WASHINGTON, Nov 29: US President George W. Bush has said that he will still send American troops into Pakistan if he gets actionable intelligence that Osama bin Laden and other Al Qaeda leaders are hiding somewhere in the country.

Last year, Mr Bush caused uproar in Pakistan when he declared that he would authorise direct US military action if he had evidence that senior Al Qaeda leaders were hiding somewhere in the country.

Later, US officials assured Pakistan that while they retained the option to target Al Qaeda leaders anywhere in the world, they would take no action that could destabilise a friendly government.

In an interview to CNN on Wednesday evening, Mr Bush was reminded of his earlier declaration and asked if this was still his position. “Yes,” he said.

“Has not changed?” the interviewer asked. “No, has not changed,” said Mr Bush.

Mr Bush, however, acknowledged Pakistan as a key ally in the war against terror and praised its cooperation in bringing Al Qaeda leaders to justice.

In Pakistan, the US position on sending troops to target alleged Al Qaeda hideouts inside the Pakistani territory is seen as contradictory to Washington’s claim that Islamabad is a key ally in the war against terror. But in the US, this issue is viewed differently.

In this country, there has always been a consensus that the United States will take direct military action if it has “actionable intelligence” suggesting that Al Qaeda leaders are hiding at a particular place anywhere in the world, including Pakistan.

President Bush’s first statement on this issue was discussed in both houses of the US Congress and both Republican and Democratic lawmakers agreed that nothing should prevent the United States from taking direct military action, not even Pakistan’s angry reaction.

Among Pakistani politicians, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto is aware of America’s position on this issue and that’s why she has indicated that if elected, she may allow direct US military actions against Al Qaeda targets.