The United States must “fully review” its ties with Pakistan and consider cuts or new restrictions to military and economic aid, Republican senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham urged.
A joint statement from the veteran American politicians conveyed the depth of feeling felt by many of their contemporaries in Washington about the need to re-evaluate a decade-long strategic relationship that has foundered this year.
“The United States has been incredibly patient with Pakistan. And we have been so despite certain undeniable and deeply disturbing facts,” they said.
“The time has come for the United States to fully review its relations with Pakistan. We must assess the nature and levels of our support.”
McCain serves as the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, while Graham is a member of that panel and is the top Republican on the committee that allocates US foreign aid.
“All options regarding US security and economic assistance to Pakistan must be on the table, including substantial reductions and stricter standards for performance,” they said.
The senators then cited alleged support from Pakistani army and intelligence officials for the Haqqani network “and other terrorist groups” blamed for attacks on US targets in Afghanistan “that are killing US troops.”
Such actions require that “US policy toward Pakistan must proceed from the realistic understanding that certain actions of Pakistan’s military are contributing to the death and injury of our men and women in the military and jeopardizing our national security interests,” said the senators.
McCain and Graham also offered their “deep condolences” over those killed in what they called an “unfortunate and unintentional” strike and predicted the investigation would “clarify the circumstances of this terrible tragedy.”
“The Pakistani government’s response to these events, however, has been deeply troubling and has added to the continued deterioration of our relationship,” they added.
“Such steps by the Pakistani government would mark a new low for our relationship,” they warned.
Bruce Riedel, a former CIA officer who led an interagency review of US policy toward Pakistan and Afghanistan in early 2009, on Monday said the United States should give greater weight to containing the Pakistani army.
Speaking at a panel discussion in the US capital, he said that for now, Washington was “not doing enough on the containment part. We’re slipping and sliding into it, but I think without a coherent framework.”
According to Riedel, the Pakistani army is gradually installing a new military dictatorship, without even needing to resort to a coup.
“The new military dictatorship that is emerging in Pakistan will be very different from its predecessors,” he said.
“The facade of civilian government is likely to continue to go on… with very little real power. The media will continue to be very active and alive, except when they criticize the military.”
I wish no body gives us money. May be, it is the only road leading to self-respect. May be we learn to stand on our feet. I am quite sure that if all our people start paying taxes honestly, we do not need to be beggars. At the same time, we must launch crusade against corruption starting from bottom and then moving on towards the top. After all, we at the bottom are the ones who chose the top ones. So, if we reform ourselves, the top tier will automatically have no choice but to be correct. We often hear that cleansing has to start from leadership. This is one way of common man's effort to shirk his responsibility. I am a small businessman and I know my community does not pay even one-tenth of what is due.
It will be blessing in disguise. Our this foreign aid is going in to personal pockets of our rulers. and public has to pay back.
Yes. Stop the aid. Pakistan's people and armed forces are not 'rent boys' to be used and discarded.
The likes of Zardari will have to work for a living instead of sucking the aid into their bank accounts
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