Deadline looms: Clinton to present report on Haqqani network status
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will decide by September 9 whether or not the Haqqani network meets the criteria of a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO).
The clock began ticking on August 11, when President Barack Obama signed into law, the Haqqani Network Terrorist Designation Act of 2012, a bill that calls for Secretary Clinton to submit a report to Congress on the matter within 30 days.
The law empowers the secretary to designate a terrorist organisation, if she finds that the group is engaged in activities that “threaten the security of United States and its nationals.” However, for now, the bill only asks for a report on whether the group meets that definition.
North Waziristan-based Haqqani network has been a focus of the US in recent years. The US has repeatedly called on Pakistan to take action against the group, which it blames for several high-profile attacks on US forces in Afghanistan.
In a recent visit to Washington, ISI chief Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam assured the US officials that Pakistan will not object if the US designates the Haqqani Network as an FTO.
The US State Department says that the review is on-going. Laura Lucas, a State Department spokesperson, told The Express Tribune, “Our core objective in Afghanistan is to defeat al Qaeda and to strengthen Afghanistan so that it can take responsibility for its security and development.”
But the question that many in the US capital have asked is how this affects the reconciliation process in Afghanistan. If the Haqqani network is designated as an FTO, the US can participate in reconciliation talks with its leadership, but may not be able to offer them a position in the Afghan government until they are de-listed.
Former White House National Security Council (NSC) director for Afghanistan and Pakistan Shamila Chaudhary, said that the designation would have implications for the reconciliation process.
“It is inconsistent with other measures the US has already indicated it is potentially willing to take to build confidence with senior Taliban leadership - such as agreeing to a controversial detainee transfer and recognising a Taliban political office if established, “she added.
Chaudhary speculates that the Haqqani network’s buy-in to reconciliation efforts will be critical for peace in Afghanistan. “The Haqqani leadership has publicly said it is part of the Taliban and will adhere to decisions made by its leadership. At the same time, the Haqqanis enjoy influence among tribes in the federally administered tribal areas and with communities in the border provinces of Afghanistan,” she said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 1st, 2012.
COMMENTS (17)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1710998259-0/pti-(1)1710998259-0-270x192.webp "pti goes against imran s decision")
@G Indian: "It is hard to understand the logic of Pakistan foreign policy makers who chose the Haqqanis over the friendship with superpower US."
The dilemma Pakistan faces is the same one the young lady from Niger faced. Having ridden the tiger of non-state actors, Pakistan does not know quite how to alight without ending up inside the tiger.
It is necessary to disband Haqqani Network and other terrorist organizations as soon as possible, Mrs.Clinton
@It Is (still) Economy Stupid: Dear Economy Stupid, I will not write a long missive on this because what you have said defies all logic. However, America invaded Afghanistan on the Pretense that the Taliban would not come up with the supposed AL Qaeda perpetrators of 9/11. Since then America has been the de-facto Government for eleven years and the best it has come up with is the pretense of a dead body which was thrown into the Indian Ocean. No court trial, no DNA evidence that would stand up in court; not even in America.
In regard to the Haqqanis, and/or Taliban, since when did the USA/UK/NATO start invading Asia because they found the behaviour of a few hill-billies unacceptable.
In the eleven years since 9/11 why hasn't the US Government brought anybody of note to trial in a US courtroom. I would suggest to you that the US or any of its cohorts do not have sufficient evidence to do so.. .
Please Black List them....If Pakistan Supports Haqqanis then it will force Pakistan to give up legacies of Gen. Zia and His Sympathizers ...... And Also force Afghan Government to disban support Pakistani Taliban from Kunar Region....
Otherwise poor people from both side will continue to suffer....
please declare all the militants organisation not in afghanistan who have killed innocent ppl bt also US and particularly UN shud intervene to pressurize pakistan to take concrete actions.. its becoz of them dt innocent civilians are getting killed
@Caribbean Critic: Neither the Taliban nor Al-Qaeda had anything to do with 9/11. I have a swamp for sale in Florida. OBL openly admitted that fool like you still believe that Al-Qaeda has nothing to do , Taliban hosted OBL. Taliban were supported by Pakistan officially and unofficially. Most of the Al-Qaeda was caught in Pakistan and all Taliban leaders are in Pakistan.Technically Pakistan helped 9/11 indirectly but no one wants to say it openly. @Sexton Blake: Pakistan has to live with these two groups long after the US has departed. No body is saying that Haqqanis are bad because they have lived in that part of the world for centuries. All people are saying is that their recent behaviour is not acceptable. All that is expected of them is to change their violent behavior.
@G Indian: Dear G Indian, I always try to be polite when I am replying to someones contribution, but after reading what you have written it does become difficult. I really do not know where to begin. Everything you wrote I disagree with. However, I have to make a start. In regard to Haqqanis and Taliban you should keep in mind that Pakistan has to live with these two groups long after the US has departed to fight another stupid war, and Haqqanis/Taliban are no pushovers. Your so called American super power has been attempting to defeat them for eleven years now and the best we can say is that America's CentCom and its NATO poodles have failed miserably. You may not be aware of it but Osama bin Laden had no intention of defeating the US, but his plan was to keep them fighting and send them broke. I think his plan is working beautifully. Just ask Mr. Bernanke, Chairman of the US Reserve Bank. Further, anybody with half a brain knows where the US economy is heading. Without any doubt it is heading South. The Taliban have never been accused of being involved in 9/11, and why would they be. 9/11 was a Washington/Zionist contrived operation from beginning to end. Oh, and was the US strategic objective one of growing opium. I think this must be right because Afghanistan's production of Heroin has sky rocketed under US rule. Also, we know that CentCom troops excel at throwing grenades into peoples houses in the middle of the night killing many young children. Pakistan is not an an insignificant country. A country with a population of 180 million and hundreds of nukes could hardly be called insignificant, I suppose the best thing we can say is that America has to improve. They cannot get any worse; can they?
Pakistan prefers Afghan Taleban to Americans which is mind-boggling. Pakistan exists because of US aid but whether these so called good Taleban would provide any depth or cause destruction in Pakistan in future still remains a question mark.
It is hard to understand the logic of Pakistan foreign policy makers who chose the Haqqanis over the friendship with superpower US. If you think pragmatically you will realize that US is the most influential country in the world because they control global trade, currency, global arms flow, global economy, IMF, UN etc. They already met their strategic objective in Afghanistan. Talibans indirectly provoked US to attack their country due to the role of Taliban as a facilitator of 9/11 planning. US thoroughly defeated them and their guests. US never declared a full blown war against Afghanistan. Talibans and related groups have no chance against a total US attack just like the way US defeated Japan and Germany in world war 2. An insignificant country like Pakistan is lucky to get a chance to enter into a friendship with the worlds greatest and most powerful superpower. The problem for Pakistan is after 2014, US will not be in a mood to continue the friendship with Pakistan. China's interest and focus will be on South China sea areas leaving Pakistan with no powerful friends. Secret drone strikes will make the return of Talibans to power virtually impossible. Taliban ideology failed miserably.
The day Haqqanis are declared FTO, they will feel free, rather obliged, to unleash their wrath with full force. At the moment they may not have felt such urgency and might have kept certain actions under check. Eventually, US will have to deal with them, unless they plan to kill all the Haqqanis in Afghanistan and Pakistan. So why not to let the diplomacy and tact do the same work today rather than tomorrow.
I agree with you ideally American should stay home but do not forget they came to Afghanistan to fight your guest in Abbottabad. They should also keep the hard money of Joe average tax payer in US and not send it to namak halal. So deadline has something to do with snakes.
This is one of the pressurizing tactic by the US to force Taliban to agree on what the US have decided to do with Afghanistan. The US wants Taliban to agree on a broad based government after 2014 in which Taliban will hold few positions in administration while a major posts will be occupied by the Northern Alliance. Furthermore, the new Afghan Regime will endorse the agreement that the US troops will stay in Afghanistan till long after 2014 at least 10 years (to control the energy corridor to Central Asia).
"The law empowers the secretary to designate a terrorist organisation, if she finds that the group is engaged in activities that “threaten the security of United States and its nationals.” However, for now, the bill only asks for a report on whether the group meets that definition." I suggest/recommend for you to stay within USA to protect and secure you country and nation and national interests more effectively and never interfere in any countries' extremely confidential and foreign policies' matters in any forms and manifestations and never attack on any country thus you can secure your country,nation and national interests more easily and strongly and permanently than to interfere in any countries' extremely confidential and foreign policies' matters in any forms and manifestations and attacking on any country...... Or else in case of interference in and attacking on any country you can never be and feel secure.....
Do it as early as possible.
Once it is done Pakistan should be prepared to face UN sanctions.