Opinion Kayani and Mullen: Brinkmanship and Compromise

There is a certain self assurance,if not arrogance,in the Pakistan army's response to Washington's accusation that the Haqqani network had masterminded the spectacularly bold terror attacks in Afghanistan with the support of the ISI.

New DelhiSeptember 24, 2011 05:48 PM IST First published on: Sep 24, 2011 at 05:48 PM IST

There is a certain self assurance,if not arrogance,in the Pakistan army’s response to Washington’s accusation that the Haqqani network had masterminded the spectacularly bold terror attacks in Afghanistan with the support of the ISI.

In a dramatic testimony before the US Congress last Thursday,the outgoing Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff,Admiral Mike Mullen,underlined that the dreaded Haqqani network is a ‘veritable arm’ of the Pakistan army and the ISI in Afghanistan.

Mullen’s statement was endorsed on Friday by the White House.

President Barack Obama’s Press Secretary Jay Carney said the Pakistan army must break links with the Haqqani Network,and take ‘strong and immediate’ action against it.

This is no news for those who follow the developments in Afghanistan closely. For months now,Washington has been pressing General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani to act against the Haqqani network which is known to enjoy sanctuaries in Pakistan’s tribal lands.

What is new is the Obama Administration’s decision to go public with the charges that the Haqqani network is a proxy of the Pakistan army.

This move in turn arises from the growing frustration in Washington at its inability to separate the Pak army from the Haqqani network.

Equally new is the fact the bluntest statement on the Pak Army’s links with the terror networks has come from Admiral Mullen who is considered one of the best American buddies of General Kayani.

Admiral Mullen has often advertised his close personal relationship with Gen. Kayani and has met him socres of times since Kayani took charge of the Pakistan army at the end of 2007.

In his response Kayani has called Mullen’s allegations simply ‘baseless’. A chorus of voices from Pakistan–including its prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani followed suit with more outrageous statements.

Gilani is reported to have said that the United States “can’t live with Pakistan,nor without it”. Statements from the Haqqani network cautioned the United states against any attacks on its bases saying the U.S. will have to pay a high price if it did.

What’s interesting is the fact that General Kayani,according to an official sources in the Pakistan army,Gen Kayani,finds Mullens diatribe disturbing because his prolonged meeting with the latter in Spain last week on the margins of a NATO conference was rather constructive.

Military sources in Pakistan said there was no finger pointing by Mullen at that meeting. Kayani’s spokesman say the two sides had ‘deliberated on the way forward’ in their ties constrained by a number of tensions.

One way of understanding the American outburst and the choice of Admiral Mullen as the voice,is to recognise that Washington’s debate on Pakistan has entered a new stage.

While the US is angry,it may not yet be close to taking unilateral military actions against the Haqqani network or punishing Pakistan for its support to the terror in Afghanistan.

The US and Pakistan have a long tradition of brinkmanship and compromise. One must,therefore,expect many more twists and turns before the relationship reaches the breaking point.