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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000934 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION - PRESIDENT OBAMA'S NEWS 
CONFERENCE: MAY 1, 2009 
 
Summary:  President Obama's remarks that he made in a prime-time 
news conference marking the 100-day milestone of his presidency that 
the Pakistani government was "extremely fragile" but "able to 
protect nuclear arms" dominated headlines in all major newspapers on 
Friday. Some sample headlines about Obama's remarks: "Govt. 
'fragile', but able to protect N-arms: Obama" (Dawn); "We want 
strong relations with the army; Pakistan's civilian government is 
weak: Obama," (Nawa-i-Waqt); "Concerned about weak civilian 
government in Pakistan: U.S. President," (Jang); "Pakistan's nuclear 
weapons are completely safe: President Obama," (Islam); "Worried 
Obama confident about Pak nuclear weapons' security," (Daily Times); 
"Obama says biggest threat to Pakistan internal, not India," 
(Business Recorder).  End Summary. 
 
----------------- 
News Stories 
----------------- 
 
"Govt. 'Fragile,' But Able To Protect N-Arms: Obama" "Dawn" (05/01) 
 
"U.S. President Barack Obama has said he is confident Pakistan can 
secure its nuclear arsenal from militants but expressed grave 
concerns about the security situation in the country.  He described 
the current Pakistani government as 'extremely fragile' which was 
unable to fulfill the basic needs of its people and that's why it 
was unable 'to gain the support and the loyalty of their people.' 
'I'm confident that we can make sure that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal 
is secure,' Mr. Obama said at his third prime-time news conference 
since assuming office 100 days ago.'" 
 
"We Want Strong Relations With The Army; Pakistan's Civilian 
Government Is Weak: Obama," "Nawa-i-Waqt" (05/01) 
 
"President Obama has said that he has grave concerns about the 
stability of the Pakistan government but he is fully confident that 
Pakistan's nuclear weapons will not land in Muslim militants' hands. 
Addressing a press conference at the completion of 100 days in 
office, he said that he has grave concerns about the situation in 
Pakistan." 
 
"Concerned About Weak Civilian Government in Pakistan: U.S. 
President Obama"  "Jang" (05/01) 
 
"President Obama has said that the nuclear assets of Pakistan are 
safe, but Pakistan Army is well aware of the dangers if they fall 
into the wrong hands. 'U.S. has strategic interests in Pakistan and 
we respect its sovereignty and wish that Pakistan is strong and 
stable,' President Obama said.  We want to strengthen our contacts 
with the Pakistan Army, he added.  'Al Qaeda and Taliban are the 
single direct threat to the national security of the United States 
and they can harm our national interest.'" 
 
"Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons Are Completely Safe: President Obama" 
"Islam" (05/01) 
 
"Addressing a prime-time news conference on his 100th day in the 
office, President Obama said, 'I am very concerned about situation 
in Pakistan not because Talban are going to take control of 
Pakistan, but because the civilian government right now is very 
fragile.  And it seems that it does not have capacity to provide 
basic services like education, healthcare, rule of law, peace and 
justice to the people of Pakistan, American President said.  We 
respect Pakistan's sovereignty, but we also recognize that our 
national security interests are linked with a stable Pakistan. 'We 
also acknowledge that we have huge strategic interests in Pakistan 
and do not want to see it as an extremist state armed with nuclear 
arsenal' U.S. President added." 
 
"Worried Obama Confident Over Pak Nuclear Weapons' Security" "Daily 
Times" (05/01) 
 
"U.S. President Barack Obama said on Wednesday that he is 'gravely 
concerned' about the stability of the Pakistani government, but is 
confident that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal will not fall into the 
hands of the Taliban.  Addressing a prime-time news conference on 
his 100th day in office, Obama called the government in Pakistan 
'very fragile.'  But he said, 'I'm confident that we can make sure 
that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal is secure.'  'I am more concerned 
that the civilian government right now is very fragile and don't 
 
seem to have the capacity to deliver basic services, said Obama. 
'As a consequence, it's very difficult for them to gain the support 
and loyalty of their people,' he added.  'So we need to help 
Pakistan and Pakistanis.  And I think that there's a recognition 
increasingly on the part of both the civilian government there and 
the army that that is their biggest weakness," said Obama." 
 
"Obama Says Biggest Threat To Pakistan Internal, Not India" 
"Business Recorder" (05/01) 
 
"U.S. President Barack Obama has said Pakistan's army has begun to 
realize that home-grown militants and not India pose the biggest 
threat to stability, after troops retook a key town from Taliban 
militants.  Obama also told a news conference in Washington on 
Wednesday he was confident about the security of Pakistan's nuclear 
arsenal and that the Pakistani Army recognized the dangers of 
weapons, falling into the wrong hands.  'On the military side, 
you're starting to see some recognition just in the last few days 
that the obsession with India as the mortal threat to Pakistan has 
been misguided, and that their biggest threat right now comes 
internally,' he said. 'And you're starting to see the Pakistani 
military takes much more seriously the armed threat from militant 
extremists.' 'U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday voiced 
confidence about the security of Pakistan's nuclear assets and 
renewed his administration's strong support for country's stability 
beset with challenges from militants.  'I'm confident that we can 
make sure that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal is secure.  Primarily, 
initially, because the Pakistan Army, I think, recognizes the 
hazards of those weapons falling into the wrong hands,' he said. 
'We've got strong military-to-military consultation and 
cooperation," Obama told a White House news conference, marking 
first one hundred days of his presidency.  He declined to be drawn 
into any hypothetical worst case scenarios about Pakistani nuclear 
assets and whether the U.S. could ensure their security, if need 
be." 
 
"Pakistan's Civilian Govt. Very Fragile, Says Obama; U.S. President 
Says Military Overcoming Its 'Misguided' India Obsession" "The News" 
(05/01) 
 
"U.S. President Barack Obama said Pakistan's Army had begun to 
realize that home-grown militants and not India posed the biggest 
threat to stability, after troops retook a key town from the Taliban 
militants.  Obama also told a news conference in Washington on 
Wednesday, he was confident about the security of Pakistan's nuclear 
arsenal and that the Pakistan Army recognized the dangers of weapons 
falling into the wrong hands.  'On the military side, you're 
starting to see some recognition just in the last few days that the 
obsession with India as the mortal threat to Pakistan has been 
misguided, and that their biggest threat right now comes 
internally,' he said." 
 
"Pak govt. Fragile: Obama; Obama Does Not Rule Out U.S. Intervention 
If Nuclear Assets Come Under Threat" "The Nation" (05/01) 
 
"U.S. President Barack Obama said Wednesday that he was 'gravely 
concerned' about the stability of the Pakistan government but that 
he was confident Pakistan's nuclear arsenal would not fall into the 
hands of militants.  'I'm confident that we can make sure that 
Pakistan's nuclear arsenal is secure,' Obama said at a prime-time 
news conference marking his first 100 days in office. 'Primarily, 
initially, because the Pakistani army, I think, recognizes the 
hazards of those weapons falling into the wrong hands. We've got 
strong military-to-military consultation and cooperation,' he said 
in response to a question.  The question put to President Obama was: 
'Pakistan appears to be at war with the Taliban inside their own 
country. Can you reassure the American people that, if necessary, 
America could secure Pakistan's nuclear arsenal and keep it from 
getting into the Taliban's hands or, worst case scenario, even al 
Qaeda's hands?'  Obama called the government in Pakistan, where army 
forces are battling Taliban militants, 'very fragile.'" 
 
"Pakistani Government Is Weak; Is Unable To Provide Basic Facilities 
To The Public: Obama"  "Express" (05/01) 
 
"U.S. President Obama has said that Pakistan's nuclear assets are 
safe but Pakistan's civilian government is weak and unable to 
provide basic amenities to the people.  Addressing a press 
conference at the completion of 100 days in office, he said that he 
 
has grave concerns about the situation in Pakistan not because the 
Taliban are about to take over or that the government is being 
toppled, but because the civilian government there is very fragile 
and is unable to provide basic services to the public - which are 
necessary to win public support and loyalty. He said we need to help 
Pakistan and Pakistanis." 
 
"We Will Take Action If Pakistan's Nuclear Weapons Land In The Hands 
Of Extremists: Obama" "Khabrain" (05/01) (Note: the text of the 
story in Khabrain does not include any reference to the headline. 
End note) 
 
"U.S. President Obama has said that he has grave concerns about 
Pakistan's stability and added that Pakistan's civilian government 
is very weak and we need to help it.  He said that Pakistan faces 
internal threats, not threats from India.  Addressing a press 
conference on completion of 100 days in office, he said that 
Pakistan's government is weak and unable to provide basic facilities 
like health, education and justice to its people.  He said we should 
help Pakistan provide these services to its people." 
 
"Worried About fragile Civilian Government, Want To Strengthen Ties 
with Pak Army: Obama" "Ausaf" (05/01) 
 
"U.S. President Obama while addressing a press conference in 
Washington has said that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal is secure. 
'Pakistan Army is aware of the fact that the biggest threat comes 
from within and not from India' stated American President. 'Pak Army 
has started to take extremists more seriously, and we hope that they 
will continue to move in this direction. He said that the U.S. is 
confident that Pakistan's nuclear arms are secured." 
 
"Pak Govt. Very Fragile, Nuclear Arsenal Safe: Obama" "Pakistan 
Observer" (05/01) 
 
"The U.S. President Barack Obama has said that Pakistan's government 
was 'very fragile,' but was confident that the country's nuclear 
arsenal would not fall into militant hands.  'You're starting to see 
the Pakistani military take much more seriously the armed threat 
from militant extremists,' Obama told his third prime-time 
nationally televised press conference since assuming office on 
January 20.  Obama, who completed his first 100 days in office 
today, said the civilian government in Pakistan is 'very fragile' 
and doesn't have the capacity to even deliver the basic services to 
its citizens. 'I am gravely concerned about the situation in 
Pakistan, not because I think that they're immediately going to be 
overrun and the Taliban would take over in Pakistan.  I'm more 
concerned that the civilian government there right now is very 
fragile and don't seem to have the capacity to deliver basic 
services: schools, health care, rule of law, a judicial system that 
works for the majority of the people.'" 
 
"Zardari Govt. Is 'Very Fragile,' Says Obama" "The Statesman" 
(05/01) 
 
"US President Barack Obama has voiced worries about the weakness of 
Pakistan's government and did not rule out US intervention if the 
Islamic power's nuclear weapons fell into extremist hands. 
 
In a prime-time news conference marking the 100-day milestone of his 
presidency, Obama said he was increasingly confident that Pakistan 
was serious about fighting militants and that its nuclear weapons 
were secure.  But Obama said that the civilian government of 
President Asif Ali Zardari, who is due in Washington next week, was 
unable to provide basic services that would ensure people's loyalty. 
 'I am gravely concerned about the situation in Pakistan, not 
because I think that they're immediately going to be overrun and the 
Taliban would take over in Pakistan,' Obama said.  'I am more 
concerned that the civilian government right now is very fragile and 
don't seem to have the capacity to deliver basic services, like 
health care and the rule of law.  As a consequence, it's very 
difficult for them to gain the support and loyalty of their people,' 
Obama said." 
 
------- 
Op-ed 
------- 
 
"Obama Throws A Ton Of Bricks On Zardari," news analysis by Group 
 
Editor Shaheen Sehbai in the centrist national English daily "The 
News" (cir. 55,000) (05/04) 
 
"President Barack Obama's 100th day prime TV time press conference 
on Wednesday night has created a grossly uneven playing field for 
President Asif Ali Zardari's upcoming visit to Washington, as the 
candid and frank, almost brutal, observations of Obama have cut 
Zardari to a very small size besides giving the Pakistan Army much 
more importance than the Pakistani leadership would like to hear.... 
 It dug deep into the credibility and future of the civilian set-up, 
specially the fate of Zardari himself, who everyone in Washington 
knows, has been running Pakistan as a one-man show.  So the 
criticism hits the Pakistani President right where it hurts." 
Feierstein