Calling Pakistan's Bluff On Aid

IBD Editorials ^ | July 12, 2011 | Staff

[Kaslin]

War On Terror: Washington finally has done what it should have done years ago: deny aid to Islamabad unless it can show its cooperation is more than just a facade to milk the U.S. for more cash.

After Pakistan ordered U.S. military trainers out of the country — in retaliation for the clandestine raid on Osama bin Laden's compound — the administration held back $800 million in aid to the Pakistani military.

The cut amounts to only a third of promised aid this year. And it was measured. The lack of trainers means that planned U.S. equipment can't be put into service, reducing some of the needed aid.

The reaction from Islamabad was predictable. Its defense minister threatened to pull back troops from border areas where Islamist militants are active.

But Pakistan already has failed to deploy troops to the region as the U.S. has requested, which is another reason aid was withheld.

About $300 million from the trimmed aid was intended to reimburse Pakistan for the cost of deploying troops along the Afghan border.

Pakistan wasn't through huffing and bluffing. It said the financial snub would only push it into the arms of its "all-weather friend," China.

But it's already there. In fact, there is evidence U.S. aid has been fueling a dangerous nuclear pact between Pakistan and China.

At a cost of $2.4 billion, Islamabad is buying two 635-megawatt reactors from Beijing for its plutonium production complex at Chasma.

These are military reactors with the capability of adding 24 nuclear weapons a year to Pakistan's existing arsenal of some 90.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

At a cost of $2.4 billion, Islamabad is buying two 635-megawatt reactors from Beijing for its plutonium production complex at Chasma.

Our tax dollars at work - we give aid to Pakistan which can then divert billions to the Chinese to obtain the ability to crank out more nuclear weapons, which will eventually end up in the hands of the Pakistani Taliban when Pakistan crumbles. The Washington foreign policy establishment lives in it's own little world, untouched and untroubled by little annoyances like reality.

[sinanju]

Ironic that only Obama has the ‘nads to stop writing checks to the Pakis to be shat upon in return.

[Lurker]

We should reduce the entire nation of Pakiland to a smoldering radioactive cinder and be done with it.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Kaslin.

• Suspected US drones kill 38 in Pakistan
• Pakistan could "pull troops from Afghan border" if U.S. cuts aid
• More then 3 thousand foreigner fighters carry on in tribal area of Pakistan
• Sixty years of US aid to Pakistan: Get the data
• India welcomes US suspending military aid to Pakistan
• U.S. Hits Pakistan's Wallet
• No More 'Yes Boss,' Says Pakistani PM, As Rift With U.S. Deepens
• In Pakistan, many say aid 'snub' dims US sway

[af_vet_rr]

We should reduce the entire nation of Pakiland to a smoldering radioactive cinder and be done with it.

I see people say this all the time, but everybody knows it's not going to happen, so what's the real solution? They have nukes, they crank a million extremists every year through the various islamic extremists schools. What are we going to do?

[Lurker]

The problem is that we lack the political will to do it. Pakistan shouldn’t exist any more, it should be a cloud of radioactive vapor already.

[rusty millet]

“Its defense minister threatened to pull back troops from border areas where Islamist militants are active.”

Lead, follow, or get out of the way. This can work.

[mistfree]

Before Bush went into Iraq we demo’d a bomb called MOAB. No radioactivity. So, the Pakis pull back from the border and we need the border cleaned up, MOAB the border area. Repeat as needed.