McCain says wouldn't threaten Pakistan with strikes

OXFORD, Mississippi (Reuters) - Republican U.S. presidential candidate Sen. John McCain said on Friday he would not publicly state a policy of attacking militants in Pakistan over cross-border incursions into Afghanistan.

His Democratic rival, Sen. Barack Obama, speaking in the first presidential debate, responded that the United States should attack militants if Pakistan were unwilling to do so -- highlighting a difference over Pakistan policy.

McCain also said he was not prepared to cut off aid to Pakistan to punish it for what some have criticized as a lack of cooperation in fighting militants along the border with Afghanistan.

(Reporting by Randall Mikkelsen, Editing by Frances Kerry)