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US lawmakers threaten to suspend aid

Lankan Ranger

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US lawmakers threaten to suspend aid

Senior US Congressional leaders urged the Obama administration on Tuesday to reconsider America’s relationship with Pakistan and also threatened to suspend $1.3 billion of annual aid to the country if it’s established that Pakistani intelligence officials helped lodge Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad.

But at least one lawmaker — Senator John McCain — advised the US not to sever ties with Islamabad. “To try to assist them and try to move towards democracy in my view is a very difficult … path but extremely (necessary). The other options are not really viable. For a ten-year period we cut off relations with Pakistan, things got worse. And so to do that obviously would not be the answer,” said the senior Republican senator who was also his party’s presidential candidate in 2008.

Others disagreed. “Our government is in fiscal distress; to make contributions to a country that isn’t going to be fully supportive is a problem for many. I want to think this out, talking to other members,” said Senator Dianne Feinstein, who chairs the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee.

“Before we send another dime, we need to know whether Pakistan truly stands with us in the fight against terrorism,” said Frank Lautenberg, a senior Democratic senator from New Jersey. “Until Congress and the American public are assured that the Pakistani government is not shielding terrorists, financial aid to Pakistan should be suspended.”

Pakistan receives financial assistance from the United States for fighting terrorists. In his 2012 budget, President Barack Obama requested nearly $3 billion in foreign assistance for Pakistan, including $1.58 billion in funds for security-related programmes.

“I don’t know whether (cutting aid) would be effective or counter-productive, we’ll have to look at that,” said Congressman Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 House Democratic leader in the House.

“It needs to be looked into.” Senator Susan Collins, the top Republican on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, also backed calls for restraining US assistance to Pakistan.

“We clearly need to keep the pressure on Pakistan, and one way to do that is to put strings attached to the tremendous amount of military aid we give the country,” she said.

“I do understand the Pakistan government is under tremendous pressure internally, but the fact is it is in Pakistan’s own interest to work with us to defeat the terrorist threat.”

The White House also has added its voice to those seeking an explanation from Pakistan for Osama bin Laden’s presence in Abbottabad, but has refrained from endorsing the demand for ending its alliance with Islamabad.

“It is inconceivable that Bin Laden did not have a support system in (Pakistan) that allowed him to remain there for an extended period of time,” said White House counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan.

“We are looking right now at how he was able to hold out there for so long,” he said. “We are talking with the Pakistanis on a regular basis now, and we’re going to pursue all leads to find out exactly what type of support system and benefactors that Bin Laden might have had.”

Mr Brennan said it was understandable that congressional leaders were calling into question US aid to Pakistan. But he called the US-Pakistan alliance “critically important to breaking the back of Al Qaeda and eventually prevailing over Al Qaeda, as well as associated terrorist groups”.

US House Intelligence Committee Chairman Michael Rogers, a Republican from Michigan, also warned against severing ties to Pakistan.

“Liaison partnerships are always — they’re never all-in propositions,” he said. “You have to take the service as you find it in the country of which you find it. And they — the ISI and Pakistan, the government of Pakistan – have been helpful to the United States when it comes to counter-terrorism actions and investigations.”

Other US lawmakers, however, pointed out that Abbottabad was only 40 miles north of Islamabad and was home to Pakistan’s military academy.

www.dawn.com - Security Verification
 
Yes, all of the Jewish Congressmen and women are talking against Pakistan:

(01) Diane Finestien
(02) Carl Levin
(03) Mr. Lutenberg
(04) Gary Ackerman

and othr Jews, but Pakistan will not recognize Israel no matter what. Keep the aid, stop it, so our politicians stop stealing. Give it to Israel.
 
Keep the aid, stop it, so our politicians stop stealing. Give it to Israel.

the elites in Pakistan do not need the aid...but your economy does...it's jsut an emotiong-ridden statement from you...
without the aid it would become impossible for Pakistan to keep pace with India in it's defence capabilities...assuming that all of the aid is being put into healthcare and education and power development...you'd need to put more money out of your own pockets into these vital sectors by taking a large proportion out of the defence sectors...sudden stoppage of aid will choke growth and stocks will crash.
The Americans are not even giving credit...they are giving aid...
at least for the time being you need the aid...till the time things are back track...
 
Yes, all of the Jewish Congressmen and women are talking against Pakistan:

(01) Diane Finestien
(02) Carl Levin
(03) Mr. Lutenberg
(04) Gary Ackerman

and othr Jews, but Pakistan will not recognize Israel no matter what. Keep the aid, stop it, so our politicians stop stealing. Give it to Israel.

why do they always threat us ...... why don't they cut our aid ..... do it all for once ........ and me too with you for not accepting israel no matter what...........
 
(04) Gary Ackerman is Indian Guy (I think he is Head of Indian Caucus in US Congress)- Rest have valid concerns.
 
Good for our govt. :tup:

Thing I wanna know is how was he living there for 5 years without alerting any pakistani official?

What would you guys do without us :P
 
Good for our govt. :tup:

Thing I wanna know is how was he living there for 5 years without alerting any pakistani official?

What would you guys do without us :P

My dear you would be surprized to know that majority of pakistanis want US to stop this Aid show and leave pakistan on its own. Atleast that will leave our corrupt leaders with no excuse for polishing american shoes. 2nd, if you read the whole story one thing that you would know is that Usama had almost no contact with his team members or other al qiada men for last 2 years atleast. His last audio tape came out in 2009 so it shows that he had no contact to the outside world. The last contact that led to his compound was by his courier, a call to some one from taxila and that was intercepted by ISI and info was given to CIA. and that led to the identification of the compound.
But still i know we will come under fire. And that shows that we should distance ourselves from this american war and should care about our own interest.
 
ISN'T THE THREAT TO SUSPEND AID HAS PAST ITS DUE DATE. 1.3 BILLION OF AID WAS NEVER MEANT FOR PAKISTAN IN THE 1ST PLACE. US LAWMAKERS ARE OVER ESTIMATING THE IMPORTANCE OF AID AND UNDERESTIMATING THE FACT THAT IT HAS LITTLE IMPORTANCE AS FAR AS PAKISTAN IS CONCERNED. MOST OF THE MONEY IS FOR LOGISTICS ANYWAYS.
 
Stop it you damn

we dont need your aid

we need to stop this bloody war soon.
 

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