Bush criticises talk of US strike on Pakistan-govt

ISLAMABAD, Aug 3 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush on Friday described the prospect of U.S. strikes against al Qaeda in Pakistan as "unsavoury", saying Washington respected its ally's sovereignty, the Pakistani government said.

Bush made the comments to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in a telephone call to congratulate Pakistanis ahead of the 60th anniversary of their independence on Aug. 14.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama said this week that the United States must be willing to strike al Qaeda targets inside Pakistan.

A Pakistani foreign ministry statement said: "President Bush stated that the United States fully respected Pakistan's sovereignty and appreciated Pakistan's resolve in fighting al Qaeda and other terrorist elements.

U.S. willing to hit terrorists inside Pakistan, officials say

Washington - Top Pentagon and State Department officials said Wednesday that U.S. special forces would enter Pakistan if they had specific intelligence about an impending terrorist strike against the United States, despite warnings from the Pakistani government that it would not accept American troops operating independently inside its borders.

The statements were the clearest assertion yet of the Bush administration's willingness to act unilaterally inside tribal areas in northwestern Pakistan where al-Qaeda's top commanders are now believed to have taken refuge. But the officials also voiced strong support for Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who they said has repeatedly backed U.S. anti-terrorism efforts in the region at great political cost.

"If there were information or opportunity to strike a blow to protect the American people," U.S. forces would immediately act, Peter Verga, the acting assistant secretary of defense for international security, said during an unusual joint session held by the House Armed Services and Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.