U.S.-Pakistan talks won't lead to military action against Haqqani

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

U.S.-Pakistan talks won't lead to military action against Haqqani​

BY SAEED SHAH

MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

ISLAMABAD -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday that she had won agreement from Pakistan to take some sort of action against the Haqqani insurgent network, but she suggested the action would not be military in nature, leaving unclear what her high-powered delegation accomplished during its two-day visit here.

"We recognize that military action is very difficult. We have discussed other forms of acting," Clinton said during a television appearance here. She listed greater intelligence cooperation between the U.S. and Pakistan and great Pakistani efforts to prevent Haqqani fighters in Pakistan's North Waziristan region from crossing into Afghanistan as some of those "other forms."

Clinton, CIA Director David Petraeus and Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrived in Islamabad on Thursday after weeks of rising tensions over accusations by the previous Joint Chiefs chairman, Adm. Mike Mullen, that Pakistan had supported Haqqani attacks on U.S. targets inside Afghanistan, including a 20-hour assault on the U.S. Embassy in Kabul last month.

Before arriving, Clinton had told reporters in Afghanistan that the trio would bring a tough message to Pakistani leaders: Crack down on the Afghan insurgents based on your soil or pay "a very big price."

"We're looking to the Pakistanis to lead on this because there's no place to go any longer. The terrorists are on both sides" of the Afghan-Pakistani border, Clinton said then. "No one should be in any way mistaken about allowing this to continue without paying a very big price."

But her comments here were much less definitive, suggesting she had not won Pakistani agreement for tougher action.

Asked at a "town hall"-style meeting, held with mostly young Pakistanis in a hotel in Islamabad, whether she wanted Pakistan to use its military to crush the Haqqani network or force it to come to the negotiating table, Clinton replied: "It's more the latter.

"We think that Pakistan for a variety of reasons has the capacity to encourage, to push, to squeeze ... terrorists, including the Haqqanis and the Afghan Taliban, to be willing to engage in the peace process," she said. "So that is what we're looking for."

Pakistani officials have complained for some time that the American approach to the Afghan insurgency is contradictory, that the Pakistanis cannot be expected both to crack down on insurgents who have sought shelter in Pakistan and at the same time persuade them to negotiate.

At a news conference with her Pakistani counterpart, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Clinton said the U.S. delegation had asked "very specifically for greater cooperation from the Pakistan side to squeeze the Haqqani network and other terrorists because we know that trying to eliminate terrorists and safe havens from one side of the border is not going to work."

But Rabbani Khar left no reason to expect a step-up in military activity aimed at the Haqqanis. Citing a recent meeting of Pakistani political leaders, Rabbani Khar said Pakistan had decided "to give peace a chance."

Washington has long believed that the leadership of the insurgency in Afghanistan is based in Pakistan, where it enjoys protection from the country's security establishment, which sees it as a proxy for its interests in Afghanistan. The Haqqani network uses North Waziristan as a safe haven.
Pakistan has said that its soldiers are stretched too thin elsewhere to take action against the Haqqani, while also saying that the country cannot afford to make an enemy of yet another violent group.

Clinton held intensive talks with civilian and military officials, including a long session at the prime minister's house that lasted until about 2 a.m. Friday, attended by army chief Gen. Ashfaq Kayani and Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha, the head of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate spy agency.

Clinton said the two sides agreed on 90 percent to 95 percent of the issues, quoting, she said, an assessment from Kayani.

But she also cautioned against Pakistani policy that sees some jihadist groups, including the Haqqani network, as so-called "good Taliban" who can help the country pursue its foreign policy goals in Afghanistan without risking peace and security inside Pakistan.

"It's like that old story: You can't keep snakes in your backyard and expect them only to bite your neighbors," she said. "No policy that draws distinctions between good terrorists and bad terrorists can provide long-term security."

(Shah is a McClatchy Newspapers special correspondent.)

U.S.-Pakistan talks won't lead to military action against Haqqani - World Wires - MiamiHerald.com

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

U-turn?: Convince Taliban to talk, US asks Pakistan

By Kamran Yousaf / Munizae Jahangir
Published: October 22, 2011


ISLAMABAD:
After months of belligerent rhetoric, the US is now willing to hold talks with the Afghan Taliban – and is looking at Pakistan as its go-between.

Speaking at a flurry of events on Friday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she had asked Pakistan to “encourage the Taliban to enter negotiations in good faith.” These talks would also involve the Haqqani network, a move which speaks volumes for the US’ urgency to end the decade-old conflict in the war-torn country.

(Read: A middle ground must be found)
A middle ground must be found – The Express Tribune

In apparent diplomatic double-speak, however, Clinton also insisted that Pakistan take action within “days and weeks” to dismantle alleged terrorist sanctuaries on its soil, warning that a failure to do so would have devastating consequences for all concerned. “We should be able to agree that for far too long extremists have been able to operate here in Pakistan and from Pakistani soil,” she said.

“It’s like that old story: you can’t keep snakes in your backyard and expect them only to bite your neighbours … eventually those snakes are going to turn on whoever has them in the backyard,” Clinton added.

Clinton’s requests for Pakistan to act as an intermediary were the first time the US had formally and publicly called for such action, and appear to reflect the Obama administration’s strong belief that Pakistan still holds significant sway over the Afghan Taliban. The secretary of state urged Pakistan to use its contacts with the “Pakistani Taliban, the Afghan Taliban, the Haqqanis and the other terrorist groups and try to get them into the peace process, but if that fails, to prevent them from committing more violence.”

Clinton has outlined three conditions for talks with the militants: they must lay down arms, abide by the Afghan constitution and respect basic human rights, especially women’s rights. On this latter point Clinton spoke at some length.

Despite reapplying pressure on Pakistan over alleged safe havens in North Waziristan, Clinton admitted, as had been earlier reported, that the US had already held a meeting with representatives from the Haqqani network, which was arranged through the ISI. “It was Pakistan who delivered the contact person,” Clinton said.

(Read: US met Haqqani network – Clinton)
US met Haqqani network: Clinton – The Express Tribune

However, the Secretary of State stressed that the talks could not be termed a negotiation: “We’ve had one preliminary meeting just to see if they would show up.” It is believed the meeting took place during the summer, well before the attacks mounted by the insurgent group against US troops stationed in Afghanistan.

Clinton, who led a high-powered US delegation that includes CIA Director David Petraeus and the new Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey, held extensive talks with Pakistan’s top civil and military leadership. It was unusual for such senior civil, military and intelligence officials to undertake a joint trip to Pakistan, and the Secretary of State said this reflected the urgency and the importance of working through the many challenges that the countries face.

(Read: ‘Clear’ on both ends: US talks war, Pakistan preaches peace)
‘Clear’ on both ends: US talks war, Pakistan preaches peace – The Express Tribune

Asked whether Pakistan and the US had reached an understanding on the Haqqani network, Clinton said there are options other than a military clampdown. Although she said that Pakistan should not “allow them (the Haqqanis) across the border into Afghanistan,” the Secretary of State emphasised that the US was “on the same page with (Pakistan Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez) Kayani.”

Clinton also admitted that the US has no evidence of direct ISI involvement in the attack on the US Embassy in Kabul last month, as was earlier claimed by the US’ then top military man Admiral Mike Mullen. She also agreed that every intelligence agency has contacts with unsavory characters as it is part of their job.

The secretary of state went on to say that, at one point, Washington had considered unilateral action inside Pakistan. Clinton imagined a scenario in which more US personnel had lost their lives at the hands of the Haqqanis. Sentiments would have run high, she explained, but “boots on the ground was never a serious option.”

Foreign Minister Khar, who attended the high-level talks and held separate meeting with Clinton, acknowledged the presence of safe havens of terrorists in the tribal areas. “Do safe havens exist? Yes, they do exist – on both sides. Do we need to cooperate? Yes. We can cooperate more and achieve better results,” she added.

Clinton also highlighted the importance of trade between the two countries, having met President Asif Zardari and discussed economic cooperation. She added that the gas pipeline from Turkemenistan through Afghanistan to Pakistan “is a good thing and we endorse it; it will bring prosperity to the region,” while urging caution over proposed cooperation with Iran, a “difficult and a dangerous” neighbour for Pakistan in her view.

Later Clinton interacted with Pakistani civil society leaders at a townhall style forum where she was confronted with tough questions. One of the female participants likened the United States to an unsatisfied mother-in-law.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 22nd, 2011.

U-turn?: Convince Taliban to talk, US asks Pakistan – The Express Tribune

 

[VelocuR]

Afghanistan must be disappointed by this news. I don't understand why Clinton keep harrassing at Pakistan during her recent Afghan visit and came to Pakistan with a moderate speech and agreements. Lol.

 

[TARIQ BN ZIYAAD]

Assalam alaikum

CAN SOMEBODY COMPLETE IT " rassi jal gai ...."

TARIQ

 

[Don Jaguar]

Assalam alaikum

CAN SOMEBODY COMPLETE IT " rassi jal gai ...."

TARIQ

Per bal nahi gaya.

 

[Mike2011]

There will be silence before the storm.

 

[Laughing_soldier]

US asked Pakistan to act against Haqqanis or US will take unilateral action. One person termed US as the 'mother in law' of Pakistan when speaking to Hilary and she laughed! Than what is China!





Act against Haqqani network within days: Clinton


Mariana Baabar
Saturday, October 22, 2011

Act against Haqqani network within days: Clinton


ISLAMABAD: The United States on Friday welcomed the outcome of the recently-held All Parties Conference, which asked that peace be given a chance in the continuing fight against extremism. However, the US also continued to press Pakistan to “squeeze” out the Haqqani network within days. The US also asked Pakistani leaders to reduce corruption and show good governance.

“The Haqqani network and Taliban are a threat to all. There are safe havens on both sides of the border. We ask for greater cooperation from Pakistan to squeeze out the Haqqanis. You cannot keep snakes in your backyard,” was the message from Clinton and her powerful US delegation. After intensive deliberations on Thursday night at the Prime Minister House, Friday saw Clinton call on President Asif Ali Zardari and Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar.

Realising its limitations in putting US boots on the ground inside Pakistan, a recent message from COAS General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani appears to be well understood in Washington. When asked during a joint press conference with Khar to comment on Kayani’s statement that Pakistan was not Iraq or Afghanistan but a nuclear-armed state, Clinton said she could not agree more: “I agree with General Kayani that Pakistan is not Afghanistan or Iraq. Pakistan is a sovereign state and has a full and comprehensive agenda of issues to address. The US will continue to work with the Pakistan government. We had serious and in-depth discussions on security issues like how do we prevent the havoc across the border. We are not asking Pakistan to sacrifice its sovereignty because we respect its security concerns. We respect the challenges that Pakistan faces,” she added.

Clinton, here in Pakistan on her own initiative, tried to engage in some fire-fighting after some very harsh statements both from Pentagon and CIA in recent weeks, which strained relations between the two countries. “It is no secret that we do not see eye to eye on all issues. Apart from these disagreements, the stability of Pakistan and the region is of importance to the US. Pakistan has a critical role to end conflict. We look towards Pakistan to stop the safe havens,” Clinton drove the message home.

“It’s not just military action. There is greater sharing of intelligence so we can prevent and intercept the efforts by the Haqqanis or the Taliban to try to cross the border or to plan an attack. We must take action on both sides. Recently, we carried out successful operations where dozens of Haqqani operatives have been captured. We are trying to squeeze and prevent on the Afghan side and we need greater cooperation from Pakistan’s side,” she said.

Clinton welcomed the recent APC declaration that peace be given a chance as “a significant statement” and said: “We need to work on it”. Meanwhile, President Zardari, according to his office, underscored the importance of enhanced consultations between the two countries on the basis of mutual respect, sovereignty and interests. “Public criticism of Pakistan’s role,” he was quoted as saying, “undermines our common struggle against militancy in the region”.

During the press conference, Khar also agreed that there were safe havens on both sides of the Pak-Afghan border. She tried to clarify “misperceptions” and said that in reality “all relations between two sovereign states continue on national interest.”

Khar, Pakistan’s youngest foreign minister, pointed out that Pakistan continues to fight terrorism and “we do it in our own interest and do it mostly for our coming generations.” She also raised the issue of the APC and said what was needed were the means to “try to agree on how to operationalise efforts to end the threat.”

Khar also downplayed reports of Pakistan taking US dictation. “We look at it as a partnership and not what US wants Pakistan to do. Efforts taken by Pakistan are unparalleled. We have to operationalise. We have the same objectives. We should give partnership a chance. We are guided by our national interest. Clinton has played a leadership role,” she said.

To a query, Khar said there was no support from any Pakistani institution for safe havens inside Pakistan. “Let me be very clear and unequivocal on that. Safe havens do exist on both sides of the border. Do we need to cooperate? Yes, we can cooperate more instead of taking a solo flight. We are keen to cooperate with the US and other countries for a common strategy. We need to increase intelligence sharing. Like other national policies Pakistan’s future strategy will be based on the authority of parliament, which gives directions to the executive. But first we have to give peace a chance,” she added.

Online adds: President Zardari counted the innumerable human sacrifices rendered by Pakistan in the fight against militancy and extremism and added that Pakistan would never shirk to putting in even more sacrifices when world peace was at stake.

He said 30,000 innocent civilians, along with 5,000 military and police officers, had laid their lives for the cause of not only securing the Pakistani soil from the clutches of militant mindset but also to contribute Pakistan’s share in making this region, specifically, and the world in general a peaceful place to inhabit.

Discussing the situation in Afghanistan, the president reiterated that Pakistan supported all efforts for regional peace, prosperity and connectivity, based on existing realities of the region. The president said Pakistan, being an immediate neighbour, has an abiding interest in peace, stability, security and prosperity of Afghanistan and will continue to support every effort in this regard. He said Pakistan and Afghanistan shared many issues of similar nature, thus making Pakistan a direct victim of any development across the border. He said Pakistan supported an Afghan-led and Afghan owned reconciliation process.

AFP adds: Hillary Clinton called on Pakistan to take action within “days and weeks” to dismantle Afghan militant havens and encourage the Taliban into peace talks in order to end 10 years of war.

The United States was looking for operational action over “not months and years, but days and weeks because we have a lot of work to do to realise our shared goals,” emphasised Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Islamabad.

Crucially, Clinton appears to have extracted recognition from Pakistan that it could do more in clamping down on Afghan insurgents allegedly using Pakistani soil to attack Americans but it offered no details on how.

Unusually accompanied by CIA Director David Petraeus and the top US military officer General Martin Dempsey, she said Islamabad has a “critical role in supporting Afghanistan reconciliation and ending the conflict.”

“We look to Pakistan to take strong steps to deny Afghan insurgents safe havens and to encourage the Taliban to enter negotiations in good faith,” said Clinton after talks with Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar.

With US and Afghan troops pressing a new offensive against the Haqqani network in eastern Afghanistan, Clinton called on Pakistan to up the pressure on militant safe havens on its side of the border. “We asked very specifically for greater cooperation from the Pakistani side to squeeze the Haqqani network and other terrorists... Trying to eliminate terrorists and safe havens on one side of the border is not going to work,” she said.

“It’s like that old story: you can’t keep snakes in your backyard and expect them only to bite your neighbours...Eventually those snakes are going to turn on whoever has them in the backyard.”

“It’s not just military action. There is greater sharing of intelligence so we can prevent and intercept the efforts by the Haqqanis or the Taliban to try to cross the border or to plan an attack,” said Clinton.



US termed a nagging mother-in-law

ISLAMABAD: In a rare light-hearted moment, one woman in a town hall meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday compared the United States to a nagging mother-in-law, drawing laughter from Clinton and others. “And you know, once a mother-in-law, always a mother-in-law, but perhaps mother-in-laws can learn new ways also,” she said.

 

[somebozo]

US should forget about haqqanis and do more about Al-Quaida in Iraq which it helped create and nurture and poses a threat to regional stability and peace.

US to pull out of Iraq after 9yrs - GEO.tv

The golden words:

Hillary Clinton called on Pakistan to take action within “days and weeks” to dismantle Afghan militant havens and encourage the Taliban into peace talks in order to end 10 years of war.

Transliteration:
We are dying a slow miserable death in Afghanistan and please don't stab us anymore.

 

[Laughing_soldier]

US should forget about haqqanis and do more about Al-Quaida in Iraq which it helped create and nurture and poses a threat to regional stability and peace.

US to pull out of Iraq after 9yrs - GEO.tv

US do not listen to anyone, forget yourself. You are asking them to forget Haqqanis but they are still pressing Pakistan to take action against them or they will take it.

The golden words:

Transliteration:
We are dying a slow miserable death in Afghanistan and please don't stab us anymore.

They are dictating not requesting.

Correct translation: "Take action against Haqqanis fast or face the wreath. No matter what happens, you have to do what we say, whether it is transit to Afghanistan or drone attacks in Pakistan."

 

[karan.1970]

US should forget about haqqanis and do more about Al-Quaida in Iraq which it helped create and nurture and poses a threat to regional stability and peace.

US to pull out of Iraq after 9yrs - GEO.tv

The golden words:


Transliteration:
We are dying a slow miserable death in Afghanistan and please don't stab us anymore.

Question.. Whose citizens are getting killed in huge numbers by the taliban terrorists in Pakistan and Afghanistan.. It surely isnt USA so I guess the miserable death you mention above applies more to the unfortunate Pakistani civilians than USA as you put it..

 

[Tshering22]

Kayani needs to realize what are the long term benefits rather than short term appeasement of extremists inside Pakistani politics. This posturing would heat up if it continues in the same pace. It is best for him to launch the operation. After all this is not against innocent civilians but a militant outfit.

Better than a wider war with US.

 

[JonAsad]

Question.. Whose citizens are getting killed in huge numbers by the taliban terrorists in Pakistan and Afghanistan.. It surely isnt USA so I guess the miserable death you mention above applies more to the unfortunate Pakistani civilians than USA as you put it..

The analogy of taliban terrorists is alright- The haqqanis are the escape goat- and no haqqanis are not killing our people- they might kill amrikans in afghanistan- but tell me who isn't?- invade a country and tell me who will not-

btw Mr obama is visiting Pakistan next year- until then an attack is out of the books- so pray a little harder-

 

[karan.1970]

The analogy of taliban terrorists is alright- The haqqanis are the escape goat- and no haqqanis are not killing our people- they might kill amrikans in afghanistan- but tell me who isn't?- invade a country and tell me who will not-

btw Mr obama is visiting Pakistan next year- until then an attack is out of the books- so pray a little harder-

pray for what?

 

[JonAsad]

There will be silence before the storm.

and then you will wake up- and realizing nothing happened- will go back to wet dreams again-

 

[JonAsad]

pray for what?

Pray for what comes natural to you- like- may amrika attack haqqanis in Pakistan- may amrika put sanctions on Pakistani for not starting an operation- or the visit gets cancelled instead he visits india- -