CIA Chief in Pakistan Ousted as Officials Struggle to Ease Tension
Withdrawn for 'Medical Reasons,' Station Chief Won't Return
His original ouster from Pakistan came nominally for “medical reasons,” but the CIA station chief for Pakistan won’t be back, officials confirm. The Pakistani government says this is because of “US issues with Pakistan.”
An official with the Pakistani government said that the move was an effort to “quickly repair the damage to their intelligence cooperation” and this is the second time in the past few months that a CIA chief has been ousted from the country.
The outgoing station chief was also said to have clashed with US Ambassador Cameron Munter, who reportedly objected to his use of drone strikes during key diplomatic meetings, even after Pakistani government officials objected.
The CIA has traditionally had a hugely close relationship with Pakistan’s ISI, which is funding in no small part by CIA grant money. This relationship has gone south since the Raymond Davis fiasco, during which the then-acting CIA station chief, in the country nominally as an employee of the US consulate, murdered two people on the streets of Lahore.
Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz
- No Deal: US Restarted Pakistan Drone Strikes Despite Objections - February 22nd, 2012
- Syrian National Council Demands Foreign Invasion - February 22nd, 2012
- State Dept.: Pakistani Taliban 'Not Welcome' at Truce Talks - February 22nd, 2012
- Israeli FM: Our Decision to Attack Iran None of US, Russia's Business - February 22nd, 2012
- Hunger Strike Ends, but Adnan's Detention Without Charges Doesn't - February 22nd, 2012
JLS
July 31st, 2011 at 8:11 pm
The US ambassador better be careful. The CIA are a law unto themselves.
TheDailySketch
August 1st, 2011 at 1:52 am
Ah yes. The CIA. The largest terrorist organisation the world has ever known.
ghouri
August 1st, 2011 at 2:06 am
It is too late if we have done it earlier then so many Pakistanis would not with so called suicide bombers. CIA provided financed, technical know how, logistic explosives etc.
This is well known in Pakistan as I visited every child told me the stories.
MvGuy
August 1st, 2011 at 5:12 am
It certainly does not seem that the U.S. wants to stabilize life in Pakistan…. If it is not the neocon dream to de-nuke Pakistan, why ELSE would the CIA wish to sew seemingly endless chaos…??? Doesn't the disorder facilitate the surreptitious movement of men and arms to resist NATO and it's occupation…?? The Trojan horse pres. "O" gives few clues to his real assignment and whom he primarily represents… If "Afpak" is "O's" REAL war, then who is the "O's" REAL enemy…??