ISI maintains ties with, supports Haqqani network: US senator
Addressing an audience at the Council on Foreign Relations on the subject of Afghanistan and Pakistan, Levin said, "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."
(Read: Cross-border attacks: Army, FC sent to areas bordering Afghanistan)
In his prepared remarks, Levin said that the Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) maintained ties with the Haqqani network and provided support to the group.
Referring to his trip to Pakistan in August this year, Levin said he had pressed why Pakistani officials had not publicly condemned cross-border attacks by the Haqqanis and the Afghan Taliban.
"Prime Minister Yousaf Raza 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 statements."
Levin also urged the US to place the Haqqani network on the Foreign Terrorists Organization list. He said this would send a message to Pakistan that the US would respond to its support to this extremist organization.
As part of his remarks, Levin also accused Pakistan of interfering in the political reconciliation process in Afghanistan to exercise control over groups involved in the process and the substance of talks.
"You can't force Pakistan, and the idea that we can do that plays in hands of who are extremists", he said in response to a question on what could be done to get Pakistan to take action against the Haqqani network.
While Levin said that Pakistan and the United States needed to remain engaged, he referred to a recent statement by Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar that the US would lose an ally if they continued with allegations of Pakistan's support for the Haqqani network, "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."
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at the end of the day " loser has always excuses" and this is what US doing. we put your all reservations into hell if those are just beneficial for you and disastrous for PAKISTAN....
Pakistan must realise that peace and prosperity will never return to this country as long as it patronises terror organisations.
pakistan army will not act if US attacks wazaristan.
Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.What a contradiction between Carl Levin's and Hilary Clinton's statement about ISI's support for Haqqani.Hilary Clinton says we have not any proofs about ISI's support of Haqqani network and Carl Levin says ISI is supporting Haqqani Network.What a hypocritical and double face of US' leaders about Pakistan.When our leaders shall know the real face US' leaders or do they not want to know the US' leaders' real face intentionally?
@MarkH: Apparently not......... tsk tsk...................... I would worry about China if I were you , How much do you owe them again?
Anything else? on one hand you asking ISI to get Haqqanis on the table so you can pull out your troops, on the other hand accuse ISI to have links with them. Hypocrites.
I say bring it on and lets get over with it. Americans will keep ranting untill they get squashed in the Graveyard of Empires
All the conspiracy theories and unjustified egos in the world are not going to save you from getting floored after you push things one too many times. No matter how long the fuse is, once it reaches the end, it's going to blow up in your face if you aren't intelligent enough to back away. You know what most crack theories and comments full of bravado add up to when it hits the fan? Comedy. You only consolation will be the sympathy found in the pages of history books you aren't even allowed to read. Now flex for me.
Isn't this too much of a coincidence? One the one hand a complete withdrawal from Iraq is announced and on the other, the warnings on Pakistan is reaching fever pitch.
And see finest example of dual diplomacy . On one side they are urging us to hold talks with Haqqani's after so much belligerents and hectic repercussions and on the other side Publicly they are trying o declare us peace brokers . Disgusting !!
The American Senator no longer has moral authority to tell other countries "You are interfering" because they invaded two countries on false pretext and after invasion trying to install puppet regimes that would secure their foothold in the region.
Isn't invading countries on false pretext "interfering" or far worst than interfering? America you no longer have the moral authority to police the world on do's and don'ts, you should be quiet!
@Mirza: I guess ISI and CIA are alike! Humor aside, U've missed the entire purpose of a service.
yaaawwwnnnn .... Dear Uncle Sam, Sod Off!! kind regards
@Cautious:
You are correct in your assessment. Obama just announced complete US withdrawal from Iraq at the end of the year. So, Afghanistan will take full focus from now on and senate is behind him.
When Khar was giving Haqqani or US speech in NY, Malik was saying in PAK "Haqqani's are sons of the soil". Levin is not going to miss that.
Even parrots can get bored with so much repetitions, but not US politicians...
@ Huma I. ET headline today was: US met Haqqani network: Clinton LOL.........................................
If Pakistan has nothing to do with the terrorists or Haqqanis then who is arranging their meetings with the US? Those meetings in summer arranged by ISI was proof that they have direct links with the terrorists or our strategic assets.
Pakistanis leaders including military should realize that Pakistan and Islam have been hurt nationally and internationally by their policies of promoting Islamic extremism and by policy of strategic depth. If we want to be accepted in comity of nations than destroy this ideology of Islamic extremism and their supporters. Pakistan can only progress if it follow principles of secularism in society and government and focus on education,health and economy instead of building new bombs and missiles. Pakistan will benefit from a more cohesive,united and tolerant society which is in disarray and chaos because of these bad policies.
Such statements say something about the confusion in US on how to deal with Pakistan. Very recently we had one series of verbal volleys between USA and Pakistan where US had to tame down partially to keep things manageable. Again this gentleman has something to say. Some people do not realize that Pakistan is positioned so advantageously vis-a-vis Afghanistan that USA cannot afford to alienate Pakistan completely. From US perspective, assuming that there will be no re-approachment with Iran, there cannot be any checkmate in this game for the US. They should plan for stalemate instead. They should talk less and arrange their pieces in such manner that Pakistan will be left with no option be to fall in line. Secretary Clinton, i suppose, is working exactly on this. But somehow all of US authorities are not on the same page as far as the response strategy is concerned. History seems to be witnessing the moves of a somewhat tied down and trapped superpower. On the other hand one will have to appreciate Pakistani decision makers for doing pretty well till now vis-a-vis USA notwithstanding the fact that broadly speaking they are squarely wrong in getting into this new great game for which eventually they will most probably have to pay very dearly.
That means the USA Senate has given Obama the green light --- no doubt the Republican controlled house will support a cross border attack on the Haqqani. It would appear that the USA Congress has no problem counting to ten.
@ Khabti babay aka Senator saab, listen what Mrs Clinton said just on Pakistani TV, i.e. " both CIA and ISI maintain contacts with such actors since this is a part of their job"!!!
'Addressing an audience at the Council on Foreign Relations...'
Mr Levin, a globalist, a hawk and as a member of CFR he wants one world currency and one world government. These globalists are not good for United States and not good for rest of the world.
'...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.'
Always true to their agenda these chicken hawks, always want more perpetual wars to enrich the military industrial complex and they have been doing this since the days of crusaders. They tax the middle-class by inflating currency (printing more USD is an implicit tax on population since it brings down the worth of their savings) so that these wars can be supported.
Plain Rhetoric