GERTZ:
That is called understatement comedy.Senior U.S. officials said last week that there is continued evidence that Pakistan's ISI intelligence agency is supporting terrorists in Afghanistan. "It has been unclear whether all elements of ISI have dropped their support of the Taliban and their extremist allies," Army Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry told a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on his nomination to be ambassador to Afghanistan.
U.S. intelligence agencies have reports that Pakistan's military intelligence has supplied cash, supplies and strategic guidance to the Islamist Taliban militia.
U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry. AFP/File/Paul J. Richards
Dennis Blair, the director of national intelligence, also said last week that there are signs of continuing ISI backing for the Taliban, which were in part created by the ISI when it was dominated by Islamists during the 1990s.
"The relationship with the ISI with the Taliban of course has been strong in the past, that's well documented," Blair told reporters March 26.
Blair said the United States wants to "reach a common understanding" with Pakistan that the groups along the border area with Afghanistan pose "a common threat, a threat both to Pakistan and to Afghanistan."
Look, Dennis (I appointed Charles Freeman) Blair, if PART of the govt in Pakistan is IN LEAGUE WITH, and ALLIES OF the Taliban it is not at all clear that success of the Taliban and Sharia in both Afghanistan, and Waziristan-Swat would be to the disadvantage of Pakistan. It's time to consider THAT is what the majority of Pakistan would acquiesce to if not prefer, and that the ISI merely REFLECTS that reality. That is the problem you need to consider PUBLICLY (not that Bush ever did)
"And that will require a lot of work with Pakistan and both the intelligence at the policy level," he said. "So it's a work in progress; I'd just as soon not talk about the details of it, but it's one of those issues that we're working hard with Pakistan in order to be on the same page there."
X-lation- 'we don't know who is on our side so I don't want to talk about it too much because we don't have a clue what's REALLY going on'
The United States regards Pakistan as a central focus of efforts to bring stability to Afghanistan because of the safe havens being used by Islamist terrorist group inside Pakistan.
President Obama announced March 27 that the United States would attack targets in Pakistan if intelligence on terrorists is obtained.