Gates praises Pakistan's grip on extremists
Robert Gates
Gates said the performance of both Pakistan's military and civilian government over the past 16 months had exceeded Washington's expectations  in an interview with Al-Jazeera  the Qatar-based satellite news channel.
"I think if you look back  15 or 16 months  the Pakistani government has performed admirably " Gates said  according to a transcript.
Gates cited Pakistan's "success" in the Swat Valley  where two million people fled a punishing military offensive against Taliban insurgents beginning in late April.
Gates added that he was pleased with the security of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal  calling the arrangements in place "sufficient and adequate."
"I'm quite comfortable that the security arrangements for the Pakistani nuclear capabilities are sufficient and adequate " he said.
He said that assessment was "based both on our own understanding of the security arrangements that the Pakistanis have for their weapons and their capabilities  their laboratories and so on. But also the insurances we have been given by the Pakistanis."
[TGT] said the performance of both Pakistan's military and civilian government over the past 16 months had exceeded Washington's expectations  in an interview with Al-Jazeera  the Qatar-based satellite news channel.
"I think if you look back  15 or 16 months  the Pakistani government has performed admirably [TGT] said  according to a transcript.
[TGT] cited Pakistan's "success" in the Swat Valley  where two million people fled a punishing military offensive against Taliban insurgents beginning in late April.
[TGT] added that [TGT] was pleased with the security of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal  calling the arrangements in place "sufficient and adequate."
"I'm quite comfortable that the security arrangements for the Pakistani nuclear capabilities are sufficient and adequate " [TGT] said.
[TGT] said that assessment was "based both on our own understanding of the security arrangements that the Pakistanis have for their weapons and their capabilities  their laboratories and so on. But also the insurances we have been given by the Pakistanis."