US says it supports Pakistan's 'right to defend itself' against Afghan Taliban

By Kanishka SinghWASHINGTON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - The United States said on Friday it supported Pakistan's "right to defenditself" against attacks from Afghanistan's Taliban rulers after Islamabad said earlier in the day that the neighboring countries were in "open war." Afghanistan's Taliban rulers had said on Friday they were willing to negotiate after Pakistan bombed their forces in major cities.