US military aid to Pakistan restored?

[EjazR]

PressTV - US military aid to Pakistan restored

Press TV talks with Dr. Ali Syed Wasif, president of the Society for International reforms and Research in Washington, who discusses the topic of US-Pakistan relations and the visit by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to Iran. Following is the transcript of that interview.

Press TV: Leon Panetta, the US 23rd Secretary of Defense, had a recent visit to Pakistan. What was the outcome from that visit and possible future relations between the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) and ISI, which is Pakistan's inter- service of intelligence?

Ali Syed Wasif: I think they are interconnected. Leon Panetta's visit to Pakistan and President Zardari's visit to Iran are both interconnected. I think President Zardari is carrying a message to the Iranian leadership about a possible withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and the Iranian role in Afghanistan and the Indian role in Afghanistan and an understanding with the Taliban and the Pakistani regime in that account.

Apart from that, there might be some more messages that President Zardari might be carrying to the Iranian leadership and that is probably on the relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia; Iran and the regional politics in the Middle East in the Gulf area; and Iran and the Bahraini crisis.

So I think the Americans are asking for some guarantees from the Iranian leadership vis e vis Bahrain that if America asks the al-Khalifa family to quit, that Iran would be neutral in that stance.

So I think the visit of Zardari to Iran is multifaceted both in terms of economic and political and geostrategic goals in terms of bilateral cementing of ties between Iran and Pakistan, which had been pretty much in ups and downs during the last decade or so.

Press TV: US leader of armed forces in Pakistan General Petraeus said regarding the attacks that occurred on May 2 that they achieved something greater than killing Osama Bin Laden; however, he never elaborated on what that was. Do you have any idea of what General Petraeus was talking about?

Ali Syed Wasif: Yes. What he was referring to was probably about some intelligence that they got from the mansion of Osama Bin Laden - computer discs and other documents they dug out may have led to a tip of who was behind his sanctuary in Abad Abad; the military generals of Pakistan and others who have been colluding with terrorist organizations. I think that's what they were referring to - some important information.

The second thing was that Pakistan's intelligence agency's coordination, cooperation and backing of the Afghan Taliban and different terrorist groups in India and elsewhere. So I think they got clues about those coordination efforts and some information of financial backing and support.

Press TV: US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said the US will take unilateral action anywhere it finds al-Qaeda leaders - Should Pakistan and the people of Pakistan be worried? Especially since a week ago the US said they'd be cutting off around 800 million dollars in military aid to that country.

Ali Syed Wasif: That aid is now restored because the chief of the ISI had just been to Washington yesterday and he had guaranteed the issue of visas to the military personnel of the US - so that aid is going to be restored.

As far as the American intervention or raid is concerned in Pakistan - if Americans find any other high profile terrorists in the Pakistani territory I think the Americans will go after them and the Pakistanis, like in the past, will not be able to do anything apart from registering their dislike and emotions.

Press TV: You're saying the 800 million military aid has been restored because of Pakistan saying they have reissued visas to the military forces of the US, correct?

Ali Syed Wasif: Yes.

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PRESS TV is unreliable but this was a video interview on this matter and hence could this be an accurate explanation of why military aid was restored or why the meeting went so "well" in the US with the DG ISI?

 

[muse]

Press TV: You're saying the 800 million military aid has been restored because of Pakistan saying they have reissued visas to the military forces of the US, correct?

Ali Syed Wasif: Yes.

Interesting --- While I have not run across any other articles that suggest the US$ 800 million is being resumed - I would not be surprised if the military aid component was to be reactivated. I'm just not buying the Pakistan army line that Pasha's visit was some great success -- the Pakistani military establishment needs to connect with the people of Pakistan, who will not soon forget that the armed forces on which they spend so large a percentage of their national treasure, "did not know" Osama was within less than a mile of the premier military academy and did not so much as blink while the armed forces of a foreign country, invaded Pakistan, conducted a assassination operation and safely, some say with with assurance, flew out of Pakistan, all the while the "courageous" Pakistan Air force considered the fact that the entire Pakistan Air Force was no match for a squadron of F18.

But of course reconnecting with the people of Pakistan, given the present leadership of the armed forces, the anti-national orientation of these armed forces, is simply not in the cards.

 

[President Camacho]

Interesting --- While I have not run across any other articles that suggest the US$ 800 million is being resumed - I would not be surprised if the military aid component was to be reactivated. I'm just not buying the Pakistan army line that Pasha's visit was some great success -- the Pakistani military establishment needs to connect with the people of Pakistan, who will not soon forget that the armed forces on which they spend so large a percentage of their national treasure, "did not know" Osama was within less than a mile of the premier military academy and did not so much as blink while the armed forces of a foreign country, invaded Pakistan, conducted a assassination operation and safely, some say with with assurance, flew out of Pakistan, all the while the "courageous" Pakistan Air force considered the fact that the entire Pakistan Air Force was no match for a squadron of F18.

But of course reconnecting with the people of Pakistan, given the present leadership of the armed forces, the anti-national orientation of these armed forces, is simply not in the cards.

I think the Pakistani Army would do so (try to connect with the people, or reject the aid outright), if a large percentage of their salaries and perks came from the taxes paid by the people.

It's not too hard to assess the PA's degree of dependence on the aid. The actions and consequences portray a clear graph.

 

[President Camacho]

ISI Chief’s visit to US had no relevance with restoration of US assistance: Army spokesperson

ISLAMABAD: Army spokesperson Maj Gen Athar Abbas said DG ISI Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha’s visit to US had nothing to do with restoration of US aid to Pakistan.

Talking to Online Saturday he said DG ISI during his visit to US held talks on improving intelligence contacts and his visit had no relevance with the restoration of US assistance. This matter even did not figure in his agenda for visit to US, he told.

DG ISI held one on one meeting with acting chief of CIA in cordial atmosphere, he said adding matters aimed at improving mutual trust and intelligence related matters came under discussion.

US had expressed no reservation or suspicion on ISI affairs and its performance, he told. Contrary to the speculative reporting in a section of press, neither there were doubts raised nor aspersions cast on the functioning of ISI. The talks focused on one solitary point as to how Pakistan and U.S. should move forward, he pointed out, he added.

 

[President Camacho]

ISI Chief’s visit to US had no relevance with restoration of US assistance: Army spokesperson

ISLAMABAD: Army spokesperson Maj Gen Athar Abbas said DG ISI Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha’s visit to US had nothing to do with restoration of US aid to Pakistan.

Talking to Online Saturday he said DG ISI during his visit to US held talks on improving intelligence contacts and his visit had no relevance with the restoration of US assistance. This matter even did not figure in his agenda for visit to US, he told.

DG ISI held one on one meeting with acting chief of CIA in cordial atmosphere, he said adding matters aimed at improving mutual trust and intelligence related matters came under discussion.

US had expressed no reservation or suspicion on ISI affairs and its performance, he told. Contrary to the speculative reporting in a section of press, neither there were doubts raised nor aspersions cast on the functioning of ISI. The talks focused on one solitary point as to how Pakistan and U.S. should move forward, he pointed out, he added.

 

[American Eagle]

Whatever works to improve CIA-ISI coordination and to improve and resume allowing US personnel into Pakistan with proper diplomatic immunity credentials is a step in the right direction.

The pathetic Malik excuses to avoid the hard facts of terrorist pockets in the City of Karachi are not believed here in the US you can be sure, as a digressive remark here.

US had expressed no reservation or suspicion on ISI affairs and its performance, he told. Contrary to the speculative reporting in a section of press, neither there were doubts raised nor aspersions cast on the functioning of ISI. The talks focused on one solitary point as to how Pakistan and U.S. should move forward, he pointed out, he added.