The Haqqani network, whom the U.S. backed during the Soviet-Afghan war in the 1980’s, is quickly becoming the most obvious threat to US interests in the region, and US officials claim to have evidence of their involvement in recent high-profile attacks. Admiral Mullen testified: “There is ample evidence confirming that the Haqqanis were behind the June 28th attack against the Inter-Continental Hotel in Kabul and the September 10th truck bomb attack that killed five Afghans and injured another 96 individuals, 77 of whom were US soldiers. Mullen continued, “with ISI support, Haqqani operatives planned and conducted [the September 10th] truck bomb attack, as well as the assault on our embassy. We also have credible intelligence that they were behind the June 28 attack against the Inter-Continental Hotel in Kabul and a host of other similar but effective operations.”
The ISI evidence that Admiral Mullen cited is based on reports of cell phones collected by US forces following the September 13 attack on the US Embassy and NATO headquarters in Kabul. Although evidence is still being gathered from the recovered cell phones, the militants are alleged to have called individuals connected to Pakistan’s ISI, which prompted Admiral Mullen’s strong accusations.
The implication of Pakistan’s ISI ties with the Haqqani network have prompted a feisty response from Pakistani Government officials. Interior Minister Rehman Malik contends that America is to blame for the Haqqani network’s rise in the ranks of terror groups, “the Haqqani network was trained and produced by the CIA.” Malik also insisted that the Haqqani network is based in Afghanistan and is not operational in Pakistan saying, “those claiming otherwise should give evidence of its presence in Pakistan.” He went on to say “we will fight the terrorists as our forces are capable of handling them and countering any challenge.”
Despite Malik’s claim that the Haqqani’s are not present in Pakistan, comments made by an unnamed Pakistani military official contradict this assertion. The official is reported to have said that the Pakistani military is stretched to thin battling militants in Northwest Pakistan to take on the Haqqani network at this time.
Mullen’s accusation’s have obviously put senior military and government officials on edge, as Pakistani Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani held an emergency meeting with top commanders on Sunday to discuss the escalating diplomatic tensions. Media reports also said that military commanders considered retaliatory action in the event that the US military unilaterally carries out military strikes to stem the Haqqani’s reach. Pakistani media has also reported that on Monday, a trilateral meeting of intelligence officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and China will take place to discuss the flare up of US-Pakistani rhetoric.
Pakistan’s continued defiance in dealing with the Haqqani network has prompted some US officials to reconsider America’s aid to its complicated ally in the war on terror, and some are going so far as to say that military action by the US to deal with the Haqqanis would not be ruled out. On Sunday, Senator Lindsey Graham, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said: “The sovereign nation of Pakistan is engaging in hostile acts against the United State and out ally Afghanistan that must cease. I will leave it up to the experts, but if the experts believe that we need to elevate our response, they will have a lot of bipartisan support on Capitol Hill.”
It seems that neither the United States, nor Pakistan, are ready to capitulate over the issue of the Haqqani network. Although ISI’s support for terror networks is not news to US officials, this is the first time that US military or government officials have so openly criticized Pakistan for its duplicity. Diplomatic options, though not exhausted, appear to be an exercise in futility as most officials are ready to reconsider or “reframe our relationship” with Pakistan, as Admiral Mullen put it. The only other viable option for the United States to combat the Haqqani network besides withdrawing aid, sanctions, or other diplomatic solutions is to step up its unmanned arial drone attacks, which are at the core of US-Pakistani diplomatic tensions; that is, if the US isn’t willing to commit troops on the ground.
Wes Bruer writes on foreign policy issues, international conflict, and terrorism. He is a regular contributor to the Long War Journal and a freelance journalist.
a global affairs media network
U.S. - Pakistan Spar Over Support for Haqqani Terror Network
October 3, 2011
The Haqqani network, whom the U.S. backed during the Soviet-Afghan war in the 1980’s, is quickly becoming the most obvious threat to US interests in the region, and US officials claim to have evidence of their involvement in recent high-profile attacks. Admiral Mullen testified: “There is ample evidence confirming that the Haqqanis were behind the June 28th attack against the Inter-Continental Hotel in Kabul and the September 10th truck bomb attack that killed five Afghans and injured another 96 individuals, 77 of whom were US soldiers. Mullen continued, “with ISI support, Haqqani operatives planned and conducted [the September 10th] truck bomb attack, as well as the assault on our embassy. We also have credible intelligence that they were behind the June 28 attack against the Inter-Continental Hotel in Kabul and a host of other similar but effective operations.”
The ISI evidence that Admiral Mullen cited is based on reports of cell phones collected by US forces following the September 13 attack on the US Embassy and NATO headquarters in Kabul. Although evidence is still being gathered from the recovered cell phones, the militants are alleged to have called individuals connected to Pakistan’s ISI, which prompted Admiral Mullen’s strong accusations.
The implication of Pakistan’s ISI ties with the Haqqani network have prompted a feisty response from Pakistani Government officials. Interior Minister Rehman Malik contends that America is to blame for the Haqqani network’s rise in the ranks of terror groups, “the Haqqani network was trained and produced by the CIA.” Malik also insisted that the Haqqani network is based in Afghanistan and is not operational in Pakistan saying, “those claiming otherwise should give evidence of its presence in Pakistan.” He went on to say “we will fight the terrorists as our forces are capable of handling them and countering any challenge.”
Despite Malik’s claim that the Haqqani’s are not present in Pakistan, comments made by an unnamed Pakistani military official contradict this assertion. The official is reported to have said that the Pakistani military is stretched to thin battling militants in Northwest Pakistan to take on the Haqqani network at this time.
Mullen’s accusation’s have obviously put senior military and government officials on edge, as Pakistani Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani held an emergency meeting with top commanders on Sunday to discuss the escalating diplomatic tensions. Media reports also said that military commanders considered retaliatory action in the event that the US military unilaterally carries out military strikes to stem the Haqqani’s reach. Pakistani media has also reported that on Monday, a trilateral meeting of intelligence officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and China will take place to discuss the flare up of US-Pakistani rhetoric.
Pakistan’s continued defiance in dealing with the Haqqani network has prompted some US officials to reconsider America’s aid to its complicated ally in the war on terror, and some are going so far as to say that military action by the US to deal with the Haqqanis would not be ruled out. On Sunday, Senator Lindsey Graham, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said: “The sovereign nation of Pakistan is engaging in hostile acts against the United State and out ally Afghanistan that must cease. I will leave it up to the experts, but if the experts believe that we need to elevate our response, they will have a lot of bipartisan support on Capitol Hill.”
It seems that neither the United States, nor Pakistan, are ready to capitulate over the issue of the Haqqani network. Although ISI’s support for terror networks is not news to US officials, this is the first time that US military or government officials have so openly criticized Pakistan for its duplicity. Diplomatic options, though not exhausted, appear to be an exercise in futility as most officials are ready to reconsider or “reframe our relationship” with Pakistan, as Admiral Mullen put it. The only other viable option for the United States to combat the Haqqani network besides withdrawing aid, sanctions, or other diplomatic solutions is to step up its unmanned arial drone attacks, which are at the core of US-Pakistani diplomatic tensions; that is, if the US isn’t willing to commit troops on the ground.
Wes Bruer writes on foreign policy issues, international conflict, and terrorism. He is a regular contributor to the Long War Journal and a freelance journalist.
