Pakistan has right to self-defence, so does US: Pentagon

WASHINGTON: With Pakistan vowing to respond with "full force" to any future aggression in the wake of the deadly NATO strike, the Pentagon has said that Islamabad has the right to self-defence and so does the US.

It also admitted that the last Saturday air strike that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers has had a "chilling effect" on US-Pak military relations.

"I've seen the comments attributed to General Kayani. I'm certainly not going to speak for him or for the government of Pakistan. But every sovereign nation has the right of self-defense and the right to order their troops to defend themselves. That's what my understanding is what he did: He reiterated their right of self-defense. We certainly respect that right of his. We have it as well," Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt John Kirby told reporters yesterday.

He was repsonding to questions about Pakistan army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani ordering his troops to respond with "full force" to any further "act of aggression" by NATO forces.

Kirby also said, "I think it's safe to say that the incident has had a chilling effect on our relationship with the Pakistani military, no question about that. Both sides deem it to be as serious as it was."