Haissam Haqqani

Haissam Haqqani
Status:	Deceased
Cause of death:	Execution by firing squad
Nationality:	Pakistani
Alias(es):	the Arrow of God
Profession:	Taliban leader
Children:	Jalal Haqqani (son)
Played by:	Numan Acar
Season(s):	4, 8
First episode:	"Iron in the Fire"
Last episode:	"Threnody(s)"

"... 40 years of war. No one is innocent". - Haqqani

Haissam Haqqani is a high-ranking member of the Taliban and has already killed a number of people. Hiding in the border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan, he plans to retaliate after an American drone strike that killed most of his family.

Biography

Haissam Haqqani is a Taliban commander, and later the organization's leader. He fought in the Soviet-Afghan War and was a long-time client of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He was a former high priority target and Taliban leader. In The Drone Queen, Carrie mentioned to Sandy that he is careful because he was trained by the CIA and learned paratroopers with the 82nd Airborne from the American army.

Season 4

Haissam Haqqani is an internationally wanted terrorist who acts on behalf of the Taliban and has already killed a number of people. When Carrie Mathison gets the opportunity to take him out, she has his current location bombed, killing several members of Haqqani's family, who was at a wedding. An angry mob then lynched the responsible CIA chief in Islamabad, Sandy Bachman, who was blamed for the deaths of many civilians.

However, Haqqani was never at the wedding. He apparently started the attack to make people believe he was dead and off the CIA's radar. It is only when he comes into contact with his nephew Aayan Ibrahim that the CIA draws his attention to him again, when he goes to a hospital to get medicine for his sick uncle. Haqqani is very grateful to him for this, but has long known that the CIA was on Aayan's heels, so he ordered the kidnapping of Saul Berenson. During his last meeting with Aayan, he shoots him for unintentionally leading the CIA to him, but shortly before he presents Saul as his hostage, so the CIA doesn't intervene. (From A to B and Back Again.)

On the drive to the Afghan border, Haqqani confesses to his hostage that he has captured Saul as a shield for himself and confesses that he hasn't felt this free in a long time. Then he drives to a town where he meets his family for the first time in a long time. When one of his sons throws a shoe at Saul, Haqqani rebukes him. He makes it clear to him that even if Saul is their enemy, nothing should happen to him.

Haqqani takes Saul to his family home and over dinner discusses responsibility for the September 11, 2001 attacks, religion and politics. Only later, when they are on the road again, Haqqqani admits that he intends to use Saul to free some of his people who are in American captivity. Finally, Haqqani turned to the CIA in a video and demanded that his men be handed over.

When the exchange is about to take place, Saul has already attempted to escape, but was caught again. To ensure that the exchange will definitely take place, Haqqani has put a bomb vest on a little boy. Carrie's intervention allows the exchange to go through without further bloodshed. However, while Carrie and the others are making their way back to the embassy, ​​their convoy is attacked. Haqqani uses his knowledge that all security personnel and military are being withdrawn to help the convoy storm the embassy with his men.

Haqqani is targeting a very specific document that exposes all spies in the Middle East. This is owned by CIA director Andrew Lockhart, who is holed up in a panic room with a few others. When Haqqani appears at the door with Fara Sherazi and a few others hostage and threatens to kill them all, Lockhart gives in and confronts the terrorist. He hands him the list and then has to watch Fara being executed anyway. Meanwhile, Peter Quinn and a military force have sneaked into the embassy and are able to take out several of Haqqani's men. Quinn also manages to shoot Haqqani, but he still manages to escape from the embassy. (13 Hours in Islamabad)

Quinn then follows Haqqani's trail, but he still has so many followers who frenetically celebrate him that he manages to escape from Islamabad unmolested. At this point he has no idea that he will almost be shot by Peter Quinn and Carrie Mathison. Only the fact that Dar Adal is seen in his car saves his life. Unbeknownst to the other CIA employees, Haqqani contacted Adal after escaping the embassy and let him persuade him to make a deal. Haqqani pledges not to release the video he made with Saul Berenson in captivity and to stop harboring terrorists. In return, Haqqani receives assurances that from now on he will no longer be on the CIA's list of wanted criminals.

Season 8

The war between the Taliban and the US has been going on for 18 years and Haissam Haqqani, the Arrow of God, is slowly getting tired of it. He wishes peace for his people and says this during a telephone conversation with his son Jalal Haqqani, which - unnoticed by him - is overheard. Shortly thereafter, he receives a letter from Saul Berenson offering him a talk about peace. As he makes his way to the agreed meeting point, he hears on the radio that Afghan Vice President Abdul Qadir G'ulom has agreed to peace negotiations and the release of 1,000 Taliban fighters from captivity, which gives Haqqani hope. He is satisfied that Saul kept his word, even though his men and Jalal believe they are being set up. When the convoy reaches the small town where Saul has set the rendezvous point, one of the cars is hit by a rocket launcher. Haqqani survives the attack and has Saul kidnapped without further ado. When he shows his relief that Haqqani is still alive, he is irritated and knocks him down.

Haqqani learns that his eldest son Jalal betrayed him to the ISI over his opposition to peace talks. He stops short of killing his son and instead exiles him from the family, unaware that Jalal was later picked up by Tasneem. After a helicopter carrying U.S. President Warner and Afghan President Daoud crashes in the mountains, killing both world leaders, Afghanistan's new president, General Abdul Qadir G'ulom, publicly blames Haqqani for the attack and orders his arrest. He turns himself in to the U.S., hoping for a fair trial, but is swiftly sentenced to death and executed by a firing squad.

Fitting Ending

Despite desperately trying to make amends in this series’s last season, former leader of the Taliban Haqqani was met with an unfortunate and spectacular ending. Though he was not responsible for the downing of the president’s helicopters in “Chalk Two Down," Haqqani spent his last days accepting a fate he had for a long time seen coming. Haqqani’s death was a fitting ending, as, in hindsight, it was also a form of reckoning for the crimes and murders he committed in the “13 Hours in Islamabad [and in From A to B and Back Again]". - ELIVA ANDRIAMORA

Character profile

In the world of Homeland, the character Haqqani emerges as a captivating and formidable presence. Season 4 sees him holding the position of a charismatic and ruthless leader, orchestrating attacks against American and Afghan targets. Haqqani's complexity lies in the juxtaposition of his charm and brutality, creating a character that both repels and fascinates viewers. In this analysis, we will explore Haqqani's role and delve into some high-minded concepts to better understand his motivations and impact.

First and foremost, Haqqani's charisma is a key element that sets him apart as a leader. His ability to captivate and inspire others is evident not only in his interactions with his followers, but also in the way he manipulates those around him to further his agenda. Charisma, as a concept, refers to an individual's ability to influence and charm others through their personal magnetism. Haqqani's charisma is rooted in his powerful presence, commanding language, and unwavering conviction in his cause.

Furthermore, Haqqani proves to be a master of manipulation and psychological warfare. He exploits people's vulnerabilities, using their fears and desires as weapons to bend them to his will. This manipulation can be understood through the lens of power dynamics and influence. Haqqani's ability to manipulate others reflects the power he wields, both through force and through psychological control.

Haqqani's ruthlessness, on the other hand, is his most disturbing and unsettling quality. His willingness to resort to extreme violence in pursuit of his goals showcases a very different side of his character. His attacks against American and Afghan targets demonstrate a level of brutality that leaves a lasting impact. This ruthlessness prompts us to consider questions regarding the nature of power, violence, and the ethics of warfare.

From a theoretical perspective, Haqqani can be analyzed through various lenses. Realism, a school of international relations theory, suggests that states and non-state actors seek to maximize their own power and interests in a self-interested manner. Haqqani's actions align with realist principles as he engages in a power struggle against the American forces, seeking to assert his own influence in the region.

Additionally, Haqqani's character raises questions about the concept of resistance and the legitimacy of armed struggle. As an antagonist, he challenges the Western perspective of the "enemy" and invites viewers to question the complexities of conflict and the motivations behind acts of terrorism. This prompts a discussion around the moral and ethical dimensions of war, blurring the lines between right and wrong.

Overall, the character of Haqqani is a multifaceted and enigmatic figure in Homeland. His charisma, manipulation, and ruthless nature further highlight the complexity of his role as a central antagonist. Through the lenses of charisma, power dynamics, realism, and the ethics of warfare, Haqqani's character invites viewers to think critically about the intricacies of conflict and the human motivations behind it. While his actions may be reprehensible, the depth of his character and the questions he raises ultimately contribute to the thought-provoking nature of the series as a whole.

So, as you delve into the intricate world of Homeland's Haqqani, brace yourself for a character that will challenge your assumptions, provoke your thoughts, and expose the darker side of humanity. [x]

Quotes

• We're sure this is Haqqani?
• Pretty much. We have voice samples going back three decades to when he was training with the 82nd Airborne.

• Haissam Haqqani: "We are just strong enough never to lose and just weak enough never to win."

• It's true.
• Don't do that.
• Maybe it's time.
• Some have said as much.
• There are many who would take my place.
• None who have the power or influence to end the war.
• You overstate my standing.
• Is that why they call you "the Arrow of God"?
• I'm... just a man.
• Then you are a man like Faisal was to the Saudis, Kemal to the Turks. - Saul talking with Haissam

• There 's a reason you don 't get many shots at a guy like Haissam Haqqani.
• He's famously careful.
• Well, we trained him, didn't we?
• “Trained him”? Hell, he learned how to jump out of airplanes with the 82nd Airborne.

Trivia

The Haqqani Network is real.

The Haqqani Network is a Sunni Islamist militant organization founded by Jalaluddin Haqqani, who emerged as a top Afghan warlord and insurgent commander during the anti-Soviet war; he was a member of the Hezb-e Islami faction led by renowned mujahedin commander Younis Khalis. Jalaluddin later allied with the Afghan Taliban as that group’s Minister of Tribal and Border Affairs when the Taliban held power in Afghanistan during the mid-to-late 1990s. He was a known associate of Usama Bin Ladin and was recognized as one of Bin Ladin’s closest mentors during the al-Qa‘ida founder’s formative years in the 1980s Afghan war. Sirajuddin Haqqani, Jalaluddin’s son, currently leads the day-to-day activities of the group, along with several of his closest relatives. Sirajuddin in August 2015 was named as a deputy to newly appointed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammed Mansur—cementing the alliance between the Haqqanis and the Taliban.

The Haqqani Network is primarily based in North Waziristan, Pakistan, and conducts cross-border operations into eastern Afghanistan and Kabul. The group is primarily composed of members of the Zadran tribe. The Haqqanis are considered the most lethal and sophisticated insurgent group targeting US, Coalition, and Afghan forces in Afghanistan; they typically conduct coordinated small-arms assaults coupled with rocket attacks, IEDs, suicide attacks, and attacks using bomb-laden vehicles.

The Haqqani Network is responsible for some of the highest-profile attacks of the Afghan war, including the June 2011 assault on the Kabul Intercontinental Hotel, conducted jointly with the Afghan Taliban, and two major suicide bombings—in 2008 and 2009—against the Indian Embassy in Kabul. In September 2011, the Haqqanis participated in a day-long assault against major targets in Kabul, including the US Embassy, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) headquarters, the Afghan Presidential Palace, and the Afghan National Directorate of Security headquarters. More recently, in October 2013, Afghan security forces intercepted a truck bomb deployed by the Haqqanis against Forward Operating Base Goode in Paktiya Province. The device, which did not detonate, contained some 61,500 pounds of explosives and was the largest truck bomb ever built. The group is also involved in a number of criminal activities in Afghanistan and Pakistan, including extortion, kidnapping for ransom, and smuggling.

The US Government in 2012 designated the Haqqani Network as a Foreign Terrorist Organization because of its involvement in the Afghan insurgency, attacks on US military and civilian personnel and Western interests in Afghanistan, and because of its ties to the Taliban and al-Qa‘ida. In addition to designating the group, key members have also been individually designated. Haqqani leaders Saidullah Jan, Yahya Haqqani, and Muhammad Omar Zadran, as well as suicide operations chief Qari Abdul Ra‘uf (also known as Qari Zakir), and Ibrahim Haqqani, remain either designated for financial sanctions or are on US most-wanted lists.

Appearances

Season 4
"The Drone Queen"	"Trylon and Perisphere"	"Shalwar Kameez"	Iron in the Fire	"About a Boy"
From A to B and Back Again	Redux	Halfway to a Donut	There's Something Else Going On	13 Hours in Islamabad
Krieg Nicht Lieb	"Long Time Coming"

Season 8
"Deception Indicated"	Catch and Release	False Friends	"Chalk One Up"	Chalk Two Down
Two Minutes	F**ker Shot Me	Threnody(s)	"In Full Flight"	"Designated Driver"
"The English Teacher"	"Prisoners of War"