The US & others working with Pakistan

[omarali50]

Qatar's causes tend to be "pro-western", so I dont think its that (unless, of course, there is a "Western" cause to which he was contributing, but then why not just quietly hand over the cash at the door of his lavish palace/rest-house?).
I was told by a friend in the civil service that large amounts of cash are standard with these people. They pay everyone in cash, they throw cash at the high-end prostitutes they bring in to dance at the rest-house, they tip lavishly...still, it does seem like a lot, so who knows. Maybe it was meant for some anti-Iranian group? and maybe this is not a way to hand it over, this is someone in the opposition (the jihadi faction of the ISI?) getting wind of it and arranging for the donation to be rerouted.
Who knows.
or rather, whoever knows isnt likely to tell.
But my default assumption is robbery and a prince who was carrying way too much cash.

[VCheng]

Don't these levels of guests have appropriate levels of both imported personal and locally provided security? I would not put some inside information leakage beyond the realm of possibility here.

[omarali50]

Brigadier (retd) Shaukat Qadir provides what is probably the official "good ISI' Version: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...MPLATE=DEFAULT

[davidbfpo]

The regular writer on these issues Ahmed Rashid is back on tour - in the UK - for his new book and it maybe of note to view a few reviews.

Introductory remarks from one critical review:

A sequel to his four earlier books on the subject since mid-90s, especially Descent into Chaos (2008), the study underlines the precariousness of the Pakistani state’s chances for survival and the urgent need for policy resolutions. It also explains the causes of the recent deterioration in US-Pakistan relations and how they can be rectified; pinpoints factors responsible for the failure of the Obama Administration’s approach towards Pakistan and the Afghan war; and suggests ways to stabilise Pakistan and achieve a lasting peace in Afghanistan, amid the withdrawal of US and NATO troops from the war-torn country by 2014.

For more:http://politicsinspires.org/2012/04/...n-the-brink-2/

Peter Oborne writes:

Instead of writing very good books, he now writes very bad ones...Rashid has ceased to be a subversive reporter and instead has swallowed almost entire the conventional categorisation of the war on terror...Yet there is much of value in this book, which chronicles the collapse of relations between Pakistan and the United States over recent years. India, in a reverse of the Cold War system, has become the main regional ally of the United States.

Link:http://www.spectator.co.uk/books/777...erritory.thtml

On Amazon.com there are supportive reviews:http://www.amazon.com/Pakistan-Brink...DateDescending

[omarali50]

Farhat Taj on the history of Talibanization of the tribal areas, shatters some myths: http://www.thefridaytimes.com/beta3/...0120420&page=6

[omarali50]

my article at 3QD: http://www.3quarksdaily.com/3quarksd...-ali.html#more

[Bob's World]

Perhaps a glimmer of hope for Pakistan.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newswee...-minister.html