Taliban push in Pakistan served as wake-up call: Gates

WASHINGTON: The recent push by Taliban forces to take more ground in Pakistan has served as a wake-up call for the government there, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today.

In a broad-ranging interview with US TV that aired today, Gates said he feels the Pakistani leaders now realize that the Taliban is an existential threat there.

"We and others have been talking with them about how what is happening there in the western frontier area is truly an existential threat to democratic government in Pakistan," Gates said. "And I think the movement of the Taliban into Buner really got their attention."

Last month, the Taliban seized control of Buner, in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, causing alarm as it moved within only about 60 miles of the capital city of Islamabad.

It is feared that al-Qaida could also use the border areas of Pakistan to launch attacks against coalition forces in Afghanistan.

Pakistan has long focused on India to its east as its main threat, Gates said, with little regard for the largely ungoverned western front.

Gates said he believes Pakistan is now starting to develop its military capacity to fight a counterinsurgency, and the United States is willing to share equipment and training. But, he said, there has been reluctance on the part of the Pakistani government up to this point to accept much help. link...