Washington: President Obama will not offer formal condolences to Pakistan for the deaths of over two dozen of its soldiers in NATO airstrike, New York Times said on Thursday.
According to the newspaper , it was the decision of the White House that US president would not formally offer condolences, overruling State Department officials who argued for such a show of remorse to help salvage America’s ties with its ally, Pakistan.
the paper said the request was made by the United States Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter. He said a formal video statement from Obama should be issued to help deescalate Pakistan’s rage and fury over the lethal attack which killed 24 soldiers in Mohmand Agency on Saturday.
However, WH officials, while they did not deny some American culpability in the episode, are of the view that, the expressions of sorrow and regret offered by senior department officials and US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton were enough, at least until the completion of investigations, The New York Times added.
Some administration aides also worried that Obama’s such a step could become fodder for his Republican opponents in the presidential campaign.
