Pakistanis should consider a public inquiry akin to the U.S. Congress’ 9/11 Commission, or even India’s review committee in the wake of its worst intelligence failure when Pakistani military and paramilitary forces seized territory several kilometers inside Indian territory. Both of those reviews were highly public and debated. Of course, implementing the recommendations of those reports remains a work in progress. Indeed, this is an important time for Pakistan’s civilian leadership to hold its powerful military and spy agency to account for what was either grievous incompetence or dangerous collusion with the world’s most wanted terrorist mastermind. Pakistanis are mindful that bin Laden—despite his claims to target the Crusader-Zionist alliance—killed far more Muslims than Kafirs.

The United States and Pakistan need each other, albeit for different but intertwined reasons. Both governments will have to resist the urge to undermine the other for domestic considerations. The security of both of populations depends upon it in the near and far term.