Amid growing outrage in Pakistan regarding the Kerry-Lugar Aid Bill, the United States is reportedly working behind the scenes with top members of Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari’s inner circle, one of the few factions in Pakistan that seems to support accepting the aid, to figure out how to salvage the package.
President Zardari has been meeting with senior members of his ruling Pakistani Peoples Party (PPP) to discuss ways to sell the bill to parliament, which is seen as almost certain to reject the bill following intense military opposition.
The bill, which passed through the US Senate last week, pledges billions of dollars in aid to Pakistan but issues a series of harsh statements and demands, including giving the US formal oversight over the nation’s court system and military. The onerous strings attached have led some in Pakistan’s government to term it a “treaty of surrender.”
The solution to these complaints, as it stands, is a public promise from Sen. Kerry that there are “no conditions” on the aid no matter what the bill actually says. Also seen as a key would be a signing statement from President Obama basically disavowing much of the language of the bill. Trust in US promises is in short supply in Pakistan, however, and it remains to be seen if it will make any difference at all.
The Kerry-Lugar Bill is perceived as an insult to the Pakistani nation owing to its conditionalities. It appears as if the bill has been framed on the assumptions that (1) Pakistan is the hub of terrorist activities for the whole world, (2) Pakistan is engaged in cross-border infiltration and terrorism and (3) Pakistan is prone to exporting nuclear-related weapons, materials or technology to the world. The conditionalities mean that the US wants to play the role of the British Empire when it ruled undivided India. The US needs to clarify its intentions and alter the language of the bill.
it seams we will need to return Pakistan back to a "strong democracy" courtesy of one of our well paid generals
We need to STOP giving AID (TAX DOLLARS) to ALL these countries including ISRAEL and KEEP our money to protect our borders ant ports (air & sea)
We need to STOP giving AID (TAX DOLLARS) to ALL these countries including ISRAEL and KEEP our money to protect our borders and ports (air & sea)
The three things listed by Mr Piracha which offends Pakistanis are the things that the government of Pakistan itself is projecting about Pakistan all the time. The purpose is to scare USA and other Western countries to give them aid. If the government comes clean and simply announce that yes there are terrorists but by no stretch of imagination they can ever be a threat to the West then all this aid will stop. After all what can two men hiding in a mountain do?