Two-in-five Americans say troops should go to Pakistan

A poll carried out by the Opinion Research Corporation and released by CNN, has found that two out of five Americans are in favour of American troops entering Pakistan to neutralize the advances being made by al Qaeda and the Taleban.

New York, Aug.14 : A poll carried out by the Opinion Research Corporation and released by CNN, has found that two out of five Americans are in favour of American troops entering Pakistan to neutralize the advances being made by al Qaeda and the Taleban.

According to a Global Monitor report, 42 per cent of respondents think the U.S. should take military action in Pakistan if there is a chance to capture or kill high-ranking members of al-Qaeda, even without the consent of Islamabad. Conversely, 52 per cent of respondents disagree with the plan.

Afghanistan has been the main battleground in the war on terrorism. The conflict began in October 2001, after the Taleban refused to hand over Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

At least 645 soldiers, including 420 Americans, have died in the war on terrorism, either in support of the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom or as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

In March this year, members of the US Senate called on the Bush Administration to launch direct military strikes at alleged Al Qaeda targets in Pakistan. This prompted the Pakistani envoy in Washington to warn that such an attitude could bring down the Musharraf regime. Senior Pentagon officials added fuel to fire by claiming that their troops have already targeted Taleban and al Qaeda sites inside Pakistan, and added that they had reached an agreement with Islamabad to do so.

Last month, the White House assured Islamabad that it had no plan to carry out an unilateral military strike in the tribal areas to hunt for al Qaeda sanctuaries, but said the US retained the right to attack 'actionable targets' inside Pakistan.

"I think there has been this notion afoot, or at least an attempt or an inclination, somehow we're going to invade Pakistan," said White House Press Secretary Tony Snow.

"We always maintain the option of striking actionable targets, but we also realize that Pakistan is a sovereign government and a very important player in the war on terror," he added.

Snow said, "The fact is that we've made our determinations and the Pakistanis have made their determinations and they've adjusted."

ANI