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Pakistan could "pull troops Afghan from border" if U.S. cuts aid
ReutersBy Zeeshan Haider

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan could pull back troops fighting Islamist militants near the Afghan border if the United States cuts off aid, the defense minister said on Tuesday in an interview with Pakistani media.

The United States Monday said it would hold back $800 million -- a third of nearly $2 billion in security aid to Pakistan -- in a show of displeasure over Pakistan's removal of U.S. military trainers, limits on visas for U.S. personnel and other bilateral irritants.

"If at all things become difficult, we will just get all our forces back," Defense Minister Ahmed Mukhtar said in an interview with the Express 24/7 television to be aired later on Tuesday.

The television aired excerpts of the interview Tuesday.

"If Americans refuse to give us money, then okay," he said. "I think the next step is that the government or the armed forces will be moving from the border areas. We cannot afford to keep military out in the mountains for such a long period."
At the beginning of the war on terror Pakistan was seen as the most important ally in the region. In fact, GW Bush took a lot of heat for "forgiving" them a lot.

Since the slaying of Osama bin Laden relations have been deteriorating.....and I am not sure that the US wanted it that way.

This looks like yet another international fumble on Obama's part. And it could have serious consequences for US troops in Afghanistan.