Political Opportunism > Winning the War?

Ken AshfordElection 2004, War on Terrorism/TortureLeave a Comment

Not a new story, but a more detailed version of the old one. From The National Review:

A third source, an official who works under ISI’s director, Lieutenant General Ehsan ul-Haq, informed tnr that the Pakistanis "have been told at every level that apprehension or killing of HVTs before [the U.S.] election is [an] absolute must." What’s more, this source claims that Bush administration officials have told their Pakistani counterparts they have a date in mind for announcing this achievement: "The last ten days of July deadline has been given repeatedly by visitors to Islamabad and during [ul-Haq’s] meetings in Washington." Says McCormack: "I’m aware of no such comment."

But according to this ISI official, a White House aide told ul-Haq last spring that "it would be best if the arrest or killing of [any] HVT were announced on twenty-six, twenty-seven, or twenty-eight July"–the first three days of the Democratic National Convention in Boston.

It’s kind of like PSYOPS, is it not?