U.S. forces in Pakistan possible, aide says

WASHINGTON – The U.S. would consider military force if necessary to stem al-Qaida’s growing ability to use its hideout in Pakistan to launch terrorist attacks, a White House aide said Sunday.

The president’s homeland security adviser, Fran Townsend, said the U.S. was committed to working with Pakistan’s president, Pervez Musharraf, in his efforts to control militants in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region. But she indicated the U.S. was ready to take additional measures.

“Job No. 1 is to protect the American people. There are no options off the table,” she said. Townsend also said, “No question that we will use any instrument at our disposal” to deal with the al-Qaida terrror network.

The national intelligence director, Mike McConnell, said he believed that Osama bin Laden was living in the border region of Pakistan. Bin Laden, leader of the al-Qaida, directed the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

McConnell said Musharraf’s attempt at a political solution to find peace in the region backfired by giving al-Qaida a place and time to regroup.

“Al-Qaida has been able to regain some of its momentum,” McConnell said. “The leadership’s intact. They have operational planners, and they have safe haven. The thing they’re missing are operatives inside the United States.”