LSE REPORT: PAKISTAN'S ISI FUNDS, TRAINS AND HIDES TALIBAN

BBC:

A new report claims to provide the most concrete evidence yet of direct links between Pakistan's ISI intelligence agency and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The report says the ISI is providing funding, training and sanctuary to the Taliban on a scale much larger than previously thought.

The document was prepared by the London School of Economics (LSE).

... The report's author spoke to nine Taliban field commanders in Afghanistan earlier this year.

He concludes that Pakistan's relationship with the insturgents runs far deeper than previously realised.

Some of those interviewed suggested that the ISI even attends meetings of the Taliban's supreme council. They claim that by backing the insurgents Pakistan's security service is trying to undermine Indian influence in Afghanistan.

The report concludes that without a significant change in approach by Pakistan, both the Afghan government and international community will find it impossible to end the insurgency in Afghanistan.

PAKISTAN IS AN ISLAMIST STATE WHICH SHOULDN'T BE TREATED AS AN ALLY.

THE ONLY REASON WE GOT INITIAL COOPERATION FROM THEM - IN THE WAKE OF 9/11 - IS BECAUSE WE GAVE THEM A NUCLEAR ULTIMATUM.

WE SHOULD DO SO AGAIN.

• (I DON'T EXPECT ONE FROM OBAMA:

• BEFORE OBAMA VISITED KENYA - OR EVEN INDONESIA - HE WENT TO PAKISTAN. WHY?

• DID HE EVER MAKE A TREK TO KANSAS TO INVESTIGATE HIS WHITE-CHRISTIAN HALF??)

THE USA AND THE WEST HAS ALLOWED DOUBLE-DEALING BY SAUDI ARABIA AND PAKISTAN FOR TOO LONG.

BUSH WAS NEVER MORE POPULAR THAN WHEN HE SAID YOU'RE EITHER WITH US OR YOU'RE WITH THEM.

WE SHOULDN'T TOLERATE HALF-ASSED ALLIES. OR FENCE-SITTERS. OR THOSE WHO THINK THEY CAN SQUEEZE US - LIKE SYRIA AND NO TURKEY.

WE SHOULD GIVE THEM ALL A REAL ULTIMATUM.

A GOP CONGRESS WILL SEND THEM ALL A BETTER MESSAGE.

SO THIS NOVEMBER: VOTE GOP.