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Ear to the Ground

Adm. Mullen Says Pakistan Intelligence Supports Bombers

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Posted on Sep 22, 2011
U.S. Navy / Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testifies during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee on the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen was unusually harsh in his criticism of Pakistan on Thursday, saying an insurgent network behind several Afghanistan bombings, including the recent attack on the U.S. Embassy, “acts as a veritable arm of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency.”

During a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Mullen did not say that the ISI was planning attacks per se, but that “with ISI support, Haqqani operatives planned and conducted that truck bomb attack, as well as the assault on our embassy.” He added: “We also have credible evidence that they were behind the June 28th attack against the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul and a host of other smaller but effective operations.”

These quotes are from The New York Times, whose reporters point out that Mullen is soon to retire and his comments may be part of a larger government strategy to lean on Pakistan, a country often described as America’s most important ally in the war on terror.

In truth the relationship has been rocky from the start, certainly long before a team of Navy SEALs found Osama Bin Laden hiding next to a Pakistani military base.

Pakistanis tend not to approve of imperial America, a sentiment often registered with huge majorities in polls, but successive Pakistani governments have depended on U.S. aid for war toys and other perks. The U.S., on the other hand, has been happy to ignore Pakistan’s nuclear dealings in exchange for the privilege to fly drones in and out of Pakistani territory (with deniability, of course). Let’s just say it’s a loveless marriage. But that’s no reason to bomb each other.  —PZS

New York Times:

The United States has long said that Pakistan’s intelligence agency supports the Haqqani network, based in Pakistan’s tribal areas, as a way to extend Pakistani influence in Afghanistan. But Admiral Mullen made clear that he believed that the support extended to increasingly high-profile attacks in Afghanistan aimed directly at the United States.

These included a truck bombing at a NATO outpost south of Kabul on Sept. 10, which killed at least five people and wounded 77 coalition soldiers — one of the worst tolls for foreign troops in a single attack in the war — as well as the embassy assault that killed 16 Afghan police officers and civilians.

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A Khokar's avatar

By A Khokar, September 25, 2011 at 2:14 am Link to this comment

Haqqani lands back in Afghanistan where he states in an interview that he finds Afghanistan of which 80% is controlled by Taliban, a much safer place than Pakistan.

It is too late for the Hero; US to announce to attack Haqqanis in Pakistan…. It is like bolting the stable door shut after the horse has bolted loose

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By diamond, September 23, 2011 at 1:19 pm Link to this comment

The lie has always been that the United States supported the Mujaheddin because the Russians invaded Afghanistan. However months before this occurred (in July 1979) Jimmy Carter signed away $500 million of taxpayers’ money to support this group which was an Islamic fundamentalist group set up to prevent the then government of Afghanistan from introducing land reforms (many of the mullahs were big landowners) and from making Afghanistan a secular state with equal rights for women, including education and the establishment of unions. The Russian army was sent in to support this government. The reactionary religious group, the Muhajeddin, was indistinguishable from those the United States now calls ‘terrorists’. Among those they supported and funded was Osama bin Laden who worked for both the ISI and the CIA. When Ronald Reagan came to power the tap was really turned on and some estimates are that America gave the fundamentalists $20 billion dollars worth of arms and funds.

The Taliban was created by Pakistan’s ISI under the tutelage of the CIA out of the many millions of refugees who had fled into Pakistan during the proxy war the Mujaheddin fought for America. To call this mess a self-inflicted wound is to seriously understate.

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By berniem, September 23, 2011 at 9:58 am Link to this comment

Do any of these people, AKA “The Best And Brightest” have a clue as to what they’re doing and, now, to what end? Seems that the only strategy that for them is viable is to eradicate any and all who disagree with our agenda until only those who are of like mind remain. What of us here at home who also disagree with “our” agenda? HMMMM! FREE BRADLEY MANNING!!!

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A Khokar's avatar

By A Khokar, September 23, 2011 at 1:46 am Link to this comment

This is very much evident that America clearly foresees that the sooner it steps back (as announced) from this region; China will move in. Invariably US see; China ruling this region in future. So this is for sure that—- No way American will be fully retreating from Afghanistan.
On the other hand India too may be desirous that while US is likely to stay put in this region; Pakistan remains sandwiched between them to serve as a buffer state to keep the new neighbor-US at bay.
Pakistan future can be seen as sandwiched between the two oppressors; India and US and they would join hands and would definably like that ‘fillings of this Pakistani sandwich’ are of their likings;; Sweet sour and sumptuous. Which can be translated that Pakistan must be seen fully depleted and a tooth less… lackey.
The present buildup of a pretext against Haqani is clear indication that soon Pakistan is stormed in the name of eliminating the ‘Haqanis terrorists’. After Al Qaeda a new Buzz word in invented.

Whereas we must expect that TTP, a CIA brain child operating in Pakistan to deplete and bleed this country; it is asked to carry out certain ferocious attacks on Pak Nuclear sites (which is seen over due) and in the name of nuclear security; US-NATO forces will come in to take over Nuclear. UN most likely may also pass a verdict for the same. India too may be active member in it in engaging on the eastern front of Pakistan thus dividing its armed forces strength in to two.
Above is the scenario which may be building up… and future may be seen bleak but If Haqqanis are shrewd and wise enough; they can always strike a deal with America and expected massacre in Pakistan can be averted. Believably they are already being engaged by US for US own cause.

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PatrickHenry's avatar

By PatrickHenry, September 23, 2011 at 1:44 am Link to this comment

I’m sure some Pakistan generals have stated that the CIA supports bombers and they are probably right.

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A Khokar's avatar

By A Khokar, September 23, 2011 at 1:36 am Link to this comment

From previous Indian Embassy attack in Kabul, to attack on Intercontinental Hotel –in June, the attack on an outpost in September near Kabul and latest attack on US embassy; Mullen blames everything on Haqqani group and of late, he declares that ‘Haqqanis are the veritable arms of ISI.’
He is trying to ratchet up all the pressure on Pakistan and suggests that taking on Haqqanis inside Pakistan is an urgent US priority.
US may be the Super power in the world and may be keeping all the allies especially from the west in her fold; but to expect that her conduct would be any time of graceful nation;—– far from it… Humiliation may be their fate but this exterminator has a bad habit of abandoning all his allies at the time of hour and leaving them in a mess.
Mullen knows, what is the end game destined for US in Afghanistan. An utter humiliating defeat is written on the wall. So before he retires, which is by the end of this month; this is his last ditch effort and the last card that he plays to somehow escape the blame and the shaming he fears facing in post Afghanistan war defeat scenario.

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By NZDoug, September 22, 2011 at 11:46 pm Link to this comment

Best get out the Predator drones.
oh, wait!
Were already doing that.
I guess they hate our freedoms.

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