Blunt speaking

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told Pakistanis what Americans have been thinking for years about the inability of Pakistan to capture or kill top al-Qaida leaders.

In unusually blunt language, Secretary Clinton said she found it "hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn't get them if they really wanted to. Maybe that's the case. Maybe they're not gettable. I don't know."

Al-Qaida, she said, "has had a safe haven in Pakistan since 2002."

American leaders believe that Osama bin Laden and other senior members of the terrorist network have established themselves in the tribal areas of Pakistan and are using it as a base from which to attack U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Despite expressing some doubts, Secretary Clinton's comments were still surprising given the timing and her stated purpose of the trip to "turn a page" in relations between the two countries.

One student questioner asked about U.S. pressure to the government using the military in their own country. Pakistan recently launched a major military offensive against Taliban bases in South Waziristan.

Mrs. Clinton likened the loss of government control in the contested regions to a gradual surrender of states to terrorists attacking from Canada. "If you want to see your territory shrink, that's your choice," she said.

Attacks by U.S. drones on targets inside Pakistan, killing civilians as well as militants, have generated anti-American feelings. Questioned about them, Secretary Clinton reminded listeners, "There is a war going on.''

And, she said, "No, I do not" consider the drone attacks to be acts of terrorism.

Secretary Clinton also spoke about concerns that Pakistan's military intelligence agency has been secretly supporting militants in Afghanistan.

Secretary Clinton's remarks were a clear expression of American sentiments.