No regrets, says Gen after attacks over US alliance

‘‘There have been negatives, but there have been more positives. The tragedies that we’ve suffered, it’s very bad, we feel very sad,’’ he said, pausing to dwell on the 59 lives lost in attacks on Christians and Westerners by vengeful Islamic militants incensed at his alliance with Washington in crushing the Taliban and pursuing the zealots’ Al-Qaeda guests.

‘‘We have to, we will, carry on operations against these terrorists or Al-Qaeda,’’ said the General. ‘‘These are hard facts that we do have to accept, that there are some casualties.’’

Snipers in the shadows of the sweeping gardens that grace the white-colonnaded colonial-era army house, where Musharraf has lived since becoming Army Chief four years ago, belie the grounds’ apparent serenity.

Pakistan has seen a chain of attacks on Christian and western targets, the latest on August 9, since Musharraf executed his famous foreign policy U-turn by reversing support for the fundamentalist Taliban theocracy, who had been trained, armed and financed by Pakistan’s military intelligence service.