US assures support to arrest, kill Fazlullah, Senate committee told

[RabzonKhan]

US assures support to arrest, kill Fazlullah, Senate committee told - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

Mateen Haider
Updated about 6 hours ago
Jan 26 2015

ISLAMABAD: Defence officials said Monday that the United States has assured Pakistan that Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP) chief Mullah Fazlullah would either be arrested or killed in Afghanistan, adding that in case of an arrest he would be subsequently handed over to Pakistan.

Briefing a Senate Defence Committee in Islamabad, defence officials said that during his long visit to the US, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Raheel Sharif had also presented vital evidence of Indian involvement in subversive activities in Pakistan by using Afghan soil to top US intelligence and defence officials.

Explore: Army chief holds talks at Pentagon
Defence officials said US would also give Pakistan 1 billion USD this year under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF).

The committee was briefed that the US would further give Pakistan used defence equipment to meet its security challenges for which the process had already begun.

Committee Chairman Mushahid Hussain and other members expressed displeasure over the absence of Defence Minister Khawaja Asif from the meeting.

A day after the Peshawar school attack, Gen Raheel had also visited Kabul where he sought handover of Mullah Fazalullah.

Examine: Gen Raheel visits Kabul, seeks handover of Mullah Fazlullah
On Jan 14, the US State Department had designated the TTP chief as a ‘global terrorist’.

Take a look: US designates Mullah Fazlullah as a 'global terrorist'
Fazlullah was elected TTP commander in November 2013, following the death of former leader Hakimullah Mehsud.

Under the leadership of Fazlullah, TTP claimed responsibility for the December 16, 2014 attack on a school in Peshawar that resulted in the deaths of at least 150 people, mostly students.
Read: Militant siege of Peshawar school ends, 141 killed

Prior to becoming TTP leader, Fazlullah claimed he was behind the killing of Pakistani Army Major General Sanaullah Niazi in September 2013, as well as ordering the shooting of schoolgirl and activist Malala Yousafzai in 2012.

 

[Green Arrow]

Well let see. Horse and ground both are available and ready as well, i guess.

 

[CENTCOM]

Those who continue to indulge in the blame game must keep in mind that the terrorists see our nations as a common threat to their mission. The terrorists have proven over and over that they are willing to cross all lines in order to achieve their agenda. Our nations have lost thousands of brave soldiers in fighting terrorism, and the growing threat of terrorism in the region makes it necessary for our nations to cooperate and coordinate against those who threaten the safety of our land and people. We repeat what Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said during a press briefing in Washington a few weeks ago: “And it’s a common threat, a common challenge that we all have to continue to work on together and to look for ways to improve that cooperation. I will also tell you that cooperation with Pakistan and Pakistani military in general continues to improve.”

Ali Khan
Digital Engagement Team, USCENTCOM

 

[TalibanSwatter]

Those who continue to indulge in the blame game must keep in mind that the terrorists see our nations as a common threat to their mission. The terrorists have proven over and over that they are willing to cross all lines in order to achieve their agenda. Our nations have lost thousands of brave soldiers in fighting terrorism, and the growing threat of terrorism in the region makes it necessary for our nations to cooperate and coordinate against those who threaten the safety of our land and people. We repeat what Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said during a press briefing in Washington a few weeks ago: “And it’s a common threat, a common challenge that we all have to continue to work on together and to look for ways to improve that cooperation. I will also tell you that cooperation with Pakistan and Pakistani military in general continues to improve.”

Ali Khan
Digital Engagement Team, USCENTCOM

Dear Ali Khan,

I appreciate the sentiment. That said, it is time for you guys to walk the talk. There is no point in just targeting Fazlullah when the US is busy signing oil deals and defence contracts with Fazlullah's master, who happens to be also funding groups targeting US soldiers and civilians across the region and beyond. Fazlullah at the end of the day is merely a foot soldier - who needs to sent to hell - but a foot soldier nevertheless. To fight and destroy the 'common threat' the US needs to tackle the root of the problem - the elephant in the room.

Lets call a spade a spade.

This is a war being waged by Salafi jihadists supported by their Saudi benefactors against the rest of the muslim(sunni and shia) world, and the western world.

The goal is to overthrow existing states and set up takfiri/salafi-led states around the world and expand geo-political, economic and pseudo-religious ideological dominance under the umbrella of a Salafi caliphate through foot soldiers such as the TTP, Lashkar e Jhangvi and Al Qaeda in Pakistan, Al Nusra in Syria, AQAP in Yemen, ISIS in Iraq and Syria, Al Shabab in Somalia, Abu Sayyaf in Philipines, Boko Haram in Nigeria...the list goes on and on.

While TTP and other foot soldiers fight on the ground, the Salafi jihadist establishment in Saudi provides the ideology, operational guidance, and funding to all such organizations through proxies such as charities.

As many media sources have confirmed, ISIS was a Saudi project. The Saudis created and funded the monster to destroy Asad's regime in Syria and wreak havoc in Shiite run Iraq. However, they are now learning a valuable lesson in blowback as ISIS has turned its guns on Saudi rulers, declaring them unworthy.

As the Atlantic reported, - "ISIS, in fact, may have been a major part of Bandar’s covert-ops strategy in Syria. The Saudi government, for its part, had denied allegations, including claims made by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, that it has directly supported ISIS. But there are also signs that the kingdom only recently shifted its assistance—whether direct or indirect—away from extremist factions in Syria and toward more moderate opposition groups."

Clearly, Saudi's new found fear of ISIS stems from their desire for self preservation, rather than any genuine regard for the communities being ravaged by these militants in Iraq and Syria. The fact that ISIS's ideology largely mirrors the Saudi Wahhabi doctrine cannot be denied. And herein lies the problem.

As Reuters explained in a recent article - "Supporters of the Al Saud argue they have to tread carefully when dealing with conservative clerics. They say the ruling family is more liberal than most Saudi citizens, and is wary of provoking public anger.But liberal Saudis and some foreign analysts say that is not the case, and argue that if the government really wanted to reduce intolerant religious discourse, it could readily do so."When the government wants things to be done, they will be done," said Mohammed al-Zulfa, a former member of the Shoura Council."

Will the ruling Saud family renounce its 200 year old alliance with the Wahhabi clergy? Will it dismantle and stop exporting the intolerant ideology that has served as a wellspring for salafi/wahhabi jihadists around the world? Will it stop funding murderous groups like ISIS, TTP, and Lashkar e Jhangvi in its quest for geo-political dominance?

It is clear that unless the Saudis course correct or are forced to change course, salafi jihadists will continue to wreak havoc.

Hopefully the Pakistani, and US establishments will stop deluding themselves, and realize that this war cannot be won by simply targeting non-state actors like TTP or ISIS. Whatever the means, until international powers confront and dismantle the ideological and financial hub of the salafi jihadists in Saudi, the threat will remain and the global salafi jihadist campaign of murder and mayhem will continue.