Pakistan Decided to respond U.S. direct Attack ?

By Lt Col Zaheerul Hassan(R)

Already strained Pak-U.S. relationship went under further cloud when in mid September, 2011 American civil and military leadership gave abrasive statements against ISI and Pakistani security agencies. US military chief, Admiral Mike Mullen accused the ISI of supporting the Haqqani network in carrying out an assault on the US Embassy in Kabul on September 13, 2011.  He further said that the Haqqani network is a powerful faction of the Taliban and a "veritable arm" of Pakistan's spy agency. He also claimed that they have credible evidence about ISI involvement behind the June 28th attack against the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul. During last few days, CIA and ISI chiefs have also met each other to discuss the Haqqani Network and its presence in Pakistan. ISI Chief General Pasha strongly rejected the Americans’ allegations and denied supporting Haqqani against Americans. But, U.S. officials did not agree with Islamabad stance and started urging Pakistan to take action.

In this connection , U.S. Defence sectary of state and White House top official revealed that the U.S. believes,  Pakistan is "actively supporting  the Haqqanis. U.S. Officials warned that Pakistan is heading towards international isolation. "If it keeps going like this, it could end up like Syria – before the Arab spring."  President Zardari, Prime Minister Gillani, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Kahar and Chief of Staff Pakistan Army strongly rejected the U.S. allegations on ISI and Pakistan Army. Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar lashed out at America for accusing the country's powerful spy agency ISI of ties with terror groups, warning it risked losing Islamabad as its ally."We have conveyed to the US that you will lose an ally. “It is in the interest of both Pakistan and the U.S. to retain their relationship.  So, if it is not a relationship of complete equals, them being a superpower and us not, but it is (a relationship) of sovereign equals,” Khar said. She also said both countries need each other and Pakistan wants its relationship with the US to remain intact but not at the cost of Pakistan’s sovereignty. Pakistani political and military leadership and the general masses have taken US threat seriously and decided to respond U.S with full strength to deal any misadventure against Pakistan. Government also asked her Foreign Minister to discontinue her American visit and report back to Pakistan.

On September 25, 2011 an extraordinary meeting of the corps commanders was held under the chairmanship of General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani in GHQ. General chaired this important meeting after cancelling his last night depature to London. He was to address the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Royal College of Defence Studies, According to an ISPR statement, a Special Corps Commanders Conference reviewed the prevailing security situation in the country

Yesterday, US Central Command chief General James Mattis met the COAS at the General Headquarters.

General Kayani expressed grave concern over infiltration of militants from the Afghanistan side and made it clear that Pakistan would not tolerate any such incursions in the future. He asked General Mattis to make sure that the Afghan soil is not used against Pakistan.

The COAS also lodged strong protest with Gen Mattis over the statements of US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta and Admiral Mullen calling the statements contrary to ground realities. He said the sacrifices rendered by Pakistan in the war on terror demonstrated Pakistan’s commitment to eliminate militancy.

Pakistan Armed Forces Spokesman said that in the meeting we discussed prevailing security situation. Highly placed sources said that the meeting rejected all the allegations and expressed its concern over the negative statements given by the US. The meeting reiterated that Pakistan armed forces are committed to achieve enduring peace in the region. While talking to the media, in a separate question General Athar Abbas   acknowledged that Pakistani intelligence set up do have contacts with certain Taliban groups but don’t favour their activities. He also disclosed that certain other countries including America too have links with Haqqani and other groups. It is also added here that Haqqani and certain other groups have been created by CIA.  During the 1980s, the CIA funneled arms and cash to the Haqqanis to counter Soviet forces. Therefore, the revealed groups thrown out the Soviet forces and after landing ISAF forces stood up against them and gave heavy losses to the occupant NATO forces.  Interestingly, U.S. leadership herself carried out negotiations with Taliban for concluding peace deal in Afghanistan but Taliban leadership probably declined to make any such deal at the U.S. terms and conditions.  At the same time, Americans’ and NATO military forces physically remained unsuccessful to control the situation and continuously are facing defeats in fighting against Taliban. According to the reliable estimation, American suffered heavy losses in terms of finances and life losses in war against terror like! (One)  total cost of War in Iraq & Afghanistan since 2001 is $1,254,566,897,296, (two) Number of U.S. Military Personnel Sacrificed (Officially acknowledged) In America's War on Iraq:   4,792 (three) Number of International Occupation Force Troops Slaughtered in Afghanistan: 2,718.  Therefore, before participating into next U.S. presidential elections, Obama’s administration has to start implementation of Obama’s exit strategy since the administration needs to justify their failures in war on terror in the general public. Thus, now American military leadership has planned gambling of   launching some physical attacks in North Waziristan against the Pakistani interest and will.  In fact, Obamas’ government is trying to use Pakistan as her scapegoat to hide her failures. Probably, U.S. direct  attack on Pakistan would prove a   blunder and fatal for herself ,  since Islamabad top civil and military brass is not in a position to go for “do more policy” particularly after U.S. unilaterally May 2, 2011 action in Abbottabad. American leadership should realize that Pakistan has suffered the colossal financial losses of more than $80 billion in the so called war on terror since 2001, while human loss is around 70,000, reveals the Economic Survey report issued by the government of Pakistan. During this war over 50,000 citizens and 5000 security personnel have been killed apart from destruction of infrastructure, internal migration of millions of people from parts of northwestern Pakistan, erosions of investment climate. Moreover, 270 drone attacks killed 2601 persons in FATA since 2004.

Therefore, planning misadventure instead acknowledging Pakistani sacrifices will further tarnish the U.S. image and endorse the ultimate failure of U.S. in Asia. American should read the underline message of Pakistani foreign minister in which she said that “You cannot afford to alienate Pakistan," She also expressed said in New York. "If they are choosing to do so, it will be at their own cost," Ms Khar said, adding that "anything which is said about an ally, about a partner, publicly to recriminate it, to humiliate it, is not acceptable".

American military pundits should also be mindful that Pakistan is a nuclear power and has also carried out Tactical Nuclear Missiles system successfully in its   recent tests. It has an organized, disciplined well trained force that is capable to strike with its full strength. In short, I would like to suggest to American leadership instead asking of “do more policy” rather should try to implement on the “Roll Back Policy”. She must realize that Pakistan is a sovereign nuclear Islamic power that deserves to protect its interests around the globe and will never surrender to the illogical US demands.