure by militants," it said, despite Zardari sparking controversy in the West with a call for dialogue with those who lay down their arms.
The talks covered regional security issues, the Afghanistan strategy announced by Obama less than two weeks ago and a recent surge in militancy and extremism in the region, the presidency said. Pakistani officials said the US visitors were scheduled to hold separate talks with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani before leaving for India later Tuesday.
The visit came as The New York Times again reported that the United States intended to step up drone attacks on militants in the tribal areas, which border Afghanistan, and might extend them deeper inside Pakistan. The newspaper said "officials" proposed broadening the missile strikes by unmanned aircraft to Balochistan, which comes under federal government control, unless Pakistan reduces incursions by militants.