Global Security Studies Practicum

1 December 2011 Islamabad, Pakistan- The relationship between the U.S. and Pakistani militaries is deteriorated in results to the NATO airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. Pakistan’s army Chief General Ashfaq Perves Kayani met with U.S. Marine General John Allen , top commander in Afghanistan, immediately after the incident and concluded that Pakistan will withdraw all intelligence sharing with the U.S. and will stop the support offered to defeat the Afghan Taliban. The U.S. Embassy warned U.S. government personnel in Pakistan of possible retaliation against Americans and further precautions should be taken into consideration. President Barack Obama stated during a press conference that a complete termination in the U.S.-Pakistani relationship is unlikely, but the incident is likely to damage relations and his administration will investigate the circumstances of the airstrikes to clarify misunderstandings. According to Afghan officials, U.S. Special Forces located on the Af...

According to Pakistan intelligence officials, a U.S. drone fired missiles at a house located in a Taliban and Al-Qaeda tribal area in Northwestern Pakistan . The attack killed seven suspected militants linked to the Pakistani Taliban. Northwestern Pakistan has been attacked more than 200 times by the U.S. The U.S. has conducted these attacks mainly targeting Al-Qaeda and Taliban militant groups who are fighting against U.S troops in Afghanistan . The U.S. intensified pressure on Pakistan to step up efforts and take military action against dangerous militant groups in Northwestern Pakistan or aid Washington on gathering intelligence against the Haqqani Network, the most dangerous militant group. Pakistan refuses to conduct military actions claiming the number of troops is low to release an operation in Northwester Pakistan. The U.S. believes Pakistan has historical ties with the Haqqani network and it is not in Pakistan ’s best interest to take action against the Haqqanis becau...

Six suspected militants are dead from two U.S drone attacks in the Afghanistan and Pakistan border. During the first attack, a senior Obama administration official confirmed the death of 3 rd in command ranking member of the Haqqani Network , Janbaz Zadran , and described the effort as “the most senior Haqqani leader in Pakistan to be taken off the battlefield.” Pakistani intelligence sources also informed that Janbaz was in charge of communications for the Haqqani network and helped coordinate special operations against the U.S and coalition targets in Kabul and southeastern Afghanistan. Also killed during the second attack were three suspected militants located at a compound in Zeba Pahar, northwest of Pakistan. Militants used this compound to fire missiles against the NATO and Afghan National Army forces. Source: Suspected U.S. Drone Kills Six in Pakistan http://articles.cnn.com/2011-10-13/asia/world_asia_pakistan-drone_1_haqqani-network-drone-attacks-sirajuddin-haqqani?_s=PM:A...

The Financial Times (Islamabad) - Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Nato’s secretary-general, encouraged the West to continue work closely with Pakistan. Rasmussen’s statements follow recent claims by the US that Pakistan’s intelligence agency is assisting Islamist insurgents fighting allied troops in Afghanistan. According to Rasmussen, cooperation with Pakistan is the only way to combat the Haqqani network. US expectations of Pakistani forces taking a stance against the Haqqani network based in North Waziristan remain low. According to the Pakistani army, existing efforts to clear militants along the Afghanistan border will not allow them to launch new and domestically unpopular operations. Pakistan claimed that the US has failed to understand the complexity of the alliances and threats in the tribal region. Analyst view the Haqqani network as a key proxy for Pakistan in its attempt to control the territory in the Pashtun belt of southern Afghanistan. Source : http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/...