Moazam Khan
FULL MEMBER
- Joined
- May 30, 2012
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WASHINGTON, June 7: The US military chief and lawmakers backed their Defence Secretary Leon Panetta on Thursday, saying that the United States indeed was running out of patience with Pakistan.
Earlier in the day, Mr Panetta warned Pakistan to stop supporting the Haqqani network or face the consequences as the US was running out of patience with this attitude. This was Mr Panettas second warning to Pakistan in two days. On Wednesday, he told reporters in New Delhi that the United States was fighting a war in Fata and that it would continue using drones against alleged terrorist hideouts in Pakistans tribal areas.
On Thursday afternoon, Chairman of the US Joints Chiefs of Staff Gen Martin Dempsey briefed the media in Washington on Mr Panettas remarks and other issues, noting that the defence secretarys statement reflected a general resentment against Pakistans continued refusal to act against the Haqqani network.
Gen Dempsey claimed that while Al Qaeda had been weakened in other areas, it was still effectively operating in Fata.
The general said he had been working on US-Pakistan relations since 2005, so he knew that in some areas they had common grounds and in others they had differences.
The Haqqani network is one such friction point and a major threat for us, he said. Still we need to continue to work on ground supply routes, safe havens and on other issues with Pakistan because it is an important partner.
Explaining Secretary Panettas remarks, Gen Dempsey said the US was at war with Al Qaeda and the Haqqani network. While the Pakistani army backed US efforts against other groups, we are very dissatisfied with the level of support we are getting against the Haqqani
network.
We are at war with Al Qaeda (and the Haqqanis). We will pursue them wherever they are and they are in Fata, he said.
Gen Dempsey said there was an increased focus on the Haqqani network now because this year the US troops were working on the eastern front where the network operated.
We know it will be the hardest part of transition, but we need to minimise the Haqqani networks influence, he said, pointing
out that the Haqqanis too had increased their activities.
Secretary Panetta told reporters in Kabul that the US was reaching the limits of its patience with Pakistan which continued to serve as a safe haven for terrorists attacking American forces in Afghanistan.
We are reaching the limits of our patience, and for that reason it is extremely important that Pakistan take action to prevent this kind of safe haven, he said. Mr Panetta was particularly incensed about the Haqqani network using Fata as a safe haven.
The Haqqanis most recent outrage was an attack on Forward Operating Base Salerno in Regional Command-East. The attack on June 1 killed an American contractor and woun-ded dozens of service members, the Pentagon report noted.
At a joint news conference with Afghan Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak, Mr Panetta said he would continue to push the Pakistanis to
deal with the Haqqani network. We will continue to make it clear that it is an intolerable situation, he said.
Mr Panettas statements were welcomed in the US Congress where both Republican and Democratic lawmakers are getting increasingly critical of Pakistans Afghan policies, particularly after Pakistans decision to close a key supply route to Afghanistan.
I think its helpful for us to understand and develop policies based on reality, rather than walking on eggs trying not to get some corrupt, repressive regime in Pakistan mad at us, said Congressman Dana Rohrabacher.
Earlier in the day, Mr Panetta warned Pakistan to stop supporting the Haqqani network or face the consequences as the US was running out of patience with this attitude. This was Mr Panettas second warning to Pakistan in two days. On Wednesday, he told reporters in New Delhi that the United States was fighting a war in Fata and that it would continue using drones against alleged terrorist hideouts in Pakistans tribal areas.
On Thursday afternoon, Chairman of the US Joints Chiefs of Staff Gen Martin Dempsey briefed the media in Washington on Mr Panettas remarks and other issues, noting that the defence secretarys statement reflected a general resentment against Pakistans continued refusal to act against the Haqqani network.
Gen Dempsey claimed that while Al Qaeda had been weakened in other areas, it was still effectively operating in Fata.
The general said he had been working on US-Pakistan relations since 2005, so he knew that in some areas they had common grounds and in others they had differences.
The Haqqani network is one such friction point and a major threat for us, he said. Still we need to continue to work on ground supply routes, safe havens and on other issues with Pakistan because it is an important partner.
Explaining Secretary Panettas remarks, Gen Dempsey said the US was at war with Al Qaeda and the Haqqani network. While the Pakistani army backed US efforts against other groups, we are very dissatisfied with the level of support we are getting against the Haqqani
network.
We are at war with Al Qaeda (and the Haqqanis). We will pursue them wherever they are and they are in Fata, he said.
Gen Dempsey said there was an increased focus on the Haqqani network now because this year the US troops were working on the eastern front where the network operated.
We know it will be the hardest part of transition, but we need to minimise the Haqqani networks influence, he said, pointing
out that the Haqqanis too had increased their activities.
Secretary Panetta told reporters in Kabul that the US was reaching the limits of its patience with Pakistan which continued to serve as a safe haven for terrorists attacking American forces in Afghanistan.
We are reaching the limits of our patience, and for that reason it is extremely important that Pakistan take action to prevent this kind of safe haven, he said. Mr Panetta was particularly incensed about the Haqqani network using Fata as a safe haven.
The Haqqanis most recent outrage was an attack on Forward Operating Base Salerno in Regional Command-East. The attack on June 1 killed an American contractor and woun-ded dozens of service members, the Pentagon report noted.
At a joint news conference with Afghan Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak, Mr Panetta said he would continue to push the Pakistanis to
deal with the Haqqani network. We will continue to make it clear that it is an intolerable situation, he said.
Mr Panettas statements were welcomed in the US Congress where both Republican and Democratic lawmakers are getting increasingly critical of Pakistans Afghan policies, particularly after Pakistans decision to close a key supply route to Afghanistan.
I think its helpful for us to understand and develop policies based on reality, rather than walking on eggs trying not to get some corrupt, repressive regime in Pakistan mad at us, said Congressman Dana Rohrabacher.
