Pakistan Lives In Denial

Pakistan has lived in a self induced coma about its connections not only to Osama Bin Laden but the relationship the Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) has had with the Taliban. During the proxy war in Afghanistan the American CIA didn't directly funnel U.S. military hardware to the Mujahideen then fighting the against the Soviet invasion it was the ISI which facilitated the transfer of weapons. After the Soviet withdrawal it was the ISI who helped train and create what would become the Taliban in the 1990's. Following the September 11th attacks the American administration led by President George W. Bush decided that Pakistan would become a partner in the world wide War on Terror receiving more than $18 billion in the decade since. Yet what has Pakistan done to reign in the various militant groups operating in its Northwest Frontier bordering Afghanistan? Very little because its the belief of many national governments that the ISI continues to have a strong relationship with the Taliban and its allies.

Several years ago then President Pervez Musharraf signed a peace deal with the Taliban operating in Pakistan which lasted all of 2 months before fighting broke out in the Sawat valley killing thousands while displacing 10's of thousands. Again and again the government of Pakistan has done this playing a shell game with its western allies pretending to go after the Taliban and other militant groups while doing very little to stop them.

Then there is Osama Bin Laden the worlds most recognizable terrorist wasn't found in the Northwest Frontier or a cave but a mansion located near the Pakistani military academy just 90km from the capital Islamabad. Given that the military and the ISI are the real power in Pakistan how is it possible for a person of Osama Bin Laden's stature to live in Pakistan without anyone knowing about it or providing some support and security.