US mulls massive aid, investment for Pakistan
Published: March 21, 2009
WASHINGTON (APP) - A high-level US panel reviewing Afghanistan and Pakistan strategy will recommend intense engagement with Pakistan, including a massive, long-term increase in economic aid and several helicopters to fight militants along the Afghan border.
The Washington Times Friday reported citing a participant in the 60-day review of US policy that President Barack Obama would announce the policy before he leaves for Europe at the end of the month for a NATO summit. You will see intense engagement of Pakistan to keep civilian rule intact, to keep the economy from tanking and to increase assistance for counterinsurgency, especially helicopters, the review participant said on the condition he not be named to avoid pre-empting the president.
The review participant said the Obama administration supports a bill introduced last year by the then Senator and now Vice-President Joseph R Biden, and Sen. Richard G Lugar of Indiana, the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The legislation, now known as Kerry-Lugar measure, calls for expandling annual US nonmilitary aid to Pakistan to $1.5 billion and guaranteeing it for at least five and potentially 10 years.
As well the Obama administration is also considering a one-time injection of $5 billion into the pakistani economy to prevent it from further deterioration.
The 10-year time frame is intended to address persistent Pakistani fear that the US is interested only in a short-term tactical relationship, said a statement provided by the foreign relations committee.
Frederick Jones, a spokesman for the Foreign Relations Committee, told the Times that chairman of the committee Senator John Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat, intends to reintroduce the legislation soon.
Another element of the strategy is bolstering Pakistan's paramilitary forces. The participant in the Afghanistan-Pakistan review said it makes economic as well as political sense to build a bigger FC force because it costs about $ 12,000 a year to support one FC soldier compared with $ 250,000 a year for an American soldier.
There is also a need for other types of infrastructure development, the official said, including health care, education and security, all of these factors will be taken into consideration when finalizing the bill
The Nation | The Nation is the most credible of English Newspapers in Pakistan.
Published: March 21, 2009
WASHINGTON (APP) - A high-level US panel reviewing Afghanistan and Pakistan strategy will recommend intense engagement with Pakistan, including a massive, long-term increase in economic aid and several helicopters to fight militants along the Afghan border.
The Washington Times Friday reported citing a participant in the 60-day review of US policy that President Barack Obama would announce the policy before he leaves for Europe at the end of the month for a NATO summit. You will see intense engagement of Pakistan to keep civilian rule intact, to keep the economy from tanking and to increase assistance for counterinsurgency, especially helicopters, the review participant said on the condition he not be named to avoid pre-empting the president.
The review participant said the Obama administration supports a bill introduced last year by the then Senator and now Vice-President Joseph R Biden, and Sen. Richard G Lugar of Indiana, the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The legislation, now known as Kerry-Lugar measure, calls for expandling annual US nonmilitary aid to Pakistan to $1.5 billion and guaranteeing it for at least five and potentially 10 years.
As well the Obama administration is also considering a one-time injection of $5 billion into the pakistani economy to prevent it from further deterioration.
The 10-year time frame is intended to address persistent Pakistani fear that the US is interested only in a short-term tactical relationship, said a statement provided by the foreign relations committee.
Frederick Jones, a spokesman for the Foreign Relations Committee, told the Times that chairman of the committee Senator John Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat, intends to reintroduce the legislation soon.
Another element of the strategy is bolstering Pakistan's paramilitary forces. The participant in the Afghanistan-Pakistan review said it makes economic as well as political sense to build a bigger FC force because it costs about $ 12,000 a year to support one FC soldier compared with $ 250,000 a year for an American soldier.
There is also a need for other types of infrastructure development, the official said, including health care, education and security, all of these factors will be taken into consideration when finalizing the bill
The Nation | The Nation is the most credible of English Newspapers in Pakistan.
