In comments made earlier today Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reiterated long-standing US demands for major tax increases in Pakistan, insisting that the US might withdraw foreign aid to the Zardari government if they don’t comply.
In particular, Clinton demanded a major increase in taxes against “wealthy landowners” in Pakistan, saying that the government had a duty to tax them at a much higher rate than they currently pay.
The US has been demanding massive increases in taxes and the institution of a value-added tax (VAT) system since early in February. Though Pakistan has largely complied and raised a number of its taxes, the US has continued to press for more and more tax hikes.
This comes on the basis of the assumption that the tax rate in Pakistan is too low, but this is based on comparison to Western levels of taxation. For a developing economy Pakistan’s tax rate is roughly in line with the rest of the world, but US officials feel perfectly justified in dictating the tax rates of other nations, and for the current administration this seems to mean and endless call for increases.
I can't believe what I have read. Hillary Clinton in the name of the USA is demanding that Pakistan raise it tax rates on the wealthy in that country. Coming from a leading politician of a country that refuses to tax their wealthy to try to balance a much imbalanced budget, the message rings hollow. What is the current Pakistani debt (money owed to GDP)? I bet it is lower than that in the USA. Come on Hillary, quit smoking pot and make sense.
This will be major break through if landlords pay taxes. These landlords are looting the country since independance.
Cut off the aid, quit bombing them, and leave them the fuck alone.
It is interesting that hillary will get involved in matters when she feels the wealthy are not taxed enough in some foreign land. She is very silent when it comes to matters in the land of the chosen. I guess the Pakistan does not have an AIPAC to buy our government. Maybe we could get peace in the middle east if she stuck with matters of real concern. I feel the wealthy of the USA are not taxed fairly and I think if Hillary wants to do something important she should address the bigger and bigger gap between the filthy rich of the USA and the poor. We are every bit a third world nation as is Pakistan.
There is no world in which Hillary can be so dumb as to believe that such demands make any sense whatsoever. Does she think Pakistan is some kind of marvelous supercontrolstate fairyland in which tax laws can be passed, accepted, financed, implemented, followed and controlled in a jiffy? It's truly bizarre.
Do any of the Americans stationed in AfPakistan pay income tax? Isn't there some exclusion if you are over seas which is one reason for all the bases all over the place? Just asking.
Hacklheber I agree with the first part of your post, but as for the second part — Yes Pakistan is. They have done lot worse things when ordered by the likes of Hillary, Bush, and Obama.
Huh? Where in the hell does the US govt have the right to even have an opinion on what tax rates are in other countries?
Sheez!
How do the tax rates in Israel stack up against those in the US? Who are we to tell anyone how to tax their citizens, when we can't even balance a budget or even figure out where the money is going in the first place? Telling other nations how to tax themselves is like telling other nations how to run their legal system- it's NONE OF OUR BUSINESS. If Hillary doesn't like the taxes in Pakistan, let her move there and become a citizen so she can change it herself if she can. Better yet, just let Hillary move there, period.
There is nothing too imbecilic to say or do for these shameless people. One can only shake his head in wonderment and disgust.