Washington tells Islamabad: Drone attacks to continue until Pakistan ‘satisfies’ US

[Sankpal]

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Washington tells Islamabad: Drone attacks to continue until Pakistan ‘satisfies’ US
| Washington tells Islamabad
January 29, 2018




ISLAMABAD - The United States has made it clear to Pakistan that drone attacks inside the Pakistani territory will continue until Islamabad “satisfies” Washington of indiscriminate action against all the militant groups, The Nation has learnt.

Senior officials at the foreign ministry said that the US rejected Pakistan’s protests against the drone strikes, saying Pakistan would have to “earn” an end to such attacks – by taking action against all the militant outfits.

Citing recent contacts with Washington, an official said: “They [the US] believe we are sheltering some militant groups and are playing a double game. They want us to satisfy them for an end to the drone attacks . It doesn’t seem easy to satisfy them.”

He added: “We have told them [the US] about the resentment against the drone attacks in Pakistan . People want military reaction against the drone strikes, which could worsen the Pak-US tension. They [the US] have not given any positive response so far.”

Last week, Pakistan had warned that the drone attacks by the US inside the Pakistani territory could prove detrimental to the Pak-US partnership.

This came after a US drone strike in the Kurram Agency killed two people.

Reports said two missiles hit a house in Spin Tal area.

The foreign office reacted sharply to the strike warning “such unilateral actions, as that of today (January 24), are detrimental to the spirit of cooperation between the two countries in the fight against terrorism.”

Pakistan and the US made conflicting claims on the drone attack in the Kurram Agency by the US forces based in Afghanistan.

Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammed Faisal said Pakistan sticks to its stance that the US drone strike targeted an Afghan refugee camp near Kurram Agency.

However, US embassy spokesperson Richard Snelsire denied Pakistan 's assertion.

“The claim in an MFA [Ministry of Foreign Affairs] statement that [the] USforces struck an Afghan refugee camp in Kurram Agency yesterday [January 24] is false,” he maintained.

Since 2004, the US government has attacked numerous targets in northwest Pakistan using unmanned aerial vehicles or drones controlled by the Central Intelligence Agency’s Special Activities Division.

Most of these attacks are on targets in the Federally-Administered Tribal Areas along the Afghan border.

These strikes began during the administration of the United States President, George W Bush, and increased substantially under his successor Barack Obama.

Pakistan and the US have been struggling to reconcile after President Donald Trump’s controversial tweet, in which he announced to suspend aid to Pakistan for allegedly deceiving the USin the war on terror.

Pakistan rejected the US allegations and questioned Trump’s claim of giving $33 billion to Pakistan as security assistance.

Islamabad said it had fought the anti-terror war largely from its own resources for the sake of the country’s and global peace.

The uneasy allies returned to the talks’ table this month when Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Ambassador Alice Wells visited Islamabad and held talks with Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua.

Later, US Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford said military-to-military dialogue between the two countries was the right approach to improve the Pak-US relationship.

The top US general said he was not “giving up” on improving ties with Pakistan .

Another official at the foreign ministry said Pakistan had asked the US to share intelligence instead of directly targeting the militants in the tribal belt.

“There is visibly a trust deficit [between Pakistan and the US]. They [the US] avoid sharing [intelligence] details with us suspecting we will help the militants instead. We are trying to defuse this misunderstanding,” he said.

The official said the US had once again asked Pakistan to act against the Haqqani network and “prove” that Pakistan was “sincere” in the war against terror.

“We have counted our sacrifices to convince them,” he mentioned.

Defence analyst and former Lt General Naeem Khalid Lodhi said the US drone attacks were against the international laws.

He said Pakistan reserved the right to respond to such strikes.

General Lodhi said such attacks challenged Pakistan’s sovereignty.

“The US has made it a habit to strike at will. This is unacceptable and should not be tolerated,” he added.

https://nation.com.pk/29-Jan-2018/w...tisfies-us?show=previewutm_medium?version=amp

 

[Enigma_]

Of course they will continue. Our coward government and military don't have the cojonas to shoot one of the f*ckers down.

 

[Ahmet Pasha]

America will never be satisfied

 

[RealNapster]

US is a Whore hard to satisfy.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Shut down embassy to send a message ask them to start packing and do more by making it happen sooner then our next request

 

[Beast]

Of course they will continue. Our coward government and military don't have the cojonas to shoot one of the f*ckers down.

Not only that. They are many western/American lovers in Pakistan will continue to claim western military product is the best and so the best solution is to endure such humiliation so as they can continued to cling onto the hope the western may offer them so called sophistication weapon. Such sacrifice is worth it.

@Dazzler @Basel @LeGenD

 

[Manidabest]

Not only that. They are many western/American lovers in Pakistan will continue to claim western military product is the best and so the best solution is to endure such humiliation so as they can continued to cling onto the hope the western may offer them so called sophistication weapon. Such sacrifice is worth it.

@Dazzler @Basel @LeGenD

u mean the soo called liberdos and also they r having dual citizenship. we must develop close relationship with Chinese and Turks and need to reform internally before we embark on a journey without US

 

[Path-Finder]

Oh dear. Threats and nore threats.

If only it had any affect on the outcome of the war in afghanistan but sadly it doesn't. The time is nearing for a show down between the two nation's.

 

[IceCold]

When you are not going to do a damn thing and act like bloody cowards and chutias, why will the other party stop? I hope US start attacking major cities of Pakistan. We deserve that.

 

[atan651]

Very strong words from the most hegemonistic country in the world!

 

[Kabira]

As long as they keep targeting terrorists in refugee camps all is well.

 

[Viny]

Is going to UN against USA citing invading of sovereignty is an option?
Asking UNSC to work with Pakistan in combating terrorism. And if US has some issues it has to come via UNSC framework in relation with Pakistan armed forces. Agree there is trust deficit and US believes that deliberate information leekage is happening. But same would be very difficult in case of UNSC covered assignment as that would malign Pakistan stand.

Just trying to figure out what options Pakistan has to defend its honor and rights without trying to burn hands in engagements.

 

[BHarwana]

Pentagon denies conducting drone strike in Pakistan


WASHINGTON (Pajhwok): The Pentagon on Thursday strongly refuted Pakistan’s claim that it carried out a drone strike on a refugee camp inside its territory.

“I can confirm that there were not any Department of Defense airstrikes outside of Afghanistan on January 24,” said Lt Col Mike Andrews, Department of Defense spokesman.

Drone strikes are normally conducted either by the Central Investigation Agency (CIA) or the military. The CIA, however, declined to comment on the issue.

Pakistan condemned the US drone strike in Kurram Agency, saying the "unilateral actions ... are detrimental to the spirit of cooperation between the two countries in the fight against terrorism."

Haqqani Network commander Ehsan, alias Khawari, and two of his companions were reportedly killed during the drone strike in Kurram Agency.

Meanwhile the Pentagon said America’s critical ground and air lines of communication for its troop in Afghanistan remained uninterrupted

“As of now, the ground and air lines of communication that pass through Pakistan to support our forces in Afghanistan remain open, remain working.

“I think that's a pretty strong signal of Pakistan's position,” Joint Staff Director Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie told reporters at a Pentagon news conference.

The Pentagon refused to entertain questions on reported drone strikes by US forces in Pakistan. It underscored the importance of Pakistan in resolving the Afghan crisis.

“We've said many times this is an inflection point in the relationship. We want Pakistan to be a part of the solution in the region… We want Pakistan to work with us, because terrorism is a threat to all of us,” Pentagon spokesperson Dana White said.

“We want to have Pakistan work with us to provide regional security. The administration has taken a regional approach and Pakistan should be a part of that solution,” she said.






https://www.pajhwok.com/en/2018/01/26/pentagon-denies-conducting-drone-strike-pakistan

Note: Above News should be considered Afghan Propaganda

 

[Hammad Arshad Qureshi]

Sad part is because of such drone strikes Afghan people have to face the backlash in form of suicide attacks in Kabul and other populated areas. Because in pashtun culture the family of the deceased will not sit idle until they take revenge from the killers of there loved one. And vicious cycle continues since last 15 years

Is going to UN against USA citing invading of sovereignty is an option?
Asking UNSC to work with Pakistan in combating terrorism. And if US has some issues it has to come via UNSC framework in relation with Pakistan armed forces. Agree there is trust deficit and US believes that deliberate information leekage is happening. But same would be very difficult in case of UNSC covered assignment as that would malign Pakistan stand.

Just trying to figure out what options Pakistan has to defend its honor and rights without trying to burn hands in engagements.

Well the best option Pakistan has and most likely currently adopted by intelligence agencies is to hit back at American supported government in Afghanistan by supporting pro Pakistan insurgent groups. If they will not respect our borders and red lines then we will also play the same game.
Like Gen. Mushraff said in current interview, if Americans will bring India in Afghanistan and they will try to mess with us in Baluchistan we will retaliate and counter them in Afghanistan and thus 'proxy war' will be started. Which needs to be avoided in every body by all parties involved as more collateral damage will occur

 

[koolio]

What if us drones start attacking cpec routes, or economic interests, will they insist earn respect more till they, seriously this is getting absurd.