Gates Views Baradar Capture as ‘Real Progress, on the Pakistani Side’

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who’s probably dealt with the Pakistanis longer than any senior administration official, reacts to the capture of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar at a press conference yesterday:

I don’t want to get into specific captures. But I would say that what we are seeing is the importance of operations, on both sides of the border, and a manifestation of real progress, on the Pakistani side, of dealing with the threats that I’ve talked about; whether they’re the Pakistan Taliban, the Afghan Taliban or al Qaeda, that they all work together, and the success of one is success of the rest.

So I think that the recent events have been another positive indication of the Pakistanis’ commitment to stabilizing this border area.

Typically understated.