Toner’s softer tone: ‘US committed to its relationship with Pakistan’
In response to a question about why the Haqqani network had not been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO), Toner said that leaders of the network had been targeted and designated as terrorists through executive orders and through the US Treasury Department. Toner said that the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defence and Admiral Mullen had raised the issue of the Haqqani network and that the USG wanted Pakistan to take action against them.
However, the state department spokesperson declined to respond to a question about whether Pakistan’s support for the Haqqani network could be seen as an act of war.
Meanwhile, a US Senator called on the US government to cut military assistance to Pakistan in light of the allegations made by the US administration and military on Pakistan’s links with the Haqqani network.
In an interview on Morning Joe on MSNBC, Senator Mark Kirk (R-Illinois) said that the Haqqani network posed a great danger to US forces in Afghanistan. Senator Kirk said that aid should be linked to Pakistan acting against the Haqqani network, adding that the US should be prepared to strike against them. He added that Pakistan had earlier supported the organisation responsible for the attack in Mumbai.
He also hailed the reduction in military assistance to Pakistan as done recently by the Senate Appropriations Committee for the fiscal year 2012.
Senator Kirk also called on President Obama to look towards India as a major player and to help them invest in Afghanistan. “I wish that a peaceful Afghanistan could be created out of Pakistan, but it appears that the Pakistani government has committed itself to terror.”
Senator Kirk’s statement is just one of many that have emerged in the past week after the US government and military officials publicly expressed concern about Pakistan and the ISI’s links with the Haqqani network. The militant group is believed to be responsible for the attacks in Kabul and Wardak on the US Embassy and US soldiers respectively.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 27th, 2011.
COMMENTS (31)
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Since looooooooooooooooooooong time,my dearest Pakistani friends,the Americans are eyeing(desiring) your beautiful Balochistan!
Not just magnificent scenery,but also soil rich on GOLD,COPPER;Uranium(that is why some mountains are gray);coals,gas and may be OIL...the" nourishment" for their economy.
That is WHY they are sending their drones to these areas...to cause fighting among different ethnic groups and among different faiths.They do not give a damn about their soldiers...most of them are poor mercenaries from South America.
Then they DEMAND,that the Pakistani Government fights the "terrorists" and in such way the Pakistan Gov. makes itself UNFAVORABLE and hated in these regions,which are supporting the "terrorists".
Soon Balochistan will be gone,if you continue killing your OWN citizens! The same with the NWAT(North-West Territories).
As I said before:"Divide and conqure" is the devise of ALL Super powers!
@Rosie Deus-von Homeyer:
Sorry...I shall write "truth".I do not have a spell-check on my computer.Prefer to look in a dictionary.
We should not be celebrating the "WIN" some think infact no9w we should be more careful, the Americans are CROOKS and they might attack FATA and/ or increase pressure on Eastern Border.
@Mariam b: Very well said Mariam!!!
Congratulations to Pakistan and bravo on it's tough stand. Also hats of to Ms Hina who pulled up her agenda pretty well. Peace!
Thanks for raising dollar to new heights. Property and Forex are best businesses. Other two are Drugs and Arms, but ts dangerous and risky to be directly involved in those trades.. Now few more palaces will be built at our defence lines.
@Salman Mansoor:
Ooooooooooooooh! Comon! I ALSO watched Hima Khar's interview on CNN with Wolf Blitzer.
She was in the defense all the time! She should say:"If you,Americans,insist ,that Pkaistan's ISI is AIDING and abeting the Haghaanis,you ought to bring a FORENSIC evidence and NOt just say."We have an intelligence!"
We,the citizens of this Planet,know VERY well how goooooooooooood is the FBI intelligence.
A couple of people flew airplanes in their buildings at 8am and they were sleeping!
@Straight_Talk:
Are you talking to the Department of Defense?
In the DOD they know,that a alternative supply line is preferable,but the suply line through Pakistan is much more convenient.
Beside this,my dear, PACTA SERVANTA SUNT! The contracts have to be served and if US or Pakistan brake the contractual obligations,they might face stiff penalties.
The famous Nepolian saying comes to mind (not sure the exact wordings) which meant to say that a nation's army is as good as its economy. Both US and Paksitan's economy are in bad shape. I am hopeful that common sense will prevail on both sides.'
@Nadir:
It is NOT the Pakistani media,my dear!
If you do a little bit resaerch,you shall find out WHO is standing behind some Pakistani newspaers.I am not saying more,because my post recently was NOT published,when I said the thruth.
Just Google International Herald Tribune and you shall find out.
Mark Toner with a slightly different 'Tone'....:-)
All home grown terrorist must be dealt with an IRON FIST - when you have a pet and it goes rabid and starts biting its master then the time has come too put it down. The terrorists we created now have no fear of us. We must impose our writ and show our pets who is the master and who is the dog
Sometimes all you have to do is standup
Pakistan has won. Haqqani and Taliban will continue march towards victory in Afghanistan.
First blink from US?
@geeko: LOL................ plus dearest Huma is the reporter so this gotta be accurate! People of Pakistan won in the end.
@Waleed: You are being funny now .. They might impose sanctions and thus cripple our economy .. Its doesn't matter of Haqqanis are a threat to US or not but they are a threat to our country ... they violate our law by crossing in to another country and killing innocent civilians.
Now they are coming to sense. Theese Americans were talking too much.
PAK is not afraid of Us forces as we are seeing Us forces fight result from last 11 years in Afghanistan. we r very well known how much u r able to fight. we made pin point accuracy missile to use them in war n we will use them. REMEMBER PIN POINT ACCURACY MISSILE...
I think we scared the US.
Heart-attacks in India.
Some reasonable comment after quite a long time. War or no war you don't comment on the media when you cannot really attack right away. Your supply lines are in their land. You just cannot fight like this. First ensure proper alternative supply line. Next priority will be to save Afghanistan of their influence and consolidate your position there. Thereafter make a complete plan and then meticulously implement them. However there are so many ways to keep the adversary off balance and volatile till time will be ripe for a decisive assault. This will be mostly a proxy game. So protocol should thick work and no talk.
I think Pakistan must help these poor soldiers of US n NATO, who cannot even defend there troops, poor cry baby. Poor guys.
What about ur many raymonds in pakistan killing pakistanis. And what about ur interference in many of our internal issues including karachi. Have we ever poked in ur country.ever??
It doesnt matter what the state department says. The Pakistani media has already sounded the war drums and TV pundits have wipped up a storm!