Deception and Manipulation in an Intelligence Liaison Relationship: U.S.–Pakistani Negotiations and the 1980s Afghan Program

Abstract

Small-state leaders can profit enormously by collaborating with great powers on clandestine intelligence activities. The United States historically has provided billions of dollars in military and economic aid to intelligence liaison partners that host intelligence collections facilities or support joint covert operations. While many of these relationships are characterized by trust and mutual benefit, others are subject to a constant struggle for control. Unlike the scrutiny paid to overt base negotiations, this clandestine bargaining largely has been overlooked in intelligence and International Relations literature. This review of the negotiations surrounding the U.S.–Pakistani joint covert operations in Afghanistan during the 1980s addresses this void. Declassified documents and memoirs reveal that Pakistani leaders deliberately deceived Washington as to their motives and commitment to the joint Afghan program in order to maximize their negotiating leverage. This case study demonstrates that acquiring accurate information regarding a partner’s intentions is a critical factor in determining power dynamics within an intelligence liaison relationship.