US Senators push legislation seeking FTO label for Haqqani Network
Senator Dianne Feinstein, head of the Senate Intelligence Committee and vice chairman of the committee Senator Saxby Chambliss issued a press release on Tuesday saying they have asked, in the bill, for the State Department to designate the Haqqani Network as an FTO.
The release stated that the "FTO designation makes it illegal to provide material support or resources to the Haqqani Network, an organisation responsible for the deaths of hundreds of US, Afghan and coalition service members in Afghanistan and countless civilians."
The bill comes a day after the Congress was to vote on a bill calling for the Secretary of State to report whether the Haqqani Network met the criteria of being designated as an FTO or not. The House has yet to vote on that bill.
“You cannot negotiate with terrorists, and in my view that’s exactly what the Haqqani Network is,” said Senator Feinstein. "I have urged the State Department to designate Haqqani as an FTO for more than two years. Meanwhile, the organisation continues to kill Americans in Afghanistan and launch brazen and indiscriminate attacks against innocent men, women and children in the region.”
In the press release, Senator Chambliss dubbed the Obama administration's failure to designate the Haqqani network as a FTO as indefensible. “The Haqqanis have conducted numerous attacks against our military personnel, assaulted our embassy in Kabul and continue to pose a grave threat to the security and interests of the United States. It is well past time to designate this network as a terrorist group,” he stated.
According to the criteria of the FTO designation, the organisation can be dubbed as such if it is foreign, engages in terrorist activity which threatens the security of United States citizens or the national security of the United States.
US officials have repeatedly called on Pakistan to take action against the Haqqani Network, which they have blamed for a series of attacks on US-led forces in Afghanistan, and an attack on the US Embassy in Kabul.
The press release said that the Senators had also written to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in May, asking her to immediately designate the Haqqani Network as a FTO.
"The Senate legislation is cosponsored by Senators Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Mark Udall (D-Colo.)", said the press release.
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@Iqbal: very right sir. Completely with you.
We Afghans have already recognized this outfit as terrorist organization but being weaker no one hears us. It would be an appreciating step if approved and passed by American congress.It has committed a lot of crimes against our innocent people and they are the people who with other terrorist organizations want to keep the region destabilized being fueled by those whose crimes are very open to every body. The congress this action would also keep the adviser at bay if not avoid itself would pay the price.
@Navid:
"Haqqani is not foreign to afghanistan. "
So is TTP not foreign to Pakistan. Yet, they pose a threat don't they.
"Does not threaten the security of the average US citizen since it woks only in Afghanistan."
You do know that an embassy of any Country is considered sovereign territory, don't you. Let me spell it out for you. If US has an Embassy in Pakistan, its compound is considered US soil, not Pakistan's.
Haqqanis have attacked US embassy multiple times. They technically pose a very direct threat to the US soil.
Talking about indirect threat, they stage attacks on US soldiers and Afghan soldiers, unless you consider only Pakistani supported Taliban to be the true representative of the people of Afghanistan, which you might.
@mirza - This is the only group that tried to advice and then threaten the TTP against carrying out attacks on Pakistanis. Get your facts straight.
It is strange that "According to the criteria of the FTO designation, the organisation can be dubbed as such if it is foreign, engages in terrorist activity which threatens the security of United States citizens or the national security of the United States". Haqqani is not foreign to afghanistan. Does not threaten the security of the average US citizen since it woks only in Afghanistan. It will be amusing to see yet another example of blatant arrogance and injustice.
these Senators know what they are doing. These snakes as Hillary called them has to go along with there handlers.
If this passes, watch how quickly Pakistan turns into Iran and North Korea. Let's see how long you'll last without Uncle Sam... Remember 1971? That was just the start - the end is near.
This is a rare bipartisan resolution in the US Senate, and let us go approve and implement it ASAP. No mercy on the terrorists who show no mercy on Pakistani citizens when they kill.