US senator warns Pakistan over links with Haqqanis

[karan.1970]

US senator warns Pakistan over links with Haqqanis | World | DAWN.COM

WASHINGTON: If Pakistan continued to retain links with the Haqqani network, the United States will have no option but to break diplomatic ties with Islamabad, the chairman of a powerful congressional committee warned on Friday.

Senator Carl Levin also threatened to attack terrorist safe havens in Pakistan and the “people who are controlling these forces”.

At the White House, a senior White House aide advised Pakistan to understand the strength of America`s conviction by the composition of the delegation that concluded a two-day visit to Islamabad on Friday.

And US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who led the delegation that included the CIA and military chiefs, told Fox News that the United States has shown Pakistan the proof of the involvement of some Pakistani intelligence and military officials with the militants.

Senator Carl Levin said in a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington that he too had seen evidence of “direct support” between the ISI and the Haqqani network, echoing a comment made last month by then-Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen.

“Pakistan`s Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar recently said that if the United States persists in allegations about the ISI-Haqqani connection, the United States `will lose an ally`,” said the senator.

“Our response should be that if the only option Pakistan presents us is a choice between losing an ally and continuing to lose our troops, then we will choose the former.”

Senator Levin also urged the Obama administration to place the Haqqani network on the State Department`s list of Foreign Terrorist Organisations as soon as possible.

He claimed that he personally had repeatedly urged President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Gilani and General Kayani to act to eliminate the terrorist sanctuaries.

“We owe it to our military men and women sent into harm`s way that we challenge Pakistan over its support for the extremist groups that are attacking our troops, Afghan troops and civilians from Pakistani territory,” said the US senator.—Correspondent

 

[regular]

Oh! we are getting so many warning lately, I guess we got used to this business....

 

[karan.1970]

***** Part of the transcript ******

Even if the Karzai Government has the will to improve governance, it cannot succeed without security. The greatest threat to security in Afghanistan, and the focus of my remarks this morning, is the threat posed by the safe havens that harbor insurgents across the border in Pakistan. The Haqqani network in North Waziristan, in particular, has used its sanctuary in Pakistan to launch deadly attacks on Afghan, U.S. and other coalition forces in Afghanistan. Attacks by operatives of the Haqqani network include the attack on the Hotel Inter-Continental in Kabul in June that killed 21 people; the massive truck bomb in Wardak Province that injured several dozen U.S. soldiers; and the attack just last month on the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.

The threat emanating from these safe havens is not new. We have known about it for years and repeatedly pressed the Pakistanis to act. I have seen personally how Pakistan’s government has stalled and dissembled on this issue. I have repeatedly urged President Zardari, Prime Minister Gilani, and General Kayani, the Pakistani Army Chief of Army Staff, in meetings both here in Washington and in Islamabad, to act to eliminate these terrorist sanctuaries.

Typical of these experiences was the Pakistani response during my August visit, when I again raised the issue of safe havens in Pakistan. When we asked why the Pakistani military had not gone into North Waziristan to eliminate these safe havens, we heard the same excuses we have heard before about how the Pakistani Army was already over-committed elsewhere. I then pressed Prime Minister Gilani to explain why, if Pakistan for whatever reason can’t or won’t clear out these safe havens, senior Pakistan officials have not at least publicly condemned the deadly cross-border attacks by the Haqqanis and the Afghan Taliban. Prime Minister Gilani initially said that his government had publicly condemned these cross-border attacks, but he backed down when I asked him to provide examples of these public statements.

What has been apparent for years is that Pakistan military intelligence, the ISI, maintains ties with the Haqqani network and provides support to this group, even as these extremists engage in cross-border attacks against our forces. Recently, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter said in connection with the attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kabul that there was evidence linking the Haqqani network to the Pakistani government. And, of course, Admiral Mullen’s testimony last month before my Armed Services Committee that the Haqqani network acts as “a veritable arm” of the Pakistan ISI was a sharp public declaration by our top military officer, known as a friend of Pakistan. Admiral Mullen was deeply troubled by the deaths of our troops at the hands of the Haqqanis. We owe it to our military men and women sent into harm’s way that we challenge Pakistan over its support for the extremist groups that are attacking our troops, Afghan troops and civilians from Pakistani territory. It is unacceptable for the United States to spend its blood and treasure so that Afghanistan does not once again become a breeding ground for militant extremists while Pakistan protects terrorists who cross the border to attack us. Pakistan cannot evade its responsibility for its role in allowing and supporting these attacks.

At the least, Pakistan needs to condemn the attacks of the Haqqanis in Afghanistan, and Pakistani officials need to end their denials of plain truth. Lieutenant General Pasha, the head of the ISI, called Admiral Mullen’s testimony “baseless.” He denied that the Haqqani network was even in Pakistan and claimed that Pakistan had not provided the Haqqanis “a penny or provided even a single bullet.” President Zardari wrote movingly in a recent op-ed about the losses that Pakistan has suffered from extremist groups bent on terrorizing the Pakistani people, but failed to mention, much less condemn, the attacks that Haqqani and Taliban extremists based in Pakistan are conducting against our forces in Afghanistan.

So what actions are open to us to correct this situation? If Pakistan will not take on the threat posed by the Haqqanis and other extremist groups based in Pakistan who attack our forces in Afghanistan, then we should be prepared to take steps to defend our troops. It is consistent with established principles of international law for the United States to defend itself against cross-border attacks by insurgents based in Pakistan, and to respond to those attacks. The recent report that a Haqqani “coordinator” named Jalil was killed in a drone strike in the North Waziristan town of Miran Shah, the headquarters of the Haqqanis and an area that was heretofore off limits, if true, is an example of the kind of action that is overdue. We have the right to target not only forces and artillery attacking our forces in Afghanistan from across the border in Pakistan, but to target the people controlling those forces as well. As Secretary Panetta has said, “The message [the Pakistanis] need to know is: we’re going to do everything we can to defend our forces.”

We should inform Pakistan that it should not expect to normalize its relationship with the United States so long as it provides safe haven for violent extremist groups or uses terrorists as proxies to weaken other countries or bully them into acceding to Pakistan’s demands. We may not be able to persuade Pakistan that its activities are counterproductive for its own security and stability and for the security and stability of the region. But we must let them know clearly that this is a show-stopper to a normal relationship with the United States.

There is also evidence that the Pakistanis have interfered with attempts to achieve political reconciliation in Afghanistan, obstructing peace talks unless they can exercise control over the Taliban groups involved and the substance of the talks. We should be clear with the Pakistanis that obstruction of reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan is also an impediment to improved relations with us.

It is long past time for the United States to call the Haqqani network for what it is and add this extremist group to the State Department’s Foreign Terrorist Organization list. The Haqqanis should be listed alongside the Pakistan Taliban, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Al Qaida as foreign terrorist organizations. Keeping the Haqqanis off that list has not encouraged the group to join a reconciliation process, nor has it prevented the Pakistani ISI from continuing its support for the Haqqanis. Designating the Haqqanis as a foreign terrorist organization would send another message to Pakistan that we will respond to its support to this extremist organization.

Nobody wants the U.S.-Pakistan relationship to return to the early 1990s, when the United States disengaged from Pakistan. Nowhere are the effects of that disengagement felt more strongly than in our bilateral military-to-military relations. A whole generation of mid-level Pakistani officers had no contact with their U.S. counterparts through such programs as the International Military Education and Training program. The absence of these connections has contributed to anti-Americanism among those now-senior Pakistani officers.

Admiral Mullen was right to say that a flawed relationship with Pakistan is better than none at all. We do need to stay engaged with Pakistan, to try to act together when our interests align. We should attempt to understand Pakistan’s motivations and concerns even when we disagree with them. And we should seek to build a bilateral relationship based on our shared interest in promoting democratic values, security and stability in Pakistan and throughout the region.

But in continuing to find ways to improve a “flawed relationship” we must also speak clearly. Pakistan’s foreign minister Hina Rabbini Khar recently said that if the United States persists in allegations about the ISI-Haqqani connection, the United States “will lose an ally.” Our response should be that if the only option Pakistan presents us is a choice between losing an ally and continuing to lose our troops, then we will choose the former.

 

[VelocuR]

This guy(OP) is really obsessed clearly with Pakistan, unbelievable unendless discussion and repeated.
Please join this club- http://www.defence.pk/forums/members-club/134637-smokers-joint.html


From Davis case to OBL raid, Mehran Attack, many threatening by US, anything news, my son?

 

[TARIQ BN ZIYAAD]

just ask this senator if he can clearly point out where afghanistan and paskistan r on the map

shut up senator

TARIQ

 

[SMC]

The conspiracy theories, the lies, the paranoia, the delusion keeps coming from the land of free. Can we have some politicians who are not freaks from the US?

 

[Kompromat]

US is playing the same old "Good Cop Bad Cop" , Hillary Plays good cop and this old douchebag plays bad cop. For how long we would have to be intimidated ?

 

[Irfan Baloch]

US senator warns Pakistan over links with Haqqanis | World | DAWN.COM

WASHINGTON: If Pakistan continued to retain links with the Haqqani network, the United States will have no option but to break diplomatic ties with Islamabad, the chairman of a powerful congressional committee warned on Friday.

Thanks for bringing up the warning of yet another Senator who wants to be a self appointed US spokesperson on International Affairs and handing out the Warnings.

Can you give us a quick count how many of them are doing the same mantra? I mean don’t countries normally have foreign affairs and designated members of the house to speak about other countries and make direct and implied threats to other countries? I not suggesting that "HE CANT DO THAT" but there are manners everywhere in life, you talk on your turn, you let the designated person make an announcement etc etc. there is no harm in bringing up a debate in the Senate, but if every American decides to take this role then it only makes the People whoa re actually working with Pakistan like Hillary is, look silly.

doesn’t seem to be in America does it? Will you be posting the news of the South Dakota Evangelical Preacher’s warning to Pakistan too? What about Joe the plumber? He must be really upset with the economic down turn no?

Why not that has something to do with the ISI and Haqqanis? He should be sending a warning too?

You see, when there is no unity of command, and weakens at leadership, the hawks take over and everyone wrestles in to make his voice heard and what we get is a noise like a one at a Friday or Saturday night club.
International diplomacies and relations are not done via the public media if the intent is a resolution and mutual cooperation to resolve the issues and have a continued bilateral relations but if the intent is just for the sake of diverting attention and board the band wagon to blame a designated antagonist then that’s what happens.

Just consider, don’t you wonder that someone should ask, hang on are you not satisfied with the job of your foreign affairs? And state department and the staff and all those people including Boucher and Hillary who are actually assigned by the President to talk on the international affairs?

Regarding the count my guess is about 150+ and that excludes ranger Smith , Farmer John and GI Joe, they, yet have to make a statement warning Pakistan about the consequences on Fox News or Washington Post yet.

 

[JonAsad]

That Shiver me Timbers- i am shifting to my underground "sound proof" bunker-

 

[pakdefender]

It should read that Jewish senator warns Pakistan
Carl Levin , Diane Fiendstien and many others who have been threatening Pakistan are in fact Jewish
And those who say that politics and religion are separate are liars, just look at the focus on Mitt Rommney's mormon faith in the US media

 

[karan.1970]

It should read that Jewish senator warns Pakistan
Carl Levin , Diane Fiendstien and many others who have been threatening Pakistan are in fact Jewish
And those who say that politics and religion are separate are liars, just look at the focus on Mitt Rommney's mormon faith in the US media

How come when some Pakistanis run out of arguments, the only refuge they see is using the religious angle.. Looks like on this forum, its not the personal insults that are the last resort of the incompetent...

 

[my name is arya]

whats new in the news , the main question what will usa do on ground

action speak more then words

 

[pakdefender]

How come when some Pakistanis run out of arguments, the only refuge they see is using the religious angle.. Looks like on this forum, its not the personal insults that are the last resort of the incompetent...

Calling out someone's faith seems to be perfectly ok in American politics, what’s the problem with that ?

Keith Elison is most commonly referred to as a Muslim Congressman so why can’t Carl Levin or Diane Fiendstien be called Jewish Senators? (because that’s what they are )

 

[karan.1970]

Thanks for bringing up the warning of yet another Senator who wants to be a self appointed US spokesperson on International Affairs and handing out the Warnings.

Can you give us a quick count how many of them are doing the same mantra? I mean don’t countries normally have foreign affairs and designated members of the house to speak about other countries and make direct and implied threats to other countries? I not suggesting that "HE CANT DO THAT" but there are manners everywhere in life, you talk on your turn, you let the designated person make an announcement etc etc. there is no harm in bringing up a debate in the Senate, but if every American decides to take this role then it only makes the People whoa re actually working with Pakistan like Hillary is, look silly.

doesn’t seem to be in America does it? Will you be posting the news of the South Dakota Evangelical Preacher’s warning to Pakistan too? What about Joe the plumber? He must be really upset with the economic down turn no?

Why not that has something to do with the ISI and Haqqanis? He should be sending a warning too?

You see, when there is no unity of command, and weakens at leadership, the hawks take over and everyone wrestles in to make his voice heard and what we get is a noise like a one at a Friday or Saturday night club.
International diplomacies and relations are not done via the public media if the intent is a resolution and mutual cooperation to resolve the issues and have a continued bilateral relations but if the intent is just for the sake of diverting attention and board the band wagon to blame a designated antagonist then that’s what happens.

Just consider, don’t you wonder that someone should ask, hang on are you not satisfied with the job of your foreign affairs? And state department and the staff and all those people including Boucher and Hillary who are actually assigned by the President to talk on the international affairs?

Regarding the count my guess is about 150+ and that excludes ranger Smith , Farmer John and GI Joe, they, yet have to make a statement warning Pakistan about the consequences on Fox News or Washington Post yet.

I hear ya but I dont agree with the notion that he spoke out of turn or did not follow the protocol.. The senator in question is the chairman of Armed services committee in the US Senate and was speaking to the Council on Foreign Relations. And he is sharing his views on how the armed forces stationed in Afghanistan can be utilized in the safest and most effective manner.

btw, if you go beyond the stupid reporting about warnings and what not, and go thru the actual text of his speech, you will realize that he is not addressing the Pakistani state/army/people at all.. He is simply talking to USA's council on Foreign relations and advising them on what posture USA should adopt wrt Afghanistan and Pakistan situation

Carl Levin - United States Senator for Michigan: Newsroom - Press Releases

Personally I think comparing a senator directly involved in the US Armed forces committee to Former Jhon, ranger Smith and whatever is a little misguided.

The Armed Services Committee is the primary vehicle through which the Senate exercises its constitutional and statutory duties to oversee national defense. The committee’s responsibilities encompass “comprehensive study and review of matters relating to the common defense policy of the United States.” The committee crafts the annual National Defense Authorization Act, which authorizes spending on weapons systems and pay and benefits for troops and sets policy on a multitude of issues relevant to defense, from research and development of new weapons to personnel policies. It is also responsible for general oversight of the Department of Defense, including the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy (which includes the Marine Corps) and the Department of the Air Force.

---------- Post added at 12:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:07 PM ----------

Calling out someone's faith seems to be perfectly ok in American politics, what’s the problem with that ?

Keith Elison is most commonly referred to as a Muslim Congressman so why can’t Carl Levin or Diane Fiendstien be called Jewish Senators? (because that’s what they are )

And then you crib on the use of term Muslim/Islamic terrorists..

 

[pakdefender]

I hear ya but I dont agree with the notion that he spoke out of turn or did not follow the protocol.. The senator in question is the chairman of Armed services committee in the US Senate and was speaking to the Council on Foreign Relations. And he is sharing his views on how the armed forces stationed in Afghanistan can be utilized in the safest and most effective manner.

btw, if you go beyond the stupid reporting about warnings and what not, and go thru the actual text of his speech, you will realize that he is not addressing the Pakistani state/army/people at all.. He is simply talking to USA's council on Foreign relations and advising them on what posture USA should adopt wrt Afghanistan and Pakistan situation

Carl Levin - United States Senator for Michigan: Newsroom - Press Releases

Personally I think comparing a senator directly involved in the US Armed forces committee to Former Jhon, ranger Smith and whatever is a little misguided.




---------- Post added at 12:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:07 PM ----------



And then you crib on the use of term Muslim/Islamic terrorists..

I'll have no crib so long as terms like Hindu Terrorists and Jewish terrorists are also used to describe terrorist activity done by Jews and Hindus