World cannot afford a ‘failed’ Pakistan: Powell

Courtesy: Times of India
April 4th, 2009
WASHINGTON: Pakistan cannot be allowed to disintegrate into a failed state as it will be a risk to Europe and the rest of the world, former US chief of defence staff, General Colin Powell has said.

“It’s a risk to Europe, it’s a risk to the rest of the world, because we cannot allow al Qaeda to grow in an environment of chaos in that part of the world,” Powell, the former US Secretary of State said.

Implying that if Pakistan failed, so will Afghanistan, Powell said: “We can’t allow Pakistan to fail and we don’t want Afghanistan to fail”.