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Public support for US declining in Pakistan: Petraeus

* US CENTCOM chief says number of Pakistanis who fear US presence increased by nine percent in five months

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: Public support for the US is declining in Pakistan due to US drone strikes, Central Command chief General David Petraeus has said.

“Most polling data reflects” an increase in anti-US sentiment, he said, without identifying the source of the polling. Pakistanis are angered by drone strikes that they believe “cause unacceptable civilian casualties”, he wrote while supporting President Barack Obama’s decision against releasing photographs showing the abuse of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Nine percent: The statement was part of the US Justice Department’s request to the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in New York to reverse its order that the photos be released. Releasing the photos would accelerate the rising anti-US sentiment in Pakistan, Petraeus said. The percentage of Pakistanis who felt the US presence posed a threat to Pakistan increased in October 2008 to 54 percent from 45 percent in June 2008, Petraeus said. “It may be higher today,” he said. “While other polling data show minor improvements in US-Pakistan relations, 63 percent of Pakistanis still oppose cooperating with US counter-terror operations.”

Separately, White House National Security Adviser General James Jones told a think tank the US is satisfied with Pakistan’s efforts to fight the Taliban and strongly supports the military offensive in Swat. According to a private TV channel, Jones said he was heartened by the Pakistani people’s receptiveness to the military offensive.

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