'Pak puppet regime? Not again' Agencies/Washington In a jolt to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, the US has said that Pakistan cannot again foist a government of its choice in post-Taliban Afghanistan and ruled out the possibility of any pause in its military campaign against terrorists in that country during Ramzan. The next government of Afghanistan cannot be dictated by Pakistan, Secretary of State Colin Powell told the House International Relations Committee on Wednesday. The Pakistani President is advocating for the inclusion of moderate Talibans in post-war dispensation in Afghanistan which would be friendly to Islamabad. Mr Powell, who recently met Gen Musharraf in Islamabad, said Pakistan has a passing interest in Afghanistan because of its proximity so they cannot stay indifferent, but they cannot do what they did before, namely foisting a government of their choice. Stating that the United Nations is taking a lead role, the Secretary of State said all Afghanistan's neighbours and countries like China and Russia must be consulted in the formation of a post-war government in Afghanistan. Earlier, speaking at a joint Press conference with his British counterpart Jack Straw, Mr Powell ruled out the possibility of halting or curtailing military operation in Afghanistan during Ramzan as pleaded by Gen Musharraf. "We are sensitive to Ramzan but we cannot let that be the sole determinant of whether we continue our military action," he said. "As we approach the period of Ramzan and winter, we will just have to make an assessment at that time as to where we are and if it is necessary to continue military action, then there is the judgement that I am sure the US President will support," Mr Powell said. Mr Straw said UN peacekeepers may be needed in Afghanistan once the US-led military operation there is over and that the foreign donors would have to commit themselves to the country's long-term reconstruction. "Troops, whether in the UN blue helmets or as part of a multinational force, could be required to protect civilians and provide security," he said. In an interview to USA Today, us Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said America may not be able to catch terrorist Osama bin Laden even though he predicted the Taliban regime harbouring him in Afghanistan will be toppled. "Yes, I think there will be a post-Taliban Afghanistan," Mr Rumsfeld said, adding, "That is easier than finding a single person." He admitted that it will be "very difficult" to capture or kill Laden. "It's a big world," he said, adding, "There are lots of countries, he's got a lot of money, he's got a lot of people who support him and I just don't know whether we'll be successful. Clearly, it would be highly desirable to find him." But he said in any event Laden's terrorist network would carry on without him. "If he were gone tomorrow, the same problem would exist," he said. Rumsfeld has said repeatedly that rooting out terrorism is a long-term project that will last for years and has compared it to the Cold War, which lasted half a century. Meanwhile, the US House of Representatives have narrowly approved a $100-billion stimulus package meant to blunt the potentially devastating effects of September 11 terror strikes on Washington and New York. The Republican-led House passed the measure on Wednesday, which focuses on tax cuts and investment incentives, by a razor-thin 216-214 margin, setting the stage for a battle with the Democratic-controlled Senate that is likely to shrink the total amount. President Bush earlier called on the Congress to approve a new round of tax cuts for businesses and low- and middle-income households. By The Pioneer Friday, October 26, 2001