Published December 14, 2010| Associated Press
ISLAMABAD – The top U.S. military officer is in Pakistan to press the case for a harder push against militants there.
Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is seeing Pakistan's powerful Army chief days before the White House releases an important assessment of the war in Afghanistan. Part of that review is likely to say that safe havens for militants in Pakistan are a major problem for the US fighting next door in Afghanistan.
Mullen tells reporters the US military relationship with Pakistan is much improved, but there are still major disagreements. He said the safe havens issue is crucial, and that Pakistan knows the U.S. view.
"It's a real critical piece of the overall strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan and it's going to continue to be," Mullen said.
Pakistan has clamped down on militants but not as much as the US and its NATO partners would like.
