Obama signs $1.1 trillion spending bill, rider for Pakistan aid

[Bhai Zakir]

Obama signs $1.1 trillion spending bill, rider for Pakistan aid

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has signed a $1.1 trillion spending bill that puts conditions on continuation of American aid to Pakistan.

"Goodness gracious, that is a big piece of business. That is a big bill," Obama said as he signed the bill yesterday that funds the federal government through the end of September.

The 1,582-page bill passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate requires a certification from the Secretary of State and the Defence Secre ..

Read more at:
Obama signs $1.1 trillion spending bill, rider for Pakistan aid - The Economic Times


Read more at:
Obama signs $1.1 trillion spending bill, rider for Pakistan aid - The Economic Times

The 1,582-page bill passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate requires a certification from the Secretary of State and the Defence Secretary that Pakistan is co-operating with the US in counterterrorism efforts against the Haqqani Network, Quetta Shura Taliban, Lashkar e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e- Mohammed, al-Qaeda, and other domestic and foreign terrorist organisations.

It also includes Pakistan taking steps to end support for such groups and prevent them from basing and ope
rating them on its soil, and carrying out cross-border attacks into neighbouring countries.

Further, the Congress has also withheld $3 million assistance until Pakistan releases Shakil Afridi from prison and is cleared of all charges relating to the assistance provided to the US in locating slain terrorist Osama bin Laden.

As per the bill, the Secretary of State also requires to certify the Congress that Pakistan is not supporting terrorist activities against the US or coalition forces in Afghanistan and expertise and Pakistan's military and intelligence agencies are not intervening extra-judicially into political and judicial processes in Pakistan.

The Secretary of State is authorised to suspend assistance if Pakistan fails to make measurable progress in meeting such goals or benchmarks, the bill says.

Read more at:
Obama signs $1.1 trillion spending bill, rider for Pakistan aid - The Economic Times


Read more at:
Obama signs $1.1 trillion spending bill, rider for Pakistan aid - The Economic Times


Read more at:
Obama signs $1.1 trillion spending bill, rider for Pakistan aid - The Economic Times

 

[Cherokee]

What conditions ??

 

[Ayush]

they are allies after all

 

[faisal6309]

So what

 

[JanjaWeed]

Oh well.. nothing to get excited about. They will find ways & means to get around those insignificant clauses. Din't they come out with much rigorous clauses under Kerry-Lugar bill?

 

[OrionHunter]

The 1,582-page bill passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate requires a certification from the Secretary of State and the Defence Secretary that Pakistan is co-operating with the US in counterterrorism efforts against the Haqqani Network, Quetta Shura Taliban, Lashkar e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e- Mohammed, al-Qaeda, and other domestic and foreign terrorist organisations.

It also includes Pakistan taking steps to end support for such groups and prevent them from basing and operating them on its soil, and carrying out cross-border attacks into neighboring countries.

So that means no more aid to Pakistan due to the impossible conditions laid down!

 

[khanboy007]

1582 page bill.....I can only imagine the conditions it may have

here's a slice of one of my thoughts : pay taxes when you breathe an ounce of oxygen to the US, say no to china

seriously hoisting conditions printed on a 1582 page booklet and then calling yourself an ally

rather than that just pay off the money spent on WOT (approx 3 bln usd) and scram !!!!!

the whole deal makes no sense......it must be something to strangle ourselves with

either way lest see

 

[airmarshal]

Pakistan will start developing once this aid opium is taken away. It has made the state lethargic and its leaders self serving. Not a single dollar of so called aid comes down to common Pakistanis. Aid is a bribe to the leaders.

 

[Dubious]

Pakistan will start developing once this aid opium is taken away. It has made the state lethargic and its leaders self serving. Not a single dollar of so called aid comes down to common Pakistanis. Aid is a bribe to the leaders.

Totally agree with the last part!

Wonder how many actually read the 1,582 pg bill...how many read the small writing underneath or the hidden agenda?!

1582 page bill.....I can only imagine the conditions it may have

here's a slice of one of my thoughts : pay taxes when you breathe an ounce of oxygen to the US, say no to china

seriously hoisting conditions printed on a 1582 page booklet and then calling yourself an ally

rather than that just pay off the money spent on WOT (approx 3 bln usd) and scram !!!!!

the whole deal makes no sense......it must be something to strangle ourselves with

either way lest see

It should def be a payment for all the ill acts done to Pakistan on Pakistani soil and then scram

 

[Sugarcane]

What's new here? they haven't cleared previous bills yet, it's better to end this deal, shutdown transit and mine AF-PAK border.

 

[airmarshal]

Remember when small print of Kerry Lugar bill was explained on the media, the glee of these so called political leaders became a grimace and then the foreign minister was rushed to Washington to clarify those clauses.

Also, the attack on ideology, the Indian **** on the media and weakening of Pakistan stance on war on terror, the funding of NGOs, the utter confusion being created and the paralysis of the state are all gifts of this aid which our leaders so happily accept.

They dont know, in fact dont need to know, that a country spends meny on you, its not for you, its to protect interests of the spender.

 

[AUz]

1.1 trillion spending? Sweet.

 

[rockstar08]

Another Bone for Political Dogs

 

[jarves]

Congratulations to Pakistan.

 

[VCheng]

As per the bill, the Secretary of State also requires to certify the Congress that Pakistan is not supporting terrorist activities against the US or coalition forces in Afghanistan and expertise and Pakistan's military and intelligence agencies are not intervening extra-judicially into political and judicial processes in Pakistan.

Yeah right. Such certification will be a farce.