WASHINGTON: US protection secretary Jim Mattis mentioned on Tuesday america would strive “yet one more time” to work with Pakistan in Afghanistan earlier than President Donald Trump would flip to choices to handle Islamabad’s alleged assist for militant teams.
Relations between the 2 nations have been frayed over the previous decade. Whereas officers have lengthy questioned the position Pakistan has performed in Afghanistan, the feedback by Mattis are prone to trigger concern in Islamabad and throughout the Pakistan navy.
“We have to strive yet one more time to make this technique work with them, by, with and thru the Pakistanis, and if our greatest efforts fail, the president is ready to take no matter steps are obligatory,” Mattis mentioned at a Home Armed Companies Committee listening to.
Mattis added that he could be touring to Islamabad quickly, however didn’t give extra particulars.
Reuters first reported that potential Trump administration responses being mentioned embrace increasing US drone strikes and maybe finally downgrading Pakistan’s standing as a significant non-NATO ally.
When requested by a lawmaker whether or not revoking Pakistan’s main non-NATO ally standing was amongst the choices being thought of to take care of Islamabad, Mattis mentioned: “I’m positive it will likely be.”
In a separate Senate listening to on Tuesday, the highest US navy officer mentioned he believed Pakistan’s primary spy company, the Inter-Companies Intelligence (ISI) directorate, had ties to militant teams.
“It’s clear to me that the ISI has connections with terrorist teams,” Marine Corps Common Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees, informed the Senate Armed Companies Committee.
The Pakistan embassy in Washington mentioned Islamabad had achieved success in counter-terrorism operations in its nation.
“Nonetheless, except the identical stage of success is achieved in (Afghanistan), lengthy lasting peace within the area will stay out of attain,” the embassy mentioned in an announcement.
The US in 2012 designated the Pakistan-based Haqqani community as a terrorist group. The 12 months earlier than, US Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, then the highest US navy officer, brought about a stir when he informed Congress that the Haqqani community was a “veritable arm” of the ISI directorate.
US officers have informed Reuters that america will ship about three,500 extra troops to Afghanistan.
Dunford mentioned that the present price for america in Afghanistan was about $12.5 billion a 12 months, and the brand new technique would price an extra $1.1 billion.
