As the Rana trial on the Mumbai terror attack kicks off in Chicago next week, a powerful Republican Senator today said it is very clear that there was involvement of some elements from within Pakistan in the plot and this issue needs to be resolved.
"It is very clear that there was some involvement from some elements from within Pakistan and this issue needs to be resolved. I would say that the Indian government and Prime Minister have been patient on this issue," Senator John McCain told the Headlines Today in an interview.
McCain said there is no doubt that there have been relations and communications between elements of the ISI and networks such as Haqqani Networks that in Afghanistan that have given the United States serious problems.
However, McCain was not in favour of cutting America's relationship with Pakistan.
"What I think we should do is to understand that first of all Pakistan is a very serious situation and there are complexities," he said.
"For example, it is well know that Pakistan has a nuclear arsenal which would be terrible thing if some terrorist groups got hold of some of these weapons. Second we broke off relations for all intentional purposes for about ten years -- it did not do us any good so what a lot of us talking about is some bench marks that we would expect Pakistan to meet -- progress in putting down networks such as Haqqani networks and other areas of cooperation and assistance," McCain said.
"But it is very very difficult challenge and anybody who doesn't think it is does not understand that Pakistan is a very important player in whole issue of peace in that part of the world," the Senator said.
Though every indication -- based on unclassified information -- that the nuclear arsenal of Pakistan is secure; McCain warned: "But there could be a scenario if Pakistan fell into anarchy and failed state status where that security could be in jeopardy -- that is something we have to be concerned about."
