Posted on 05/25/2012 5:49:36 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
A doctor who assisted the US in finding Osama bin Laden hiding in Pakistan has been convicted of treason and sentenced to 33 years in prison. In retaliation, a rare bi-partisan show of unity ensued in the senate as angry members of the Appropriations Committee unanimously voted to slash $33 million from US aid to Pakistan - a million dollars for each year of the doctor's sentence.
Reuters:
U.S. senators scandalized by Pakistan's jailing of a doctor for helping the CIA find Osama bin Laden voted on Thursday to cut aid to Islamabad by $33 million -- one million for each year in the doctor's sentence. "It's arbitrary, but the hope is that Pakistan will realize we are serious," said Senator Richard Durbin after the unanimous 30-0 vote by the Senate Appropriations Committee.
"It's outrageous that they (the Pakistanis) would say a man who helped us find Osama bin Laden is a traitor," said Durbin, the Senate's number two Democrat. Pakistan's jailing of Dr Shakil Afridi for 33 years on treason charges was also criticized by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who called it "unjust and unwarranted".
"The United States does not believe there is any basis for holding Dr. (Shakil) Afridi," Clinton said, vowing to continue to press the case with Islamabad.
The Senate Appropriations Committee's action docking Pakistan's aid came after a subcommittee earlier in the week slashed assistance to Islamabad -- and warned it would withhold even more cash if Pakistan does not reopen supply routes for NATO soldiers in neighboring Afghanistan.
Afridi was accused of running a fake vaccination campaign, in which he collected DNA samples, that is believed to have helped the American intelligence agency track down bin Laden in a Pakistani town last year.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
33 Million? Seriously? Big whoop. We should not be giving any aide to Pakistan.
Why not hold up ALL the money to Pakisran, or better yet, eliminate the aid altogether?
The Pakistanis are still laughing—they get a big fat check of our money, either way, with this stupid resolution.
Take away all funding. Why do we fund a nation the harbors terrorist? I just don’t get it.
RE: 33 Million? Seriously?
I know of a couple who won several times that amount at the lotteries.
“”It’s arbitrary, but the hope is that Pakistan will realize we are serious,” said Senator Richard Durbin after the unanimous 30-0 vote by the Senate Appropriations Committee. “
Who is he kidding? Maybe a few billion might get their attention, but durban and the rest of his nitwit friends wouldn’t want to do anything that would offend the pakistani terrorists.
Cut all aid then take out their nukes.
This amounts to a one half of one percent reduction .... yeah .... that’ll show ‘em.
While I agree with you on the premise, Pakistan is a little bit of a special case. We have to stay involved there as we don’t want the muslim brotherhood or any other serious jihadi’s getting their paws on Pak’s nuke tech.
I can get with that. I don’t see India nuking Pak anytime soon even IF Pak was disarmed and weakened.
boy that’ll show them.... we just seem to get dumber and dumber. The Soviets should enjoy picking up the slack
Parking ticket.
Yes, but it makes the Congressweasels look like they are doing something, since most Americans cannot understand such high mathematics as percentages.
Unless it’s 10% of a new Chinese made mass hypnosis device form WalMart.
It will take more than 535 ropes and lampposts to clean out the treason from the US.
We actually pay these idiots in Washington to come up with crap like this. I was in Pakistan when they kicked us out in 1970. We should have never given them another nickel since then.
Why not hold up ALL the money to Pakistan, or better yet, eliminate Pakistan altogether?
Well, that would certainly endear us to India!
Pakistan deserves far greater punishment, as there is no way they did not know Bin Laden was living next to their military academy for years.
Pakistan is the epitome of Muslim civilization, which is why they are a treacherous, backward, duplicitous hellhole.
"Our answer to Pakistan is...NOTHING. Not the yearly $800 million in aid, not the special military assistance, the jets or the AWACS. You even lose the nukes your Dr. Khan worked so hard to produce...and which I would appreciate your handing over personally."
Well, that would be a matter of perspective, Dick.
This.
33 million is little more than a rounding error considering the BILLIONS that we give them....that more than likely go into a higher ups numbered account somewhere anyway.
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