U.S. Losing Its Trust In Key Ally Pakistan

White House Withholds Intelligence From Islamabad For Fear Of Leaks To Militants; Pakistan Rejects Any Links

(CBS/AP)  CBS News has learned that the U.S. military, for the past four months, has routinely withheld advanced information from Pakistani authorities on attacks carried out in Pakistan's border region targeting al Qaeda and Taliban suspects, for fear the information could be leaked to militants, according to a high-level European defense official in Islamabad.

The official told CBS News' Farhan Bokhari the Bush administration is demanding a comprehensive revamp of Pakistan's powerful counter-espionage agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), before Washington will resume full intelligence cooperation with its valuable Asian ally.

In the latest secret operation, Midhat Mursi al-Sayid Umar, also known as Abu Khabab al-Masri - a leading al Qaeda chemical and biological weapons expert, was killed in a U.S. missile strike early Monday morning at a remote location in Pakistan's Waziristan region, which borders Afghanistan.

"Information of this attack was shared very late with Pakistan. This was a case where the U.S. did not want to alert the Pakistanis in advance because of concerns over information leaks," said the European official, whose country has contributed troops to the NATO coalition force in Afghanistan. He spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the information.

The revelation on the Bush administration's toughening stance on its long-time ally in the war against Islamic extremism came as Pakistani officials angrily denied a newspaper report that its intelligence service helped plan a bombing of India's embassy in Kabul that killed at least 41 people.

The New York Times reported for Friday's editions that American intelligence agencies have concluded that members of the ISI were involved in the July 7 attack in the Afghan capital.

The report cited unnamed U.S. government officials. It said the conclusion was based on intercepted communications between Pakistani intelligence officers and militants who carried out the attack.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Sadiq described the report as "total rubbish." He said there was no evidence of ISI involvement.

"The foreign newspapers keep writing such things against ISI, and we reject these allegations," he said by telephone from a summit of south Asian leaders in Sri Lanka.

But the European defence official told CBS News the U.S. was seeking comprehensive changes in the ISI's structure. “What the U.S. wants is a revamp, especially among the ISI's units which deal with areas along the Afghan border. Additionally, the U.S. wants to see new structures in place for closer oversight on people in the field. Basically, within the ISI, there has to be a strong internal affairs unit, of a kind," he said.

One senior Pakistani official, who also spoke to Bokhari on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan "is failing, the militants are gaining ground. The U.S. and others are just pointing fingers towards others."

Afghanistan has long accused the ISI of backing the Taliban-led insurgency wracking the country, despite Pakistan's support of the U.S.-led war on terror. The embassy bombing was the deadliest in Kabul since the 2001 ouster of the Islamist regime in a U.S. invasion.

Western diplomats based in Islamabad told CBS News last week that the cross-border tension presents a major dilemma for U.S. policymakers, as the Bush administration tries to get the two countries to cooperate in the war on terror.

In the seven years since the U.S. toppled the Taliban regime and installed Afghan President Hamid Karzai Karzai as its frontline ally, American officials have worked hard to bring Afghanistan and Pakistan closer to each other, without much success.

While Pakistani leaders have said repeatedly they want closer ties with their neighbor, their claims have been questioned due to growing activity by Islamic militants linked to al Qaeda and the Taliban, who use Pakistan's tribal areas along the border as staging grounds to launch attacks on Afghan and Western troops in Afghanistan.

Last week, India accused "elements of Pakistan" of being behind the embassy blast and said it has put the four-year-old peace process between historic rivals India and Pakistan - who have fought three wars since they won independence from Britain 60 years ago - "under stress."

The latest accusations came as south Asian leaders, including those from India, Afghanistan and Pakistan, gathered for the meeting on regional cooperation in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said Thursday the south Asian countries were expected to sign a pact to work together to fight terrorism and to freeze funds used for terror attacks.

[babooph]

Once again,the propaganda system has it reversed-the question is "who trusts the US"?

[babooph]

Better be careful the Packies do have weopons of mass destruction.

[babooph]

Must be part of the hearts & mind tactic-surely it will be as sucessful as the endless war.The commander in chief seems to have gotten another failed plan from God.

[brianbwb-2009]

"But for a Muslim to keep his word to an infidel at the expense of opportunities to expand Islamic power is the Islamic equivalent of a mortal sin." Posted by terrorislamv

As is the advocacy of genocide, and death worship by Belgian bombers who post references to pedophilia and zoophilia, in order to make a false and irrelevant point.

[brianbwb-2009]

"Okay, so we trust a Muslim to work with us against other Muslims. Huh? It''''s no wonder it failed. We need to learn that the only thing they will respect is strength. The Muslims in that region are not to be trusted. And I have concerns about many here in America..." Posted by renojmc

Replace the word "Muslim" with the name of any other religion, political group, or association, and it will be just as true, as the anthrax killer investigation is beginning to demonstrate, as Charles Manson and Tim McVeigh have, and as the illegal invasion of Iraq clearly does.

[renojmc]

Okay, so we trust a Muslim to work with us against other Muslims. Huh? It''s no wonder it failed. We need to learn that the only thing they will respect is strength. The Muslims in that region are not to be trusted. And I have concerns about many here in America...

[brianbwb-2009]

"I wonder why - Hmmmm, Maybe because the Real cause of 9-11 gave the Packies Billion Dollars recently - Saudi Arabia! Now the Packies aren''''t helping America anymore. Hmmmmm.........." Posted by shado269

Read my post below yours, Pervie Musharraf has never been an ally of the US, he was coerced by threats from "Uncle To..er, Colin powell, and Bush."

You cannot threaten compliance, then claim the victim of your threat to be an ally.

BTW, Saudi Arabia, home of 17 of 19 of the hijackers, who worked for the CIA construct known as Al Qaeda, is on Bush''s side. Don''t forget, they control almost 15% of all the currency in the US.

[brianbwb-2009]

"Why does Raila Odinga use Obama''''s exact same campaign slogan: CHANGE....Vote for CHANGE: Look at his website:
http://www.raila07.com/" Posted by terrorislamv

Because every politician who has ever run against an incumbent uses this message.

Btw, My secretary wonders why you are so interested in pedophilia and zoophilia that you go find references to post...

[smurfcrusher]

Insane.

[beboldin09]

In other words... They need another war cause these jews are P U S S Y I E S.

Posted by WarDogLRS at 12:47 AM : Aug 02, 2008

Shut up Muslim jihadist and stay out of our country and off of our American message forums.

[brianbwb-2009]

"I take it that the actual mission was to totally *** up this country''''s constitution, alienate our allies and decimate the economic structure of this country and the rest of the world?..." Posted by RandyNason

"Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, Musharraf sided with the United States against the Taliban government in Afghanistan after an ultimatum by U.S. President George W. Bush. Musharraf agreed to give the United States the use of three airbases for Operation Enduring Freedom. Secretary of State Colin Powell and other administration officials met with Musharraf. On September 19, 2001, Musharraf addressed the people of Pakistan and stated that, while he opposed military tactics against the Taliban, Pakistan risked being endangered by an alliance of India and the U.S. if it did not cooperate. In 2006, Musharraf testified that this stance was pressured by threats from the U.S., and revealed in his memoirs that he had "war-gamed" the United States as an adversary and decided that it would end in a loss for Pakistan."

Many of us knew from the beginning. The Taliban were, and are no threat to the US, only to Bush''s pipeline, so in Bush''s deluded mind, they had to go.

[randynason]

Great job, W. "Mission accomplished!"
I take it that the actual mission was to totally *** up this country''s constitution, alienate our allies and decimate the economic structure of this country and the rest of the world? Well- you succeeded, you tired terd. I hope you rot in hel.

[oneworldusa]

Pakistan hasn''t been a legitimate ally for years. It is harboring Bin Laden. Why the heck the government wants to woo Pakistan is beyond belief to me. Pakistan does nothing for us that I know of.

I''m sure there are many fine people in Pakistan. I''m talking about government. No ally to the US.

[coco0331]

Why is America taking care of Russian problem, this whole war is a rip off by the military industrial complex.

[deacon20081]

Since we know Pakistan can not be trusted, why have they not fed them a line of *** to draw out Bin Laden and Company to take them out? False information is great when used for an ambush.
Makes you wonder how much Bush sends to Osama for his allowance each week.

[dargay]

I just watched the video, this foreign affairs analyst is very lame.

[wellhell3]

Make a parking lot of the whole place over there, stick 5,000,000 McDonald''s, and run a pipline through it with oil.

At least we wouldn''t have to worry the folks would be stapping bombs on themselves to attend our weddings and kill us, or drive planes into our buildings to watch our people jump out of them to keep from burning to death while they get their jollies off watching!

[wellhell3]

Neo cons are dumber than dirt and would sell their mother for a vote.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by antoniof123 at 03:37 PM : Aug 01, 2008

Or you could just throw them under the campaign bus and run over them with all eight tires, that''d get rid of these typical white people fast!

[antoniof123]

MeanBiker -

Surely you don''''t think I was serious about giving Pakistan more aid, do you? Do you know the meaning of sarcasm? During the last several years, your buddies in the Bush Administration & the GOP have given Pakistan nearly 12 Billion dollars in aid. By your comment, I think you will agree that was a travesty. I agree with you that charity must begin at home, first.

On your other point - Yes, except for the issue of abortion, I am a liberal, & proud of it. Always have been, always will be.

Posted by book54552134 at 12:15 PM : Aug 01, 2008

Let''s not forget about selling them plans they supplie them with an air force and as I recall the terrorist don''t have an air force.

Neo cons are dumber than dirt and would sell their mother for a vote.

[lochlan-2009]

We can''t get to pissed at Pakistan, Rice (Chevron) has to protect their pipeline from the Caspian Sea to India.