The War on Freedom: How and Why America Was Attacked, September 11Th, 2001

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The War on Freedom: How and Why America Was Attacked, September 11Th, 2001 1 How and Why America was Attacked, September 11th, 2001 Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed Tree of Life Publications Joshua Tree, California A Media Messenger Book A Public Interest Initiative of the Institute for Policy Research & Development The War on Freedom: How and Why America was Attacked, September 11th, 2001 www.Thewaronfreedom.com, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WarOnFreedom Copyright © 2002 Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed Executive Director, Institute for Policy Research & Development Suite 414, 91 Western Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 2NW, United Kingdom, E-mail: [email protected], Web: www.globalresearch.org. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, written, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. “Backword” Copyright © 2002 John Leonard Edited & Published by Tree of Life Publications, PO Box 126, Joshua Tree, CA 92252 E-mail: [email protected], Web: www.treeoflifebooks.com In cooperation with Media Monitors Network, www.mediamonitors.net Cover Design Michael Mursell, a fish in sea PO Box 22398, London, W13 9XL, England [email protected] International Standard Book Number (ISBN): 0-930852-40-0 Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2002107291 A Media Messenger Book Printed in the United States of America by BooksJustBooks.com First printing, June 2002 Unabridged edition. 3 Critical acclaim for THE WAR ON FREEDOM “This riveting and thoroughly documented study is a ‘must’ resource for everyone seeking to understand the attack on the World Trade Center of New York on September 11, 2001 and ‘America’s New War’ since. It connects together over 10 years of relevant covert actions and decisions by top-level U.S. security-state operations, and organises the whole into a coherent and devastating exposé of the real meaning and construction of the historic turn of ‘the war against terrorism’ now rewriting laws and constitutions across borders. For those who have seen or filed facts on these matters from web- disclosures and scattered revelations of newspapers, this volume provides the detailed documentation in a definitive and masterful record.” Professor John McMurtry, Department of Philosophy, University of Ontario; Fellow at the Royal Society of Canada; Chair of Jurists, War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity Tribunal at the Alternative World Summit in Toronto, 1989 (Canada) “The most complete book I know of, summarizing the relevant background and foreground intersecting upon the events of September 11, 2001... A tour de force in every respect: organization, methodology, timeliness, clarity of purpose and of scope, activist commitment to more inquiry, evenness, relative comprehensiveness… I can’t say how much I admire this work. It must be seen by as many people as possible all over the world as soon as possible.” Barry Zwicker, Producer and Host, MediaFile, Vision TV Insight; award-winning journalist on CBC-TV and CTV (Canada) “The material you have collected is immensely important and useful. You look at the right subjects and report a number of things I had missed entirely… We need more people doing the important research that you have done.” Professor Peter Dale Scott, Co-Founder of the Peace and Conflict Studies Program, University of California, Berkeley (United States) “Powerful, disturbing, and interesting indeed. Your excellent research on the background of Sep 11 should become known to a larger audience.” Professor Arno Tausch, Institute for Political Science, University of Innsbruck (Austria) “A meticulous investigation of circumstances, events and circumstantial evidence of what really happened before and on September 11. There aren’t many people who still take the task of following the trails of their own doubts… Your excellent report goes deep into what really happened and what the American defense machinery had let happen.” Peter G. Spengler, Editor, Contemporary Studies (Germany) Dedication This study is dedicated to the innocent civilians murdered in the terrorist attacks against the United States on 11th September 2001, their families, their friends, and to all the other victims of terrorism around the world, including those killed, injured and starving in Afghanistan. 5 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed, a British political scientist and human rights activist, is Executive Director of the Institute for Policy Research & Development in Brighton, UK, www.globalresearch.org, a ‘think tank’ dedicated to the promotion of human rights, justice and peace. Ahmed is the author of many internationally acclaimed research papers and reports on human rights practices and Western foreign policy. He has been invited to lecture on U.S. foreign policy in various universities and educational establishments around the world. He has been an Oxfam Campaigner since 1996. Ahmed’s work on the history and development of the conflict in Afghanistan as a consequence of international policies, has been recommended as a resource by Harvard University’s Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research, the Department of Communications Studies at California State University, and the English Department at Warren College on Staten Island. His archive of political analyses, published on the Web by Media Monitors Network in Los Angeles, has been nominated a Cool Site on the Netscape Open Directory Project. He was also recently named a Global Expert on War, Peace and International Affairs by The Freedom Network of The Henry Hazlitt Foundation in Chicago. A rising star, Ahmed is still only 23 years old, is married and lives in Brighton. 6 The War on Freedom Acknowledgements I would like to thank Professor Andre Gunder Frank, currently at the Department of History in the University of Nebraska, for reading various successive drafts of my manuscript and providing detailed advice on content and structure. Relevant data that he also provided was very useful in following up specific leads and uncovering pertinent facts. I am indebted to social philosopher Professor John McMurtry of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Guelph, Ontario, for his thorough review of the manuscript shortly prior to publication. I must also express my gratitude to the former Canadian diplomat and leading political scientist Professor Peter Dale Scott of the University of California, Berkeley, for pointing out some potential holes and flaws in my argument. My friend, Johnathan G. Baston (Abdul Nasser), a British local government health officer and active human rights campaigner, must be credited for his initial analysis and speculations that led me to embark on this project in the first place. Baston must also be thanked for assessing an early draft of the manuscript and making invaluable suggestions for further research. Kamran Naqui, another good friend, deserves due praise for scouring an early, messy draft of the manuscript with a fine-tooth comb. I cannot forget to mention Aamir Jiwa, who looked through the earliest pilot version of this study and gave me welcome encouragement. I must express my heartfelt appreciation to John Leonard, without whose indefatigable efforts this study would not be published. A special thanks is due to Mrs. Erika Anderson, without whose unexpected and invaluable contributions, this book could never have got to the printers. Media Monitors Network Chief Editor Ali Khan was also a constant source of invaluable support and advice. I must also thank Michael Mursell (www. afishinsea.co.uk) for his inspired cover designs. Others who deserve thanks include Mark Jones, who dropped an early draft of this study into his A-List, thus leading to highly useful comments and criticisms, and Louis Proyect, whose rigid opposition to my thesis provided me with crucial insight into how to formulate it properly. I also thank Greg Bates of Common Courage Press, who kindly took the time to assess the manuscript and offer very useful criticisms and suggestions. I should also mention my father-in-law, whose support, advice and pointers throughout this project and beyond, have been priceless. My mother and father also deserve due recognition for putting up with me while I was struggling to discover my true vocation; if they hadn’t put up with me then, this study would not exist. In connection with the task of enduring my vocation, I must most of all thank my wife, who has been a constant source of support, advice, inspiration and peace. Without her ideas, pointers, and provision of important data, this study would not be what it is. Last but not least, I would like to thank our baby, who has been a source of strength and resolve for the future. Needless to say, as the author, I bear sole responsibility for the contents of this work. Table of Contents 7 Table of Contents Preface 10 Foreword: a Synopsis 12 Executive Summary 14 1. The Role of the International Community in the Afghan Crisis 19 Cold War Imperialism....................................................................... 20 Afghanistan After the Cold War ........................................................ 23 Northern Alliance Rule 1992-1996..................................................... 24 The Rise of the Taliban..................................................................... 27 Humanitarian Catastrophe Under Factional War ................................. 29 Misogynism Under Taliban Rule ....................................................... 32 The Distortion of Islam ....................................................................
Recommended publications
  • Worlds Apart: Bosnian Lessons for Global Security
    Worlds Apart Swanee Hunt Worlds Apart Bosnian Lessons for GLoBaL security Duke university Press Durham anD LonDon 2011 © 2011 Duke University Press All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America on acid- free paper ♾ Designed by C. H. Westmoreland Typeset in Charis by Tseng Information Systems, Inc. Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data appear on the last printed page of this book. To my partners c harLes ansBacher: “Of course you can.” and VaLerie GiLLen: “Of course we can.” and Mirsad JaceVic: “Of course you must.” Contents Author’s Note xi Map of Yugoslavia xii Prologue xiii Acknowledgments xix Context xxi Part i: War Section 1: Officialdom 3 1. insiDe: “Esteemed Mr. Carrington” 3 2. outsiDe: A Convenient Euphemism 4 3. insiDe: Angels and Animals 8 4. outsiDe: Carter and Conscience 10 5. insiDe: “If I Left, Everyone Would Flee” 12 6. outsiDe: None of Our Business 15 7. insiDe: Silajdžić 17 8. outsiDe: Unintended Consequences 18 9. insiDe: The Bread Factory 19 10. outsiDe: Elegant Tables 21 Section 2: Victims or Agents? 24 11. insiDe: The Unspeakable 24 12. outsiDe: The Politics of Rape 26 13. insiDe: An Unlikely Soldier 28 14. outsiDe: Happy Fourth of July 30 15. insiDe: Women on the Side 33 16. outsiDe: Contact Sport 35 Section 3: Deadly Stereotypes 37 17. insiDe: An Artificial War 37 18. outsiDe: Clashes 38 19. insiDe: Crossing the Fault Line 39 20. outsiDe: “The Truth about Goražde” 41 21. insiDe: Loyal 43 22. outsiDe: Pentagon Sympathies 46 23. insiDe: Family Friends 48 24. outsiDe: Extremists 50 Section 4: Fissures and Connections 55 25.
    [Show full text]
  • The US War on Cuba: from Economic Embargoes, Biological Warfare to US-Backed Terrorism
    The US War on Cuba: From Economic Embargoes, Biological Warfare to US-Backed Terrorism By Timothy Alexander Guzman Region: Latin America & Caribbean, USA Global Research, August 01, 2021 Theme: History All Global Research articles can be read in 51 languages by activating the “Translate Website” drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). Visit and follow us on Instagram at @crg_globalresearch. *** . Before the rise of Cuba’s Communist party, there was a US-backed fascist government under the leadership ofFulgencio Batista who ruled Cuba with an iron fist. Batista was elected in 1940 serving a 4-year term. Then Batista’s reign of terror effectively began when he decided to run for re-election in 1952, but when his political party found itself practically in last place during the election with Roberto Agramonte of the Orthodox Party who was in the lead followed by Carlos Hevia of the Authentic Party, he decided to lead a military coup and cancel the elections. The current president at the time, President Carlos Prio Socarras went into exile as a result. So what did Washington do? They immediately recognized Batista’s government and gave him financial and military support among other benefits. In the meantime, Batista suspended the 1940 Constitution that he originally supported and then made a radical move by cancelling whatever civil liberties the Cuban people had left. Batista had total control over the Cuban economy that was once on equal grounds with Italy in terms of economic growth. One of Batista’s first moves as a typical dictator in Latin America when he gave his full-support to wealthy landowners who owned basically almost all of the sugar plantations on the island.
    [Show full text]
  • Internal Situation in Pakistan
    REPORT PREPARED WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE PROJECT EXPANSION OF THE LIBRARY OF COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION UNIT, CO-FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN REFUGEE FUND INTERNAL SITUATION IN PAKISTAN SYLWIA GIL June 2012 COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION UNIT OFFICE FOR FOREIGNERS, POLAND May 2013 REPORT PREPARED WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE PROJECT EXPANSION OF THE LIBRARY OF COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION UNIT, CO-FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN REFUGEE FUND INTERNAL SITUATION IN PAKISTAN SYLWIA GIL June 2012 COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION UNIT OFFICE FOR FOREIGNERS, POLAND May 2013 DISCLAIMER The present report is a public document, and it has been developed as part of the “Extension of the Library of the Division for Country of Origin Information Unit”, project no. 1/7/2009/ EFU, co-financed by the European Refugee Fund. Under the above-mentioned project, the Country of Origin Information Unit in the Office for Foreigners commissions external experts to prepare studies presenting detailed analyses of selected problems and issues arising during the refugee/asylum procedure. The information presented in such thematic reports is based mostly on commonly available resources, such as: studies developed by international organisations, both governmental and non-governmental, press articles and/or online resources. At times they also include own observations, experience and field studies conducted by the authors. All the information included in this report has been collected and elaborated with the highest diligence. However, it cannot be excluded that some data, or even the overall picture of the situation presented in the report, are out-of-date, incomplete or inaccurate. Therefore, this report must not be treated as the exclusive and indisputable reference in relation to decisions on awarding or refusing the refugee status or other forms of international protection.
    [Show full text]
  • Surprise, Intelligence Failure, and Mass Casualty Terrorism
    SURPRISE, INTELLIGENCE FAILURE, AND MASS CASUALTY TERRORISM by Thomas E. Copeland B.A. Political Science, Geneva College, 1991 M.P.I.A., University of Pittsburgh, 1992 Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The Graduate School of Public and International Affairs in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Pittsburgh 2006 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES This dissertation was presented by Thomas E. Copeland It was defended on April 12, 2006 and approved by Davis Bobrow, Ph.D. Donald Goldstein, Ph.D. Dennis Gormley Phil Williams, Ph.D. Dissertation Director ii © 2006 Thomas E. Copeland iii SURPRISE, INTELLIGENCE FAILURE, AND MASS CASUALTY TERRORISM Thomas E. Copeland, PhD University of Pittsburgh, 2006 This study aims to evaluate whether surprise and intelligence failure leading to mass casualty terrorism are inevitable. It explores the extent to which four factors – failures of public policy leadership, analytical challenges, organizational obstacles, and the inherent problems of warning information – contribute to intelligence failure. This study applies existing theories of surprise and intelligence failure to case studies of five mass casualty terrorism incidents: World Trade Center 1993; Oklahoma City 1995; Khobar Towers 1996; East African Embassies 1998; and September 11, 2001. A structured, focused comparison of the cases is made using a set of thirteen probing questions based on the factors above. The study concludes that while all four factors were influential, failures of public policy leadership contributed directly to surprise. Psychological bias and poor threat assessments prohibited policy makers from anticipating or preventing attacks. Policy makers mistakenly continued to use a law enforcement approach to handling terrorism, and failed to provide adequate funding, guidance, and oversight of the intelligence community.
    [Show full text]
  • Murder, Arrogance of Power, and the Struggle for Social Dominance in the US
    Murder, Arrogance of Power, and the Struggle for Social Dominance in the US The moral cesspool of National Politics Introduction Since leaving a start-up company as a result of the dot-com bust, I have engaged in, among other things, reviewing the literature to try to understand the controversy regarding various, potentially linked, events, including: the murders of John Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy; Iran-Contra; the PROMIS affair; the October surprise; domestic call-boy—corruption rings; the Panama invasion, and the two Iraq wars. Note: Most people who read the following will find it extremely disturbing, since it shakes our confidence in our basic institutions and leaders. However, I believe that the material below is accurate. It represents a distillation of many books and web references which, though written independently by credible researchers, corroborate each other. Although I have footnoted many of the statements, I chose not to be even more comprehensive to make the document shorter and more readable. It is not enough to just document excesses, though. I plan another white paper to deal with correcting those excesses.1 Initially, two key remedies appear to be: Almost complete transparency in government, and declassification of almost everything over, say, 10 years old. Setting up independent review panels of any federal operations that have the capacity to commit, or allow, significant crimes. Decriminalization of drug possession and distribution. Drug money is funding almost all the illicit activities, and maintaining a web of corruption that is so pervasive that the entire government is dysfunctional2. 1 The revelations in this document are less than a few percent of that convincingly presented in the literature.
    [Show full text]
  • Carlotta Gall: Isi Sheltered Bin Laden in Pakistan
    CARLOTTA GALL: ISI SHELTERED BIN LADEN IN PAKISTAN The New York Times has just released an excerpt from Carlotta Gall’s upcoming book “The Wrong Enemy: America in Afghanistan, 2001-2014″. Recall that Gall lived in Afghanistan and covered Afghanistan and Pakistan for the Times from 2001-2013 (Declan Walsh also covered Pakistan from inside Pakistan until he was expelled just before the election in 2013). The biggest revelation in the excerpt is that Pakistan knew about, and Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI, actively sheltered, Osama bin Laden when he was in hiding in Pakistan. Gall claims that then-ISI head Ahmed Shuja Pasha had direct knowledge of bin Laden’s presence: Soon after the Navy SEAL raid on Bin Laden’s house, a Pakistani official told me that the United States had direct evidence that the ISI chief, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha, knew of Bin Laden’s presence in Abbottabad. The information came from a senior United States official, and I guessed that the Americans had intercepted a phone call of Pasha’s or one about him in the days after the raid. “He knew of Osama’s whereabouts, yes,” the Pakistani official told me. The official was surprised to learn this and said the Americans were even more so. Pasha had been an energetic opponent of the Taliban and an open and cooperative counterpart for the Americans at the ISI. “Pasha was always their blue-eyed boy,” the official said. But in the weeks and months after the raid, Pasha and the ISI press office strenuously denied that they had any knowledge of Bin Laden’s presence in Abbottabad.
    [Show full text]
  • Pakistan Army and Terrorism; an Unholy Alliance
    Pakistan Army and Terrorism; an unholy alliance Pakistan has been known for its perennial support of the Taliban in Afghanistan and other terrorist organizations in Indian Administered Jammu and Kashmir. The dramatic events of the terrorist attacks on the twin towers in the United States (U.S) on the 11th of September 2001 also referred to as 9/11, shook the tectonic plates of world politics, pushing Pakistan into being a focal point of global politics. Pakistan became the key strategic partner of United States’ War on Terror; post the terrorist attacks, taking a complete U-turn in her traditional foreign policies towards Afghanistan and Indian Administered Jammu and Kashmir, albeit temporarily under international pressure for heavy monetary gains. The country, in which sectarian groups targeting minority communities (Shias, Sufis, Ahmadis etc.) and Kashmir- focused groups confined their operations to Indian Administered Kashmir and the rest of India, has become a victim of its own holy war as a consequence of the ‘unholy alliance’ between the Inter Intelligence Services (ISI), Pakistan’s powerful intelligence agency, military and self-styled religious scholars. This historic alliance has resulted in colossal rise of radical Islam being a factor in the country’s proclivity to Islamic fundamentalism. Jihadi Groups There are several kind of militant groups operating in and from Pakistan that can be distinguished by their sectarian background (Ahl-e-Hadith, Deobandi, Jamaat-e-Islami etc.), and their areas of operation (Afghanistan, India, Pakistan). Their objectives may vary from overthrowing the Pakistani government, seizure of Indian Administered Jammu and Kashmir or support of Afghan Taliban.
    [Show full text]
  • Operation Northwoods: Justification for US Military Intervention in Cuba Documents
    Operation Northwoods: Justification for US military intervention in Cuba documents libcom.org/library/operation-northwoods-justification-u-s-military-intervention-cuba Below is the complete text from the Freedom of Information Act- released US government document detailing the Pentagon plan to murder innocent civilians and blame the Cuban government as a pretext to invade Cuba. Code-named Operation Northwoods, US Navy members were also to be killed as part of a "terror campaign" This plan, which President John F. Kennedy refused to implement, had the written approval of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lyman Louis Lemnitzer, and every other member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This FOIA-released document is archived at The National Security Archive at George Washington University (Washington, D.C.). TOP SECRET SPECIAL HANDLING NOFORN UNCLASSIFIED THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF WASHINGTON 25, D.C. 13 March 1962 MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE Subject: Justification for US Military Intervention in Cuba (TS) 1/15 1. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have considered the attached Memorandum for the Chief of Operations, Cuba Project, which responds to a request of that office for brief but precise description of pretexts which would provide justification for US military intervention in Cuba. 2. The Joint Chiefs of Staff recommend that the proposed memorandum be forwarded as a preliminary submission suitable for planning purposes. It is assumed that there will be similar submissions from other agencies and that these inputs will be used as a basis for developing a time-phased plan. Individual projects can then be considered on a case-by- case basis.
    [Show full text]
  • Visual Culture and Us-Cuban Relations, 1945-2000
    University of New Mexico UNM Digital Repository History ETDs Electronic Theses and Dissertations 9-10-2010 INTIMATE ENEMIES: VISUAL CULTURE AND U.S.-CUBAN RELATIONS, 1945-2000 Blair Woodard Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/hist_etds Recommended Citation Woodard, Blair. "INTIMATE ENEMIES: VISUAL CULTURE AND U.S.-CUBAN RELATIONS, 1945-2000." (2010). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/hist_etds/87 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Electronic Theses and Dissertations at UNM Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in History ETDs by an authorized administrator of UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INTIMATE ENEMIES: VISUAL CULTURE AND U.S.-CUBAN RELATIONS, 1945-2000 BY BLAIR DEWITT WOODARD B.A., History, University of California, Santa Barbara, 1992 M.A., Latin American Studies, University of New Mexico, 2001 M.C.R.P., Planning, University of New Mexico, 2001 DISSERTATION Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy History The University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico May, 2010 © 2010, Blair D. Woodard iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The writing of my dissertation has given me the opportunity to meet and work with a multitude of people to whom I owe a debt of gratitude while completing this journey. First and foremost, I wish to thank the members of my committee Linda Hall, Ferenc Szasz, Jason Scott Smith, and Alyosha Goldstein. All of my committee members have provided me with countless insights, continuous support, and encouragement throughout the writing of this dissertation and my time at the University of New Mexico.
    [Show full text]
  • The Spectacle of the False-Flag
    The Spectacle of the False-Flag THE SPECTACLE OF THE FALSE-FLAG: PARAPOLITICS FROM JFK TO WATERGATE Eric Wilson THE SPECTACLE OF THE FALSE-FLAG: PARAPOLITICS from JFK to WATERGATE Eric Wilson, Monash University 2015 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ This work is Open Access, which means that you are free to copy, distribute, display, and perform the work as long as you clearly attribute the work to the author, that you do not use this work for commercial gain in any form whatsoever, and that you in no way, alter, transform, or build upon the work outside of its normal use in academic scholarship without express permission of the author and the publisher of this volume. For any reuse or distribution, you must make clear to others the license terms of this work. First published in 2015 by Thought | Crimes an imprint of punctumbooks.com ISBN-13: 978-0988234055 ISBN-10: 098823405X and the full book is available for download via our Open Monograph Press website (a Public Knowledge Project) at: www.thoughtcrimespress.org a project of the Critical Criminology Working Group, publishers of the Open Access Journal: Radical Criminology: journal.radicalcriminology.org Contact: Jeff Shantz (Editor), Dept. of Criminology, KPU 12666 72 Ave. Surrey, BC V3W 2M8 [ + design & open format publishing: pj lilley ] I dedicate this book to my Mother, who watched over me as I slept through the spectacle in Dallas on November 22, 1963 and who was there to celebrate my birthday with me during the spectacle at the Watergate Hotel on June 17, 1972 Contents Editor©s Preface ................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Downloaded by [New York University] at 23:42 28 November 2016 Pakistan’S Inter- Services Intelligence Directorate
    Downloaded by [New York University] at 23:42 28 November 2016 Pakistan’s Inter- Services Intelligence Directorate This book is the first comprehensive study of Pakistan’s Inter- Services Intelli- gence Directorate (ISI). The rise of Pakistan- backed religious extremist groups in Afghanistan, India and Central Asia has focused international attention on Pakistan’s premier intelligence organization and covert action advocate, the Inter- Services Intelligence Directorate or ISI. While ISI is regarded as one of the most powerful government agencies in Pakistan today, surprisingly little has been written about it from an academic perspective. This book addresses critical gaps in our understanding of this agency, including its domestic security mission, covert backing of the Afghan Taliban, and its links to al- Qa’ida. Using primary source materials, including declassified intelligence and diplomatic reporting, press reports and memoirs, this book explores how ISI was transformed from a small, negligible counter intelligence outfit of the late- 1940s into the national security behemoth of today with extensive responsibilities in domestic security, political interference and covert action. This study concludes that reforming or even eliminating ISI will be funda- mental if Pakistan is to successfully transition from an army- run, national security state to a stable, democratic society that enjoys peaceful relations with its neighbors. This book will be of interest to students of intelligence studies, South Asian politics, foreign policy and international security in general. Owen L. Sirrs is Adjunct Professor at the University of Montana, USA, and the author of two previous books, including, most recently, The Egyptian Intelligence Service (Routledge 2011).
    [Show full text]
  • Covering Islam: Challenges & Opportunities for Media in The
    The Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs (RIMA), Singapore & Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF), Singapore Covering Islam: Challenges & Opportunities for Media in the Global Village Edited by Syed Farid Alatas Copyright © 2005 by the Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs (RIMA) and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF). Editor: Syed Farid Alatas Publisher: Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs (RIMA) 150 Changi Road #04-06/07 Guthrie Building Singapore 419972 Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Singapore 34 Bukit Pasoh Road Singapore 089848 Tel: +65 6227 2001 Fax: +65 6227 8343 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior consent of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and the Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs (RIMA). The responsibility for facts and opinions expressed in this publication rests exclusively with the contributors, and their interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views or the policy of the publishers or their supporters. ISBN: 981-05-4872-9123 Layout and Design: TimeEdge Publishing Pte Ltd 10 Anson Road 15-14 International Plaza Singapore 079903 www.tepub.com CONTENTS Forewords v-ix Preface 1 SYED FARID ALATAS Four Years after September 11th: The Failure of Western Media 5 STEPHEN SCHWARTZ Globalisation of Media Ethics and Localisation of Media Values 27 JOHN RICHARD GEE Is Objective Reporting on Islam Possible? Contextualising the Demon 41 SYED FARID ALATAS Islamic Imagery and American Policy 53 YUSEF J. PROGLER Right, Left & Wrong: A Comparison of East and West Coverage 89 of Islam SUNNI M.
    [Show full text]