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| Obama warns over Pakistan strike | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| US presidential candidate Barack Obama has said he would order military action against al-Qaeda in Pakistan without the consent of Pakistan's government. | US presidential candidate Barack Obama has said he would order military action against al-Qaeda in Pakistan without the consent of Pakistan's government. |
| Mr Obama made the comments in a speech outlining his foreign policy positions. | Mr Obama made the comments in a speech outlining his foreign policy positions. |
| Pakistan's foreign ministry said any threat to act against al-Qaeda from within its territory should not be used for political point scoring. | Pakistan's foreign ministry said any threat to act against al-Qaeda from within its territory should not be used for political point scoring. |
| Earlier this month, Mr Obama's chief rival, Hillary Clinton, described him as "naive" on foreign policy. | Earlier this month, Mr Obama's chief rival, Hillary Clinton, described him as "naive" on foreign policy. |
| The attack from Mrs Clinton came after a televised debate between Democrat presidential hopefuls. | The attack from Mrs Clinton came after a televised debate between Democrat presidential hopefuls. |
| During the debate Mr Obama said he would be willing to meet leaders of states such as Cuba, North Korea and Iran without conditions. | During the debate Mr Obama said he would be willing to meet leaders of states such as Cuba, North Korea and Iran without conditions. |
| 'Terrible mistake' | 'Terrible mistake' |
| In his speech at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, in Washington, Mr Obama said General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's president, must do more to end terrorist operations in his country. | In his speech at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, in Washington, Mr Obama said General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's president, must do more to end terrorist operations in his country. |
| If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will Barack Obama | If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will Barack Obama |
| If not, Pakistan would risk a troop invasion and the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars of US aid during an Obama presidency, the candidate said. | If not, Pakistan would risk a troop invasion and the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars of US aid during an Obama presidency, the candidate said. |
| "It was a terrible mistake to fail to act when we had a chance to take out an al-Qaeda leadership meeting in 2005," he said, referring to reports that the US had decided not to launch a strike for fear of harming ties with Pakistan. | "It was a terrible mistake to fail to act when we had a chance to take out an al-Qaeda leadership meeting in 2005," he said, referring to reports that the US had decided not to launch a strike for fear of harming ties with Pakistan. |
| "If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will," Mr Obama said. | "If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will," Mr Obama said. |
| The BBC's Jonathan Beale, in Washington, says such comments are clearly designed to bolster his credentials among a domestic audience. | |
| But a spokeswoman for Pakistan's foreign ministry, Tasnim Aslam, told the AFP news agency that talk of military action was a serious matter and political candidates and commentators should "show responsibility". | |
| White House spokesman Tony Snow defended Pakistan's leadership, saying it was working hard to fight al-Qaeda and Taleban fighters within its borders. | White House spokesman Tony Snow defended Pakistan's leadership, saying it was working hard to fight al-Qaeda and Taleban fighters within its borders. |
| Gen Musharraf has been a key US ally in its so-called "war on terror" since the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. | Gen Musharraf has been a key US ally in its so-called "war on terror" since the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. |
| But US officials have publicly said recently that they believe Pakistan has let al-Qaeda and Taleban militants reorganise themselves in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. | But US officials have publicly said recently that they believe Pakistan has let al-Qaeda and Taleban militants reorganise themselves in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. |
| Mr Obama also used his foreign policy speech to criticise the Bush administration's focus on al-Qaeda in Iraq, saying US President George W Bush was "confusing" the mission. | Mr Obama also used his foreign policy speech to criticise the Bush administration's focus on al-Qaeda in Iraq, saying US President George W Bush was "confusing" the mission. |
| He said Americans were more vulnerable to terrorist attacks than before the 9/11 attacks because of a war in Iraq "that should never have been authorised and should never have been waged". | He said Americans were more vulnerable to terrorist attacks than before the 9/11 attacks because of a war in Iraq "that should never have been authorised and should never have been waged". |