US General seeks Pak help for Trump's new Afghanistan push

WASHINGTON: Seeking Pakistan’s help to Trump’s new Afghanistan strategy, the incoming head of US forces in Afghanistan Austin Miller on Thursday told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Pakistan has made many sacrifices and its security forces have fought bravely [against terrorists].

Trump’s nominee to lead allied forces in the 17-year-old war, Gen Austin Miller, who previously ran the secretive Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), during a confirmation hearing, said that he still had “high expectations” for Islamabad in ending the Afghan war, but that better cooperation and coordination were needed.

While seeking Pakistan's help  to wipe out the terrorists and their hideouts Gen Miller said; “It’s obviously a very tough neighborhood with some tough neighbors,” he told lawmakers.

“Pakistan must be part of the solution, and we should have high expectations that they are part of the solution,” adding that the biggest challenge to stabilizing Afghanistan remains the sanctuaries  that shelter militants fighting the US-led coalition.

Gen Miller’s comments came days after Mullah Fazlullah, the  head of the Pakistani Taliban, was reportedly killed in a US drone strike in eastern Afghanistan’s Kunar Province.

The longtime terror chieftain was involved for orchestrating that 2014 Army school attack in Peshawar that left nearly 150 people dead, including 132 children, among other incidents.