Obama: I will approve another Abbottabad-like operation in Pakistan
Barack Obama today said that he would approve an Abbottabad-like operation which killed Osama bin Laden if another militant leader was found in Pakistan but will not allow other nations (India) to follow the same path.
Speaking to the BBC on the eve of his visit to Britain, Obama said that he was mindful of Pakistani sovereignty but said the US could not allow "active plans to come to fruition without us taking some action".
Asked what he would do if one of al-Qaeda's top leaders, or the Taliban leader Mullah Omar, was tracked down to a location in Pakistan or another sovereign territory, he said the US would take unilateral action if required.
He said, "Our job is to secure the United States. We are very respectful of the sovereignty of Pakistan. But we cannot allow someone who is actively planning to kill our people or our allies' people. We can't allow those kind of active plans to come to fruition without us taking some action."
The raid on May 2 in Abbottabad has raised hackles in Islamabad and generated tension between US and Pakistan.
Obama is due to leave for Europe later today. He will first visit the Irish Republic, then the UK, France, and Poland.
Speaking to the BBC on the eve of his visit to Britain, Obama said that he was mindful of Pakistani sovereignty but said the US could not allow "active plans to come to fruition without us taking some action".
Asked what he would do if one of al-Qaeda's top leaders, or the Taliban leader Mullah Omar, was tracked down to a location in Pakistan or another sovereign territory, he said the US would take unilateral action if required.
He said, "Our job is to secure the United States. We are very respectful of the sovereignty of Pakistan. But we cannot allow someone who is actively planning to kill our people or our allies' people. We can't allow those kind of active plans to come to fruition without us taking some action."
The raid on May 2 in Abbottabad has raised hackles in Islamabad and generated tension between US and Pakistan.
Obama is due to leave for Europe later today. He will first visit the Irish Republic, then the UK, France, and Poland.
