Pakistan cannot be allowed to disintegrate into a failed state as it will be a risk to Europe and the rest of the world, former US chief of defence staff, General Colin Powell has said.
"It's a risk to Europe, it's a risk to the rest of the world, because we cannot allow al Qaeda to grow in an environment of chaos in that part of the world," Powell, the former US secretary of state said.
Implying that if Pakistan failed, so will Afghanistan, Powell said: "We can't allow Pakistan to fail and we don't want Afghanistan to fail".
Hoping that the NATO and European allies of the US would understand the risk involved and support Obama Administration in winning the war against terror in the region, Powell Powell told MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show" that Pakistan as a "sanctuary" for Taliban cannot be allowed.
"If Pakistan remains a sanctuary, a place where Al Qaeda and the Taliban can regroup and get recruits, that isn't going to solve the problem. American troops aren't going to go into Pakistan. We have to work with the Pakistanis so they can bring that problem under control," Powell said.
Powell, however, did not agree with Hillary Clinton's argument that all the financial aid that went to Afghanistan during the Bush regime was wasted.
"I can't agree with her that it was wasted and the characterisation that was made that it was all wasted. Roads were built. Schools were built. A government was created. A military force was created. It needs to be made much larger, but there is a military force there now; a police force, which has problems but, nevertheless, we did something to get it started," Powell said.
"So I think there were problems in the aid effort, and we can do a better job. I cannot go along with the assessment that it was all wasted," he said.
Asked if he believed that Pakistan spent the money given to them well, he said: "I don't think you can say they spent every dollar well, but I do know that they were investing in their educational system. They did things with their military. But I cannot account for every single dollar, nor do I have the order trail on every single dollar," Powell replied.