ISI With Lakshar-e-Toiba...who knew?

That's right, Pakistan's Intel Agency ISI has recently been alleged to have been a part of the Mumbai Attacks in 2008. Was this much of a surprise? How will this affect American policy?

Well, from day one after the attacks in Mumbai, Indian news corporations and even a select group of politicians, most especially from the BJP, blamed the ISI for these attacks. Some even believed that there was no middleman terrorist group, as in Lakshkar; rather, the attacks were acts of war presented by the Pakis in retaliation to growing Indian claims in Kashmir. Though it was not so directly coordinated with these attacks, ISI served Lakshkar pretty well--as in a couple top-ranked officers allegedly were "pleased" by Lakshkar's plot.

So, what does this mean for America? Well, war might be an even more likely possibility now as opposed to before because of this development. Put it this way, could you imagine the danger a government like this holds for the entire Global Community: a terrorist sympathizer-state that is armed with Nukes? It is an unprecedented case...even Iran's nuke stash is not conspicuous (if it exists). In hindsight, America had this coming. The question is no more whether or not the victims of 9/11 have been avenged (man, that sounds bad!) but rather whether or not the lives of our troops are worth the lives of these sons of bitches.

Ah, so much for Washington's Isolationism and Gandhi's "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." America's in Pakistan. What is it doing in Pakistan? When had we agreed to wire our precious taxes there?

David Headley, born Daood Gilani, was giving evidence at the start of the Chicago trial of Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-born Canadian. Headley avoided the death penalty by admitting carrying out reconnaissance of targets in Mumbai for Lashkar-e-Taiba.
He appeared to be speaking in general terms rather than about the Mumbai attacks in particular and gave no specifics about the relationship between Islamabad and the terrorist group.
Headley said he had received weapons and leadership training with the group from 2000 and when its commanders began talking about a possible attack in India he "suggested that I change my name and make a new passport to make it easy to enter India undetected". He said that when he first started training with the militant group more than a decade ago it was his understanding that the gorup and Pakistan's ISI coordinated with each other.
Rana has pleaded not guilty. His lawyers insist their client was simply duped by Headley. The two, both 50, were long-time friends who met at one of Pakistan's most prestigious military boarding schools and stayed in touch as adults.
In opening statements, Sarah Streicker, assistant US Attorney, confirmed that Headley would testify after cooperating with the US government following his guilty plea to taking photos and videos of targets in Mumbai before the attacks that killed 160 people over three days in India's largest city. More>