Safe havens in Pakistan biggest challenge in Afghan war: Mullen
October 3rd, 2011 - 9:16 pm ICT by IANS
Washington, Oct 3 (IANS) A top US military adviser to both presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush says the biggest challenge in the Afghanistan war is the safe havens that the insurgents enjoy in Pakistan.
“It’s not just about one country, it’s about both Afghanistan and Pakistan, and part of the biggest challenge is the safe havens that the insurgents enjoy in Pakistan,” Admiral Michael Mullen, who retired as chairman of the joint chiefs Friday after four years told CNN Sunday.
Asking Pakistan’s spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Pakistani military to sever “direct and indirect” strategic ties with the dreaded Haqqani network to destabilise Afghanistan, he said: “In Haqqani is the most virulent insurgent group, terrorist group in Pakistan and a great supporter of Al Qaeda.”
“We’re losing Afghan civilians, Afghan soldiers, and we’re losing American soldiers because of the Haqqani network. And the link between the Pakistan military and specifically the ISI, their intelligence agency, is very well-known. And I have argued for the need to sever this link,” Mullen said.
“That also has to do with getting control of that safe haven. That’s not a new discussion. It’s not a new issue,” he said. “It’s long lasting. But the intensity of the recent events and the strategic support that the ISI and the Pak military both give to the Haqqani network directly and indirectly, is what I was focused on.”
Asked if his going public was a product of great frustration with the Pakistanis, Mullen said: “As a military leader and as somebody who feels responsible for the 2.2 million men and women in uniform, the effort or actions on the part of the Haqqani network to literally kill my people is something I just can’t tolerate anymore.”
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)
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- US accuses Pakistan of supporting Haqqani network - Sep 23, 2011
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- US rules out ending drone strikes in Pakistan - Apr 21, 2011
- Pakistan's terror safe havens remain security challenge, says US - May 02, 2012
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- You can't keep snakes in backyard, Clinton tells Pakistan - Oct 21, 2011
- Mullen's comments on ISI's role in Afghanistan not new: PM - Sep 27, 2011
Tags: admiral michael mullen, afghan war, afghanistan war, american soldiers, arun kumar, barack obama, chairman of the joint chiefs, cnn, insurgent group, intelligence agency, inter services, michael mullen, military adviser, military leader, pakistanis, safe haven, safe havens, spy agency, terrorist group, women in uniform