This request is full of contradictions. It is presented below as “a strong message,” but amounts to nothing more than a hollow show of strength by a weak administration. Although US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa say they’re “mindful” that Pakistan and the Pakistani people “also fall victim to terrorist activities that emanate from that region,” Islamic clerics in Pakistan are said to be soliciting support for the Taliban and even calling for donations, with full support and aid from the Pakistani government. The Taliban leadership is still headquartered in Pakistan. According to Foreign Policy Magazine:
“Pakistan is supporting the Taliban’s offensive. Without Pakistani logistical support, the Taliban could not undertake the massive nationwide attack it is pursuing,” said Bruce Riedel, who served as a senior advisor on South Asia and the Middle East to four U.S. presidents. “The ISI [Pakistan’s powerful intelligence service] is already pleased it has ejected all the foreign troops from Afghanistan. The goal now is to induce panic in the Afghan government and army.”
This is all despite vehement denials from Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The Taliban supports al-Qaeda, an ongoing threat to America. Expect further escalations from America’s worst enemies in the face of a weak and incompetent administration.
“US asks Pakistan to eliminate Taliban safe havens along Afghan-Pak border,” by Shankhyaneel Sarkar, Hindustan Times, August 10, 2021:
During a phone call between US defence secretary Lloyd Austin and Pakistan army chief general Qamar Javed Bajwa, the US sent a strong message to Pakistan’s leadership asking them to take steps for eliminating Taliban terrorists’ safe havens along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
The US feels that these safe havens are causing insecurity and instability in the conflict-ridden nation. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said that Austin and Bajwa also discussed regional security issues and the bilateral defence ties along with the current situation in Afghanistan. Austin said that the US is interested in improving the US-Pakistan relationship.
“Secretary Austin and General Bajwa discussed the ongoing situation in Afghanistan, regional security and stability, and the bilateral defence relationship more broadly,” Kirby was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. He said the US does not feel ‘bashful’ to discuss the safe havens along the border with Pakistan’s leadership.
“We are also mindful that Pakistan and the Pakistani people also fall victim to terrorist activities that emanate from that region. So, we all have a shared sense of the importance of closing down those safe havens and not allowing them to be used by the Taliban or other terrorist networks to sow discord,” Kirby further added. He said that the US continues to continually raise issues related to the safe havens with the Pakistan leadership.
Afghanistan continues to allege that Islamabad is aiding Taliban terrorists and is also sending thousands of terrorists to the country to destabilise the government. Pakistan continues to deny any such role while highlighting that it is due to Islamabad’s efforts Taliban has sat down with the US and Afghanistan to talk peace and stability.
The US, however, has not made any changes to its troop withdrawal plans which has provided a fillip to the Taliban which is advancing at a fast pace and has captured several major cities and provinces in the conflict-ridden nation. Despite being on the peace committee, where the US and the Afghanistan government are stakeholders, the terrorist group has used violence to stamp its authority and take control of vast regions of Afghanistan. The US and Nato will withdraw all their troops by August 31…..
Malcolm (South Afric) says
“US asks Pakistan to eliminate Taliban safe havens.” Pakistan will surely do so at a price and Bidin will believe them.
jule says
such a request underlines the ignorance and inability to face reality of US and much of the world.
Walter Sieruk says
That this US State Department official actually called to ask the leadership of Pakistan to eliminate safe havens of the Taliban along the Afghanistan/ Pakistan border is a further reflection of the terrible ignorance and incompetence of Joe Biden and his administration.
For the Muslim leaders of the government Pakistan, at their very best will be useless and countering the Taliban and being a bulwark against them.. At worse the heads of Pakistan government will only aid those horrible jihadists who make up the Taliban,
This is because “the Taliban’s forces and the military equipment they are using show that they are supported and advised by an ‘ organized state body’ pointed to Pakistan…. If any further proof of the Pakistan army’s involvement is needed it is provided by the body of bags of Pakistani soldiers that are regularly being brought back from Pakistan from Afghanistan . Taliban’s regular consultations with the ISI are final proof of who is pulling the strings.” [1]
[1[ THE EPOCH TIMES 8/11,21 page A9
tim gallagher says
I agree with what you say, Walter.. It does display a “terrible ignorance and incompetence”. How can the Biden mob expect that Pakistan, that disgusting hardline Muslim country, would help any western nation oppose the Muslim scum who make up the Taliban? Talk about living in fantasy land.
bill says
Not just Biden but most US admins. and the EU and UK have been much too soft on Pakiland for decades, Anyway it is a bit late to ask for safe havens to be eliminated as the damage is already done. Now the Tban has a whole countryin which to be safe.
Jillian says
Pakistan has always been and continues to be a radical despotic country. I have no idea why the US has anything to do with them or any western nation!
gravenimage says
US asks Pakistan to eliminate Taliban safe havens along Afghanistan-Pakistan border
……………..
Yeah–that’ll work. It will probably work about as well as this other resquest:
“Biden Pleads and Bribes Taliban to Spare U.S. Embassy and 2,000 Americans”
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2021/08/biden-pleads-and-bribes-taliban-to-spare-u-s-embassy-and-2000-americans
Wellington says
Ha, ha, ha.
revereridesagain says
“Visualize Whirled Peas”. Shirley they can’t be serious.
Sometimes you just have to laugh or you’ll cry at this point.
Ain't going to happen says
“US asks Pakistan to eliminate Taliban safe havens.”
The US has been asking Pakistan to do this for 20 years. Pakistan always says it will, but never does.
David M says
Exactly. So why does the US still send money to Pakistan?
owensgate says
The chutzpah of our ridiculous excuse for a government is astonishing. Pakistan should tell the US State Department to pound desert sand. How dare we ask another country to do our “wet work” for us. The Biden “administration” has forgotten (more likely never knew) that Job #1 for the Federal Government is to “Protect the Sovereignty and Citizens of the United States from ALL Enemies, Foreign AND Domestic”.
gravenimage says
This is actually not an unreasonable request–or it wouldn’t be if Pakistan were a civilized nation that actually opposed the Taliban–but it is not, and any western leader should* understand that now,
Keys says
Psst, Joe Biden. Look for the Taliban leadership holding out in Abbottabad in a compound somewhere near the Pakistan Military Academy.
Infidel says
Actually, Pakistan might do this given the Taliban backing of the Tehriq-e-Taliban, which is the Paki division of the Taliban. The latter wants to get the Khyber Pakhtunkwa province and parts of Balochistan united w/ Afghanistan as ‘Pashtunistan’, and there’s no way that Imran Khan’s government can say yes to this w/o looking ridiculous
Kepha says
With an ally like Pakistan, the USA doesn’t need enemies.
Infidel says
With
an allyallies like Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Afghanistan the USA doesn’t need enemies.Walter Sieruk says
The Muslim government officials in power in Pakistan are and will continue to be intentionally useless in aiding America against the Taliban.
Spideyweb1 says
Afghanistan withdrawal is Saigon 1975 with rooftop evacuations. Is anyone surprised at Jobama’s foreign policy moves? Go to the Barry Osama playbook.. Blame Trump!
The withdrawal will pull a vacuum of Islamic terrorist training camps courtesy of the Biden administration.
They are empowered now and it’s a linchpin to more Islamic hegemony across the jihadi world. 2 steps forward, 5 steps back. Cha cha cha..
Kind of like the covid19 pandemic
You’d think we learn from the defeated Russian army 35 yrs ago.. and the thrashing they received by the Afghan Mujahideen, that we helped? Nah
gravenimage says
Not exactly. There were many Vietnamese who rejected Communism–how many Afghan Muslims actually reject Islam? In fact, 99% of Muslims there want to see the imposition of Shari’ah law.
Spideyweb1 says
I agree… my father-in-law was a Marine sniper 67-68 in Nam and he can attest to most Vietnamese as victims of communist subjugation and majority despised Marxism.
When dealing with Islam, as you know, you’re fighting an Islamic psychology battle only won by their desire to free themselves. That’s the only inner struggle worthy enough to be called jihad.. Leaving Islam.
I was making reference to the objectives of our mission in Afghanistan, parallels of Vietnam. We spilled a lot of American blood and in the end, the Taliban reigns supreme. That was my point, not the percentage of people who’s loyal to islam.
gravenimage says
Agreed, Spidey.