India finances trouble in Pakistan: Hagel
Former US Senator Chuck Hagel, US President Barack Obama’s nominee for Secretary of Defence speaks on foreign policy at the Brookings Institution in Washington. — File Photo by AP
WASHINGTON: India has over the years financed problems for Pakistan from across the border in Afghanistan, says Senator Chuck Hagel, US President Barack Obama’s nominee for secretary of defence.
Mr Hagel, who faces a confirmation vote in the US Senate on Tuesday night or Wednesday, made these remarks in a talk at the Cameron University in Oklahoma in 2011. The video of his speech reappeared on a website of the Washington Free Beacon, an American news portal that publishes associated content from a US conservative perspective.
The video gave more fuel to his opponents who were already trying to block his nomination because of the alleged anti-Israeli statements he had made in the past.
Mr Hagel’s “comments on India’s role in Afghanistan during a speech in 2011 provide yet another indication that he is poorly qualified to lead the US Department of Defence”, said Lisa Curtis, a South Asia expert at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington think-tank.
In his talk on Afghanistan, Mr Hagel reportedly said that India had been using Afghanistan as a second front against Pakistan. “India has over the years financed problems for Pakistan on that side of the border, and you can carry that into many dimensions.”
He noted that India took advantage of tensions between Kabul and Islamabad for fomenting troubles in the areas that border Afghanistan. “The point being [that] the tense, fragmented relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been there for many, many years,” he said.
Mr Hagel is not the only American to suggest that India has been using Afghanistan for stirring troubles in Pakistan. C. Christine Fair, an assistant professor at Georgetown University, made similar suggestion during a congressional hearing on Afghanistan in 2011 but was later forced to clarify her position following protests from Indian lobbies.
Our Correspondent in New Delhi adds: US defence secretary nominee Chuck Hagel has riled Indians after his comments from a 2011 speech in which he accused New Delhi of financing problems for Pakistan through Afghanistan.
The remarks sparked a strong reaction from India which said such comments were “contrary to the reality” of its unbounded dedication to the welfare of Afghans.
A Times of India report quoted the Indian Embassy in Washington as seeking to play down its importance.
“Such comments attributed to Senator Hagel, who has been a longstanding friend of India and a prominent votary of close India-US relations, are contrary to the reality of India’s unbounded dedication to the welfare of Afghan people,” the embassy said.
It added that India’s commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan was unwavering, “and this is reflected in our significant assistance to Afghanistan in developing its economy, infrastructure and institutional capacities”. “Our opposition to terrorism and its safe havens in our neighbourhood is firm and unshakable. India’s development assistance has been deeply appreciated by the people and the government of Afghanistan, and by our friends around the world including the US. We do not view our engagement with Afghanistan as a zero sum game,” the embassy said.
The Times said Mr Hagel’s remarks were in sharp contrast to the viewpoint of the Obama administration that had always been in praise of India’s developmental role in Afghanistan and in fact had been pressing New Delhi to do more in Afghanistan.
The embassy said India and the US had a shared perspective and a deep convergence of interests for ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan.
“We will continue to work to help the Afghan people build a peaceful, prosperous, democratic and inclusive future for themselves in an environment free from terror and intimidation,” the statement said.
The reality is that former senator Chuck Hagel is telling thevwhole truth. Though there are moves to improve ties between Pakistan and India at present, it is however a known fact that India has been at this game for a long time, 14 consulates in a country which has nothing in tact is a clear indication. Billions spent in Afghanistan by India when it has enough disenfranchised folks of it’s own to take care of. Come on folks this has to be true. This man is going to head the most powerful military in the world, do you he would jeopardize his appointment.
My friend we Indians love our Afghan cousins especially their lovely ‘naan’ bread. So what is wrong if we have spent billions of dollars in Afghanistan. Plus the afghan “briyani rice’ is also very tasty.
Thanks for your concern sir, but at the end of the day it’s our money so its upto us what we do with it…Afghanistan is our brother from another mother, so whats wrong if we have 14 consulates, I think we should have 40 and Pakistan should mind it’s own business.
someone finally saying the truth and it took 2 years to come out in newspapers
How innocent these Americans are? They are not ready to leave Pakistan on its own. They are not ready to stop drone attacks. Still they are the well-wishers of Pakistan.
way to go Mr. Hagel, let the truth be spoken,
The good Samaritan and India does not mix.
well ofcourse, atleast from …. since almost all they are is due to us.
What he said is true. But the problem is not with Indians, as we all know that India is a hostile neighbour and would never let any chance to destabalize Pakistan. The problem is our in incompetent establishmen, which can not portray the real image of India and always been on backfoot. They should make public about the Indian involvement in Baluchistan, its financial support to terrorists known as Talibans.I personally believe that the Pakistan right wingers called themselves the so called champions of Islam are also secretely on the payroll of Indian and other hostile country. If we look at their actions, the agitation and their open support to terrorists, all these actions defaming Pakistan, which is the ultimate agenda of India.
As if the right wingers of Pakistan shower rose petals on Indians.
so, how this news will be handled by the ministry of foreign affairs now
Let us wait for what Hagel has to say in defense at the senate hearings. Then it will be worth to comment.
This old hag Hagel is a republican who is still having the cold war mindset and just trying to stir this controversy to defame Obama, actually it barely have to do anything with India or Pakistan but United States own political dirty games to garner support from the voters. What Pakistan did after this allegation cuz there is a trust deficit between Pakistan and USA not between India and USA…….
Our buddies from across the border are silent, why ?
exactly what I was thinking, I guess because they are cowards.
Because there is no-point replying. The one thing I want to ask you though is, why do you sometimes conveniently choose to believe US and hail them as innocently honest and other-times as political manipulators?? If you trust them,why trust them selectively?
I don’t think US can judge us and if it does, I would like them to back it with evidence. BTW another source of news would tell you that the Obama government tells India to become more actively involved in Afghanistan and thinks that India has been quite passive so far. GOOGLE please. So if I may, I suggest you to take things with a pinch of salt and base your opinions on continuous stream of well-informed and factually supported news.
Bcoz.. we dont bark on false claims…. and we accept that we always support common afghan not terrorists of Taliban just like Pakistan did during civil war of Afghanistan and we always appreciate the ideology of Great Abdul Gaffar Khan since before 1947…
You also supportedAfghan invasion by USSR , where was your love for afghans at that time?
Just check today’s news. One american is asking referrendum in Baluchistan in their senate..
Mr Hagel’s statements merely mean the US wants Pakistan to accept more arms and kill more of its young in useless wars. Pakistan should look very carefully to see which arms lobby funds him before continuing as a battering ram for US policies. The US wants land / bases / a military presence on the subcontinent’s border and will use Pakistan to get what it wants and then subject it to the same dismissal faced by the Shah, Saddam, Marcos and others. Come on Pakistan, you are smarter than this. I admire and love the US for innumerable things and truly respect its many wonderful people. However I worry about it provoking unnecessary, inconclusive wars over decades.
Fie on Pakistani Leaders, who deliberately (for their own benefits and to be in power) putting all thier efforts to appease Indian black sheep governemnt! It is lighter than the sun light that India is nothing but our hostile.
the comments were made in 2011, what’s the point of bringing them up, again in 2013 …
In America, you are accountable for what you said in the past or what you will saying in the future. Unfortunately, it does not exist in our country.
Becasue the situation is still the same……
To create ” sansanee”.
Mr: Hagel well said and it is all 100% true.
if any senator speak in favor of india than will he 100% wrong? if india wants to put pak in trouble than there is balochistan, why via afghanistan? india wants all south asian contries united & strong, but pakis can’t see that.,if there is peace & prosperity in afghanistan with indian funding projects then it is better for pakistan & south asia , open your eyes..
Bharat is innocent. They can never stir any trouble in Pakistan. ISI paid Chuck Hagel for this. ISI is behind this.
haha
well said. innocent as a devil
Don’t forget the Ghost of General Zia
lol
Bravo, It was Chuck Hagel who had the courage to drop the pant of India which Pakistan had been complaining about for a while.
He must be related to chuck norris
this is very true we were waiting a long time. good job Sir.
Hagel’s comments are contradicted by Robert Blake, Assistant Secretary of State. He said that “India is an economic linchpin for future of Afghanistan and (India) will continue to play an important role in turning Afghanistan into a trade based economy from an aid based economy.”
Salute to Chuck Hagel for calling spade a spade. I hope and pray that he sticks to his guns after being confirmed today or tomorrow as the new US secretary of defense amid great opposition from the interest groups as well as the Jewish and Hindu lobbies in America. I assure him of the full support from the Pakistani Americans like me if he keeps on telling the truth under any and all circumstances. My message to Chuck Hagel at this crucial juncture in time and history is to ‘keep it up and hang on tough.’ May God Almighty be your protector and supporter. Aameen, Tsum Aameen.
My dear Salaria its great to support Pakistan especially when you do not have to stay there. The problem with Pakistan and India is when you have to live there everyday. But once you live in western comfort in Europe or the U.S. you cant help but love Pakistan and India. Sigh such is life.
If the message pleases Pakistan, it does not necessarily mean it is true.
Next 4 years look promising for Pakistan-US relationship.
Kerry, the war-hero, and a friend of Pakistan, will be the Secretary of State, replacing Hillary, wife of the draft evader India-loving Clinton.
Hagel, the realist, will be the Secretary of Defense, replacing Panetta, whose short term brilliance in getting OBL was exceeded by the long term blindness of doing the same.
Only if Dr. Munter could be back as US Ambassador to complete the hat-trick.
Trade, not Aid should be the basis of the future relationship.
Truth.
Hagel and Malik are twin brothers, didn’t you know? Both have mouths that does overtime all the time. President Obama now has opportunity to kick him out. His remarks have added added more fuel to fire that was about to die.
Anyway , Some times RM also speaks truth
Lets see what price Mr Hagel will have to pay for just truth spoken in the past! Damn diplomatic world just run in different frame of reference without any reality of the world!
Hagel for president!
pakistanis dont vote in US elections