The Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI, is the intelligence gathering arm of Pakistan; similar in function to the CIA. In his article, Peter Galbraith talks about the ISI-Taliban nexus. Now, this connection is nothing new for the ISI and Taliban have been bed buddies since the days of the USSR in Afghanistan, where they created the Taliban along with the help of the US.
Essentially, the United States is greeted with smiles by civilian government led by Zardari while the ISI stabs the US in the back by undermining their efforts in Afghanistan. Why is the ISI interfering in Afghanistan's affairs you ask? Well, Pakistan feels a need to meddle in the affairs of their neighbors. Always have, always will.
The ISI is a rogue outfit, one which Zardari has no control over. In actuality, Zardari is afraid of the ISI. In cables released by Wikileaks, Zardari told Biden that the ISI "will take me out." When the president of the country is terrified of the intelligence agency that supposedly working for him, you know that there is something sour about the country.
Now, the larger problem is that the ISI not only helps the Taliban but they also actively hinder the US efforts. Even though the US has technology that is far more advanced than anything the Taliban could dream of, we can't use it properly. Sure we can pinpoint targets and focus in on objects as minuscule as a penny but this does no good if we don't target the Taliban. Without proper and accurate intelligence, civilians are heaped in the collateral damage. This causes the people to become enraged at "Western powers" and increases support for the Taliban.
So to sum it all up, the ISI is an organization that operates by itself and answers to no higher power. It is a power within a country and one that none but Pakistan can stop because technically all their actions are legal. The ISI has the president they are supposed to be working for scared for his life and the US, who expects their help, is actually being misled by them. Quite a problem when you step back and take a measure of the depth of this issue.
To what degree do you consider Pakistan a democracy? If the ISI is operating outside the rule of law, how could the Pakistani government bring them to heel? What is the relationship between the ISI and the Pakistani military? I ask because it may be that the military is the only force that could control the ISI.
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