Elimination of terrorists safe haven in Pakistan difficult: Pentagon

In a briefing in the Pentagon, the senior US officials said the there is five percent decrease in attacks on forces in Afghanistan as compared with the last year.There are important gains in Afghanistan except alongside the border of Pakistan. Combination of military and civilian surge in Afghanistan will achieve the objective of drawdown by Dec 2014.The officials said we have put additional troops on eastern border but safe heavens in Pakistan remain a great challenge.Afghan security forces are increasing in number and quality, and taking lead in operation.‘We are talking to Pakistanis about what needs to be done for eliminating safe heavens,” the officials said and added “We are trying to bring Taliban back in mainstream by reconciliation efforts.”Safe heavens are a problem for Pakistan itself as well as the world and more Pakistanis have died because of it than anywhere else.Message of new Afghan report to Pakistan and Taliban is that we are succeeding in this war.The US has told Pakistan off the record that we are not going to leave like 1989 so they should not hedge their bets against it.“Whether this message serves its purpose or not, well know in the next few months, they said.The insurgent camps in neighbouring Pakistan out of the reach of NATO forces, as well as the Afghan governments shortcomings, posed a risk to the overall progress, the report said.Although security continues to improve, the insurgencys safe havens in Pakistan, as well as the limited capacity of the Afghan Government, remain the biggest risks to the process of turning security gains into a durable, stable Afghanistan, they said.