The Obama administration engaged in delicate diplomacy with Pakistan and Afghanistan on Wednesday, seeking more cooperation against a Taliban insurgency that threatens both neighboring countries. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held a three-way meeting at the State Department with Presidents Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan and Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan ahead of the leaders' meetings with President Barack Obama on Thursday. Clinton introduced Zardari and Karzai as presidents “who are leading their countries at a difficult time in history, who are working hard to maintain and nurture democracy, and who understand that we face a common enemy. We may come from different places and have different backgrounds, but we are facing a common enemy and therefore we have found common cause.” Zardari and Karzai responded positively to the U.S. call for greater cooperation and coordination, saying they also were committed to the struggle against the “common threat” posed by the Taliban and other militants.
