McCain calls for Pak help to fight Afghan militants

kabul — US Senator John McCain visited Kabul on Tuesday and warned neighbouring Pakistan that Washington was counting on its support to eliminate militancy and in particular the Haqqani network, responsible for numerous attacks on Afghan territory.

The relationship between the US and Pakistan has been strained at times, with some in Washington believing Islamabad has not done enough to bring its influence to bear to persuade the Afghan Taleban to renounce violence.

McCain’s statement came one day after he and a bi-partisan Senate delegation visited Islamabad, where Pakistani officials said he reinforced the country’s essential role in regional stability.

“We made it very clear that we expect they (Pakistan) will cooperate with us, particularly against the Haqqani network and against terrorist organisations,” said McCain, chairman of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, in Kabul.

“If they don’t change their behaviour maybe we should change our behaviour towards Pakistan as a nation,” he insisted.

Pakistan has been a front line state in the US war on terror and has suffered enormous economic and human losses since the US invasion of Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks.

McCain called for more than just troops, however, urging “a strategy to win” the war which has dragged on for nearly 16 years and which even US generals concede is at a “stalemate”. “The strongest nation on earth in this world should be able to win this conflict,” he said, calling for diplomatic efforts alongside a military push.

The US currently has 8,400 troops deployed under the Nato banner, and is thought to be mulling sending up to 4,000 more.

Pentagon chief Jim Mattis has stressed his new approach, due to be presented to US President Donald Trump by mid-July, will have a broader “regional” emphasis, with no set timetable.

Trump has remained remarkably taciturn on Afghanistan, but this month gave Mattis authority to set troop numbers at whatever level he saw fit. —