Pak. visit: Powell was undeterred by threat

SHANGHAI, OCT. 20. Washington had played down fears for the U.S. Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell's safety on his trip to Pakistan, where there have been violent anti-U.S. protests against the bombardment of Afghanistan.

But the people who flew him in and out of Islamabad this week were taking no chances - just in case an anti-American militant outwitted massive security to launch one from his shoulder. ``If you are talking about physical danger to Gen. Powell, he was 35 years a soldier. I don't think that's going to deter him,'' the Deputy Secretary of State, Mr. Richard Armitage, told presspersons before Gen. Powell left home on Sunday on a regional trip.

Gen. Powell led U.S. forces in the Gulf war, his helicopter was shot down in Vietnam and he once stood on a poisoned booby trap stick. So, maybe venturing into Islamabad was small fry to him. But he may have been one of an elite group of passengers without sweaty palms when the voice from the cockpit made clear the landing in Islamabad would be no ordinary one.

- Reuters

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Section  : International
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