McMaster warn Pakistan: shun the terror links

US National Security Adviser Gen H.R. McMaster said on July 5th that President Donald Trump wants Pakistan to change its policy of supporting the militants who are causing the country great losses. He conveyed President Donald Trump's stern message to Pakistan to change its 'paradoxical' policy of supporting the Taliban, Haqqani network and other militants who are causing the country great losses.

"The President has also made clear that we need to see a change in behaviour of those in the region, which includes those who are providing safe haven and support bases for the Taliban, Haqqani Network and others," the Dawn quoted McMaster as saying.

"This is Pakistan in particular that we want to really see a change in and a reduction of their support for these groups. I mean, this is of course, you know, a very paradoxical situation where Pakistan is taking great losses. They have fought very hard against these groups, but they've done so really only selectively," he added.

In an interview to a conservative radio host, Hugh Hewitt, Mr McMaster also defended President Trump’s strategy on winning the war in Afghanistan by giving unrestricted powers to the US military based in the war-torn country.

The US media reported earlier this week that in a July 19 meeting at the White House, President Trump berated his generals for not winning the war in Afghanistan and for allowing it to continue for more than 16 years.

Although the White House has not announced a comprehensive strategy on Afghanistan yet, Mr McMaster said “the president’s already made some important decisions on Afghanistan”.He said Mr Trump does not necessarily want to telegraph his intentions but “you’ve heard in pieces” the strategy that he wants to implement in Afghanistan. “What we’re endeavouring to do is pull this all together in a regional strategy that makes sense,” he said.President Trump has authorised the Pentagon to take the lead on military decisions in Afghanistan, although he formed a separate team of experts to form the new Afghan policy.

This is more important in this regard that on August 1st the nonmilitary wing of Trump’s national security team, led by chief strategist Steve Bannon, is resisting McMaster’s plan, to send a few thousand more troops to the country, which currently has 8,400 American forces largely engaged in training and advising activities, viewing it as a continuation of a failed approach that has cost the US more than 2,000 soldiers dead and over a trillion dollars.