Can the US pursue militants into Pak?

United States President George Bush's administration is coming under a lot of pressure from Capitol Hill to precisely spell out the nature of engagement rules on the Pakistan-Afghan border, especially on the issue of hot pursuit of militants into Pakistan.

Senior lawmakers are making a forceful argument that President Pervez Musharraf cannot have it both ways -- insisting the concept of sovereignty and at the same time unable to exercise sovereign control, over certain areas of the country.

The Defence Department is trying to make the point that a distinction of sorts would have to be made between what is taking place on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and in the depths of Pakistan.

At a hearing on Afghanistan at the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Bill Nelson asked, "Does the US have to have the approval of the Pakistani government in hot pursuit across the border?"

"No, actually the answer is no, Senator," replied Gen Douglas Lute, Director of Operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"All of our kill-capture, capture-kill, what we call direct action authorities in Afghanistan really spring from one provision, and that is that each commander under US authority has a responsibility and an obligation to protect his forces and is free to strike against those demonstrating either a hostile act, sort of caught in the act, or demonstrating hostile intent. And the judgment here is on behalf of the on-scene commander" the top Pentagon official said.