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| India-Pakistan |
| Militants Escape Control of Pakistan, Officials Say |
| 2008-01-16 |
| ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan’s premier military intelligence agency has lost control of some of the networks of Pakistani militants it has nurtured since the 1980s, and is now suffering the violent blowback of that policy, two former senior intelligence officials and other officials close to the agency say. As the military has moved against them, the militants have turned on their former handlers, the officials said. Joining with other extremist groups, they have battled Pakistani security forces and helped militants carry out a record number of suicide attacks last year, including some aimed directly at army and intelligence units as well as prominent political figures, possibly even Benazir Bhutto. The growing strength of the militants, many of whom now express support for Al Qaeda’s global jihad, presents a grave threat to Pakistan’s security, as well as NATO efforts to push back the Taliban in Afghanistan. American officials have begun to weigh more robust covert operations to go after Al Qaeda in the lawless border areas because they are so concerned that the Pakistani government is unable to do so. |
| Posted by:john frum |
| #2 Another former senior intelligence official said dozens of ISI officers who trained militants had come to sympathize with their cause and had had to be expelled from the agency. Yeah, we kicked 'em out. No, really! |
| Posted by: Spot 2008-01-16 08:12 |
| #1 “The question is, how do you change that?” asked one Western diplomat. “Their tentacles are everywhere.” Perv could always allow the US to do cross-border operations. In layman's terms it's called a freebie. And if the terrorists are firmly against you, what more could they do in any case? |
| Posted by: gorb 2008-01-16 07:40 |