Here's a great moment in the history of the Pakistan's infamous intelligence service, known for its endless double-dealing with the Taliban and other Islamic radicals. It seems the ISI has
invited a stream of western journalists into its swish, modern nerve centre. Over tea and PowerPoint briefings, spies give details of some of Pakistan's most sensitive issues – the Taliban insurgency, the hunt for al-Qaida, the troubled relationship with India.
"We've started to open up a little," said an ISI official authorised to speak to the press. "In the past, irrespective of whether we did something, we were getting blamed for it. Now we want to reach out and get our point of view across."
Hmm, first Goldman Sachs, and now these guys. In today's fast-paced media environment, no one can afford to hide anymore! Soon the Taliban will have hired Rubenstein....
As it happens, I know someone who met with ISI officials earlier this year. He said his hosts were gracious enough--but that a colleague who (foolishly) brought a laptop and was required to surrender it for the duration of his visit later realized that its contents had been downloaded. Nice.
--Michael Crowley