US for attacking militants groups 'as a whole, not piecemeal'

WASHINGTON: The United States wants Pakistan to tackle the situation created by militant groups "as a while, rather than piecemeal", Defence Secretasry Robert Gates said Tuesday even though he emphasized that Pakistanis were in the driver's seat in combating them.
"The al-Qaeda is helping the Pakistani Taliban try to destabilise the Pakistani government there. There is evidence that al-Qaeda is helping them plan these attacks, the targeting, the training on capabilities, and so on. These threats are all mixed together," the defence secretary said in an interview with FOX News.
"It's a syndicate. And (the United States is) trying to help the Pakistanis understand that if any of the three of these, or others such as the Haqqani network, are successful, it redounds to the benefit of the others. So we've got to attack this problem as a whole, rather than piecemeal," Gates said.
He said though he has no idea where the top al-Qaida leaders including Osama bin Laden are, there could be opportunities once Pakistan forces start operation in the region and they start to move around.
"I think that the actions that the Pakistani government is taking in South Waziristan, one of positive -- on of the many positive aspects of that have been flushing some of these guys out of South Waziristan. And the minute they begin to move around, then there are some opportunities," Gates said.
In the interview, Gates also reaffirmed Washington's confidence in the safety of Pakistani nuclear weapons. "They're going to do at their own pace and in their own way. We will help them as much as possible. And I told them when I was out there a couple of weeks ago, I said, You
know, we're in this car together, but we recognize on your side of the border, you're in the driver's seat and you've got your foot on the accelerator," he said referring to anti-militant efforts along Pak-Afghan border.
"But I think there has been an improvement in coordination. And
frankly, I think the Pakistanis have done a terrific job. They've lost a lot of people, at least 3,000 soldiers," he told the channel citing Islamabad's actions against Taliban in
Swat and South Waziristan regions.
The defence secretary said Washington must reassure the country of a reliable long-term relationship to address complaints of past betrayals.
"We have to just have a long-term approach to Pakistan that reassures them that we are a long-time, reliable ally for Pakistan, we're going to be there with them and for them going into the future. And it's in every aspect -- politically, economically, and so on."
Questioned about safety of Pakistani nuclear weapons in the wake of recent
terrorist attacks in the country, he reiterated his confidence in their security. "I would just echo what the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mullen said. We're comfortable with the security."