The US has said it has taken 'seriously' India's assertion that it reserved the right to launch a pre-emptive strike against Pakistan and advised the two countries to ensure that the situation does not 'get out of hand'.

A senior unnamed US state department official, quoted by Pakistan's Dawn newspaper, also said the infiltration of militants into Jammu and Kashmir 'has not stopped as yet and it is something we have said needs to stop'.

About External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha's remarks that India reserved the right to launch a pre-emptive attack against Pakistan just as the US did against Iraq, the official said Washington is 'in pretty regular touch with both governments to ensure that the situation does not get out of hand. Threats of war are always something taken seriously'.

"We recognise the very serious nature of the situation in Kashmir as our recent joint statement with Britain made clear but the two situations were not comparable," he said.

"Attempts to draw parallel between Iraq and Kashmir are overwhelmed by differences between the two situations."

Elaborating the US point of view, he said, "Iraq invaded, occupied and brutalised Kuwait in 1990."

"A decade earlier Iraq had attacked another neighbour Iran and used chemical weapons against it, and against thousands of its own citizens," he said.

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What do you think about the story? Read what others have to say: Number of User Comments: 24 Sub: Kashmir Situation Worse than Iraq Was For US There are a few matters the US needs to bear in need. Iraq may have occupied Kuwait and did all mannerly of dastardly things to ... Posted by khandu patel Sub: iraq and Kashmir As has been written in the artical that kashmir is different than Iraq . It is not different it is also a part of World. ... Posted by singh Sub: cannot compare J&K and Iraq: US Its just as to say that India cannot be compared with US. We know there is no comparison..Both may be parallel lines in many respect.. ... Posted by Proud Indian Sub: when can we get the authority for a preemptive strike According to strict US norms, killing of 500,000 people or relocating people equal in number are not reason enough. Recovery of US made arms from ... Posted by vijay Sub: Iraq and kashmir yes after Irqaq war iis over . the 2md number will be of kashmir as secretary collin Pawell said . In the kashmir is all ... Posted by singh