US officials have occasionally leaked claims of the ISI's collusion with the Taliban in order to place pressure on Pakistan to do more against extremism.
But the report quoted US officials as saying that the ISI's "S" wing maintains links with at least three armed groups striking inside Afghanistan. This branch of the agency deals with overseas intelligence-gathering and has a target of Western suspicion in the past.
The United States government will on Friday unveil a major review of the war in Afghanistan and outline how President Barack Obama plans boost troop numbers to take the fight to the Taliban.
Mr Obama's new strategy is expected to stress more co-operation with Pakistan to thwart the ambitions of the Taliban, as well as more international troops, vastly expanded Afghan security forces and a surge of civilian contractors to help development and rebuilding.
Richard Holbrooke, the US special envoy to the region, has warned that the Taliban-led insurgency is receiving huge donations from individuals in Gulf states that when combined exceed the income the insurgents gain annually from the drugs trade.
General Ashfaq Kiyani, the army commander, told Western diplomats two years ago, when he served as head of the ISI, that a cell had been set up to counter the "S" wing's rogue activities. Pakistan helped found the Taliban in 1994 and aided its rise to power and the capture of Afghanistan's capital, Kabul in 1996.
Since then, Pakistan's establishment has played a delicate balancing act between retaining its own influence in Afghanistan through its Taliban proxies and jeopardising its relationship with America. US officials have evidence that senior Pakistani officials ordered the attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, last year.
But this has become an increasingly dangerous policy for Pakistan. Some of its former proxies have now turned on their benefactor and begun attacks inside Pakistan itself, posing a direct threat to the country's stability and to Mr Zardari's government.
Yesterday's report suggested that the ISI drew a distinction between extremist groups focused on destabilising Pakistan and those primarily concerned with attacking Afghanistan. The ISI was allegedly opposing the former while helping the latter.
But US officials have occasionally leaked claims of the ISI's collusion with the Taliban in order to place pressure on Pakistan to do more against extremism.
The West has grown increasingly frustrated with its own lack of success in Afghanistan. As American attention has shifted from Iraq, Washington is refocusing efforts on Pakistan and Afghanistan. President Barack Obama's administration will today outline its new plan to deal jointly with the challenge posed by both countries.
America may increase the scope and range of its missile attacks on Pakistani soil that are launched from unmanned drone aircraft. Pakistan publicly complains that US missile strikes are "infringements of national sovereignty". However, many of the American drone aircraft are stationed and armed at a Pakistani airbase in the southern province of Baluchistan. Pakistan designates corridors and boxes inside its airspace within which the drones are allowed to operate.
Baluchistan's capital, Quetta, is deemed by Western intelligence officers to be the home of the Taliban's main shura or council. The Taliban's overall leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, is believed to have found refuge in the city.
The New York Times said there was evidence ISI operatives were meeting regularly with Taliban commanders. Pakistani officials said that operatives sometimes cultivate relationships with the Taliban as means of creating a backchannel with the "enemy".
Friday, March 27, 2009
Taliban Receives Direct Support From Pakistan /ISI Helping Taliban In Southern Afghanistan:Report /Afghan Intel Chief: Pakistan Spies Support Taliban
Taliban 'Receives Direct Support From Pakistan' / ISI Helping Taliban In Southern Afghanistan: Report / Afghan Intel Chief: Pakistan Spies Support Taliban
*There is no solution to Afghanistan war, unless or until Pakistan is sincere in supporting NATO forces fight against terrorism Taliban and al Qaeda, which is next to impossible. President Asif Ali Zardari or Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani may commit with the American numerous agreements, but the real power behind the stage controlling the strings are with Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and his buddies ISI mentor of the Taliban. It is not in the interest of Pakistani army to shorten or conclude Afghan conflict, by prolonging Afghanistan war, the rewards are bountiful American economy and military aid over $10 billion in the last few years. Pervez Musharraf was playing 'double game' with US and his successor are towing the same. (DTN Defence-Technology News)
*Pervez Musharraf was playing 'double game' with US From Times Online February 17, 2009
(NSI News Source Info) March 27, 2009: American officials, quoted by The New York Times, said that members of Pakistan's Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) were helping the Taliban with money, military supplies and strategic planning.
The report calls into question assurances given by every Pakistani government and most recently by President Asif Ali Zardari. Since the terrorist attacks on September 11, Pakistan has promised to help the West to defeat the Taliban and break up al-Qaeda cells. US officials have occasionally leaked claims of the ISI's collusion with the Taliban in order to place pressure on Pakistan to do more against extremism.
But the report quoted US officials as saying that the ISI's "S" wing maintains links with at least three armed groups striking inside Afghanistan. This branch of the agency deals with overseas intelligence-gathering and has a target of Western suspicion in the past.
The United States government will on Friday unveil a major review of the war in Afghanistan and outline how President Barack Obama plans boost troop numbers to take the fight to the Taliban.
Mr Obama's new strategy is expected to stress more co-operation with Pakistan to thwart the ambitions of the Taliban, as well as more international troops, vastly expanded Afghan security forces and a surge of civilian contractors to help development and rebuilding.
Richard Holbrooke, the US special envoy to the region, has warned that the Taliban-led insurgency is receiving huge donations from individuals in Gulf states that when combined exceed the income the insurgents gain annually from the drugs trade.
General Ashfaq Kiyani, the army commander, told Western diplomats two years ago, when he served as head of the ISI, that a cell had been set up to counter the "S" wing's rogue activities. Pakistan helped found the Taliban in 1994 and aided its rise to power and the capture of Afghanistan's capital, Kabul in 1996.
Since then, Pakistan's establishment has played a delicate balancing act between retaining its own influence in Afghanistan through its Taliban proxies and jeopardising its relationship with America. US officials have evidence that senior Pakistani officials ordered the attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, last year.
But this has become an increasingly dangerous policy for Pakistan. Some of its former proxies have now turned on their benefactor and begun attacks inside Pakistan itself, posing a direct threat to the country's stability and to Mr Zardari's government.
Yesterday's report suggested that the ISI drew a distinction between extremist groups focused on destabilising Pakistan and those primarily concerned with attacking Afghanistan. The ISI was allegedly opposing the former while helping the latter.
But US officials have occasionally leaked claims of the ISI's collusion with the Taliban in order to place pressure on Pakistan to do more against extremism.
The West has grown increasingly frustrated with its own lack of success in Afghanistan. As American attention has shifted from Iraq, Washington is refocusing efforts on Pakistan and Afghanistan. President Barack Obama's administration will today outline its new plan to deal jointly with the challenge posed by both countries.
America may increase the scope and range of its missile attacks on Pakistani soil that are launched from unmanned drone aircraft. Pakistan publicly complains that US missile strikes are "infringements of national sovereignty". However, many of the American drone aircraft are stationed and armed at a Pakistani airbase in the southern province of Baluchistan. Pakistan designates corridors and boxes inside its airspace within which the drones are allowed to operate.
Baluchistan's capital, Quetta, is deemed by Western intelligence officers to be the home of the Taliban's main shura or council. The Taliban's overall leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, is believed to have found refuge in the city.
The New York Times said there was evidence ISI operatives were meeting regularly with Taliban commanders. Pakistani officials said that operatives sometimes cultivate relationships with the Taliban as means of creating a backchannel with the "enemy".
US officials have occasionally leaked claims of the ISI's collusion with the Taliban in order to place pressure on Pakistan to do more against extremism.
But the report quoted US officials as saying that the ISI's "S" wing maintains links with at least three armed groups striking inside Afghanistan. This branch of the agency deals with overseas intelligence-gathering and has a target of Western suspicion in the past.
The United States government will on Friday unveil a major review of the war in Afghanistan and outline how President Barack Obama plans boost troop numbers to take the fight to the Taliban.
Mr Obama's new strategy is expected to stress more co-operation with Pakistan to thwart the ambitions of the Taliban, as well as more international troops, vastly expanded Afghan security forces and a surge of civilian contractors to help development and rebuilding.
Richard Holbrooke, the US special envoy to the region, has warned that the Taliban-led insurgency is receiving huge donations from individuals in Gulf states that when combined exceed the income the insurgents gain annually from the drugs trade.
General Ashfaq Kiyani, the army commander, told Western diplomats two years ago, when he served as head of the ISI, that a cell had been set up to counter the "S" wing's rogue activities. Pakistan helped found the Taliban in 1994 and aided its rise to power and the capture of Afghanistan's capital, Kabul in 1996.
Since then, Pakistan's establishment has played a delicate balancing act between retaining its own influence in Afghanistan through its Taliban proxies and jeopardising its relationship with America. US officials have evidence that senior Pakistani officials ordered the attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, last year.
But this has become an increasingly dangerous policy for Pakistan. Some of its former proxies have now turned on their benefactor and begun attacks inside Pakistan itself, posing a direct threat to the country's stability and to Mr Zardari's government.
Yesterday's report suggested that the ISI drew a distinction between extremist groups focused on destabilising Pakistan and those primarily concerned with attacking Afghanistan. The ISI was allegedly opposing the former while helping the latter.
But US officials have occasionally leaked claims of the ISI's collusion with the Taliban in order to place pressure on Pakistan to do more against extremism.
The West has grown increasingly frustrated with its own lack of success in Afghanistan. As American attention has shifted from Iraq, Washington is refocusing efforts on Pakistan and Afghanistan. President Barack Obama's administration will today outline its new plan to deal jointly with the challenge posed by both countries.
America may increase the scope and range of its missile attacks on Pakistani soil that are launched from unmanned drone aircraft. Pakistan publicly complains that US missile strikes are "infringements of national sovereignty". However, many of the American drone aircraft are stationed and armed at a Pakistani airbase in the southern province of Baluchistan. Pakistan designates corridors and boxes inside its airspace within which the drones are allowed to operate.
Baluchistan's capital, Quetta, is deemed by Western intelligence officers to be the home of the Taliban's main shura or council. The Taliban's overall leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, is believed to have found refuge in the city.
The New York Times said there was evidence ISI operatives were meeting regularly with Taliban commanders. Pakistani officials said that operatives sometimes cultivate relationships with the Taliban as means of creating a backchannel with the "enemy".
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