General Islam Goes to Washington -- By Walter Russell Mead, The American Interest

Lt. General Zahir ul-Islam, newly-appointed head of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence directorate, has been roaming around Washington, meeting with several American officials, including, most importantly, General David Petraeus, head of the CIA. The relationship between ISI and the CIA has become particularly badly frayed in recent months, so officials are hoping that General Islam’s ascent could be an opportunity for a fresh start.

The General is an unknown quantity to American policymakers, The New York Times reports:

Beyond the bare details of his résumé, American officials acknowledge they know little of General Islam, a tall man in his 50s with a flop of black hair, except that he comes across as taciturn, thoughtful and passionate about sports.

(Click link below to read more)
READ MORE Sphere: Related Content