Friday, March 12, 2010
U.S. should take LeT threat 'very very seriously': Ackerman
From The Hindu
In an unmistakable sign of rising concern in the United States over the expansive reach of the militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Congressional hearing on Thursday emphasised the urgent need to “crush” the group.
Gary Ackerman, Chairman of the hearing, “Bad Company: Lashkar e-Taiba and the Growing Ambition of Islamist Militancy in Pakistan”, said that in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks in 2008, investigation of computer records and email accounts revealed 320 locations worldwide deemed to be possible targets of LeT attacks, of which only 20 targets were located in India.
Highlighting the relationship between the LeT and the Pakistani military, Mr. Ackerman said the LeT was a deadly group of “fanatics” and the U.S. ought to take this threat “very, very seriously.”
Ms. Lisa Curtis, Senior Research Fellow at The Heritage Foundation and expert witness testifying at the hearing, said, “It has been a failure of U.S. policy to not insist Pakistan shut down the LeT long ago. U.S. officials have shied away from pressuring Pakistan on the LeT in the interest of garnering Pakistani cooperation against targets the U.S. believed were more critical to immediate U.S. objectives, i.e., al-Qaeda shortly after 9/11 and the Afghan Taliban more recently.”
However, overlooking the activities of LeT in Pakistan is the equivalent of standing next to a ticking time bomb waiting for it to explode, Ms. Curtis warned. Furthermore, given that the LeT has cooperated with Al-Qaeda and shares a similar anti-west Islamist ideology, Al-Qaeda cannot be dismantled without also shutting down the operations of the LeT, she said.
'Delicate dance with a Frankenstein’s monster'
Mr. Ackerman pointed out that today LeT were well-financed, ambitious, and, most disturbingly, both tolerated by and connected to, the Pakistani military. This is the same Pakistani military to which we are selling advanced arms, Mr. Ackerman added. There was agreement at the Committee that “Pakistan was in a delicate dance with a Frankenstein’s monster of its own making... which was now going global.”
Mr. Ashley Tellis, Senior Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, concurred on LeT’s deep links to the establishment in Pakistan. He said, “LeT… uses Pakistani territory as its main base of operation, and continues to be supported extensively by the Pakistani state, especially the Army and Inter-Services Intelligence. [However] it does not need constant operational support from the ISI for its effectiveness today.”
'Not just India's problem'
The Chairman’s report at the hearing described the LeT’s substantial global network, stating that it stretched from the Philippines to the United Kingdom. His comments further emphasised that the LeT was not just India’s problem and while it was historically been in the Kashmir valley and the Jammu region, it has also undertaken repeated and numerous mass casualty attacks throughout India, directed at the Indian government.
Touching upon LeT’s broader global agenda Mr. Tellis said, “The organisation’s close ties with al-Qaeda in Pakistan and its support for the Afghan Taliban’s military operations pose a direct threat to U.S. citizens, soldiers, and interests.”
The Chairman categorically stated, “The idea that this group can be appeased on the subject of Kashmir is dangerous nonsense.” He further added that the LeT has not been shy about announcing its intention to establish an Islamic state in all of South Asia, and has been attacking U.S. forces in Afghanistan almost from day one.
During his testimony Mr. Tellis called for greater candidness by the U.S., saying it should stop pretending that LeT is an independent actor. “A candid recognition that the organisation receives protection and support from the Pakistani state would go a long way toward solving the problem”, Mr. Tellis said. He further exhorted the U.S. to be prepared to take action if Pakistan did not move decisively against the LeT.
In his final remarks Mr. Ackerman made a strong statement calling for action, saying, “This group of savages needs to be crushed. Not in a month. Not in a year. Not when the situation stabilises in Afghanistan. Not when things are under control in Pakistan. Now.” If the U.S. did not effectively lead a global effort to do so, Mr. Ackerman added, they would regret it bitterly.
Gary Ackerman, Chairman of the hearing, “Bad Company: Lashkar e-Taiba and the Growing Ambition of Islamist Militancy in Pakistan”, said that in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks in 2008, investigation of computer records and email accounts revealed 320 locations worldwide deemed to be possible targets of LeT attacks, of which only 20 targets were located in India.
Highlighting the relationship between the LeT and the Pakistani military, Mr. Ackerman said the LeT was a deadly group of “fanatics” and the U.S. ought to take this threat “very, very seriously.”
Ms. Lisa Curtis, Senior Research Fellow at The Heritage Foundation and expert witness testifying at the hearing, said, “It has been a failure of U.S. policy to not insist Pakistan shut down the LeT long ago. U.S. officials have shied away from pressuring Pakistan on the LeT in the interest of garnering Pakistani cooperation against targets the U.S. believed were more critical to immediate U.S. objectives, i.e., al-Qaeda shortly after 9/11 and the Afghan Taliban more recently.”
However, overlooking the activities of LeT in Pakistan is the equivalent of standing next to a ticking time bomb waiting for it to explode, Ms. Curtis warned. Furthermore, given that the LeT has cooperated with Al-Qaeda and shares a similar anti-west Islamist ideology, Al-Qaeda cannot be dismantled without also shutting down the operations of the LeT, she said.
'Delicate dance with a Frankenstein’s monster'
Mr. Ackerman pointed out that today LeT were well-financed, ambitious, and, most disturbingly, both tolerated by and connected to, the Pakistani military. This is the same Pakistani military to which we are selling advanced arms, Mr. Ackerman added. There was agreement at the Committee that “Pakistan was in a delicate dance with a Frankenstein’s monster of its own making... which was now going global.”
Mr. Ashley Tellis, Senior Associate, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, concurred on LeT’s deep links to the establishment in Pakistan. He said, “LeT… uses Pakistani territory as its main base of operation, and continues to be supported extensively by the Pakistani state, especially the Army and Inter-Services Intelligence. [However] it does not need constant operational support from the ISI for its effectiveness today.”
'Not just India's problem'
The Chairman’s report at the hearing described the LeT’s substantial global network, stating that it stretched from the Philippines to the United Kingdom. His comments further emphasised that the LeT was not just India’s problem and while it was historically been in the Kashmir valley and the Jammu region, it has also undertaken repeated and numerous mass casualty attacks throughout India, directed at the Indian government.
Touching upon LeT’s broader global agenda Mr. Tellis said, “The organisation’s close ties with al-Qaeda in Pakistan and its support for the Afghan Taliban’s military operations pose a direct threat to U.S. citizens, soldiers, and interests.”
The Chairman categorically stated, “The idea that this group can be appeased on the subject of Kashmir is dangerous nonsense.” He further added that the LeT has not been shy about announcing its intention to establish an Islamic state in all of South Asia, and has been attacking U.S. forces in Afghanistan almost from day one.
During his testimony Mr. Tellis called for greater candidness by the U.S., saying it should stop pretending that LeT is an independent actor. “A candid recognition that the organisation receives protection and support from the Pakistani state would go a long way toward solving the problem”, Mr. Tellis said. He further exhorted the U.S. to be prepared to take action if Pakistan did not move decisively against the LeT.
In his final remarks Mr. Ackerman made a strong statement calling for action, saying, “This group of savages needs to be crushed. Not in a month. Not in a year. Not when the situation stabilises in Afghanistan. Not when things are under control in Pakistan. Now.” If the U.S. did not effectively lead a global effort to do so, Mr. Ackerman added, they would regret it bitterly.
Labels: al Qaeda, HuJI, LeT, mumbai terror, Pakistan, terrorism
# posted by Narayan Lakshman @ 8:16 AM 
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