Speaking of modern challenges, during a Congressional hearing, Adm. Mike Mullen made some damning accusations of the Pakistani government’s role, particularly the ISI, in some serious attacks on American targets:
The remarks by Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff, represented the strongest U.S. criticism to date of the long-suspected ties between the militant Haqqani network and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Agency.
In his most serious accusation, Adm. Mullen said the agency had aided the militant group’s attack last week against the U.S. embassy in Kabul, and also helped in the Sept. 11 truck bomb attack in Afghanistan’s Wardak province.
“With ISI support, Haqqani operatives plan and conducted that truck bomb attack, as well as the assault on our embassy,” Adm. Mullen said, adding there was evidence the group also was behind the June 28 attack on Kabul’s Inter-Continental Hotel and others.
“The Haqqani network … acts as a veritable arm of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Agency,” Adm. Mullen said.
Don’t forget to add that Osama bin Laden was found near a major Pakistani military base. Now the relationship between the US and Pakistani governments is a marriage of convenience for both sides and each partner has not held up their side of the bargain at one time or another, but with these latest statements from the head of US military, it appears that the US may be growing tired of the ISI’s double game. These are pretty damning accusations and they were made very publicly. There is no doubt that even if these statements don’t change current American policy toward Pakistan (we still need their support in Afghanistan and for intelligence against Al Qaeda) it will likely harden American public opinion against future financial and military support for Pakistan.
