Obama Proposes $2.4 Billion in Aid to Pakistan

Massive Outlay 'Conditional,' Officials Promise

After at least three major public fallouts with the Pakistani government left US-Pakistani relations on the brink of collapse, most were expecting a major revision in aid to Pakistan. Instead, we see more of the same.

The new proposal from President Obama would have $2.4 billion in aid for the fiscal year 2012-13, including significant funding for Pakistan’s “counter-insurgency capability fund,” despite US officials repeatedly accusing Pakistan of being on the side of the insurgents.

Officials insist that the aid is “conditional” and that Pakistan will only get the money if Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signs off on Pakistan “cooperating” and insists Pakistan isn’t “supporting terrorist activities against the US.”

The budget proposal from President Obama includes significant tax increases and it is unclear if he will be able to push it through Congress. The Pakistan aid may well also be a subject of major debate in the budget.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.