India-Pakistan: ISI Folds, U.S. Money Flows

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July 19, 2011: While Pakistan has allowed 87 CIA agents back in, it still refuses to release doctor Shakil Afridi, who was arrested for helping collect information before the raid that killed Osama bin Laden last May. The Pakistanis are demanding a bribe for Afridi's  release. Meanwhile, Pakistan (especially the ISI) has agreed to improve cooperation with the CIA in fighting Islamic terrorism. In return, the United States will restore $800 million in aid. But there will be more auditing of the aid, and disputing items that indicate corruption (Pakistani officials trying to steal the money.) Details of the new agreements with Pakistan were not revealed, but the deal probably did not include of removing (much less prosecuting) all pro-terror ISI (the notoriously pro terrorist Pakistani CIA) members. Some, probably, but not all. These talks come just as it is revealed (on al Qaeda web sites) that the terrorists have somehow obtained ISI training manuals, and these are now being provided online for aspiring terrorists.

Also left unresolved was the Pakistani assistance for American efforts against the Haqqani network. Haqqani is an Afghan outfit that has been based in Pakistan (North Waziristan) for over two decades. This is basically a terrorist group, which has long had a close relationship with al Qaeda. In fact, it has replaced al Qaeda as the most dangerous international terrorism outfit in the region. For over a decade, Haqqani has had a peace deal with Pakistani security forces. It was simple. Haqqani would do most of its violence in Afghanistan, and behave in Pakistan. This unofficial arrangement continues to cause a lot of friction between Pakistan and the United States. Moreover, Pakistani police continue to restrict the movement of U.S. embassy officials in the tribal territories, especially the largest city there (Peshawar, where many Islamic terrorists hide out, without much harassment from the local police.)

In southeast Pakistan (Baluchistan) tribal gunmen kidnapped eight Pakistan employees of an American aid agency. Aid workers are usually left alone, because aid is often cut until kidnapped staff are released. But the Baluchi tribes are seeking to win more autonomy, and a larger cut of natural gas revenues from the national government. Kidnappings, terrorism and assassinations are how pressure has been applied.

July 18, 2011:  The Pakistan Taliban released a video showing Taliban gunmen shooting to death 16 Pakistani policemen captured last month. The dead captives were taken during a raid by several hundred Afghanistan-based Taliban. Pakistani Army operations against the Taliban in the last two years has forced some pro-Taliban tribesmen to move across the border (to parts of their tribe living in Afghanistan). From there, the tribesmen raid into Pakistan. The Afghan sanctuaries are inhabited by pro-Taliban tribes.

July 17, 2011: In southeast Pakistan (Baluchistan) tribal gunmen kidnapped five Pakistani government officials, in an attempt to get the government to withdraw troops from one local tribe's territory.

July 16, 2011: In Pakistan's tribal territory (Kurram), seven Sunni passengers on a bus were killed when Shia tribesmen opened fire. The Shia and Sunni tribes in the area have been fighting each other for a long time. Peace deals do not last long. A major military operation in this area has caused over 80,000 people to flee across the nearby Afghan border, to refugee camps the UN has quickly set up. Kurram has become a favorite new Islamic terrorist hideout. That's  because several years of Pakistani military and U.S. CIA UAV attacks have driven many Islamic radicals out. Fleeing to Afghanistan is not a good option, because there you have to worry about raids, as well as air attack.

July 14, 2011: Pakistani general Ahmed Shuja Pasha, the head of ISI, left the United States, after a day of meetings with CIA officials. Apparently, ISI and CIA leaders reached a new understanding of how the two spy agencies would work together.

July 13, 2011: Another terrorist attack in Mumbai, India, killing 21 and wounding nearly a hundred. This is the largest attack in the city since 2008 (when 166 died from an attack traced back to Pakistan). The Indian Mujahedeen (IM) were believed responsible for the new attack, although no one took credit for the four bombs. IM is actually a coalition of several Islamic terror groups. All consist of educated Indian Moslems who oppose Western values and Hindu (the religion of 80 percent of Indians) control of the country. For Islamic conservatives, destroying Hinduism is unfinished business. Alone among the many countries Islamic armies invaded and seized control of, most Indians refused to convert. This has been a sore point with Moslem fanatics for over 800 years.  The Pakistani government supports the IM, but makes a great effort to keep this a secret (otherwise, outraged Indian public opinion might force the Indian government to attack Pakistan, a nuclear armed state). Indian police keep arresting IM members, and finding more links with Pakistan.

China announced it would support Pakistan in the wake of the U.S. cutting $800 million in aid. But the reality is that China does not give that much (if any) money in aid. But China will issue vague statements of aid, and sell you whatever weapons you want.

 

 

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