Posted on 06/28/2016 6:31:47 PM PDT by cold start
Congress should quit funding Pakistan's due to the country's complicity in terrorism.
Ted Poe is a Republican U.S. representative for Texas' 2nd district. He is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and serves as chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Non-Proliferation and Trade.
The House of Representatives recently gave Pakistan a $200 million raise. In all, it was a $900 million payday for a country that to this day is supporting terrorist groups that kill our service men and women in Afghanistan.
It is well known by now that Pakistan gave safe harbor to Osama bin Laden. Before he met his maker in one of the greatest U.S. military raids ever conducted, bin Laden was living in a big house in a bustling military town in Pakistan. Less known is that after that raid our CIA station chief in Pakistan was poisoned: Both he and the CIA suspect he was poisoned by Pakistan's version of the CIA called the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency or "ISI."
The ISI is infamous for its support for terrorists. In February 2012, a NATO report confirmed that it was supporting the Taliban and other terrorist groups with resources, sanctuary and training. A year before the NATO report, in 2011, Adm. Mike Mullen, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified before Congress that "the Haqqani Network acts as a veritable arm of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Agency." No terrorist organization is responsible for more American deaths than the Haqqani Network.
Recently, the Haqqani Network joined forces with the Taliban. The effect has been devastating. Last year, more Afghan civilians and troops were killed than in any year since the Taliban was toppled in 2001. The Taliban now holds more territory than at any time since 2001.
On May 21, 2016, the U.S. killed the leader of the Taliban in a drone strike. U.S. officials later revealed the Taliban leader was plotting new attacks on American targets in Kabul. Where was he hiding? In Pakistan, of course. Just like Osama bin Laden, Pakistan had no problem giving refuge to a terrorist with American blood on his hands.
For reasons yet to be explained, the House of Representatives thought it was a good idea to not only keep giving Pakistan money this year, but give them a raise. I offered an amendment to simply cut this raise. The amendment failed.
Pakistan cannot be trusted. It has played us now for a total of $33 billion of our money since 2001. For 15 years we have been asking Pakistan to go after terrorists within its own borders and for 15 years not only has Pakistan not done so in any significant way, but it has actually supported those very terrorists who kill our service men and women in Afghanistan. It is time to call it like it is.
We do not need to give Pakistan a raise to betray us. They will do it for free. And that's just the way it is.
Someone needs to send Donald Trump a note. This is something he needs to be doing right off the bat!
why are we paying our enemies....
We could stop paying our allies as much if we simply stopped paying our enemies at all!
The only middle eastern country that we should ever consider giving even a penny to is Israel.
I just marvel at the mess our establishment politicians have made of the world.
Perhaps we are trying to delay Pakistan’s becoming the Wal-Mart of nuclear bombs for third world countries by creating an addiction among its power brokers for our aid money. Just speculation.
“Pakistan cannot be trusted. It has played us now for a total of $33 billion of our money since 2001”
SICK!
I don’t understand why we don’t play the “India card” hard against Pakistan. Either they totally cooperate in rooting out and exterminating the Taliban and all jihadi groups, or else we will tilt strongly toward India arming them as an ally etc. Since India the overwhelming fear of Pak. it should not take much to get them to see the light.
We play this game of balance between Pakistan and India, but Pakistanis just thumb their noses at us and have contributed to killings of so many US and NATO troops in Afghanistan... not to mention so many more Afghan troops, police, and civilians.
I know the current Obozo regime will never do it, but this could be an action item for the Trump admin.
Stop pouring tax payer money into countries who hate and wand to kill us! INSANE!!
We are a debtor nation. I cannot think of a single country that we should be paying.
You,-Sir,-understand-the-BIG-picture!
(Sorry,-my-space-bar-just-died)
Like it or not, Pakistan is THE key player from Iran to Burma and they have nukes.
At least 30% of the Pakistani economy is controlled by the Pakistan military and ISI. Our influence money goes a long way.
They give us access and intel we could not get any other way, our drone program there is essential to manage the Afghan theater.
Rep. Poe is running pretty loose with his “facts”.
Pakistan is one of those countries, like the Saudi’s that we need in many ways even though we have to hold our noses from the stench of the dealings with them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.