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Subscribe to RSSPakistan’s security services are directly assisting the Taliban in Afghanistan and know where senior militant leaders are hiding, the BBC reported on Tuesday.
The British news service cited a leaked secret NATO report compiled from thousands of interrogations.
According to the report, the Taliban remain defiant in the midst of allied bombardment and also still maintain wide support among Afghans.
Taliban talks: Another Karzai tiff with the US?
The BBC story comes after a series of reports that the United States, NATO and the Afghan government plan talks with the Taliban in an effort to end the 10-year war in Afghanistan. It also comes amid tensions between the United States and Pakistan.
Qais Usyan / AFP - Getty Images
More than ten years after the beginning of the war, Afghanistan faces external pressure to reform as well as ongoing internal conflicts.
Defense Secretary Panetta told CBS’ "60 Minutes" on Sunday that he remains convinced that someone in the Pakistani government must have had an idea that a person of interest was in the compound where Osama bin Laden was killed. In the interview, Panetta acknowledged a Pakistani doctor, Shakil Afridi, provided information to the United States that helped identify the al-Qaida leader. After the raid, Pakistan arrested Afridi and has accused him of treason.
And last November, Pakistan shut down NATO supply routes into Afghanistan after a NATO raid killed 28 Pakistani troops at a remote outpost. The Pakistani government also ordered a U.S. drone base closed.
According to the BBC's correspondent in Kabul, Quentin Sommerville, the leaked report for the first time exposes ties between the Pakistani intelligence service, known as ISI, and the Taliban.
Though alleged in the past, Pakistan has denied any direct links with the Taliban.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen alluded to ISI ties to militants fighting in Afghanistan during testimony in September 2011, according to NBC.
Pakistan has closed crucial roads used to ferry supplies to U.S and NATO troops in Afghanistan-- leaving Pakistani drivers stranded and driving up the U.S. price tag for the war. NBC's Amna Nawaz reports from Peshawar.
He called the Haqqani Network, a close ally of the Taliban, the "veritable arm” of the ISI, and said that the ISI is using other “proxies” to attack in Afghanistan.
NATO spokesman Lt. Col. Jimmie Cummings told the BBC that the report was a “classified internal document not meant to be released to the public.”
According to the BBC, the report, based on 27,000 interrogations with captured Taliban, al-Qaida and other fighters, states: "As this document is derived directly from insurgents it should be considered informational and not necessarily analytical."
The Afghan government says President Hamid Karzai will hold talks with the Taliban in the hopes of starting a peace process. NBC's Atia Abawi reports from Kabul, Afghanistan.
Msnbc.com staff and NBC News' Courtney Kube contributed to this report.
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This is news? more like stating the obvious....
I think we knew this BEFORE this "secret" information was "leaked". Pakistan is for Pakistan only. I really don't understand why we ever supported them. We should put our full support behind India and let them take care of the issue.
Anybody here remember the "secret squirrels" many believe were used by England to spy on Irans nuclear facilities?
OMG that was so funny; they actually attached mini cams to some squirrels heads hoping for some good footage. It probably worked for awhile.
I believe it got hit by a car or something, then they figured it out. Ha, Ha, Ha "Secret Squirrels".
Gee, what a surprise.
Pakistan is so socially and politically disorganized, I wouldn't be surprised if they had ties to the Martians. And only they (Pakistanians) can fix this.
why isn't this meant for the public? Is it because the public might demand that the war come to an end? Who's interest do the military serve, our's or there's?
Spec there is NO WAY that we will take major military action with Pakistan
Gimme a break!! Our intel has all the nuke sites already programmed into our silos. Pakistan is the broke assed poor assed neighbor that everyone wants out of the neighborhood!!
I agree that we will not take military action on Pakistan, nor am I advocating that. Rather, I want us to get the hell out of Afghanistan now.
It's so much more complicated than that. You have no idea.
Actually I have quite the idea having spent most of the past decade in the Army. That said, this needs the band-aid treatment: quick and fast withdrawal.
Afghanistan will revert back to anarchy whether we pull out tomorrow or in 20 years, frankly part of the problem is that american diplomats have convinced themselves that this war is far more important than it really is.
Shocking! Absolutely shocking! Who could even imagine such a thing?
Surprised?
The Britts lost the Revolutionary Way because they used conventional military tactics while the "Guerrillas" were using tactics learned from the Native Americans. The Britts never understood the reality on the ground.
Our armed forces are not stupid. Our objective is inconsistent with reality. We ask our armed forces to pacify and train a military force from an indigenous population who have never left the seventh century and who have no concept of national loyalty, only tribal connections.
Really? 7th century seems a bit generous.
The Brits lost the Revolutionary War because they were overextended trying to protect their global influence and they weren't getting much from the Colonies worth fighting for. Read Churchill's History of the English Speaking People. The Revolutionary War was a minor sideshow the English had no will to bother with. The Americans only succeeded by a measure of dumb luck and support from the French Fleet at Saratoga.
punk-2081962 - The fact that King George was mentally ill due to an odd syndrome for about 15 years may be a large factor as well.
Also, the Brits for no reason other than to acquire an easy victory, attacked the hillbillies deep in Appalachia who wanted nothing to do with the colonies, or the Brits. The Brits lost like 4,000 men, and some 10,000 or so more were taken prisoner. The colonies tried to fight in lines and were being slaughtered, the hillbillies used Pennsylvania long rifles, and fought like Indians on familiar territory and were not afraid to shoot the ones in the clean uniforms riding horses. i.e. the generals and such.
The French had less to do with it than they are given credit for. Their help really just kept the colonies soldiers from deserting in the east. That was a big help though. I really believe the hillbillies were the cause of a great morale boast that ended the war more swiftly.
Tex, you're right. Our armed forces are not stupid. It is the folks charged in running our armed forces that are stupid!
Whom must we impeach to ensure not another dollar of American aid goes to the terrorism sponsoring government of Pakistan?
Start with the American voter. Regardless of which party holds the White House, the House or the Senate, this has been U.S. policy for a long time and we, the American people, haven't done a damn thing about it.
Earthling, Remember the Packies harbor the vast majority of the practitioners of terrorism in the name of Islam. The Saudis, Omanis, Kuwaitis, Yemenis, Emeratis, Qataris, Bahranis and the Grey Beards in Iran facilitate terrorism in the name of Islam.
Like that's a big surprise?
It's good to have confirmation of what we all knew. Let's come home. Afghanistan and Pakistan seem to be self- destructing. They remind me of the poem of the Gingham dog and Calico cat. If there wasn't the NATO forces to focus on, they would defeat each other by endless squabbles of ideology and territory. Come home troops. You did the best you could.
Does anyone think that the American public did not already know this? Some real reporting might have dug further and revealed WHY Pakistan is playing both sides. What gain is there in Pakistan jumping in bed with the Taliban? We already know about all the money and aid coming from the U.S. That's a no-brainer. WTF?
It's amazing to me how many contributors here fail to recognize the difficult diplomatic problem that a country like Pakistan or India represent. They are nuclear capable! Let the Pakistanis launch just one missle armed with a nuclear warhead and watch what kind of chain reaction follows. Much of this world is already in a "dark ages" condition. Throw in a good nuclear winter and we all will be. I for one, believe the US presence in this region is very important. If we turn tail and run like we've done in Iraq, stability goes with us.
"Turn tail and run"? Stop parroting the idiotic rhetoric of nitwit politicians. The withdrawl from Iraq was agreed to by Bush and that agreement was honored by Obama. Nobody turned tail and ran. Have you ever served in the military? Do you have any sons, daughters or relatives that have? Pretty easy to talk tough with other people's blood ain't it?
Duhhh... so why do we invest so much time. energy, etc. in trying to support this country? The regular, humble people don't see any of it and the government is a bunch of snakes. Let's just be honest and say this is a terrorist country that we shouldn't be involved with.
Wow! What a scoop! What's next from BBC? Water is wet? The sky is blue?
Duh...well of course the pakis have never been more than another lazy, low life, scum bag muslim country only interested in stealing, lying and taking what ever they can get. And the foolish Americans obliged them so well! When will the Americans learn what the real truth is? Get out of that failed, lying, corrupt state now! Let India take control...these lazy, low life paki muslims are nothing but scum, bring our boys home now, let this place rot!
The vote seems to be in the box - no more military aid to Pakistan. Cut them off for they have two heads on their body. They fear their own Muslim problems attacking their secular state, and they fear retribution from an Islamic controlled Pakistan. They cannot defend both at the same time, so we need to pressure out Congresspeople *gosh they certainly do respond to pressure) and cease funding a government that is antithetical to our point of view, and it seems its about time to exit the Afghan world and let them screw it up themselves, impose Islamic law, beat and kill their women, under educate their children, continue growing opium, live in the dark ages, never read a decent book, see a decent movie, or know how it is to walk the streets unafraid.
Move our boys and girls out of harms way.
A good answer to this problem. Pull are troops out of the Afghanistan. Protect Israel if needed. We are in another Vietnam and losing soldiers for no reason. We have accomplished our goal and got Bin Laden. That was the reason we went in.
Soarer, the job is half complete. Bin Laden represented the Facemask of his cause only. Ayman Zawahiri is the brain and body of the cause. Until Zawahiri's head is separated from his spine the job is nowhere near complete. Until some well placed Packie drops a dime on him the money will continue to flow and flow.
punk...
I have a son in the Marine Corps and another in the Air Force. Both are deployed. My frustration is the same as their's. We are militarily capable of winning any war we enter. We send young men and women to topple a tyrant in Iraq and to assist them in developing a new nation, but because of political pressures at home we pull out before the job is finished.
Going back to Korea, leaving the job half done has become our legacy. I believe there are things in this world worth fighting for and so does my family. Oh, by the way screw your inference that my comments are politically motivated. I didn't vote for Bush or Obama, I voted for Viet Nam Veterans that deserved our country's appreciation.
"He called the Haqqani Network, a close ally of the Taliban, the "veritable arm” of the ISI, and said that the ISI is using other “proxies” to attack in Afghanistan."
When NATO forces entered Kandahar in 2001, most of the top al-Qaeda, Taliban and their ISI collaborators were evacuated by back door by Pakis.
Half of NATO forces deaths and losses of face are due to Pakis.
Some learn from mistakes. Too arrogant never learn only to fall flat on face!
Secret ??? What secret !!! Turning a blind eye maybe ,but no way near a secret.
The President of the united states better get some balls and back bone and tell those F sand monkeys in the east NO MORE F MONEY.
Pakistan lied to us about their dealings with the Taliban? I'm shocked!!!-LOL
Pakistan is an enemy and always has been. Let India do the "dirty" work this time and just feed them ammo and intellegence.