WASHINGTON, Sept 25: Senior White House adviser David Plouffe said on Sunday the Obama administration was considering various options to persuade Pakistan to act against the Haqqani network.
Also on Sunday, a senior US lawmaker said that the US administration will get bipartisan support in Congress should it decided to take military action against militant hideouts inside Pakistan.
“If the experts believe that we need to elevate our response, they will have a lot of bipartisan support on Capitol Hill,” said Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator from South Carolina, when asked if he would back a US military action inside the Pakistani territory.
Senator Graham also described Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar’s recent statement that the US needed Pakistan as “a tremendous miscalculation”.
“Yes, you’re right, but not a Pakistan that will help kill American troops,” he said.
Last week, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs, Admiral Mike Mullen, told a congressional hearing that ISI not only retained contacts with the Haqqani network but also encouraged attacks on US targets inside Afghanistan.
“What is President Obama going to do about that?” the Fox News anchor asked the White House adviser.
“We made this point, both publicly and privately, that ties and safe havens between any part of the Pakistani government and military and the Haqqani network cannot be abided,” Mr Plouffe responded.
“Are we going to cut off aid to Pakistan if they don’t get to crack down on the Haqqani network?” the anchor asked.
“Obviously, we have discussed that in the past. That is something that was relayed to me,” Mr Plouffe said, although he also noted that Pakistan was an “important partner” in the fight against terrorists and the US wanted to continue this partnership.
“But obviously, we can’t abide these ties.”
Senator Graham, when asked to give Republican perspective on this dispute, said the US had a ‘flawed’ and ‘difficult’ relationship with Pakistan that, as Admiral Mullen said, could not be abandoned.
“But we need to put Pakistan on notice” because they openly support the Haqqani network through safe havens in Pakistan to attack US troops in Afghanistan.
“We know the Haqqani network operates with impunity inside of Pakistan … the intelligence agency in Pakistan assist them directly and indirectly,” said the senator. “The Pakistan military lives like kings within Pakistan. A democracy in Afghanistan is a threat to Pakistani military control.”
In another interview to CNN, Adviser Plouffe said that the US had sent a clear message to Pakistan that the Haqqani network posed a great danger to the people of Pakistan, to the United States and to other countries.
“We are continuing to insist that the Pakistani government make clear and take action to make sure that these safe havens and these links are eliminated because it is providing clearly the situation where they are free to operate in a way that’s quite dangerous,” he said.
“An arm of the Pakistani government supported an attack on US embassy. Can you let that stand?” asked the anchor.
“We are going to continue to intensify and make the case that any arm of the Pakistani government that’s providing aid and comfort, and providing safe haven for the Haqqani network, we can’t abide that,” said Mr Plouffe.
“Or else? Like end of aid?” asked the anchor.
“Yes, there has been obviously some mention that some aid could be in jeopardy here. But I think that we have to work closely with them obviously in terms of the fight against Al Qaeda in that region,” said Mr Plouffe.
“So, you would think about cutting back aid?” “Those discussions are happening between our foreign policy and national security teams. And obviously we need to continue to have as much cooperation as we can, but we cannot abide the situation where the Haqqani network is being provided safe havens,” said Mr Plouffe.
“Any links there need to be decoupled and that’s going to be a very important aim for us in the coming period of time.”
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