WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush said Tuesday he pledged "full support" to Pakistan's new President Asif Ali Zardari in a telephone call to the Pakistani counterpart.

    "I pledged the full support of America's government as Pakistan takes the fight to the terrorists and extremists in the border regions," Bush said during a speech at the National Defense University in Washington.

    "Defeating these terrorist and extremists is in Pakistan's interest -- they pose a mortal threat to Pakistan's future as a free and democratic nation," Bush said.

    Zardari took office as Pakistan's new president on Tuesday and Pakistan has been a U.S. ally on the war against terrorism.