Pakistan tells US to accept defeat in Afghanistan, agrees assistance on equal terms

[idune]

This was a very clear and firm message Pakistan communicated to US. Part that Pakistan do not want any financial, military or any other help from US should put US propaganda machine in shock. Obama and spooks in Langley decision to kill Taliban leaders coming back to haunt them. Nicely put by Pakistan.

Next stop China - during POTUS visit to China, Trump will ask China to put pressure on Pakistan to achieve US agenda. There is no reason for China to do US bidding when US teamed up against China with india and other actors.

 

[MultaniGuy]

Pakistan tells US to accept defeat in Afghanistan, agrees assistance on equal terms

Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, while briefing the Senate on Wednesday regarding the talks held between Pakistani and American delegations a day earlier, asserted that Islamabad will co-operate with Washington in the 'war on terror' but without compromising its own sovereignty.

On Tuesday, a six-member delegation comprising Pakistan's top civil and military leadership hosted US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for a brief visit to Islamabad.

Asif briefed that the Pakistani leadership told the American delegation that they should allow their policymakers, and not their military leaders, to devise a policy for Afghanistan as the military solution has failed and a political solution is needed.

"Their failures over the past 16 years [since the war in Afghanistan started] is before them," Asif added.

"There will only be room for improvement if Washington accepts their defeat, their failures in Afghanistan," Asif said on Wednesday. "They are not ready to accept this."

During the talks, Asif told the Senate, Pakistani officials informed the American delegation that Pakistan does not want any military hardware, economic resources or material gain from Washington. Rather, Pakistan wants a relationship based on equality with the US.

Asif further informed the Senate that the Pakistani side has told the American delegation that if the latter provides actionable intelligence, Pakistan will act on it. He gave the example of the recent rescue of an American-Canadian couple and their three children from terrorists’ captivity in Kohat.

"However, if they want that we act as their proxies to fight their war... this is unacceptable."

"We will not compromise on our sovereignty, our dignity," Asif added. "Our relations [with America] should be based on self-respect and dignity."

He said, in contrast, Pakistan, which is not a superpower, has gained successes in the war against terror.

"Our country, our military and our police have made sacrifices in the war and in return, we have gained unmatched success."

He said Pakistan would see further success if the Parliament, the National Security Committee and the people of the country send a united message as they had after August 21 when US President Donald Trump announced his South Asia policy and lambasted Pakistan for offering safe havens to "agents of chaos".

At no stage since the policy announcement, have we succumbed to pressure and on Tuesday, for the first time, the civilian and military leadership of Pakistan sat down with the delegation and presented their input, Asif said.

"At no point during the talks did we adopt an accusatory tone, nor were we apologetic," the minister told the Senate.

"The institutions of Pakistan will protect the country's interest," Asif said.

Diminishing influence over Taliban
Asif further told the Senate that the Pakistani side had told the visiting delegation that the influence Pakistan once had over the Taliban has now diminished and there are others who are sponsoring the militant network.

He said that Washington had been tracing Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour for some time but only when he travelled to Pakistani soil he was killed.

"How do you expect that after these incidents Pakistan will have any influence over the Taliban?" Asif said, adding that these points had been raised in Tuesday's meeting in a "frank" manner.

"We have told them that there are a number of influential players in the region ─ including China, Turkey and Russia ─ who might not have good relations with America but hold a stake in the Afghan dispute."

"The role of these countries in solving the dispute is indispensable," Asif added.

Referring to a recent statement by US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley where she said that India can help the United States in keeping an eye on Pakistan, Asif said that Pakistan "also has a mouth to speak" but will proceed with caution so that relations with America can improve.

Pakistan is not a safe haven for terrorists, US told
Following the meeting between Pakistani officials and Rex Tillerson in Islamabad, Asif ─ who was a member of the Pakistani delegation ─ said that the American delegation was informed that Washington's allegations against Pakistan of offering safe havens to terrorists and protecting the Haqqani network are incorrect.

Speaking on Geo News' late night show Aaj Shahzaib Khanzada Key Saath, Asif said that Islamabad wanted to show that all institutions in the country have the same message.

When asked whether the joint talks were held with the visiting secretary due to a time crunch or, rather, in order to send out a united message to Washington, he said, "This was our deliberate decision ─ to hold talks on a single platform ─ so that Washington knows the leadership is united in the message it is sending across," Asif said.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1366178/p...-afghanistan-agrees-assistance-on-equal-terms

 

[WebMaster]

United leadership means big balls.

 

[xyxmt]

Kh. Asif is wrong, America is not in Afghanistan to make it a stable country but only to create problems in the neighboring countries which it was doing exceptionally well until Pakistan started to fight back...so basically America almost succeeded.

 

[MultaniGuy]

Kh. Asif is wrong, America is not in Afghanistan to make it a stable country but only to create problems in the neighboring countries which it was doing exceptionally well until Pakistan started to fight back...so basically America almost succeeded.

USA has lost the war in Afghanistan.

The Afghan Taliban will storm Kabul the way the Bolsheviks stormed St. Petersburg during the Russian Revolution.

 

[Max]

Why include Iran ?

bcoz its neighbour and pretend to be anti US.

 

[Thorough Pro]

Unless you accept the ground reality, and realize your true situation, there will be no change on the policy. Pakistan like a true friend is trying its best to put some sense in your dumb head.

What a strange thing, to boast of the defeat of one's ally, then make a claim of self-respect and dignity.

Are you part of US government? they also al the same dumb question. Ask yourself these questions
1 - What was your objective of invading Afghanistan?
2 - Have you succeeded in that?
3 - What (achievement/s) will determine US forces return from Afghanistan?
4 - How close are you from achieving that?

Which part is a reality, exactly?

 

[TheBlackCoat]

Hope we pull all our troops out of Afghanistan and let Pakistan take care of the Afghan mess. Hope all our troops are back home to celebrate this Christmas with their families.

 

[airmarshal]

There is a palpable difference.

Even though Khwaja Asif is not an experienced foreign minister, having a full time minister has given some direction and some substance to Pakistan. Compare this to 'experienced' crooked Gunja, whose foreign policy followed his business interests only - Britain, Dubai, Qatar and India.

 

[takeitwithyou]

America knows nothing about Afghanistan. We're not talking about Nazi Germany, N. Korea, or Panama where you take out the leader and wala.

There's a reason this is called 4th generation warfare.

I believe the game is to keep ourselves there in some form for decades. Any other Superpower or Hyperpower in our case would do the same. Follow me on this for a moment.

1. We can keep security relatively acceptable in Afganistan and yet benefit from the intelligence we gather to keep the homeland secure. Afterall there is a treasure trove of who's who in the terror world residing in the Afghan-Pak region

2. We are in China's backyard and surrounding them. China is the sole threat we have identified, and their hegemony in S China sea is an economic and military concern for us. Keeping tabs, especially having close access to the restive parts of China, I'd say is of military value. We have drone bases in Afghanistan- imagine how deep we see and listen into China from that airspace.

3. Afghans saw what happened when Iraq insisted we move out and they will never in the foreseeable future ask us to leave totally.

4. We get access to central Asia in ways we did not have previously. frankly, we've not cultivated good links to them in the past. This a great opportunity.

5. We are also in Russia's backyard- it has its own set of strategic value to it.

Your thoughts?

 

[MULUBJA]

Equal terms??? It is amusing.

 

[Musafir117]

W

Equal terms??? It is amusing.

why?
Pakistan need Afghanistan stable as USA need. Pakistan has concerned over Afghanistan 60% land ruled by militants doing
terrorism in Pakistan and uncle want to get rid of terrorists also. Now about interests Pakistan unfortunately sharing border with the Afghanistan currently ruling by northern scums and we need a Govt there which protect each other interets like America.

 

[HAIDER]

This show the frustration of Pakistan establishment and Khawaja sahab. Seems, Pakistani govt tired of same old lines coming from US.

 

[Tom M]

Boasting is not the right word, Pakistan gained absolutely nothing in this war. We've compromised our security and bled because of this war and alliance with the US. Allies also tend to have the same objectives, we do not have the same objectives, and some of these objectives are unachievable.

Don't take this as boasting, Pakistan's just looking after its own interests and trying to restore stability internally. Pakistan unfortunately can't be perfectly stable without having some semblance of normalcy in Afghanistan. The US isn't going to win this war, that's a fact now, it isn't our fault that policy makers and people in the US continue to delude themselves.

While I 100% agree with your second statement of Pakistan taking care of your own interest. I beg to differ on your initial statement.

How exactly Pakistan compromised your security in the WOT ???? Pakistan was bled by your own citizens/organisations that have/had roots on your soil, born, brought up and trained on Pakistan's soil. But did anyone of you ever care to ask the question, how 100's of terrorist organisations and 1000's of terrorists came on Pakistan's soil in the first place ????? :-(

 

[Banglar Bir]

Pakistan tells US to accept defeat in Afghanistan, agrees assistance on equal terms
SAM Staff, October 26, 2017

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, right, is greeted by Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khan Abbasi, before their meeting at the Prime Minister’s residence on 24 October. Photo: ALEX BRANDON / AP
Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, while briefing the Senate on Wednesday (Oct 25) regarding the talks held between Pakistani and American delegations a day earlier, asserted that Islamabad will co-operate with Washington in the ‘war on terror’ but without compromising its own sovereignty.

On Tuesday, a six-member delegation comprising Pakistan’s top civil and military leadership hosted US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for a brief visit to Islamabad.

Asif briefed that the Pakistani leadership told the American delegation that they should allow their policymakers, and not their military leaders, to devise a policy for Afghanistan as the military solution has failed and a political solution is needed.

“Their failures over the past 16 years [since the war in Afghanistan started] is before them,” Asif added.

“There will only be room for improvement if Washington accepts their defeat, their failures in Afghanistan,” Asif said on Wednesday. “They are not ready to accept this.”

During the talks, Asif told the Senate, Pakistani officials informed the American delegation that Pakistan does not want any military hardware, economic resources or material gain from Washington. Rather, Pakistan wants a relationship based on equality with the US.

Asif further informed the Senate that the Pakistani side has told the American delegation that if the latter provides actionable intelligence, Pakistan will act on it. He gave the example of the recent rescue of an American-Canadian couple and their three children from terrorists’ captivity in Kohat.
Also Read: Tillerson’s short visit leaves no big impact
“However, if they want that we act as their proxies to fight their war… this is unacceptable.”

“We will not compromise on our sovereignty, our dignity,” Asif added. “Our relations [with America] should be based on self-respect and dignity.”
Diminishing influence over Taliban
Asif further told the Senate that the Pakistani side had told the visiting delegation that the influence Pakistan once had over the Taliban has now diminished and there are others who are sponsoring the militant network.

He said that Washington had been tracing Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour for some time but only when he traveled to Pakistani soil he was killed.

“How do you expect that after these incidents Pakistan will have any influence over the Taliban?” Asif said, adding that these points had been raised in Tuesday’s meeting in a “frank” manner.

“We have told them that there are a number of influential players in the region ─ including China, Turkey and Russia ─ who might not have good relations with America but hold a stake in the Afghan dispute.”

“The role of these countries in solving the dispute is indispensable,” Asif added.
Also Read: Pakistan PM tells Tillerson it has ‘produced results’ in fighting terrorism
Referring to a recent statement by US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley where she said that India can help the United States in keeping an eye on Pakistan, Asif said that Pakistan “also has a mouth to speak” but will proceed with caution so that relations with America can improve.
Pakistan is not a safe haven for terrorists, US told
Following the meeting between Pakistani officials and Rex Tillerson in Islamabad, Asif ─ who was a member of the Pakistani delegation ─ said that the American delegation was informed that Washington’s allegations against Pakistan of offering safe havens to terrorists and protecting the Haqqani network are incorrect.

Speaking on Geo News’ late night show Aaj Shahzaib Khanzada Key Saath, Asif said that Islamabad wanted to show that all institutions in the country have the same message.
SOURCE DAWN
https://southasianmonitor.com/2017/...at-afghanistan-agrees-assistance-equal-terms/