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"We need immediate assistance", Zardari wrote in the Monday edition of the Post, adding the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama "recognizes only an economically viable Pakistan can contain the terrorist menace."

Unlike in Vietnam, the Indian subcontinent or Algeria -- from where the Untied States, Britain or France could pack up and leave for national interest reasons -- such "luxury" of action is not available in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the article said.

"If the Taliban and al-Qaida are allowed to triumph in our region, their destabilizing alliance will spread across the continents", Zardari said. "In Pakistan today, democracy must succeed. The forces of extremism must be vanquished."

In recalling past events which helped lead to the present situation, the article blamed the West, notably the United States, for being "all too willing to dance" with dictators including Zardari's predecessor Pervez Musharraf. Zardari said the Pakistani military has already lost about 1,200 soldiers fighting the Taliban, more than the losses suffered by all of the NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Zardari said terrorists did not spare his own wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in December 2007 in Rawalpindi.

Noting the United States has committed $1.5 billion a year for five years to help stabilize Pakistan's economy, Zardari said: "Now, the rest of the world must step up and match the U.S. effort."

On a long-term basis, Zardari said, Pakistan needs trade to become economically independent.

"Only such an economically robust Pakistan will be able to contain the fanatics and demonstrate to the 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide that democracy and economic development go hand in hand", he said.

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