“Should you be willing to do so, Washington’s political/military backing would result in a revamp of the civilian government that, while weak at the top echelon in terms of strategic direction and implementation (even though mandated by domestic political forces), in a wholesale manner replaces the national security adviser and other national security officials with trusted advisers that include ex-military and civilian leaders favorably viewed by Washington, each of whom have long and historical ties to the US military, political and intelligence communities,” the memo states.
The memo offers a six-point plan for how Pakistan’s national security leadership would be altered in favor of U.S. interests. President Asif Ali Zardari would start a formal “independent” inquiry to investigate the harboring of bin Laden and take suggestions from Washington on who would conduct that inquiry. The memo promised this inquiry would identify and punish the Pakistani officials responsible for harboring bin Laden.
The memo pledges that Pakistan would then hand over top al Qaeda and Taliban officials residing in Pakistan, including Ayman Al Zawahiri, Mullah Omar, and Sirajuddin Haqqani, or give U.S. military forces a “green light” to conduct the necessary operations to capture or kill them on Pakistani soil, with the support of Islamabad. “This commitment has the backing of the top echelon on the civilian side of our house,” the memo states.
The memo also promises a new Pakistani national security leadership that would bring transparency and “discipline” to Pakistan’s nuclear program, cut ties with Section S of the ISI, which is “charged with maintaining relations to the Taliban, Haqqani network” and other rogue elements, and work with the Indian government to punish the perpetrators of the 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member