Posted on 02/26/2007 11:14:41 AM PST by kellynla
Vice President Dick Cheney made a surprise visit to Pakistan Monday for talks with President Gen. Pervez Musharraf on efforts to stabilize neighboring Afghanistan, an official said.
Cheney arrived on Monday morning and went straight to Musharraf's office in Rawalpindi, just south of the capital Islamabad, for talks on bilateral and international issues, a senior official in the president's office said on condition of anonymity because he is not an official spokesman.
It was unclear if Cheney joined the same talks held Monday between Musharraf and visiting British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett.
Cheney praised Pakistan's contribution in the war against terrorism but he also communicated his "apprehensions" about the possibility that the Taliban is regrouping in Afghanistan to launch a spring offensive against coalition forces there, the official said.
Musharraf reiterated Pakistan's "firm" resolve in the war against terrorism and said that Pakistan, Afghanistan and the coalition forces must ensure close coordination to jointly tackle any such possible attacks, the official said.
The New York Times, citing unnamed sources, reported Monday that President Bush has decided to send a tough message to Musharraf, warning him that the Democrat-controlled Congress may cut off funding to Pakistan unless it gets more aggressive in hunting down al-Qaida and Taliban operatives in its country.
The Times report did not mention Cheney's visit to Pakistan and it was not known if the vice president conveyed such a message to Musharraf.
But unnamed senior administration officials told the newspaper that Bush decided to take a tougher line with Pakistan after concluding that Musharraf is failing to follow through on commitments to maintain the hunt for militants that he made during a September visit to Washington.
U.S. officials want to see Musharraf do more against suspected Taliban and al-Qaida hideouts in Pakistan's remote border regions and to prevent them from mounting cross-border attacks.
Cheney was in Oman on Sunday after leaving Australia, where he had spent three days on a tour to thank the government for contributing troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. He had earlier visited Japan and Guam.
I hope Cheney had his shotgun with him:-()
Very similar to Cheney's tour of the region prior to the Iraq invasion.
Big Time on the scene is good news for America!
Cheney's "tour of death". When was the last time? 2002? We crushed Saddam shortly after. Now it's Iran's turn.
Man, I'd love to see a President Cheney. Too bad he won't run.
"Too bad he won't run"
people do change their minds...
for the good of the country & the GOP; we better hope and pray he does!
Yep
Hey how about this Lynn Cheney could run if she want too can you imagine having Dick Cheney as first spouse LOL! that be very funny to see Left and MSN media meltdown like that
Fact of the matter is that the only ones surprised about this were the MSM. I can guarantee that US Secret Service agents were in Pakistan two weeks ago setting up for this visit. And you just don't drop in on the President of a county without notice. So the only surprise is that someone didn't leak prior notice of this meeting to the media.
I think Cheney would divorce her. He REALLY looks like he wants out of DC for good.
BIGTIME 08!
I don't think so it be cool if he ran Dick Cheney but I doubt it because first thing they bring out his heart problems
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.