Toronto Sun: US Vilifies Faithful Old Ally

US Vilifies Faithful Old Ally
Bush administration vents against Pakistan's military intelligence for doing its duty - defending Pakistan

By ERIC MARGOLIS



It's blame Pakistan week. As resistance to western occupation of Afghanistan intensifies, the increasingly frustrated Bush administration is venting its anger against Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan's military intelligence agency.

The White House leaked claims ISI was in cahoots with pro-Taliban groups in Pakistan's tribal area along the Afghan border.

Pakistan's Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar said the White House accuses ISI of warning Pashtun tribes of impending U.S. air attacks. President George W. Bush angrily asked Pakistan's visiting Prime Minister Yousuf Gilani, "Who's in charge of ISI?"

In Ottawa, the Harper government dutifully echoed Bush's accusation against Pakistan, including the so far unsubstantiated claim that ISI agents had bombed India's embassy in Kabul.

I was one of the first western journalists invited into ISI headquarters in 1986. ISI's then director, the fierce Lt.- Gen. Akhtar Rahman, personally briefed me on Pakistan's secret role in fighting Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. ISI's "boys" provided communications, logistics, heavy weapons, and direction in the Afghan War. ISI played the key role in the victory over the Soviets.

On my subsequent trips to Pakistan I was routinely briefed by succeeding ISI chiefs and joined ISI officers in the field, sometimes under fire.

ISI is accused of meddling in Pakistani politics. The late Benazir Bhutto, who often was thwarted by Pakistan's spooks, always scolded me, "you and your beloved generals at ISI." But before Musharraf, ISI was the Third World's most efficient, professional intelligence agency. It defends Pakistan against internal and external subversion by India's powerful spy agency, RAW, and by Iran. ISI works closely with CIA and the Pentagon, but also must serve Pakistan's interests, which often are not identical to Washington's. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.torontosun.com/News/Columnists/Margolis_Eric/2008/08/02/6339931-sun.php

Not the fact that the Soviets went completely bankrupt as a country and also changed to Democracy.... this reporter is trying to hold onto the good ole days... Well, guess what? Bhutto was right...