Why now? Until this week, the ISI was an acronym for Pakistan’s powerful spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence, that was little known outside of South Asia. Now it’s all over the American media as the organisation accused of secretly helping Islamist militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan, while the country it works for is a crucial ally in the U.S. battle against al Qaeda and the Taliban.
The New York Times led the charge by reporting that the CIA had confronted Pakistan over what it called deepening ties between members of the ISI and militant groups responsible for a surge in violence in Afghanistan. It followed it up with a story quoting U.S. government officials blaming the ISI for an attack last month on the Indian embassy in Kabul. The Washington Post and TIME, amongst others, ran similar stories.
Whenever you see a deluge of stories in the media quoting government or intelligence officials, it’s always worth asking why those unnamed officials have chosen this particular moment to speak out. The accusations against the ISI — denied by Pakistan — are not new.
India has complained for years about the role of the ISI in supporting the insurgency in Kashmir. It threatened to go to war in 2001/2002 over a December 2001 attack on the Indian parliament that it blamed on militants backed by the ISI, a charge denied by Pakistan. The debate within India at the time was very similar to the one you can find today in the U.S. media — how much do the ruling authorities in Pakistan control the ISI, and to what extent is it a monolithic disciplined organisation, and to what extent does it have renegade members who might follow their own agenda?
More importantly, perhaps, in the current context, is how the Americans viewed the ISI. The U.S. diplomats I knew in India had no illusions about the ISI, although publicly they refused to take sides as they tried – successfully as it turned out — to persuade Islamabad and Delhi to stand down from a conflict that threatened to undermine America’s post 9/11 efforts to tame Afghanistan.
During the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989, the CIA worked closely with the ISI to arm, train and fund the mujahideen. Between them they drove the Russians out of Afghanistan and helped bring down the Soviet Union. There can be no closer relationship between two countries’ spy agencies than that. The CIA knows, and has long known, the ISI — perhaps better than any other country’s intelligence services.
So I come back to my original question. Why turn on them now?
There are, of course, obvious answers. Pakistan’s new government, elected in February, just made a botched attempt to bring the ISI under civilian control. Its subsequent retraction served only to highlight the power of the ISI. The Americans and their allies are suffering heavy losses in Afghanistan, while going into a presidential election where the war in Iraq, and the U.S. failure to hunt down al Qaeda and the Taliban, have become a major issue.
But I can’t help but wonder whether those unnamed officials now so keen to talk to the media are spinning a line. There have long been arguments within the CIA about how to handle the ISI, with agents based in Kabul generally arguing in favour of confrontation and those in Islamabad backing cooperation.
So is what we are seeing in the U.S. media a reflection of a battle within the CIA over rival views on how to handle Pakistan and the ISI? Maybe.
Or is it a reflection of actual events, including the increase in violence in Afghanistan, the renewed focus on Iraq/al Qaeda created by the U.S. presidential election, the speculation about whether the United States will send its troops into Pakistan to hunt down leaders of al Qaeda and the Taliban, and heightened tensions between India and Pakistan over the attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul? Maybe.
I am not asking these questions in the kind of rhetorical way that suggests that I already know the answer. I’m asking because I don’t know.
But I am just a little bit suspicious when I see the media all heading in the same direction. It feels uncannily similar to the way the media quoted unnamed officials about WMD to justify the invasion of Iraq. Many countries had been suspicious of Saddam Hussein since the invasion of Kuwait in 1990. But having ignored that for years, there was suddenly a groundswell of opinion to remove him. Are we now seeing a similar groundswell against Pakistan?
Once again, I don’t know the answer, but suggest only that there is a need to ask why people have chosen this moment to talk. Otherwise we prove the old cliche true, that “we learn from history that we don’t learn from history.”
(A word on comments. I write this blog because I want to hear what people have to say. Many people have posted excellent comments that have moved the debate forward. But please don’t swear and don’t abuse others. And stick to the subject. We’re in the 21st century here so let’s not go back to 1947.)
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All of us indulged in trying to imposing our own viewpoints on others and expecting others to believ blindly in these must realise that the spy agencies, no matter where and for whom they work for, are always meant for destructive and maLicious purpose. It’s not a question who did what and who didn’t. The question is that these agencies are always incorporated with a rougue idea of inflicting damage to others we think our opponents.
- Posted by ShayanMyra, Americans aspire - and pretend to be - world cops, but unless it begins to burn their own fingers and other parts of their anatomy, people killed by shady organizations like ISI in other parts of the world - such as the remote India of snake charmers and rope trick - makes no difference to them. Like dirty cops on the take they look the other way.
- Posted by RavindraAnd now you are asking why they are looking the right way now!Well,simply because their own families are in danger now and the dirty money doesn’t count for much!
[...] Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI), as the CIA has recently publicly complained, though everybody has known it perfectly well, at least some elements have cooperative connections with the Taliban. This is [...]
- Posted by Why is Afghanistan So Difficult to Dominate? « The Pakistani PoliticsDear Friends
I would like to add that the politicians in the White house require us to think that ISI is to be blamed for all that has gone wrong in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I would like to pose a question but don want an answer. I just want people to think about this within themselves.
DIDI YOU REALLY EXPECT THE WARR IN IRAQ OR AFGHANISTAN TO BE SMOOTH AND SUCCESSFULL?
In the time of election the parties need an escape goat but dont worry I am quite sure that another message from so alled terrorist (al qaeda) would help to swing the voters into certain direction as per some require in the white house.
This happend whilst Bush was running for presidency in his second phase as a President and just a day ago a helpful message for Pervaz Musharaff and in future as Amercia and allies required.
Anyways the only way o end this activities semms to be to reslolve major problems such as Killig of kashmiris by India in their controlled land is not relaistic and should not be able to happen in todays wold.
Asim
- Posted by asim butt[...] A spate of allegationsthat Pakistan’s powerful spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), was involved in the bombing has forced India-Pakistan rivalry back onto centre-stage. This is not just about India and Pakistan, or so the argument goes. Their rivalry is undermining U.S. efforts to defeat al Qaeda and the Taliban since the ISI is maintaining links with Islamist militants to counter Indian influence in the region. And Pakistan’s denial of involvement in the embassy attack has done little to quell the speculation. [...]
- Posted by ISI vital for a sovereign Pakistan and to keep RAW in check « Rupee News: Recording History, Narrating Archives, Strategic Vision, Profound Analysis, Unique ideasThey have chosen this time because it is ripe now. There could never have been a better time. Its all about taking control of Pakistan’s atomic program. It was impossible that the US forces packed back from Iraq and Afghanistan without settling the core issue of Pakistan’s nuclear program. So the time has come, fortunately for the US, the public opinion against the Pakistan Army is touching the lowest level in the country. The scenario may have been articulately created where President Musharraf was reassured again and again by the US only serving to drop his, and the Military’s, popularity to an extent where a strike against ISI, and thus the nuclear assets of Pakistan, was possible. It should be kept in mind that the total control of Pakistan’s nuclear program is in the hands of Military or more precisely ISI.
- Posted by JawadDid the ISI get some training from the CIA?
- Posted by Conscientious ObserverHey Sanjay
- Posted by UMPKIts my turn to confront you now. Ok, so what democracy are you talking about? What India did in 1971 by imposing a war and flaming conflict in East Pakistan was totally undemocratic. RAW has been widely involved in the terrorist activities in Pakistan, I guess RAW being answerable to the Indian Govt, so RAW terrorism in Pakistan might be authorized by the Indian democratic govt? Do you have a say?
India is widely hated in Sri Lanka that is because of meddling in internal affairs of that country by India.
Nepal can never assert its soverignity over India, its such a small country. Its only Pakistan in the whole region that has always remained a challenge for India.
The question arises, why does India need half a dozen consulates in Afghanistan? Simply because RAW wants to destabalize the NWFP and Baluchistan region of Pakistan using these consulates as a shield. ISI is an intelligence agency, and cannot allow India to establish spy centres in its neighbourhood. Fact is, ISI remains a force to be reckoned with. You put your own house in order first, your corrupt law enforcement agencies lacking professionalism have failed to protect your people. Why blame ISI, RAW is your culprit. Ask RAW why is it sleeping while local Indian terrorist groups create mayhem in your cities.
Moody, why don’t you tell me which embassy of Pakistan’s has been blown up by India? Is Pakistan’s embassy in Nepal in flames or rubble? India often complains that Pakistan’s embassy there is involved in sponsoring militancy. While you want to play a game of moral equivalency between the 2 countries — obviously you don’t care one iota that India is the democracy out of the 2 countries — to ignore the long difference in their track records. Which Indian security agency isn’t accountable to the Indian parliament? Which military coup has India had? Which military dictatorship has India been ruled by? You seem to think that democracies and military dictatorships are morally equivalent, but they’re not. Democracies behave more responsibly and more maturely, in case you’re not aware. I’m so sorry that I have to spell out the obvious for you. Your comments say more about you than about the subject you’re commenting upon.
- Posted by Sanjayalthough i do not support an invasion of Pakistan, i support any action which will curtail the ISI’s abilities…it will go a long way in reducing terrorism within the Subcontinent and bringing true democracy within pakistan…RAW has been responsible for troubles within pakistan but it was retaliatory action…not that i justify killing of pakistani civilians but in da shadowy world of espionage there’s no room for morals….we all know who gave a start to this cloak and dagger game which began in 1947
- Posted by TejasIt was a very simple question to answer which has been made look complicated by the subscriber to this post by their beating about the bush ( I don’t mean President Bush or self proclaimed President Mush )
The answer to this question is as follows:
First consider the internal politics of Pakistan:
It is common knowledge in Pakistan that there is no love lost between the present ruling party, Pakistan People Party (PPP), and the military establishment of Pakistan since General Zia’s time. The PPP due to some cogent reasons holds the military establishment of Pakistan responsible for the killing of its 4 top leaders ( ZA Butto his two sons and his daughter Benazir Bhutto). It also blames the military establishment, and that also for good reasons, for the dismissal of its two democratically elected governments. The present PPP government feels, and perhaps rightly so, that if it has to rule Pakistan comfortably and complete its tenure it will first have to tame the premier spy agency of Pakistan ie ISI which is currently managed and controlled by Pakistan Army. It is very difficult for PPP to tame and bring ISI under its control. PPP feels it can achieve this with the help of America.
Now consider the American compulsions for taming of ISI:
America has always been accusing some rogue elements in ISI for leaking some vital information to the Taliban before America takes an action against them which results in the failure of their operation. American accusation against ISI has always been denied by Pakistan. However, there is a strong possibility that there are indeed such elements in ISI which both in the distant and recent pasts had very friendly and brotherly relationship with Mujahedeen and Taliban. Thus we see how the American and PPP interests in taming of ISI converge perfectly.
Now come to the timing of present action in regard to ISI:
The PPP took over the reins of government some 5 months back but is still working under the shadow of military establishment which obviously it does not like. American Presidential election is due after about 3 months for which its republican candidate desparately needs a shot in the arm since America’s performance in war on terror in Afghanistan has not been all that successful which is now an election issue.
So you see what could be a better time than this both for America and PPP to tame the ISI and show some results to their voters.
Therefore 2+2=4 QED.
- Posted by Kabir Das[...] (Reuters.) [...]
- Posted by cyrilalmeida.com » Blog Archive » Why choose now to complain about Pakistan’s ISI?Sanjay,
Your partisan view of India overlooks the works of its RAW agency. RAW has been nurturing chaos in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka for decades. Please don’t hide under the ubiquitos terrorism banner and plead innocent.
What you fail to grasp is the new geo-strategic ‘Great Game’ being played out. South and Central Asia is the new Middle-East. The American New World Order is 100% geared towards ensuring that a new Superpower does not emerge to challenge it hegemony.
Access and control of resources will help starve rival nations - ie China. America’s recent warmth towards India is aimed at propping up India to neuter the Chinese.
The Russians and the Chinese understand this fully - hence the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
I would urge you not to swallow the nonsense dished out by corporate western media.
- Posted by MoodyWhy now? Because a scapegoat is required. The US is struggling in Afghanistan, losing the war there as well, as it was always bound to. It refused to acknowledge the history of the area, and is paying the lessons. That history shows the connectedness of Afghanistan with the tribal areas of ‘Pakistan’.
- Posted by Emperors clothesGood question, we need to always scrutinize the mass media. My guesses are as follows:
1. Pakistan is a US client state turning rotten and out of control, CIA realises that, and the CIA and USA have their own problems they brought about themselves. USA realise the impending explosion and are resorting to desperate measures.
2. USA is wooing a new horse called India, for its Asian theatre against China, which has courted Pakistan also. It needs to show India that its no longer in bed with Pakistan.
3. USA doesn’t want what Russia got from the Muhajadeen.
So a last ditch effort, before scrambling for the door.
4. What does US gain from Afghanistan? At some point the oil pipeline might become a pipe dream.
I’m sure the foreign policy teams in the Pentagon have their own battle amongst themselves, so I expect a lot of convoluted local (US) political infighting, like the neocon prelude to Iraq playing
Pathma
- Posted by Pathma