Who is the 'Best' - ISI or CIA? by Sohail Parwaz

An old saying haunts that, "When you point your finger at others, rest of the four fingers point towards yourself". Like any pampered child Americans would always ask for impossible and once embarrassed would try to disown any responsibility merely by tendering an apology. The world has seen the repeated examples of it in the recent past in Iraq where they were sure about the presence of WMD but when invaded Iraq termed it as a disinformation.

Later in Afghanistan they insisted about the presence of Osama Bin Laden and again came out with a lame apology. Seeing the past record it could be conveniently predicted that now in case of their blame about so-called Taliban-ISI connection, another big humiliation for the Americans is in offing. The bad thing about the Americans is that they don't leave even a single door open behind them. Though they have always suffered due to their stubbornness yet they insisted on following the tried and failed tricks.

Mr. Obama has announced his much talked policy about Pakistan and Afghanistan on Friday, March 27, 2009. It appears to be the same old wine but in new bottles. While announcing the policy he said that, "I want the American people to understand that we have a clear and focused goal: to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat Al-Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan and to prevent their return to either country in the future." Obama further said, "That is the goal that must be achieved. That is a cause that could not be more just. And to the terrorists who oppose us, my message is the same: we will defeat you." Unfolding a new US strategy to defeat Taliban and Al-Qaeda, Obama said Pakistan must be 'stronger partner' in destroying Al-Qaeda safe havens and to make Pakistan a stronger partner he announced a financial assistance of 1.5 billion dollars each year for the next five years which could be termed as nothing more than the peanuts. The Obama's speech was blended with the decade old ‘Do More' symphony, though not very loudly but notably of course it was.

One really gets disappointed when some seasoned and mature western and American writers beat the same old drums about Taliban's nuisance and their so-called connections with the Pakistan government or intelligence agencies. It really upsets one when false claims are made about meeting some dubious security officials who reveal everything to any Tom, Dick or Harry on the condition of anonymity. Any intelligence organisation having such immature and non-professional operatives should not be a matter for worry for anyone. Interestingly, the other day I happened to meet a couple of Americans, from the diplomatic corps here, in a purely domestic gathering, where interestingly again, on the condition of anonymity, they confessed that blaming ISI for every now and then is part of their strategy to keep the organisation always on her toes.

Without having any love lost for Taliban, one must give the devil its due. Its totally baseless and unfair to blame Taliban for financing their military campaigns inside Afghanistan largely through proceeds from the illegal drug trade, because the historians of the recent past have endorsed contrary facts and figures. According to them, since the downfall of the Taliban in 2001, based on UNODC data, there has been more opium poppy cultivation in each of the past six growing seasons (2004-2009), than in any one year during Taliban rule. Also, more land is now used for opium in Afghanistan, than for coca cultivation in Latin America. In 2007, 93% of the opiates on the world market originated in Afghanistan and that figure I am sure must be touching 100% now in 2009? Afghanistan briefly witnessed one of the world's most successful anti-drug campaigns when Taliban leader Mullah Muhammad Omar declared that growing poppies is un-Islamic. The effect in the fields was dramatic: a year's crop was almost entirely wiped out and production was down to zero. As a result of this July 2001 ban, opium poppy cultivation was reduced by 91% from the previous year's estimate of 82,172 hectares. The ban was so effective that Helmand Province, which had accounted for more than half of this area, recorded no poppy cultivation during the 2001 season.

Contrary to this, if one looks back at the track record of CIA that looks more illustrious as far as plotting the coups, carrying out the assassinations and dealing the drugs is concerned. Those who are keen to point accusing fingers at the ISI must not forget the bitter truth that it was the ISI which won the Afghan war for the Americans and the rest of the world. The ISI never carried out any coup or counter coups in any foreign country. The people with even average memory remembers that who carried out the first successful overthrow of a foreign government when the Coup 53 of Iran was executed, who was behind the Chilean coup d'état of 1973, the masterminds of 1954 coup that deposed the democratically elected government of Guatemala are also well known to the world and even the reasons for the deposing of Abdul Rahim Sukarno of Indonesia are no more a secret. As far as the drug dealing is concerned the CIA can't deny its involvement in arms, money, and disinformation which enabled Corsican criminal syndicates in Marseille to wrestle control of labor unions from the Communist Party, if we look back at the French history from 1947 to 1951. Marseille's first heroin laboratories were opened in 1951, only months after the Corsicans took over the waterfront. Take a look at the early 1950s of Southeast Asia where the Nationalist Chinese army, organized by the CIA waged a war against Communist China and became the opium barons of The Golden Triangle (parts of Burma, Thailand and Laos), the world's largest source of opium and heroin. How could one forget Air America, the ClA's principal airline proprietary, flying the drugs all over Southeast Asia? During 1950s to early 1970s, U.S. military involvement in Laos and other parts of Indochina, Air America flew opium and heroin throughout the area. A laboratory built at CIA headquarters in northern Laos was used to refine heroin. After a decade of American military intervention, Southeast Asia had become the source of 70 percent of the world's illicit opium and the major supplier of raw materials for America's booming heroin market. Australia still smells with the drug money which poured into the continent during 1973 to 1980 through The Nugan Hand Bank of Sydney which was a CIA bank in all but name. Among its officers were a network of US generals, admirals and CIA men, including former CIA Director William Colby, who was also one of its lawyers. The Nugan Hand Bank financed drug trafficking, money laundering and international arms dealings. In 1980, amidst several mysterious deaths, the bank collapsed with $50 million in debt. Panama of 70s and 80s still haunts where for more than a decade, Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega was a highly paid CIA asset and collaborator, despite knowledge by U.S. drug authorities as early as 1971 that the general was heavily involved in drug trafficking and money laundering. Noriega facilitated "guns-for-drugs" flights for the contras, providing protection and pilots, as well as safe havens for drug cartel officials, and discreet banking facilities. U.S. officials, including then-ClA Director William Webster and several DEA officers, sent Noriega letters of praise and only turned against him, invading Panama in December 1989 and kidnapping the general, once they discovered he was providing intelligence and services to the Cubans and Sandinistas. . Obsessed with overthrowing the leftist Sandinista government in Nicaragua, Reagan administration officials tolerated drug trafficking as long as the traffickers gave support to the contras. While working to keep key Haitian military and political leaders in power, the CIA turned a blind eye to their clients' drug trafficking. In 1986, the Agency added some more names to its payroll by creating a new Haitian organization, the National Intelligence Service (SIN). Finally in Afghanistan from 1980s to early 1990s, ClA-supported rebels from "Northern Alliance" who were engaged heavily in drug trafficking while fighting against the Soviet-supported government and its plans to reform the very backward Afghan society. CIA-supplied trucks and mules, which had carried arms into Afghanistan, were used to transport opium to laboratories along the Afghan/Pakistan border. The output provided up to one half of the heroin used annually in the United States and three-quarters of that used in Western Europe. Less the period of Taliban when in 2001 the opium production was zero, Afghanistan is always known as the new Colombia of the drug world. These few incidents are referred only to prove that ISI is no way near its competitor (in imaginations) CIA. Hence before leveling false accusations against the Pakistani intelligence agency, one must not forget the black history of their own spy network.

Like any professional and hardcore intelligence agency of world ISI is also carrying out the tasks vital for the national interest and cannot be suspended merely due to not liked by some quarters. Another important thing is that Pakistan cannot sever its historical and religious relations with Afghan brethren but it would be totally unfair to give that the name of patronizing the Taliban. This could be termed as the most illogical, unfair and biased act. The Taliban are the sons of soil and the lawlessness of Afghanistan is a home grown problem for which blaming ISI could be the simplest but most stupid thing. If the Americans under Obama are seriously interested in bringing peace to the region then instead of pointing their fingers at their most trusted frontline ally should seriously plan a strategy against a dozen of Indian consulates all along the Pak-Afghan border and else where in Afghanistan who are hectically involved in conspiring terrorist missions in the NWFP and Balochistan categorically and the rest of the Pakistan generally. The latest example of it is the Friday's blast in a mosque in Khyber Agency of FATA, showdown at Manawaan police training school Lahore and yesterday's sucidal bombing at Chakwal Imam Bargah.

The CIA's collaboration with ISI during the Afghan war is no more a secret as there are dozen of books written on the subject by a large number of international authors including an in house mole Brigadier Muhammad Yousaf (The Bear Trap). The time never remains the same and who knows that when the Americans will have to revert back to their one time teammate Taliban again because without a native support solving an indigenous crisis is nothing but a dream. An old saying haunts that, "When you point your finger at others, rest of the four fingers point towards yourself", provided someone cares about it.