Secret documents reveal U.S. concern about Pakistan's backing of Taliban before 9/11 attack

Associated Press (excerpt) ^ | August 16, 2007

[HAL9000]

Excerpt -

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Newly declassified intelligence documents reveal the depth of U.S. officials' concern that Pakistan was providing funds, arms — and even combat troops — to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan for years before the Sept. 11 attacks.

They also show rising frustration at what U.S. officials called Pakistan's "resistance and/or duplicity" toward Washington's repeated requests for help in getting the Taliban to hand over Osama bin Laden. A top official at one point said hauling Pakistan before the U.N. Security Council should be considered.

The documents, released under a Freedom of Information Act request by George Washington University's National Security Archive and posted on its Web site, add detail to what is already generally known about U.S. intelligence on Pakistan's links with the Taliban as it surged to power in Afghanistan in the mid-1990s.

The cables and letters between senior U.S. officials — most of them stamped "confidential" and heavily redacted for public release — lay out those concerns in language stripped of diplomatic niceties.

All but one of the 35 documents deal with the period between December 1994 and September 2000. Sensitive details, including what appear to be names, have been blacked out in many places.

They show that U.S. officials as early as 1994 believed Pakistan's intelligence services were deeply involved with the Taliban and its takeover that year of the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. It was the first major victory for the then-obscure religious militia that went on to capture the capital, Kabul, in September 1996 and then gain control of almost all of Afghanistan by mid-1997.

~ snip ~

[Perdogg]

and this is news because...?

[HAL9000]

and this is news because...?

Rather than news, it's more like history. But it just crossed the AP wire.

[Brad from Tennessee]

This is old, old news. That’s why persuading Pakistan to side with the West against the Taliban and Al Qaeda was such a great accomplishment in the War on Terror. It’s a feat Bush rarely gets any credit for.

[gondramB]

We should not be under illusion that Pakistan liked us before 9/11 or that they are acting out of anything but self interest by being “on our side” now.

But think about what Al Quada and the Taliban would like - they have just declared Jihad against the Pakistani government. They would no doubt be happy to see an additional wedge between us and the Pakistani government.

[Eagles6]

My thoughts ‘zactly.

[BallyBill]

Good thing the President didn’t have an (R) near his name at the time.

[Brad from Tennessee]

There’s some pre-9/11 background on what a threat the Taliban posed to the whole region here:

http://ksghome.harvard.edu/~jstern/pakistan.htm

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

The author conveniently omits any reference to who was in charge back then. That would of course be the “bent-one-in-chief”.

[Perdogg]

I wasn’t jumping on you. I apologize if it seemed like I did.

[HAL9000]

I wasn’t jumping on you.

I knew that. You were just commenting on the article. No worries here.

[Free Vulcan]

Neither news or new information. Pakistan’s fostering of the Taliban is well documented. The Taliban were pretty much Paki birthed and fed to accomplish their ambitions in Afghanistan, but the monster got out of control. I’m kinda wondering why this is coming out now.

[coconutt2000]

But, but... The Taliban didn’t attack us! Al Qaeda did!!! /sarc

[God luvs America]

They also show rising frustration at what U.S. officials called Pakistan's "resistance and/or duplicity" toward Washington's repeated requests for help in getting the Taliban to hand over Osama bin Laden. A top official at one point said hauling Pakistan before the U.N. Security Council should be considered.

All but one of the 35 documents deal with the period between December 1994 and September 2000. Sensitive details, including what appear to be names, have been blacked out in many places.

Further proof of how pathetic the clinton admin was...they were so concerned about the Paki's not turning bin laden over from '94-'00 yet declined the opportunity when Sudan was ready to give up the goods in '96....what a joke...

[F15Eagle]

Well, I’d say that

1) with Pakistan a “soft” ally at best,
2) with tribal areas we don’t go into,
3) with Pakistan being the only official islamic nuclear power with both deployed warheads and test-proven delivery systems (missiles)
4) Mushy lucky for every day he stays alive over there

it’s rather significant in case there’s another 9/11-style attack, either in this country or at one of our foreign stations, civilian or military.

That doesn’t mean all Pakistanis are bad of course. I’ve worked with several. But we live in a world where the divide is growing along these lines of “religion”. And it’s no longer swords and horses; it’s nukes and missiles.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping.

[RDTF]

audio reading of article:

http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx

Philadelphia Inquirer
August 17, 2007

Pakistan’s Taliban History

Declassified reports show long-standing U.S. worry that Islamabad aided the Taliban in Afghanistan.

By Rohan Sullivan, Associated Press

[LZ_Bayonet]

This is from AP. [which would have been a good guess just from the headline]

If you look at the AP stories on Jenna Bush's engagement this morning you will see unflattering photos and a video of her and President dancing, with a mistake in the dance being pointed out.

Please consider the source.

[jd777]

That’s a good one...