The US officials are known to have questioned for long  the role Pakistan has played in Afghanistan but this they did in private. Mattis -Dunford- Speak will naturally cause concern in Islamabad and within the Pakistan military.

General perception has been that ISI has links with terrorists who operate from Pakistani soil and along the LoC and Durand Line. the United States has for the first time not only acknowledged this reality but also declared its intent  to options that would compel Pakistan to fall in line. It will do so after giving one more chance to Pakistan to mend its ways, according to US defence secretary Jim Mattis. He made these observations at US House Armed Services Committee hearing on Tuesday.  The context was the situation in Afghanistan

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joseph Dunford,  who also appeared before the House Committee, was also very forthright in his assessment. He said he believed Pakistan’s main spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate, had ties to militant groups.

“It is clear to me that the ISI has connections with terrorist groups,” the top US military official  said.

The United States, Mattis said,  would try “one more time” to work with Pakistan in Afghanistan before President Donald Trump would turn to “options” to address Islamabad’s alleged support for militant groups.

The US officials are known to have questioned for long  the role Pakistan has played in Afghanistan but this they did in private. Mattis -Dunford- Speak will naturally cause concern in Islamabad and within the Pakistan military.

Five years ago, in 2012, the United States designated the Pakistan-based Haqqani network as a terrorist organization. The year before, U.S. Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, then the top U.S. military officer, caused a stir when he told Congress that the Haqqani network was a “veritable arm” of the ISI directorate

“We need to try one more time to make this strategy work with them, by, with and through the Pakistanis, and if our best efforts fail, the president is prepared to take whatever steps are necessary,” Mattis told the House Armed Services Committee.  He went on to state that  he  would be traveling to Islamabad soon, but did not give more details.

Reuters has already reported that Trump administration is considering various options already. These range from  expansion of  U.S. drone strikes  to downgrading Pakistan’s status as a major non-NATO ally.

When  a lawmaker asked whether revoking Pakistan’s major non-NATO ally status was being considered, Mattis replied: “I am sure it will be.”

Five years ago, in 2012, the United States designated the Pakistan-based Haqqani network as a terrorist organization. The year before, U.S. Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, then the top U.S. military officer, caused a stir when he told Congress that the Haqqani network was a “veritable arm” of the ISI directorate.

Dunford said that the current cost for the United States in Afghanistan was about $12.5 billion a year, and the new strategy would cost an additional $1.1 billion.