Why can't someone report the total aid Pakistan receives and scrutiny of the official figures about its expenditure. Or maybe the only purpose of whole thing is to give US a good image on its effort for being friends with the muslim world.
Same report: "For example, in the first two quarters of fiscal year 2010, Pakistan submitted claims of $531 million and $530 million. The United States paid out $263 million and $326 million. " Interesting how they asked for the same amount yet got 23% more in the second quarter.
My reaction to this is that it just goes to show the need for oversight. I know everybody hates a bureaucracy (myself included), but in reality sometimes that's what you need. You need somebody in position to stay on top of the situation and make sure our money is well spent.
Remember, the United States is seen internationally (esp. in middle east and lower asia) as the "golden standard" when it comes to graft and bribery, and dare i add accurate contracting? We don't accept bribes, we don't charge more than what we cost (in gov't), and what are numbers are is what our numbers are . . .but this is different from how things are done in that part of the world. for example: the average per capita income is 1,000$, but for salors they were asking between 200$ and 800$. Let's say it was more often 200$ to give them the benefit of the doubt. So first, yes, it was padded. On the other hand, if the sailors are going to get any assistance, it must be padded . . .first it goes through the department of finance, there goes 40%, then to the Defense ministry, there goes another 20%, then to the military . .. by the time it gets to the unit, guess what? they have enough to feed the sailors-because they asked for way more than they needed, and they thank god that they have enough to eat . . . "Oversight"? you mean forcefully taking apart their government and rearranging the entire culture? I wouldn't think that would be popular right now . . .
The report is that if US cuts off its 1-2 Billion dollar aid to Pakistan then Pak will go officially into alignment with China and Saudi Arabia. With that happening, Pak will come out all in open as a terrorist state which US cannot attack easily given the weight of China in region and Saudi Arabia in the Middle East. Once out of the US circle, Pak will also start to sell its nukes to other nations and worst to AQ and Talibian. Wonder how much leverage nations like Egypt, Syria, Turkey and Iran will get if they buy couple of nukes each from Pakistan. US should not cut off aid to Pak but make sure that this aid is not used for military purposes and in aiding the terrorist cells which are the reason why US is in Af-Pak and is giving aid to the Pakistan. OBL was the golden goose that US got rid off and that is why Pak did not like it so much.
A section of the airmen of the Pakistan Air Force are being radicalised who are sabotaging aircraft to prevent them from being used in operations on the Afghan border, a latest US diplomatic cable leaked by WikiLeaks has said. The cable quotes a commander of the Pakistan Air Force saying that a section of the airmen are being radicalised. "You cannot imagine what a hard time we are having trying to get them to trim their beards," the cable quoting the official said. The leaked cables, accessed by NDTV, said the airmen - most of whom come from rural background - have been indulging in acts of "petty sabotage" to prevent deployment of aircraft in support of security operations along the Afghan border where Pakistani forces are fighting the Taliban.
I used to have the same opinion, but apparently US is fueling just another bomb to be dropped on it's head. Or maybe my doubt on US intelligence to keep this type of nuclear arsenal in restraint is exaggerated. Pak to become 4th largest nuclear state at end of decade... Pakistan has doubled the size of its nuclear arsenal over the past four years... ...the nuclear risks in Pakistan are three-fold: its non-proliferation record is poor, there are concerns about the security of sensitive nuclear materials, and there is no sign of a slowdown in its nuclear weapons drive. http://www.thenews.com.pk/NewsDetail.aspx?ID=13425 don't be so naive
no need to officially go into alignment. I don't know if you know this but It is well known that China and Pakistan are extremely staunch allies. Their friendship is one of the most enduring in the last century of diplomacy. In Chinese political circles and thinktanks, the alliance with Pakistan is known as "the iron bond." and China has at times during the last few decades, deployed hundreds of thousands of PLA troops to the Indo-Pak border even at the first glance of rising tensions between India and Pakistan. During the Kargil conflict, China airlifted rapid reaction forces and special forces overnight to the Tibetan border as a warning. Chinese presidents, including the current President Hu have repeatedly warned that an invasion against Pakistan is an attack on China. The relationship has been described by Hu Jintao as "higher than the mountains and deeper than oceans". BTW, Pakistan is the only country in the world, that China has publicly stated that it will will provide UNLIMITED and UNCONDITIONAL financial and military assistance, including nuclear as it has done over the last few decades. No other country in the world has this status. The relationship between China and Pakistan's is considered to be their equivalent to the Israel â United States relations. When a US delegate once confronted a Chinese diplomat about Beijing's uncompromising and unconditioned support for Pakistan, the Chinese reportedly responded with a heavily-loaded sarcastic remark by saying "Pakistan is our Israel". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IN the friendless and critical world that confronts his country after the killing of Osama bin Laden, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani should be forgiven the hyperbole. China, he declares, is "our best and most trusted friend . . . a true friend and a time-trusted friend". "At this critical juncture of history, I cannot say anybody is standing with Pakistan except for China," says former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...s-on-true-friend/story-e6frg6ux-1226059907072
Pak's have nukes and are crazy enough to use them. They are controlled by their corrupt military and democracy is just a facade. They are our two faced ally as long as we pay them. The Chinese will use them to distract and do their dirty work.