Al-Qaeda trying to get nukes: Mullen

August 29th, 2009 LAHORE - US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen has warned that no amount of public relations will establish credibility if America fails to communicate its actions globally. "We need to worry a lot less about how to communicate our actions and much more about what our actions communicate.

August 28th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, has said that even though the allied forces have challenged Al-Qaeda and its allies in Afghanistan for eight years, the Taliban- Al-Qaeda alliance has now become stronger than ever before. In an interview to The Boston Globe, Admiral Mullen said the Taliban's alliance with Osama bin Laden and other top leaders of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network has become stronger than ever, highlighting that public support to the 'war on terror' in Afghanistan was 'waning'.

July 31st, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has rejected reports that Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin-Laden is hiding inside the country's geographical boundaries. "There is no evidence that Osama Bin Laden is present in Pakistan and claims of his presence in the country should be substantiated with actionable proof," Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said.

July 24th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen has said Al-Qaida chief Osama-bin-Laden is hiding in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and can strike the United States from there. Admiral Mullen said it was due to this fear, crushing Al-Qaeda was on top of Obama Administration's agenda.

July 24th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The top most US military official has said Pakistan's spy agency ISI has been "fomenting chaos" in Kashmir and advised Islamabad to restrain it. "I believe that in the long run the ISI has to change its strategic thrust which has been to foment chaotic activity, you know, in its border countries.

July 10th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen has said that the United States is in the process of nurturing a long-term relationship with Pakistan to help the troubled nation counter the threat emanating from extremist organizations like the Taliban and Al-Qaeda better. Mullen said it is very important for the US to help the security forces of both Pakistan and Afghanistan to quell terrorism more effectively.

May 26th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, has said that Iran is on track for building a nuclear weapon by 2011. "Certainly from what I've seen over the years, Iran is on a path to develop a nuclear weapon," Mullen said on ABC's "This Week." He added that: "Most of us believe that it's one to three years depending on assumptions on where they are right now.

May 24th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The United States considers the next 12 to 18 months as critical to the success of its revamped AFPAK policy. Addressing an off the record briefing, in which the briefer is not identified, a top US military official said the next year and half would crucial for the US led 'war on terror' against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

May 22nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Worried by the ever expanding links between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, the United States has reiterated that Al-Qaeda has shifted its base and is now headquartered in Pakistan. Addressing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Chairman of the U.S.

May 5th, 2009 LONDON - The United States has once again expressed fears about Pakistan's nuclear arsenal falling into the hands of the Taliban, as the extremists continue to expand and establish their writ over new areas in the country and inch closer towards Islamabad. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, said he is "gravely concerned" about the "crisis" Pakistan is facing.

May 4th, 2009 Mullen says he believes Pakistan nukes are secureWASHINGTON — The Pentagon's top military officer said Monday that he is comfortable that Pakistan's nuclear weapons remain secure, but is gravely concerned about Taliban advances there and in Afghanistan. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters that the United States has worked with the Pakistanis to improve the security of their nuclear arsenal and he believes that country's military is focused on keeping them secure.

April 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Expressing serious concern over reports that the Taliban is inching closer towards Islamabad, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, has said Pakistan could be taken over by insurgents. "We're certainly moving closer to the tipping point where Pakistan could be overtaken by extremists," The Nation quoted Admiral Mullen, as saying.

April 3rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - The United States has announced a three fold increase in civilian aid to Pakistan, and is also planning to spend another three billion dollars over the next five years to equip and train the Pakistan Army against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, but the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen has made it clear that there is an urgent need to maintain a check on the aid to ensure its proper and correct use. "There hasn't been an audit trail, and there hasn't been accountability measures put in place, and there needs to be for all the funds," Admiral Mullen told The New York Times.

March 30th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Terming the relation between Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Afghan extremists as "an existential threat", the United States has asked Pakistan to cut off all its ties with outlawed groups based in Afghanistan. "What we need to do is try and help the Pakistanis understand these groups are now an existential threat to them," US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said.

March 28th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen has confirmed media reports that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has close links with Al-Qaeda and the Taliban network, and is offering logistical support them. "There are certainly indications that's the case," The Dawn quoted Admiral Mullen, as saying.