Clinton ends tough Pakistan trip

BBC ^ | 15:26 GMT, Friday, 30 October 2009 | BBC Staff

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been meeting tribal leaders in north-west Pakistan on the last day of a testing visit to the country.

During her three-day trip Mrs Clinton hoped to strengthen ties between the US and Pakistan and tried to address a rising tide of anti-American feeling.

In an interview with the BBC she urged Pakistanis to "realise the connection" between al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

But her arrival was overshadowed by a deadly bombing in the city of Peshawar.

More than 100 people died when a car bomb exploded in a busy market on Wednesday.

The BBC's Jill McGivering says that a great deal of anger in Pakistan is focused on the US - widely seen as interfering and destabilising Pakistan for its own ends.

ANALYSIS Kim Ghattas, BBC News, Islamabad Hillary Clinton, reaching out one more time to Pakistan, is working to overcome tensions in a relationship she has described as scarred. On her third day here and after countless roundtables and town hall meetings it appeared people were starting to be a bit more receptive. But in a BBC interview she acknowledged that challenges remained. Washington wants Pakistan to go after al-Qaeda and the hardcore Afghan Taliban. Mrs Clinton leaves Pakistan encouraged by what she heard in official meetings but very much aware of the deep-seated mistrust of America here. Washington doesn't necessarily want to be loved here but it does need to manage the tension.

[bigbob]

Yeah. So how long do you think before we’re hearing about how she arrived in the midst of a bomb attack? Oh well, Hillary is always truthful even when she just makes stuff up.

[martin_fierro]

Washington doesn't necessarily want to be loved here but it does need to manage the tension.

OH yeah.

When I think "Hillary Clinton," I think, "Soothing."

[Parley Baer]

What a “puff” piece. From what I read she did more damage than good.

[Miss Didi]

Barry must be jealous...Mrs. C. made the front page today.

[himno hero]

So there she was unwittingly talking to both al quaeda and the taliban..... excellent work!

But what was accomplished?

[knarf]

zero will keep sending her to weird and dangerous places.

No matter what we may think of HILLARY!, constantly being around bad guys that want to kill you will take it's toll.

zero has effectively marginalized her.

I wonder how many times she's kicked herself in the ass for agreeing to dump the convention and give it all uo for zero.

That was a strange and dangerous night.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

LOL....yep....that looks real soothing....

[hinckley buzzard]

Nothing. Hillary Clinton is a false-front woman (empty suit) who can't cut the mustard. Never could, truth be told. She has never done a thing in her sixty years worth noting. Think about it. She is a female Obama.

Neither one has ever even wiped their own butt without help.