Singapore: US Defence Secretary Donald H Rumsfeld lavished praises on the Pakistani president's campaign against terrorism on Saturday.
However, he sidestepped charges that Islamabad has not done enough to flush out Taliban fighters hiding along the border with Afghanistan.
Speaking at a security conference, Rumsfeld described Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf as a "courageous man" who understands the danger of terrorism.
"President Musharraf has done an excellent job in a difficult country in a difficult environment, and is clearly dedicated to defeating terror," Rumsfeld said.
He was answering a question on whether he, in his speech earlier, was right in praising Musharraf as a key player in the fight against terrorism. "I think I am right," he said.
The questioner suggested that Musharraf does not deserve the praise as Afghan leaders have accused Pakistan of failing to crack down on Taliban militants hiding in tribal areas.
"There is a lot of history" between the two neighbours working to "sort through some of their historical differences and some of the current perspectives that differ," Rumsfeld said.
Rumsfeld said that Musharraf's security forces have been "highly successful" in rooting out extremists from urban areas.
He however, acknowledged that they have been nowhere near as successful in controlling the problem in tribal areas.
Musharraf was increasing the capability to deal with extremists, he said, adding that he could understand Afghan President Hamid Karzai's concerns.
Rumsfeld also praised Karzai. "He's got a poor country. He has got a border where people who object to his government exist and periodically attack him and his government," he said.
"Karzai has a tough job, his is not an easy task. He is doing, in my view, a darn good job" he added.
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