WASHINGTON - Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage denied on Friday that he told a Pakistani official the U.S. would bomb Pakistan "back to the Stone Age" if it did not cooperate with Washington in the war on terror following the Sept. 11 attacks.
Armitage, in an interview with NBC News, said his remarks during the conversation were misrepresented. “I wouldn’t threaten the use of military force if I couldn’t come through with it,” he said.
Earlier Friday, with Musharraf standing at his side at the White House, President Bush said he was surprised by Musharraf's claim.
...snip...
Armitage told NBC the conversation was a “strong, factual” exchange, but said he made no military threats. He said he told Ahmad “Pakistan would need to be with us or against us. For Americans, this was seen as black or white.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14943975/or, in the words of diplomacy, "a frank and cordial exhange of views..."
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