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"Well, I think in terms of the impact of
the killing of Osama bin Laden, in terms of the
situation in Afghanistan, I think that there is
a possibility that it could be a game changer,"
Gates told troops at an Air Force Base in North
Carolina May 6.
"Bin Laden and (Taliban leader) Mullah Omar
had a very close personal relationship and there
are others in the Taliban who have felt betrayed
by Al Qaeda, that it was because of Al Qaeda's
attack on the US that the Taliban got thrown out
of Afghanistan," he said.
"Frankly I think it's too early to make
a judgment in terms of the impact inside Afghanistan
but I think in six months or so we'll probably
know if it's made a difference," Gates said.
US relations with Pakistan were complex, Gates
said. He said he would have been astounded if
someone had told him two years ago that Pakistan
would have 140,000 troops on its western border
with Afghanistan.
"I would have said that's not going to happen,
but it has," Gates said noting, Pakistan
has pulled troops from its border with India and
has taken thousands of casualties in the fight
against the terrorists.
The United States and Pakistan are firm partners
in the fight against terrorism, Gates said. "At
the same time there is no question that they hedge
their bets," he said of Pakistan's leadership.
But Pakistan and the United States have to keep
working on their relationship, Gates said. At
the tactical level-across the border with Afghanistan-the
relationship is good and getting better, he said.
US and Pakistani forces take turns being the
"hammer and anvil" with the Taliban
stuck in the middle.
"I would say it is a relationship we just
have to keep working at," Gates said.
(IANS)
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