US Congress votes for designating Haqqani network as terror group

[illusion8]

WASHINGTON: The US Senate has unanimously passed a resolution urging the Obama administration to designate the dreaded Haqqani network as a foreign terrorist organisation.

The resolution comes after the US House of Representatives passed Haqqani Network Terrorist Designation Act of 2012 early this month.

The bill, which was passed last year, had to be passed by the Senate again because of the changes made in it by the House.

After Senate's latest decision to pass the amended House version by unanimous consent, the bill now heads to the White House for President Barack Obama's consent to make it a law.

The bill requires the State Department to decide within a month whether the Haqqani Network meets the criteria for the designation, in the absence of which the Pakistan-based terror outfit can raise funds in the US.

"This is a significant development, the House and the Senate have now spoken unanimously that the President should designate the Haqqani Network as a foreign terrorist organization," said Congressman Mike Rogers, chairman of permanent select committee on intelligence.

"The Haqqanis are engaged in a reign of terror in Afghanistan and the network poses the single largest threat for IED's our soldiers face in that country. They actively plot and kill US and allied soldiers and routinely harm innocent Afghan civilian men, women and children in their path," he said.

US Congress votes for designating Haqqani network as terror group - The Times of India

So, what's your take guys? What will Obama do?

 

[IZVINITE]

Good start. Pakistan would move one step closer to being declared a state supporter of terrorism. The threat of sanctions would stare down at them. Travel restrictions , economic hardships would follow. Well done all those brilliant leaders who just do not want to see the writing on the wall.

 

[illusion8]

“The Haqqanis are engaged in a reign of terror in Afghanistan and the network poses the single largest threat for IED’s our soldiers face in that country. They actively plot and kill US and allied soldiers and routinely harm innocent Afghan civilian men, women and children in their path,” he said.

“To better protect the lives of US soldiers, now is the time for action, not simply paperwork and talk. I applaud the Senate passage of this important bill, and I urge the president to sign it quickly into law,” Rogers said, holding the Haqqani network responsible for killing and injuring hundreds of US servicemen and women in Afghanistan.

On May 11, Congressman Rogers, Ranking Member Dutch Ruppersberger and their Senate counterparts Chairman Dianne Feinstein and Vice-Chairman Saxby Chambliss had called on the Obama Administration to designate the Haqqani network as an FTO.

On June 2, Rogers, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon introduced legislation to express the sense of Congress that the Haqqani network be designated.

Language from the Rogers/ Ros-Lehtinen/ McKeon bill was included in the bill that passed the House on July 17.

An official FTO designation is a critical step allowing the US to more aggressively undermine the network’s support.

Haqqani network, which is linked with Afghan Taliban, has been also blamed for several attacks against Indian interests.

In one of such deadliest attacks, 58 people were killed and 141 wounded when Indian embassy was bombed in Kabul in 2008.

The network is also accused of carrying out a truck bomb attack on a US military base in Wardak province, which injured 77 US troops and killed five Afghans, apart from an assault on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul in June 2011, that left 18 people dead.

Oman Tribune - the edge of knowledge

Is this the attack they are talking about? then the attack was by Haqqani's and not Taliban
Exclusive footage shows taliban attack in afghanistan - YouTube

 

[Sher Malang]

Wondering what would this mean to Pakistan than to the terrorist group itself...

 

[illusion8]

Wondering what would this mean to Pakistan than to the terrorist group itself...

The US congress raised the spectre of declaring Pakistan a state sponsor of terrorism by threatening to label the Haqqani Network and the Lashkar - e - Tayyeba as global terrorist organisations, the implication being that economic and military sanctions would follow under international laws.
US pressure made Pakistan blink : Najam Sethi, News - India Today