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US says Pakistan developing missiles that eventually could hit US

by Reuters

   WASHINGTON --

   A senior White House official on Thursday said nuclear-armed Pakistan
   is developing long-range ballistic missile capabilities that eventually
   could allow it to strike targets outside of South Asia, including in
   the United States.

   In his stunning revelation about the onetime close U.S. partner, deputy
   national security adviser Jon Finer said Islamabad's conduct raised
   "real questions" about the aims of its ballistic missile program.

   "Candidly, it's hard for us to see Pakistan's actions as anything other
   than an emerging threat to the United States," Finer told the Carnegie
   Endowment for International Peace audience.

   "Pakistan has developed increasingly sophisticated missile technology,
   from long-range ballistic missile systems to equipment that would
   enable the testing of significantly larger rocket motors," he said.

   If those trends continue, Finer said, "Pakistan will have the
   capability to strike targets well beyond South Asia, including in the
   United States."

   His speech came a day after Washington announced a new round of
   sanctions related to Pakistan's ballistic missile development program,
   including on the state-run defense agency that oversees the program.

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