US rules out ending drone strikes in Pakistan

The United States will not stop its drone attacks in Pakistan's tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, President Barack Obama's top military officer has said, according to a report.

Admiral Mike Mullen, the US joint chiefs of staff chairman, was in Islamabad to ease diplomatic tensions with Pakistan, Bloomberg reports. Admiral Mullen said the Raymond Davis case, combined with the US drone campaign that has killed civilians, "was a huge setback."

"I don't think there is an immediate solution to this. We have to work a way through that," he said in a televised interview on Wednesdau, during which he accused Pakistan's Inter- Services Intelligence directorate of maintaining ties to militants in Afghanistan.

Also, in an interview with Dawn News, Admiral Mullen indicated that there would be probably no reduction in the Central Intelligence Agency's footprint in Pakistan or in the drone attacks, which are mostly aimed at North Waziristan- the base of the Haqqanis- until the ISI dissociates itself from the terror network.

"I have a sacred obligation to do all I can to make sure that" the network is no longer able to support insurgents in Afghanistan, the military officer said.

Calls by Pakistani politicians to restrict drone attacks intensified after the March 17 drone attack on a peace congregation in North Waziristan Agency that reportedly left over 39 innocent people dead.

 Pakistan has resisted US pressure to attack the Taliban's biggest remaining stronghold, North Waziristan, which is the main base for guerrillas of Afghan commander Jalaluddin Haqqani, who have attacked American forces operating in at least six Afghan provinces, including Kabul.