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US defence budget hearing: We cannot walk away from Pakistan, says Mullen
Mullen says Pakistan could be a much more dangerous place in 10 years if US walks out on it.
Says Pakistan could be a much more dangerous place in 10 years if US walks out on it.
WASHINGTON:
US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen has warned that Pakistan could be a much more dangerous place if the US walks out on it.
“We cannot walk away from Pakistan, else it will be a much more dangerous place in ten years,” Mullen testified at the hearing of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defence on the defence budget for the fiscal year 2012.
In his submitted statement to the committee, Mullen said that the Haqqani Network and the Quetta Shura were operating “unhindered” from sanctuaries in Pakistan, which were posing a threat to Nato and Afghan forces.
Chaired by Senator Daniel K Inouye, the Senate subcommittee met to discuss the new defence budget. Defence Secretary Robert Gates outlined the base budget request of $553 billion and an Overseas Contingency Operations request for $117.8 billion.
Referring to a New York Times article about Pakistan arresting five people who had helped find Osama bin Laden, Senator Leahy asked the panel why the US was supporting a country that was lying to them. Secretary Gates responded that most countries lie to each other.
In his statement, Mullen also said that it would be in the interest of the US to help reduce tensions between India and Pakistan. He highlighted the efforts of Pakistan Army in the tribal areas, saying Pakistan had lost thousands of soldiers in the process.
The hearing of the committee focused primarily on how cuts in the defence budget would impact the US Army and its operations.
In response to a question, Gates urged the committee to consider the question, “If we cut our defence and state department budgets and close a base, are we sending a message to China, North Korea, Iran and others that the US is closing up shop and returning to Fortress America?”
On Afghanistan, Gates said that the US had often failed to pay heed to President Karzai’s issues, and the public statements Karzai makes were issues that he had highlighted to US officials until a year ago. Gates also said that Karzai has told him that he will step down as president in 2014.
Mullen said it was important that governance in Afghanistan improve, corruption is reduced and development becomes a focus.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 16th, 2011.
Reader Comments (14)
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Well said , The statement reflect the determination of America .Man and money can never be a limitation in the on going war against terrorism .Recommend
Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.Have US leaders forgotten it that they are themselves the most dangerous and biggest threat of world’s peace,tranquility and security?Whereas they are announcing Pakistan the most dangerous place and very surprisingly and interestingly Pakistan’s corrupt,beggars and slaves leaders including COAS are still silent on this Admiral Mike Mullen’s blasphemous statement against the Pakistan’s integrity and sovereignty.US leaders must have keep it in their minds firmly that they are demolishing the world’s peace,security and tranquility by the innocent killings especially killings of the innocent muslims on the name of fake terrorism and extremism and for this negative purpose they are wasting billions of $$$$$$$$ and shamefully the some of the muslim leaders are backing up and supporting US officials behind their this game of innocent killings.What the shameful and awesome time has come on the muslims and some so-called and nominal muslim leaders of the muslim world.Recommend
America already has. Its the Shanghai Cooperation Organization that will matter within the next 10 years and in all the countries of the region; Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Turkey and India will be part of the SCO. The new dawn on the horizon. In Gwader there will be ships from all nations.Recommend
@Billoo Bhaya: Billoo Bhaya! You read my mind. Salams to you my brother.Recommend
@Nazir Habib:
Thank you for your encouragement, my friend.Recommend
Here Or there you have to GO…$117 Billion put it in your healthcare system, 45,000 die every years for just not to have health insurance, and you are talking about World liberation?????. Recommend
@Billoo Bhaya
Absolutely right about that.
But what will happen to our Gens’s shop? I support my Army, but they have to come clean.Recommend
This country has never been any danger to any country in the world as is the USA. USA just because it is not in control of its citizens. USA because many of the US crooks and criminals run the foreign and some home departments of the government of the USA.
The US Congress is well known to be the “Occupied Territory of the ZioNazis.
The moment the US invaders leave Afghanistan, peace and normality will start to unfold there and in Pakistan as it did in Vietnam and in numerous Central and South American countries
How many more US and international intellectuals, how many more times need to tell that these phoney wars are an easy means of defrauding the US Tax;payers’ hard earned tax dollars? The immoral, illegal money thus made is unaccountable and the amount is huge.Recommend
Fortunately in America the army reports to the civilians — and the civilians are rapidly coming to the conclusion that Pakistan is more of a liability than an asset. Your part of the problem not the solution.Recommend
All this just to make sure the Aid to Pakistan doesn’t stop.
Come 2014, US will have a lot of leverage over Pakistan and the US will stop singing this tune.
Hell hath no fury like a Superpower scorned.Recommend
Vienna,16-06-2011
No same person will think the U.S.will leave Pakistan continuing its dirty tricks all
round.Pakistan needs the United States.Pakistan needs a reformed armed forces
structure as well as local law enforcement mechanism. Pakistan´s education system
should be rationalized and improved.I am sure these issues will be addressed by
the U.S. through remote control.As it is the Army and Navy have been exposed
as self helping establishments along with paramilitary rangers.Pakistan is not Kosovo.
Besides it has nuclear weapons, namely Weapons of Mass Destruction and over
180 million population.I for one am willing to shout Pakistan Zindabad, meaning
the suffering normal Pakistani citizens.They do deserve a safe future.
-Kulamarva BalakrishnaRecommend
Mullen bhai jaan chhorro ab,,, don’t force us to kick u out!!! one by oneRecommend
This is not Admiral Mullen’s picture in the article. Please check your sources and accuracy before printing anything.Recommend
the wolf and the lamb, read the story one more time. The powerful nations have to power to decide what kind of the world they want, like smaller china, impotent india, troubled pak, instable afghanistan. The middle east tomentosing, Iran confined,etc, The world is now more dangerous planet on earth, as no body believes that there God who can punish in much better way, not the superpowers who have no clue where to hitRecommend