Hillary aims to refine goals of Afghan war

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Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, former Adviser to the Caretaker Government and Muhammad Abdul Mazid, former Chairman of NBR seen with Genius Scholarship winners in the city recently.

ISLAMABAD, July 18 (AP): US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton started a South Asia tour Sunday aimed at refining the goals of the nearly 9-year-old war in Afghanistan and pushing neighboring nations to work together in the fight against al-Qaida and Taliban extremists.
Clinton landed in Islamabad where she will underscore the need for Afghan-Pakistani cooperation in winning the war but also announce plans to beef up US development assistance to Pakistan, which is rife with anti-American sentiment.
In talks with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani Sunday and military and civilian officials Monday, Clinton is seeking to convince Pakistanis the US is committed to the country's long-term development needs and not just short-term security gains.
This, officials hope, will lead to greater Pakistani cooperation on key US policy goals, particularly combatting Pakistan-based militants accused of conspiring to attack the United States, including the failed Times Square bombing, and stepping up action against extremists along the Afghan border.
"To get there we need to change the core of the relationship with Pakistan," said Richard Holbrooke, the Obama administration's special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Clinton plans to announce about $500 million in several new development programs - funded by a bill approved by Congress last year to triple nonmilitary aid to Pakistan with $1.5 billion a year over five years - that will focus on water, energy, agriculture and health.