http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=33302 Record Details Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0700 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=33302 http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/showRecord.php?RecordId=33302 Many accounts of the Afghan conflict misapprehend the nature of the relationship between Pakistan’s security services and the insurgency. The relationship, in fact, goes far beyond contact and coexistence, with some assistance provided by elements within, or linked to, Pakistan’s intelligence service (ISI) or military. Although the Taliban has a strong endogenous impetus, according to Taliban commanders the ISI orchestrates, sustains and strongly influences the movement. They say it gives sanctuary to both Taliban and Haqqani groups, and provides huge support in terms of training, funding, munitions, and supplies. In their words, this is ‘as clear as the sun in the sky’. Directly or indirectly the ISI appears to exert significant influence on the strategic decisionmaking and field operations of the Taliban; and has even greater sway over Haqqani insurgents. According to both Taliban and Haqqani commanders, it controls the most violent insurgent units, some of which appear to be based in Pakistan. Crisis States Research Centre // London School of Economics // Development Studies Institute