Aziz Haniffa In Washington,DC

Stories by Aziz Haniffa In Washington,DC

A victim itself, ISI committed against terror: Pak

A victim itself, ISI committed against terror: Pak

Rediff.com   25 Nov 2010

In the wake of mounting reports about Pakistan's commitment to fighting terrorism despite American military and economic largesse and credible intelligence of Islamabad's perfidy in maintaining links with militant groups in Afghanistan, Pakistan's ambassador to the US Hussain Haqqani argued that the number of Pakistani soldiers killed in fighting militants should silence these critics.

US slaps sanctions against LeT front organisation

US slaps sanctions against LeT front organisation

Rediff.com   25 Nov 2010

United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in concert with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Attorney General Eric Holder on Wednesday amended the foreign terrorist organisation designation of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayiba in order to include one of the terror group's front organisation and a charitable arm of it as part of the FTO designation too.

'Obama's UNSC message wasn't a last minute thing'

'Obama's UNSC message wasn't a last minute thing'

Rediff.com   17 Nov 2010

Confirming rediff.com's scoop of October 15 on how United States officials wanted US President Barack Obama to endorse India's bid for permanent membership in the United States Security Council, advising him it could make his India visit truly historic, Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Robert Blake said Monday, that even though the President's announcement of support for India's candidacy during his address to Parliament came as a surprise to many people,

'US-India development ties a mutual partnership'

'US-India development ties a mutual partnership'

Rediff.com   17 Nov 2010

Dr Rajiv Shah, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development and the highest ranking Indian American in the Obama administration, who accompanied US President Barack Obama to India said that today his agency's developmental relationship with India has evolved into a peer to peer partnership unlike in the past when India was simply an aid recipient.

US defends Pak's actions against terror groups

US defends Pak's actions against terror groups

Rediff.com   16 Nov 2010

When Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs was challenged as to what action against terror groups, including the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, the US had been able to elicit from Pakistan and that President Obama's statements that Pakistan providing safe havens to these groups being unacceptable was said in India to pacify Indians, he defended the actions taken by Islamabad thus far.

Co-op with India is hallmark of Obama's visit

Co-op with India is hallmark of Obama's visit

Rediff.com   16 Nov 2010

Blake said, "What this visit will be remembered for is that it will mark really the first time that we have really embarked on serious, specific, global strategic cooperation in areas like open government, in areas like agriculture, or in women's empowerment, or in working together in Africa, working together in Afghanistan."

I can deliver Pakistan from darkness: Musharraf

I can deliver Pakistan from darkness: Musharraf

Rediff.com   11 Nov 2010

Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf believes that he os the panacea for Pakistan if it were to be saved from being a failed state, thanks to the 'inept and pathetic performance' by President Asif Ali Zardari led civilian government in Islamabad.Musharraf said that at the time he left office, the poverty rate in Pakistan, according to World Bank figures, had been halved, from 34 percent to 17 percent. "Which government has done this?" he asked.

How Obama turned his visit into a historic one

How Obama turned his visit into a historic one

Rediff.com   10 Nov 2010

Karl F Inderfurth, who was Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs in the Clinton administration, and Nicholas Burns, who was Under Secretary of State in the Bush Administration, told rediff.com that Obama's endorsement during his address to a joint session of Parliament thus made his visit to India transformational too in a sense as had the trip by Clinton in March of 2000 and Bush in March 2006.

Rediff scooped the Obama-UN story on Oct 15!

Rediff scooped the Obama-UN story on Oct 15!

Rediff.com   9 Nov 2010

On October 15, Rediff.com's Washington Editor AZIZ HANIFFA broke this story on how US officials wanted President Obama to support India as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, telling him it could make his India visit truly historic. On November 8, President Obama told Parliament that the US supported India's membership of the UN Security Council.

Obama's trip hails 'India's rise'

Obama's trip hails 'India's rise'

Rediff.com   6 Nov 2010

At the USIBC event the president will refer to the "significant" deals between the US and India that are "being consummated." One of these deals, sources have said, will be the sale of Boeing C-17 aircraft to the Indian military. Obama's announcement of this deal would clearly be meant for consumption back home.

Obama's gift? US slaps sanctions on LeT, JeM

Obama's gift? US slaps sanctions on LeT, JeM

Rediff.com   5 Nov 2010

On the eve of United States President Barack Obama's maiden visit to India, the US Treasury on Thursday targeted the financial and support networks of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed and also took action against Azam Cheema, who helped train operatives for the November 2008 Mumbai attacks and was the "mastermind" behind the July 2006 Mumbai train bombings carried out by LeT.

Will Obama tread carefully after mid-term polls?

Will Obama tread carefully after mid-term polls?

Rediff.com   4 Nov 2010

Republicans seem to have dealt a huge blow to India-bound United States President Barack Obama in the mid-term polls, as they captured control of the House of Representatives on Tuesday. But will this play on his mind while he visits India?

'Obama can go to mosque but not to Golden Temple?'

'Obama can go to mosque but not to Golden Temple?'

Rediff.com   4 Nov 2010

The Hindu American Foundation has assailed President Barack Obama for deciding against visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar during his visit to India but having not qualms about visiting one of the largest mosques in Southeast Asia when on the second leg of his four-state Asian itinerary he visits Indonesia.

Republican surge drowns Indian Americans in US

Republican surge drowns Indian Americans in US

Rediff.com   3 Nov 2010

Indian American Democrats running for US Congress, including the Top-Tier Red to Blue candidates, who were supported to the hilt by the Democratic establishment, were caught up in the Republican surge and drowned in the tsunami as the GOP took back the House of Representatives

Obama must stay away from Kashmir issue: Experts

Obama must stay away from Kashmir issue: Experts

Rediff.com   3 Nov 2010

Noted South Asia analysts have warned the Obama administration to stay away from trouble-shooting in Kashmir despite the upsurge of violence in the Valley that has prompted some policy wonks urge the United States to be pro-active acquire a high profile vis--vis this dispute to stave off another India-Pakistan conflict if the situation unravels.

'Pak-Taliban link in fanning Valley insurgency'

'Pak-Taliban link in fanning Valley insurgency'

Rediff.com   3 Nov 2010

Former Central Intelligence Agency South Asia analyst, Lisa Curtis, now a Senior Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, recalled how in 1995, when she served in Islamabad as a diplomat, the Pakistan-based terror groups that were funded, armed and supported by the Inter-Services Intelligence specifically to launch attacks in Kashmir against Indian security forces, also had strong links to the Taliban.

Bigoted attack on Indian in US congressional poll

Bigoted attack on Indian in US congressional poll

Rediff.com   1 Nov 2010

The latest attack against Goyle on the eve of the election on November 2 has been a bigoted and illegal attack through billboards exhorting 'Vote American, Vote Pompeo.'

US lauds Indian Americans for deepening ties

US lauds Indian Americans for deepening ties

Rediff.com   29 Oct 2010

United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a video-taped message from Hawaii to a parley titled, "US-India People to People Conference: Building the Foundation for a Strong Partnership," lauded the Indian American community for being bridge builders that was catalytic towards "deepening the partnership between our two countries and people."

US hails India's decision to sign CSC

US hails India's decision to sign CSC

Rediff.com   28 Oct 2010

India's decision to sign the Convention on Supplementary Compensation -- which sets parameters on a nuclear operator's financial liability -- is 'a very positive step', according to Under Secretary of State William Burns. According to sources, during his visit to New Delhi last week, Burns had prevailed upon India to sign the CSC to alleviate the angst of US business and industry over provisions in the Nuclear Liability Bill.

'Obama shouldn't lean on India to placate Pak'

'Obama shouldn't lean on India to placate Pak'

Rediff.com   27 Oct 2010

The report prepared to coincide with the US president's visit to India by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, authored by its senior associate Ashley J Tellis, noted, "As Obama knows, there is nothing that India can meaningfully do to assuage Pakistani paranoia beyond what it has done already, namely offer to sustain the peace process and maintain its restraint in the use of force despite the continuing terrorist attacks emanating from Pakistan."