Few senior U.S. officials have invested as much time in the U.S.-Pakistan relationship as Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Over the years, he has traveled frequently to Pakistan. By one count, Mullen has held more than 30 meetings with Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani.
There’s no clearer sign, then, of deeply troubled relations between Washington and Islamabad than Mullen’s testimony today to members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. In unusually blunt remarks, Mullen directly accused the Pakistani army’s spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), of attacking Americans and undermining the U.S. effort to stabilize Afghanistan.
According to the admiral, the ISI supported insurgents of the Haqqani network in planning and executing last week’s attack on the U.S. embassy in Kabul, and a truck bomb attack on a NATO post earlier this month that killed five people and injured 77 coalition troops. He called the Haqqani network, among the deadliest of a plethora of jihadist groups that operate from Pakistani territory, “a veritable arm of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Agency.”
By now, of course, the contours of Pakistan’s alleged double game—in which it selectively helps the United States against some terrorists while actively nurturing others—have become familiar to anyone with even a passing familiarity with South Asia. Nor is Mullen’s statement the first time he has spoken out against Pakistan and the ISI. In July he accused the Pakistani government of sanctioning the murder of investigative reporter Saleem Shahzad. (Also the subject of a compelling story this month in The New Yorker.)
Nonetheless, the admiral’s statement—coming on the heels of the embassy attack and the assassination of former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani by a suicide bomber in Kabul on Tuesday—signals the degree of Washington’s frustration with Islamabad. If Pakistan does not show that it’s finally willing to act against groups such as the Haqqani network, this may well be a prelude to stronger U.S. action, either in the form of stepped up drone strikes or raids by U.S. forces on Pakistani territory.
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American foreign policy is based on deceit, duplicity, lying and cheating. US also happens to be India’s most dangerous enemy. If India has any sense (and thus far it appears that it has) then it will reject all US advances towards it.
US will chew India up for all its worth and then spit it out without a second thought.
In the long run, Pakistan has to trust India and live with its neighbour as a brother.
Haqqanis are inside Afghanistan, 90% of Afghanistan is in the hands of ANR – Afghan National Resistance. Why is Pakistan responsible for the failures of US military inside Afghanistan. Either Afghanistan is under ISAF control or it is as I said in the hands of The Afghan National Resistance. The Haqqanis are just ine faction, there are many others all against American Occupation. Sure Haqqanis and ISI have a close relationship but the CIA created Jalaluddin Haqqani and his son who were welcomed as heroes by Ronald Reagan after the Soviet War. The Only people then who called the Haqqanis terrorists are the same people blurring the Afghanistan End Game – those supporting the division of Afghanistan on ethnic lines by this I mean The Indians with their agent Mr Blackwill.
There is no proof the Haqqanis bombed the embassy this is America thrusting its failures onto Pakistan. Pakistan can easily accuse America for harbouring terrorists who launch attacks inside Pakistan on mosques, schools, police stations, shopping bazaars – anywhere. Pakistani Army have chased the Tereek-e-Taliban out of Pakistan funded by India and USA the 3000 strong Afghan death squad as mentioned by Bob Woodward in his book on Obama. The TTP coined by Indians as Pakistani Taliban to make an association with Afghan Taliban are neither Taliban no Pakistani and regularly launch attacks from within Afghanistan supported via Indian consulates under an American Umbrella.
Why does ISAF not stop these terrorists entering into Pakistan? why!!!
If America alienates Pakistan a powerful country in the region with many friendly neighbours hostile to America in their back yard including Russia ironically a key ally but also China, Iran and Turkiye amongst others. Remember 20 years ago The Soviets were economically, politically and strategically in the same boat as America and it was Pakistani professional soldiers fighting amongst their cousins inside Afghanistan that brought down The Soviets. The first piece of rock that came down in the Berlin Wall was given to Pakistan ISI Chief with a placard reading “To the one who made the first blow” in bringing down the Berlin wall. America held the Soviets back for many decades thanks to Pakistan but this does not mean Pakistan today can allow its sovereignty trampelled on, become the typical US sanctioned whipping boy for its failures. More importantly the very nation supporting the Soviets against USA i.e. India is today a strategic ally for America to fight China – Pakistans most loyal friend. Pakistan and neither will Pakthuns allow India any foothold inside Afghanistan. Peace in Afghanistan has to come through Pakistan and not through unsubstantiated verbal veiled threats.
Losing Pakistan means a horirble end to America inside Afghanistan as all NATO routes will be closed BUT extending the war into Pakistan will mean further repercussions for US strategic interest and economic interest across the region, Middle East and N and East Africa as well as Asia Pacific. Pakistanis as did Afghans loved America, no place was so pro America and welcoming as Pakistan to America. Thanks to Bush and Cheney and their mess they have lost all that strategic influence and risk economic meltdown by extending their war into an innocent Pakistan. 33,000 Pakistanis have lost their lives to terror emanating from within Afghanistan unchecked as terrorists enter into Pakistan. How much more can Pakistanis take or for how long do you expect them to stay quiet, instead of recognising thier sacrifice and courage you humiliate them. Let us hope that these two desperate failed American Military commanders Panetta and Mullen are not supported by those in Washington and that the White House may offer some rationality. If not, a war extended into Pakistan will have greater consequences and such a conflict is not in the interest of America or American soldiers but only serve the interests of India. India is hostile to all it’s neighbours each and every one because it (India) occupies land belonging to them and sent terror into its neighbours to maintain her occupation and since the American occupation in Afghanistan through American assistance India and INdian RAW has become very assertive. This is the wrong course for America and the wrong policy to divide Afghanistan along ethnic lands (The Indian Plan) maintain a prolonged presence inside Afghanistan and attack Pakistan the strongest ally of China. Those pushing for this are pursuing an Indian agenda that will not bring closure to Afghanistan but escalation which will lead to the inevitable “quick” demise of America similarly as we saw with the Soviets. Just as in that era the first blow came from Pakistani retaliation.
I hope sanity prevails and the doves in Washington prevail and those signed up to an Indian agenda and hawkish (Israeli Neocon) mantra are silenced.
ADM Mullen is a man of impeccable integrity…his words should not go unheeded. It is time
we convince Pakistan that it is not profitable to swing both ways. Our money could be
better spent studying tree frogs….at least they don’t stab us in the back.