US should cut aide to Pakistan if it backs terror: Trump

Washington, Aug 9: A top national security advisor to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has said the US needs to treat Pakistan "harshly" and "cut off" assistance if it continues to be the "safe haven" for terror groups like Taliban, Haqqani and al-Qaeda.

"We need to have some tough love conversations with the leaders of countries who pretend to be our friends, but who also collaborate with our enemies," Lt General (rtd) Michael T Flynn, has said in his latest book "How We Can Win the Global War Against Radical Islam and Its Allies" that hit the book stands last week. [Former CIA officer launches independent presidential bid]

"Countries like Pakistan need to be told that we will not tolerate the existence of training camps and safe havens for Taliban, Haqqani, and al-Qaeda forces on their territory, nor will we permit their banks and other financial institutions to move illicit funds for the terror network," said Flynn.

Trump emphasises on strengthening relation with India

In the war against terrorism, he listed India as one of the countries with which the US needs to strengthen its relationship.

"Diplomacy alone will not be sufficient; at the moment, nobody takes us seriously. We will have to demonstrate the ability and the resolve to crush our enemies. We should start with strengthening our relationships with Israel, Jordan, and Egypt," he said.

"We will also need to revive our working relations with countries such as Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, India, and Argentina," Flynn wrote.

Flynn who served as the director of the Defence Intelligence Agency, commander of the Joint Functional Component Command for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and chair of the Military Intelligence Board is one of the few top Pentagon leadership to have supported Trump.

Among those shortlisted for Trump's vice presidential pick, Flynn is considered close to Trump and his top national security advisor.

"They are going to have to choose and if they continue to help the jihadis, we are going to treat them harshly, cutting them off from American assistance, and operating against enemy safe havens," Flynn said, adding that the same tough approach applies to the financing of the jihadi network.

"Over the years, the terrorists have raised a lot of money from individual donors (sometimes contacted in person, other times online), but criminal activities are a much more important source of money. Some of the best intelligence work carried out by the American government has been done in this area," he said.

PTI