Petraeus, Zardari, Agree on Need to Fight Terrorism in Pakistan

Pakistani President Ali Asif Zardari and General David Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command (Centcom) have called for unity in fighting terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Dawn reports Petraeus in an interview:

The actions of the Pakistani Taliban seem to have galvanized all of Pakistan. There is a degree of unanimity that there must be swift and effective action taken against the Taliban.

General Petraeus said the U.S. and Pakistan were in agreement on a common approach to fighting militants:

It was very clear in discussions with everyone, from President Zardari through the other members of the delegation that there’s an understanding that this does have to be a whole-of-government approach. In other words, not just the military but all the rest of the elements of government (are) supporting the military.

The Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported the Pakistani president saying that during his visit he held talks with American leaders. Zardari was seeking help in fighting the Taliban in Pakistan. He called on the world, including Pakistan, to come together to tackle the monster of terrorism and get rid of fundamentalism. Speaking at a large gather of Pakistanis in New York, he urged Pakistanis to stand together and work for the security of the country.