Washington US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has said that al Qaeda is the primary enemy of United States in the Af-Pak region and those parts of the Taliban who support al-Qaeda are also an American target.
"The Taliban is a very broad group. Our primary enemy in that part of the world is al Qaeda. The Taliban elements, the terrorist elements that support al Qaeda are also our enemy," Panetta said.
"And there are some elements, obviously, of the Taliban that support al Qaeda. And those are the ones that we've been targeting," Panetta said in response to a question at hearing on budget of the House Committee on Armed Services.
"Our goal is to make sure that they never again can establish a safe haven in Afghanistan from which to conduct attacks on this country, and that remains our primary goal," he said.
Panetta was responding to a question from Congressman Mac Thornberry.
"Vice President Biden has said that the Taliban is not our enemy. And I have a quote here says -- that supports that. Do you agree or what -- do you believe that the Taliban is our enemy in Afghanistan? And if they are our enemy, can we leave a secure and stable Afghanistan without addressing the Taliban and their safe havens in Pakistan?" he asked.
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