Gen Petraues due next week

ISLAMABAD—Top US military official, Gen. David Petraeus, will arrive in Islamabad for talks with his Pakistani counterparts next week. He will also visit Afghanistan. According to AKI news agency, Gen. Petraeus, who will take charge of the US Central Command next week, will discuss plans for fighting Taliban and al-Qaeda militants with his Pakistani counterparts when he arrives in Islamabad next Friday. Diplomatic sources say that Gen. Petraeus hopes to use the same strategy in Pakistan and Afghanistan that he employed during his previous command of US forces in Iraq. Petraeus’ use of Iraqi tribesmen to fight al-Qaeda in Iraq has been very suc cessful and he hopes to use this strategy in Pakistan’s tribal areas as well, sources said. Gen. Petraeus will assume direct command of US war efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

—Online