UN to Finance Gulf Peacekeeping Force

Zia is credited for having developed Pakistan's nuclear capability against the strong complaints of the Reagan administration. Most observers have concluded that Reagan needed the support of Pakistan for the war in Afghanistan and thus turned a blind eye on the nuclear program. The truth is a bit more complex and its origin is to be found in the former administration (1).On July 3, 1979, the US decided to fund and to train the mujahideen, a group of Islamic warriors, with the help of the Pakistani intelligence services. As correctly predicted by then-national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski, the Soviets responded by invading Afghanistan in December 1979.On Dec. 26, 1979, just two days after the invasion, Brzezinski wrote a memo to President Carter."This will require a review of our policy toward Pakistan, more guarantees to it, and, alas, a decision that our security policy toward Pakistan cannot be dictated by our non-proliferation policy," the memo reads. Read full story