US lawmakers from both Democratic and Republican parties have slammed the Obama administration’s request for $2.4 billion for Pakistan, calling the country a “black hole” where the US has “sunk” $24 billion over the last decade.
“Pakistan is like a black hole for American aid,” Gary Ackerman, top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs panel on the Middle East and South Asia said during a hearing on Wednesday. “Our tax dollars go in, our diplomats go in – sometimes, our aid professionals go in – sometimes, our hopes go in, our prayers go in,” he said. “Nothing good ever comes out.” Alleging that Islamabad continues to pursue its national interest at America’s expense and that of its allies, Ackerman said, “Pakistan continues to shelter, directly support and sponsor terrorists.”
“Officially acknowledging this indisputable fact might be grossly impolitic; but that doesn’t make it less true. American standing in Pakistani public opinion is terrible and getting worse,” he said.
Similarly Republican Dana Rohrabacher blasted US support for Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who he said was taking “marching orders” from Pakistan. “We should cut Pakistan off of every cent because it has been used for evil purposes, including killing American troops,” he said.
However, a State Department official testifying at the hearing suggested cutting off aid would be short-sighted. “Our current discussions with the Pakistanis on how best to pursue our common interests will take time to resolve, and it’s not easy right now to provide satisfying answers to some questions,” Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Daniel Feldman said in written testimony.
But “the fact of the matter is, is that we’ve been able to kill more terrorists on Pakistani soil than just about any place else,” he said, citing President Barack Obama’s words after the death of Osama bin Laden last May. “We could not have done that without Pakistani cooperation.”
Absolutely true. And the reason is that you, the American govt., support the pathetic, corrupt leaders of this country. Kick them out & see how we, the Pakistanis wont even need your aid, yet will work towards greater understanding/ peace between all nations.
For once, just try it!
SGYKhan, why have you commented on this news without reading it? Just read first few lines of this news item here:-“Our tax dollars go in, our diplomats go in – sometimes, our aid professionals go in – sometimes, our hopes go in, our prayers go in,” he said. “Nothing good ever comes out.” Alleging that Islamabad continues to pursue its national interest at America’s expense and that of its allies.
It says " Islamabad continues to pursue its national interests at American expense". It is actually a left-handed compliment to the government of Pakistan.
Black hole — we know …
But is there a thing called brown hole?
An intransigent US Congress will only ensure that Pakistan keep its land route shut to the US, costing them hundreds of millions of dollars more.
Those idiotic and corrupt Congressmen approved $4 trillion for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and that is not a black whole? The still continue to spend $100 billion a year in Afghanistan on a war they have lost already and none of the money has gone to any visible development in Afghanistan.
Bush & Obama Administrations have taken the money from pockets of American tax payers and given it to the likes of Halliburton and crooked private contractors.
Even in the economic turmoil the US threw $24 billion into the "black hole" which should make you realize about how serious the policy makers are about getting osama and the terrorists. Now that they know about osama hiding in pak for the last 10 years ofcourese they are going to crack the whip which is exactly what they did. It is your fault first of all to get into this kind of a situation. Now why blame the US??
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