Kabul, June 7 (ANI): U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said it is difficult to secure Afghanistan so long as there were safe havens in Pakistan, adding that Washington was reaching the limits of its patience.
"It is difficult to achieve peace in Afghanistan as long as there is safe haven for terrorists in Pakistan. We have made this very clear and do this again: we are reaching the limits of our patience," The News quoted Panetta, who arrived in Kabul a day after a deadly insurgent bombing, as saying.
Earlier, Panetta had said that drone attacks in Pakistan would continue as long as America needs to defend itself against terrorist threats.
Panetta's remarks came just two days after a drone strike killed Al-Qaeda's second-in-command, Abu Yahya al Libi, in Pakistan.
Panetta unapologetically dismissed suggestions that the strikes could violate Pakistan's sovereignty.
"This is about our sovereignty as well," he said.
According to Fox News, he also talked bluntly about the difficulties in the U.S. relationship with Pakistan, as insurgents continue to find safe haven there.
"It's a complicated relationship, often times frustrating, often times difficult. They have provided some cooperation. There are other times when frankly that cooperation is not there," Panetta was quoted, as saying.
"But the United States cannot just walk away from that relationship. We have to continue to do what we can to try to improve (the) areas where we can find some mutual cooperation," he added. (ANI)
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