US House votes to cut USD 650mn in military aid to Pak

[xyxmt]

US House votes to cut USD 650mn in military aid to Pak - The Times of India

WASHINGTON: In a latest jab at Pakistan by the US, the House of Representatives has unanimously voted to cut American military aid to Islamabad by USD 650 million as Republicans sought to tamp down demands for deeper reductions.

The amendment to cut the aid, which was proposed by Republican Congressman Ted Poe, passed on the floor in a voice vote. Poe had demanded a USD 1.3 billion cut, but settled for the 650 million cut. It will now go to Senate for approval.

"Pakistan is the 'Benedict Arnold' to America in the war on terror. They are disloyal, deceptive and a danger to the United States," said Poe, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
"This so-called ally continues to take billions in US aid, while funding the militants who attack us. And we've kept the money flowing. It's time we turn off the tap," Poe said.



The State Department, however, refused to comment on the development, saying that since the legislative process was ongoing, he would not have any particular reaction.

"We continue to consult with Congress, but I don't have any particular reaction to ongoing legislative debate," said State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell.

"We continue to, obviously, support our Pakistani counterparts in key areas like counterterrorism, but I don't have a particular reaction to ongoing legislative debate," Ventrell told reporters.

"By continuing to provide aid to Pakistan, we are funding the enemy, endangering Americans and undermining our efforts in the region. We don't need to pay them to betray us; they are already doing it for free," said Poe.

The passage of the amendment comes at a fragile time for relations between the US and Pakistan, which only recently overcame differences that led Pakistan closing down a critical supply route into Afghanistan that had cost the United States about USD 100 million in additional war costs.

I am sure you posted this as a bad news for Pakistanis...thanks for the good news first thing in the morning

 

[Imran Khan]

Pakistan says it doesn't need US military aid

The $800 million in cuts in US aid to Pakistan are the strongest indicator yet of the deteriorating relationship between the two countries.

By Issam Ahmed, Correspondent / July 11, 2011

A Pakistani army soldier takes a position during a military operation against militants in Pakistan's Khurram tribal region, Sunday, July 10. Pakistan’s Army said Monday that the $800 million in cuts in US aid to Pakistan won’t affect its ability to conduct combat operations.


Pakistan’s Army said Monday that a US military aid cut worth some $800 million won’t affect its ability to conduct combat operations. Analysts call the cuts the strongest indicator yet of the deteriorating nature of the relationship between the two countries and say it could cause the Pakistani military to retreat to a more hostile anti-US position.
Related stories


"The Army in the past, as well as at present, has conducted successful military operations using its own resources without any external support whatsoever,” Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, told the AFP. He added that the Army had not received any official correspondence from the US on the matter.

General Abbas's statement might be a stretch, but according to Ayesha Siddiqa, military analyst and author of “Military Inc,” the symbolism of the cut is likely to outweigh the operational significance, despite the fact that the cut would account for roughly 40 percent of the $2 billion in military assistance America gives Pakistan annually.

RELATED US aid to Pakistan: What do the cuts mean?

“It’s an indicator of relations getting pushed further apart,” she says, adding that with the cut the US appears to have called the Pakistani’s military’s bluff on a recent statement attributed to Army chief General Kayani in which he said that US military aid to Pakistan would be better spent on civilian purposes.
What would suspending $800 million look like?

Some $300 million of the money that the US is suspending was set to go to Pakistan in the form of reimbursement to the Army for its deployment of troops along the Afghanistan border. Some of the money was also planned to go to Pakistan in the form of equipment, though when the country ordered more than 100 US military trainers to leave the country recently, it refused to accept equipment from the US, according to the New York Times

“It’ll start a debate, let’s see where it goes and how far the Americans want to take it,” says Ms. Siddiqa, adding that a failure by the Pakistani military to comply with US demands to fight terror groups, especially the Haqqani network, more effectively could eventually lead to further cuts and even economic sanctions.

Pakistan’s military has been under immense domestic and international pressure in recent months, following the raid to kill Osama bin Laden and another US raid on a naval base in Karachi attributed which analysts attributed inside assistance. Last week, Adm. Mike Mullen became the first US official to publicly blame the killing of journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad on Pakistan’s government.
What happens to Pakistan's civilian government?

Cyril Almeida, a political analyst and Assistant Editor at Dawn, Pakistan’s leading English daily, says the cuts could harm Pakistan’s civilian government more than the military.

“The Army will dig in its heels. It’s going to call up the Finance Ministry and ask them to cut a check, and they will cut them a check, which will be financed by the State Bank or loans from private sector. Perversely, at the very time US aid is flowing, this will guarantee that things will deteriorate more [for the economy].”

The cuts could also have a harmful impact on Pakistan’s democracy, adds Siddiqa. “Historically, [foreign aid] is one of the reasons why political governments have been tolerated [by the military] in the first place. If they are not bringing in money, then why have them?”

Popular opinion in Pakistan is overwhelmingly in favor of less US involvement in the region and the Army may now be tempted to reassess its key partnerships, according to Saeed Shafqat, Director of the Centre for Public Policy and Governance at the Foreman Christian College University in Lahore.

But, warns Mr. Almeida, the political analyst, a further deterioration in ties with the US could leave Pakistan increasingly isolated on the world stage, given that it has not ramped up strategic cooperation with China or the Gulf states and the peace process with India remains slow.

“If at some point the Pakistan Army thought the US was no friend to Pakistan, it should have cultivated new friends in the mean time,” he says.

RELATED US aid to Pakistan: What do the cuts mean?

 

[mjnaushad]

This will sure help the ties......


Protest should be launched on the words used for Pakistani state.

 

[T90TankGuy]

i see a lot of people say they refuse US aid . but has any one ever tried to find out where this aid (or at least a majority of it ) is bound for? your military.
without this aid your military will not be able to function mates . so before you refuse something . try looking at ground reality. at the moment Pakistan is dependent towards aid . and in my opinion your govt is doing nothing to rectify the situation . and to stand on their own feet .

feel free to refute me with facts.

 

[veekysingh]

i see a lot of people say they refuse US aid . but has any one ever tried to find out where this aid (or at least a majority of it ) is bound for? your military.
without this aid your military will not be able to function mates . so before you refuse something . try looking at ground reality. at the moment Pakistan is dependent towards aid . and in my opinion your govt is doing nothing to rectify the situation . and to stand on their own feet .

feel free to refute me with facts.

thr military hv ghost to fight for them , i am sure they will win even without a single penny

 

[Hulk]

I find it funny when people say, aid is not reaching common man. Are these guys expecting US to distribute money on street. Height of delusion if they think, money does nor impact them. Your government incur expenses which if not done by aid will come from your pocket, so indirectly you save money.

Stop thinking that aid money will be distributed in street, where one person will have a sack of money.

Imagine a man standing on street shouting, aid lee lo, free kind hai Obama me dee hai...

 

[Hyperion]

Yanks are not emotional like us. For them it will be simple maths:

(How much U.S. needs Pakistan's 'assistance' in WoT) - (cut of USD650 M to further antagonize Pakistan) = Presidential veto by Obama

Don't forget, congressmen play politics for the benefit of their constituents, whereas, the executive has to make a decision in favor of the bigger national interests.

So what are we all chatting about?

 

[Rusty]

you seem obsessed with INTERNET Hindus . who are they mate?

I don't think you understand the meaning of the word "Obsessed"
It's okay, many ESL speakers make such mistakes, it's nothing to be ashamed of.

 

[Imran Khan]

thr military hv ghost to fight for them , i am sure they will win even without a single penny

every you read abut 20bn$ pak army businesses ?

 

[T90TankGuy]

I don't think you understand the meaning of the word "Obsessed"
It's okay, many ESL speakers make such mistakes, it's nothing to be ashamed of.

anonymous forums like these , the only thing you have is credibility .(comes from your posts) yours show a dearth of it mate

of course that if you wish to be taken seriously.

 

[meena24]

Both the Countries need each other, Pakistan desperately needs $$$ and US needs a supply route and airbases to target militants. US is still not satisfied with Pakistan. As our Senior Member Imran Bhai Indicated Pakistan Military wont be affected because it has a number of business inside pakistan, But ordinary people of Pakistan will suffer due to this Aid cut, Immediately Pakistan members would say we dont want their aid, but none of their Foreign Minister or Prime minister or President have refuted American Aid.

 

[regular]

Man !!!!!! we are very happi don't need this HARAAM US $$$.......

 

[IZVINITE]

It seems like the right thing to do. Pakistan doesn't seem like the most reliable out of the US' allies (based on my extremely limited knowledge on the relationship between the two countries). On the other hand, I can see why Pakistan might not be too fond of the US either, when dozens of their soldiers and civilians have perished in US drone attacks. Which is at least one of the reasons why the closed down the border crossings, halting NATO supply trucks.

 

[illusion8]

Expect a Presidential veto even if it passes the Senate. The average Congressman does not have the depth of perspective and knowledge that is available to the Executive branch.

given the language used (Benedict Arnold) - the point has already been scored, now the President might go ahead and reinstate the aid.

If it was upto the average Pakistani, they would refuse the aid in a heart beat. The aid is hardly trickled down to the average person, its usually spent on foreign contractors and mostly used in the form of bribes to control our politicians. Since the aid is largely used to buy out our politicians, why in the world would they reject this? I am optimistic about the future as both the major opposition parties (PML-N and PTI) have spoken out against American aid, after the next election which the PPP is likely to loose they will hopefully put an end to this drug.

The politicians have already made their millions, it would be quite enough for the politicians if the US turns a blind eye to their ongoing activity of parking their cash outside Pakistan, given that the US is the primary source that can actually unearth the movement of black money internationally.

 

[Bobby]

Man !!!!!! we are very happi don't need this HARAAM US $$$.......

I never heard this kind of statements ..when you got so much aid...only when you are not getting ...you are crying....